Paul Soliai

[Estro]

In Gailey's post game presser he mentioned that Wood had a tough assignment against Paul Soliai. I forgot word for word what Gailey said, but he made a comment that indiciated he believed Soliai was one of the best NT's they've faced all season.

 

It just so happens that Soliai is an unrestricted FA after this season. Kyle Williams has played great this year, but many people think the Bills will look to upgrade the D-Line this offseason and you can never have enough big bodies up front. Here's an article on Paul Soliai for those who don't know much about him:

 

http://www.footballnewsnow.com/2010/dolphins-nt-soliai-in-high-demand/

 

Go back and listen to Gailey's presser to see what I'm talking about, it looks like he'd be very high on him this offseason. I could definitely see the Bills making a serious run at Soliai.

[Thoner7]

God I sure hope so. He isn’t a house hold name and I don’t follow the phish, but I did watch Wood exclusively on many plays Sunday and thought he struggled vrs the guy. I have a very high opinion of Wood so I was left thinking that guy must be better than people think. I also remember thinking that we need more Samoans on our team because they are all huge beasts.

 

Whether we plan to go 3-4 or 4-3, I think we need a true big-bodied NG. Williams has played great but is more of a 5tech in a 3-4 than a NG, as his 4-3 role would be more similar to his 3-4 role that way. I think that at the end of the year, our biggest needs are actually inside LB and a true NG if we are committing to the 34.

 

PS lets sign Mankins too and get some real beasts on the lines

 

PS if we cant get him, maybe we can get the guy he replaced in randy Starks?

[Frostbelt City]

I was going to post a topic on this! I think sticking to a 4-3 and picking up Soliai would make our defensive trench a tough one - but it's far fetched considering Soliai is a NT. A solid one at that. Having two solid NTs in a 4-3 doesn't make sense.

 

Wishful thinking at its finest

Edited December 22, 2010 by Frostbelt City

[plenzmd1]

God I sure hope so. He isn’t a house hold name and I don’t follow the phish, but I did watch Wood exclusively on many plays Sunday and thought he struggled vrs the guy. I have a very high opinion of Wood so I was left thinking that guy must be better than people think. I also remember thinking that we need more Samoans on our team because they are all huge beasts.

 

Whether we plan to go 3-4 or 4-3, I think we need a true big-bodied NG. Williams has played great but is more of a 5tech in a 3-4 than a NG, as his 4-3 role would be more similar to his 3-4 role that way. I think that at the end of the year, our biggest needs are actually inside LB and a true NG if we are committing to the 34.

 

PS lets sign Mankins too and get some real beasts on the lines

 

PS if we cant get him, maybe we can get the guy he replaced in randy Starks?

 

Wonder if Phins fans are as much up in arms about this guy not getting extended as we are for Lil Donte.

 

I have to say I know nothing about this guy, but Dolphins have a hell of a run D, and Wood did seem to have some problems with this guy. He needs to be doubled from what I can tell, Kyle at end would need to be doubled, that makes the whole D better yes?

 

Only question I have is I read today his attitude has been questioned some before this year, and guys who play lights out in contract years and not so much the year before scare me a tad.

[Astrobot]

Maybe he's thinking of drafting one. Sione Fua has a similar stature, height/weight, and would be a mid-2nd rounder. Steven Paea is a late first rounder but I think that's too early for us when our needs are elsewhere.

[Buffalo Barbarian]

I was going to post a topic on this! I think sticking to a 4-3 and picking up Soliai would make our defensive trench a tough one - but it's far fetched considering Soliai is a NT. A solid one at that. Having two solid NTs in a 4-3 doesn't make sense.

 

Wishful thinking at its finest

 

Actually two NT's makes a lot of sense in a 43 but few teams do it because they think they need a small penetrating DT. We had Pat and Sam Adams and were ranked 3 against the run, the year Dickie J went 13-3 at Chicago they had Ted Washington and Kieth Traylor and the Best D of all time 2000 Ravens used a 43 then and had Sam Adams and Tony Siragusa.

 

But that being said we will stick to 34 and finding a true NT is paramount to our success in stopping the run. Soliali would be a great pick up but if we cant get him there are plenty of run stuffers in the draft, Kendrick Ellis and Phil Taylor.

[dailar]

Once again we are jumping at conclusions on the players we have here already. I am as guilty of it as anyone else but draft picks don't usually come in and contribute immediatly and we signed Troup last year. With a full off season to come Troup may well be THAT run stuffing NT we are looking for. I am all for looking to upgrade but if Nix and Gailey think they are set at the position then they will look at other weaknesses first. However there is one other thing, I was reading the Dolphins board after our win and they commented on Kyle Williams. It went something like "And we thought we were lucky with our nose tackles! Kyle Williams is special" (I will go searching for the exact comment if you want). People keep saying that Kyle is too small to play nose but he is doing it well. Really its our linebacking corp that needs upgrading rather than the defensive line. However if they signed either NT from Miami I would be very pleased but don't be surprised if they think they are set at that position.

[TPS]

Once again we are jumping at conclusions on the players we have here already. I am as guilty of it as anyone else but draft picks don't usually come in and contribute immediatly and we signed Troup last year. With a full off season to come Troup may well be THAT run stuffing NT we are looking for. I am all for looking to upgrade but if Nix and Gailey think they are set at the position then they will look at other weaknesses first. However there is one other thing, I was reading the Dolphins board after our win and they commented on Kyle Williams. It went something like "And we thought we were lucky with our nose tackles! Kyle Williams is special" (I will go searching for the exact comment if you want). People keep saying that Kyle is too small to play nose but he is doing it well. Really its our linebacking corp that needs upgrading rather than the defensive line. However if they signed either NT from Miami I would be very pleased but don't be surprised if they think they are set at that position.

Good points. Soliai dominated the middle in that game. He would be a great addition, however, as you state, this it Troup's first year. Soliai barely cracked the lineup until his 3rd year in the league! People expect miracles from draft picks in their first year, and that's rare. I've said on several occasions that Troup, Carrington and Moats are gamers and will be the foundation for this D in years to come. Moats is ahead of the curve. With the experience he's getting this year, Troup could have a break out next year.

 

I also completely agree about the D line--we have the bodies and the talent; it's the LBs that need upgrading. We need a stud who can cover TEs.

[outsidethebox]

Good points. Soliai dominated the middle in that game. He would be a great addition, however, as you state, this it Troup's first year. Soliai barely cracked the lineup until his 3rd year in the league! People expect miracles from draft picks in their first year, and that's rare. I've said on several occasions that Troup, Carrington and Moats are gamers and will be the foundation for this D in years to come. Moats is ahead of the curve. With the experience he's getting this year, Troup could have a break out next year.

 

I also completely agree about the D line--we have the bodies and the talent; it's the LBs that need upgrading. We need a stud who can cover TEs.

I agree 100% TPS. I think the three guys you mentioned are going to be major contributors in the years to come. I think if you add these three and the draft, our Defense will be MUCH better. In fact, since the second half of this year, I have seen some great improvements on the defense.

I am even starting to come around to Edwards. He has gotten these guys playing better.

[Red]

Love the idea...but I remember Belicheat stating a season or two ago when Wilfork's contract came up, that the NFL is talent-starved for true, 3-4 NT's behemoths that can play. This makes them a true premium as more and more teams are switching to the 3-4 as their bas defense (Buffalo, Green Bay, KC in the past 2 seasons).

 

The one thing that would play into our favor, IMO, is that Parcells is no longer with the team.

 

With a new regime taking over, they may want to change things altogether, or bring in players of their own.

 

Providing we even have NFL football next season, I think if we were interested a deal could be had for Soliai because of the Miami front office turnover.

[tombstone56]

PERSONALLY ID LOVE TO SE SOLIAI IN A BILLS UNI,,PUT HIM IN THERE WITH TROUP AND STILL DRAFT ANOTHER BIG BODY,,PHIL TAYLOR OR KENDRICKS.. MOVE KYLE OUTSIDE AND STILL DRAFT EITHER FAIRLEY OR DAREUS,,

TRY TO RUN ON THAT GROUP

[Wagon Circler]

I was going to post a topic on this! I think sticking to a 4-3 and picking up Soliai would make our defensive trench a tough one - but it's far fetched considering Soliai is a NT. A solid one at that. Having two solid NTs in a 4-3 doesn't make sense.

 

Wishful thinking at its finest

Wow is anyone actually watching the games?

Troup has been playing over the center much more than Williams.

We have not been a 3-4 team since approx. week 4.

While very occasionally we will have 3 down lineman in the game, we NEVER have 4 LB's in the game. Usually it's with extra DB's.

[Frostbelt City]

Actually two NT's makes a lot of sense in a 43 but few teams do it because they think they need a small penetrating DT. We had Pat and Sam Adams and were ranked 3 against the run, the year Dickie J went 13-3 at Chicago they had Ted Washington and Kieth Traylor and the Best D of all time 2000 Ravens used a 43 then and had Sam Adams and Tony Siragusa.

 

But that being said we will stick to 34 and finding a true NT is paramount to our success in stopping the run. Soliali would be a great pick up but if we cant get him there are plenty of run stuffers in the draft, Kendrick Ellis and Phil Taylor.

 

Having 2 BIG Nose tackles playing Defensive tackle in a 4-3 and having your previous defensive tackles playing end sounds ideal

 

Would be a cool idea

[Thoner7]

While I agree yes we have Troup who *could* be that big run stuffer – my mindset is ultimately to get KWilliams to End- where I think he fits more naturally and will be able to be as great as he has been this year as a 4-3 DT. That mindset would make NG a bigger need than DE, as Williams/Carrington/Stroud/Edwards/Johnson would be our DEs (pretty impressive), yet our only NG would be Troup. Obviously KW will be forced to stay at NG unless we bring in a solid vet NG, but then we could use another starting DE….

 

I think its pretty obvious we need another quality starter on the DL. If we go 3-4, KW could play any of the DL positions, but I think his best would be End so that’s where I want him.

 

2 solid FAs and a good draft and we could be well on our way. A starting caliber true NG, and a ILB, TE or a RT in FAs, then we could draft Quinn OLB (very likely still on the board whenever we draft) and then some more OLman, LBs, DL or TE in rds 2-3. Please Buddy make it happen! We want a winning record in 2011!

[dailar]

Ok a few things, those who are saying we are playing only a 4-3 now are wrong and so are those who are saying we are playing a 3-4, we mix it up between the both formations. The question is can we afford to keep the kind of personnel on the roster to run both formations permanently? As I said previously its at LB we need help. Someone who everyone is forgetting is Merriman. Who knows if he stays. Who knows if he can stay healthy. However if he does both then we have a hell of a weapon at OLB with Moats learning quickly on the other side. Obviously Nix has his own idea's but I would love to see them draft a stud rushing OLB like Von Miller and then the middle can look after the run. We do have quite the group if you think about it. Troup, Carrington, Moats are all rookies. Edwards has been good this year till his injury. Williams is outstanding. The factor in Stroud, Johnson, Pos and Merriman then we are looking fine. A solid ILB and someone to pressure the QB whether it be a OLB or a DE (Bowers) then I think we're gonna look solid next season.