Cameron Wake has spent 10 seasons in Miami
Jakeem Grant Jersey , playing 146 games and making 98 sacks. But the defensive end likely has played his final game for the Dolphins.Armando Salguero of the
reports that multiple teams have interest in Wake as a free agent, while the
Dolphins have not made a serious effort to re-sign him.General Manager Chris
Grier last week was non-committal on Wake’s future with the team. Wake, 37,
ranks second in sacks in team history and was a member of the team’s 50th Season
All-Time Team. He had six sacks in 14 games last season.The news about Wake’s
likely departure is just the latest signal of a makeover in Miami. The Dolphins
cut backup defensive end Andre Branch and backup guard Ted Larsen, saving more
than $9 million of salary cap space.The Dolphins are trying to trade defensive
end Robert Quinn, which would save $12.9 million in cap space. The Miami
Dolphins addressed their defensive line in the first round of the 2019 NFL
Draft, adding Clemson defensive tackle Christian Wilkins. After trading their
second-round pick to the Arizona..." 2019 Miami Dolphins RookiesReviewing
Dolphins draft pick Michael Deiter with Bucky’s 5th QuarterNew,22commentsEDTThe
Miami Dolphins addressed their defensive line in the first round of the 2019 NFL
Draft, adding Clemson defensive tackle Christian Wilkins. After trading their
second-round pick to the Arizona Cardinals as part of the deal that landed
quarterback Josh Rosen in South Florida, Miami still had one glaring hole on the
roster. They needed to add offensive linemen to the roster, and they did in the
third round. With the 78th overall pick, the Dolphins selected Wisconsin
offensive lineman Michael Deiter. NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein profiled Deiter
pre-Draft, writing
Bobby McCain Jersey , “Durable, capable guard/center prospect who knows how to play the game but might lack the athletic elements needed to become a full-time
starter on the next level. Dieter’s experience in a variety of pro-style rushing
schemes and his overall technique work are in his favor while his experience
across the line offer flexibility that could lock him into an NFL roster as an
early backup with the potential to step in and start if needed.”Zierlein does
not sound that high on Deiter. But what about the people who watched him
throughout his three seasons on the field at Wisconsin? We turned to SB Nation’s
Wisconsin site, Bucky’s 5th Quarter, and Owen Riese for a closer look at Deiter.
Riese was kind enough to answer my questions of a player who could be a day-one
starter for the Dolphins this year.Deiter was a jack-of-all trades in college,
playing tackle, guard, and center for Wisconsin. Where did he excel and where do
you think he will best play in the NFL?I think ultimately, although he was able
to play tackle effectively at the college level, Michael Deiter is at his best
on the interior, probably at guard. He’s a dominant run blocker, both excelling
in his technique as well as his ability to maul defenders. He’s also a solid
blocker at the second level. I think like most Wisconsin offensive linemen, he’s
much more effective moving forwards than he is backwards. Pass protection is
certainly not a liability, but it’s still developing. What he has working for
him in that regard
Jesse Davis Jersey , however, is that playing all of those positions, he’s had to block Nick Bosa, Rashan Gary, Gerald Willis, Maurice Hurst and others from
all across the offensive line. He’s seen NFL level defenders and held his own,
so his outlook is encouraging. Deiter was originally considered a third-day
prospect, but eventually moved himself up to a third-round grade, matching
exactly where the Dolphins selected him. What contributed to this climb?I’d
actually argue that Deiter fell to the 3rd round. I had always thought of him as
a Top 100 prospect, but I had thought prior to the season that he had a chance
to sneak into the end of the first round. However, Wisconsin didn’t have the
year they had hoped for in 2018 and a very average pre-draft process just
cemented to me what Deiter is and has been: rock solid. He’s likely never going
to be an All-Pro, but Deiter is very consistent and will only continue to
improve as a professional. To me, he’s always been the best NFL prospect on
Wisconsin’s offensive line
Dwayne Allen Jersey , and that showed in the draft compared to what the NFL thought of the other offensive linemen.What areas of weakness will be a concern
early in his career?I mentioned it a bit earlier, and if he does have a
weakness, it’s as a pass blocker. He’s displayed the ability to anchor on bull
rushes, but he’s always going to struggle with speed and the elite athleticism
we’re seeing from interior defensive linemen in the NFL commonly in this era.
Deiter does a nice job trusting his footwork and maintaining his half-man
relationship in pass protection, but his punch will need to continue to improve
so he’s not catching rushers as often as he did at Wisconsin. If he is asked to
start day one, will he be ready? I think he is. Michael Deiter started 54 games
at Wisconsin along three positions and never missed a game. He’s as well coached
as any offensive lineman you’re going to get, coming from the Badgers. I would
have no qualms asking Deiter to start week one. Clearly, he’s going to need to
continue to get game reps, and I think playing him a bit more than normal in the
preseason would help that process, but Michael Deiter should be a quality
starting guard or center for the Dolphins for a decade.
