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mr....@gmail.com
May 25, 2017, 1:40:23 PM5/25/17
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What went wrong
They repeatedly outspent the market to bring back their own players. It seemed that there was a two-week stretch in March when the Dolphins were handing out blank checks. Kenny Stills got $19.5 million guaranteed as part of a four-year, $32 million deal. Reshad Jones amassed a five-year, $60 million deal with a whopping $35 million in guarantees. Branch, signed off the scrap heap last March, was given a three-year, $24 million deal with $16.8 million guaranteed, including $10 million next season. Competent linebacker Kiko Alonso nabbed $18.5 million in guarantees on a four-year, $28 million deal. The Dolphins even reached out and gave Lawrence Timmons a two-year, $12 million deal with $11 million guaranteed.
In each of those cases, the Dolphins were paying a massive premium, usually in guaranteeing extra years or extra dollars. These players aren't useless by any means, but there's enormous downside risk if they get injured, and it's hard to argue that they were irreplaceable. Stills' speed helps open up the offense, but he wasn't the only fast receiver available, and his production is predicated upon an unsustainable touchdown total in 2016. Branch wasn't even very effective last season, and the Dolphins could have taken a flier on the next Branch to slot in alongside Harris and Hayes. Timmons isn't going to be a coverage linebacker at this point of his career -- the Patriots carved him up in the playoffs -- and two-down run-stopping linebackers are bargains.
Jones is the only player who would qualify as likely to be very good over the length of his deal, but even he got far more than other strong safeties. The Dolphins now have $175.9 million committed to their 2018 cap, and that's before thinking about a new deal for Jarvis Landry. Miami spent like it desperately needed to hold onto the pieces of a 10-6 team, but it was outscored by 17 points last season. The Dolphins' run to the playoffs came on the back of an 8-2 record in games decided by seven points or fewer, with those wins coming against teams that were a combined 31-80-1. There's a good chance the Dolphins are too optimistic about their progress, and if they're wrong, they won't be able to get out of any of these deals until 2019.
They didn't supplement their offensive line. Part of the opportunity cost in spending so much on guys who profile as third wideouts or two-down linebackers is that the Dolphins weren't able to commit resources to the interior of their offensive line. It made sense for Miami to ship out the disgruntled Branden Albert and move Laremy Tunsil to his natural position at left tackle, and the team is set on the right side with Ja'Wuan James, but the interior is ... spotty.
Part of the problem is that Mike Pouncey hasn't been able to get healthy. Pouncey is a Pro Bowl-caliber center when on the field, but he hasn't made it through 16 games since 2012, and he missed 11 games with a hip ailment last season. He underwent a stem cell procedure for the hip this spring, but the Dolphins have little behind him. They will have to hope that Anthony Steen, who was forced into the lineup last season, can hold up at guard alongside converted tackle Jermon Bushrod, who simply wasn't very good but still found his way back on a one-year, $3 million deal. Offensive linemen were hard to come by this offseason, but the only notable additions Miami made were Bears castoff Ted Larsen and fifth-round pick Isaac Asiata.
What's next?
Re-signing Landry. The Dolphins have backed themselves into a tough spot. They paid a lot of money to retain Stills, have a first-round pick seemingly on the verge of a breakout in DeVante Parker and are only a year past trading third-, fourth- and sixth-round picks for Leonte Carroo, who was anonymous as a rookie. They've committed significant resources to their wide receiver corps, and their 2018 cap situation is already rough.
And yet, it's tough to imagine them moving on from Landry, who is the spark plug of the offense and a source of steady completions for Ryan Tannehill. The closest comparison for Landry in terms of style is Tavon Austin, who got a (disastrous) four-year, $42 million deal with $28.5 million in guarantees from the Rams, and Landry is on another planet in terms of production. The franchise tag is a realistic landing spot for Landry in 2018, but that would push the Dolphins over $190 million in cap charges and force them to make drastic cuts elsewhere. Landry has the leverage to get a massive deal, and the Dolphins might have no choice but to give him one.
Grade: D+
They repeatedly outspent the market to bring back their own players. It seemed that there was a two-week stretch in March when the Dolphins were handing out blank checks. Kenny Stills got $19.5 million guaranteed as part of a four-year, $32 million deal. Reshad Jones amassed a five-year, $60 million deal with a whopping $35 million in guarantees. Branch, signed off the scrap heap last March, was given a three-year, $24 million deal with $16.8 million guaranteed, including $10 million next season. Competent linebacker Kiko Alonso nabbed $18.5 million in guarantees on a four-year, $28 million deal. The Dolphins even reached out and gave Lawrence Timmons a two-year, $12 million deal with $11 million guaranteed.
In each of those cases, the Dolphins were paying a massive premium, usually in guaranteeing extra years or extra dollars. These players aren't useless by any means, but there's enormous downside risk if they get injured, and it's hard to argue that they were irreplaceable. Stills' speed helps open up the offense, but he wasn't the only fast receiver available, and his production is predicated upon an unsustainable touchdown total in 2016. Branch wasn't even very effective last season, and the Dolphins could have taken a flier on the next Branch to slot in alongside Harris and Hayes. Timmons isn't going to be a coverage linebacker at this point of his career -- the Patriots carved him up in the playoffs -- and two-down run-stopping linebackers are bargains.
Jones is the only player who would qualify as likely to be very good over the length of his deal, but even he got far more than other strong safeties. The Dolphins now have $175.9 million committed to their 2018 cap, and that's before thinking about a new deal for Jarvis Landry. Miami spent like it desperately needed to hold onto the pieces of a 10-6 team, but it was outscored by 17 points last season. The Dolphins' run to the playoffs came on the back of an 8-2 record in games decided by seven points or fewer, with those wins coming against teams that were a combined 31-80-1. There's a good chance the Dolphins are too optimistic about their progress, and if they're wrong, they won't be able to get out of any of these deals until 2019.
They didn't supplement their offensive line. Part of the opportunity cost in spending so much on guys who profile as third wideouts or two-down linebackers is that the Dolphins weren't able to commit resources to the interior of their offensive line. It made sense for Miami to ship out the disgruntled Branden Albert and move Laremy Tunsil to his natural position at left tackle, and the team is set on the right side with Ja'Wuan James, but the interior is ... spotty.
Part of the problem is that Mike Pouncey hasn't been able to get healthy. Pouncey is a Pro Bowl-caliber center when on the field, but he hasn't made it through 16 games since 2012, and he missed 11 games with a hip ailment last season. He underwent a stem cell procedure for the hip this spring, but the Dolphins have little behind him. They will have to hope that Anthony Steen, who was forced into the lineup last season, can hold up at guard alongside converted tackle Jermon Bushrod, who simply wasn't very good but still found his way back on a one-year, $3 million deal. Offensive linemen were hard to come by this offseason, but the only notable additions Miami made were Bears castoff Ted Larsen and fifth-round pick Isaac Asiata.
What's next?
Re-signing Landry. The Dolphins have backed themselves into a tough spot. They paid a lot of money to retain Stills, have a first-round pick seemingly on the verge of a breakout in DeVante Parker and are only a year past trading third-, fourth- and sixth-round picks for Leonte Carroo, who was anonymous as a rookie. They've committed significant resources to their wide receiver corps, and their 2018 cap situation is already rough.
And yet, it's tough to imagine them moving on from Landry, who is the spark plug of the offense and a source of steady completions for Ryan Tannehill. The closest comparison for Landry in terms of style is Tavon Austin, who got a (disastrous) four-year, $42 million deal with $28.5 million in guarantees from the Rams, and Landry is on another planet in terms of production. The franchise tag is a realistic landing spot for Landry in 2018, but that would push the Dolphins over $190 million in cap charges and force them to make drastic cuts elsewhere. Landry has the leverage to get a massive deal, and the Dolphins might have no choice but to give him one.
Grade: D+
euph...@mindspring.com
May 25, 2017, 2:01:08 PM5/25/17
to
On Thursday, May 25, 2017 at 12:40:23 PM UTC-5, mr....@gmail.com wrote:
...as he was thrashing about in anger, HVAC grabbed the first negative piece on the Dolphins that he could find to post, in a vain attempt to save face. Unfortunately he picked an outdated item that had already been posted and debated at length.
Holy cow Slow Moe... a couple of articles a week and you just can't keep up?
...as he was thrashing about in anger, HVAC grabbed the first negative piece on the Dolphins that he could find to post, in a vain attempt to save face. Unfortunately he picked an outdated item that had already been posted and debated at length.
Holy cow Slow Moe... a couple of articles a week and you just can't keep up?
Drumrboy
May 25, 2017, 7:06:20 PM5/25/17
to
2:01 PMeuph...@mindspring.com
On Thursday, May 25, 2017 at 12:40:23 PM UTC-5, mr....@gmail.com wrote:
...as he was thrashing about in anger, HVAC grabbed the first negative piece on the Dolphins that he could find to post, in a vain attempt to save face. Unfortunately he picked an outdated item that had already been posted and debated at length.
Holy cow Slow Moe... a couple of articles a week and you just can't keep up?
Still waiting for Spaaaaaaaahky's Spin on Marcia's "Butch" throwing the entire Cheatriots organization under the bus. Again....
...as he was thrashing about in anger, HVAC grabbed the first negative piece on the Dolphins that he could find to post, in a vain attempt to save face. Unfortunately he picked an outdated item that had already been posted and debated at length.
Holy cow Slow Moe... a couple of articles a week and you just can't keep up?
mr....@gmail.com
May 25, 2017, 10:05:28 PM5/25/17
to
euph...@mindspring.com
Does that make you mad?
On Thursday, May 25, 2017 at 12:40:23 PM UTC-5, mr....@gmail.com wrote:
...as he was thrashing about in anger, HVAC grabbed the first negative piece on the Dolphins that he could find to post, in a vain attempt to save face. Unfortunately he picked an outdated item that had already been posted and debated at length.
Holy cow Slow Moe... a couple of articles a week and you just can't keep up?
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...as he was thrashing about in anger, HVAC grabbed the first negative piece on the Dolphins that he could find to post, in a vain attempt to save face. Unfortunately he picked an outdated item that had already been posted and debated at length.
Holy cow Slow Moe... a couple of articles a week and you just can't keep up?
Does that make you mad?
euph...@mindspring.com
May 26, 2017, 12:49:08 PM5/26/17
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Makes me laugh.
Drumrboy
May 26, 2017, 4:52:54 PM5/26/17
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Makes me sad.
mr....@gmail.com
May 30, 2017, 6:51:50 AM5/30/17
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Dummyboy says
Makes me sad
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...As a lil tear rolls down his cheek
Makes me sad
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...As a lil tear rolls down his cheek
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