I didn't like the way we matched with Buffalo this year when things were going well earlier; now, I really don't like it. They are healthier now than at any time this year, and yes, we aren't. I'm even starting Shady McCoy in fantasy this week for the first time this year. If we had played them early in the year, or even when Allen was injured, I think we sweep them; now, I predict they sweep us, leaving the Dolphins one winnable game remaining on the schedule. Jags. The Jaguars still maintain the 7th best defense according to Football Outsiders. Bortles was horrific. Kessler is no superstar but he is known for avoiding turnovers. That, along with a really angry Leonard Fournette might be all they need to get the win. I predict 0 wins remaining for the Dolphins. Dolphins have strength of schedule on every team in the bottom of the league except for the ascending Colts, and several of the teams behind us right now project to accomplish multiple wins before seasons end. Several play each other, others have games with the Jets,Oakland,Arizona,Frisco,and the QB- less Redskins. The Packers could win out, you get the drift. For this scenario, I give the Dolphins the 6th pick assuming they either get surpassed in wins or there ends up being several of these teams tied at 5 wins,resulting in the Dolphins getting the highest pick based strength of schedule. Source...
http://www.tankathon.com/nfl
O.K. just for S's&G's lets say Harbaugh is the next guy. I want Vic Fangio, but let's just say it's Harbaugh and he brings coach Brown with him. Tannenbaum and Grier are out, and Harbaugh hires a new staff and keeps whatever duties he wants, or hires a guy and delegates most of the GM stuff away.
OC...Aaron Kromer. Kromer is effin brilliant like nobody's business and it amazes me he hasn't been offered an OC job yet. He does the same thing everywhere he goes. He turns the OL line into a machine in perfect sync with the running game and voila', one of the most potent offense's in the league. He is doing the same things for the Rams as he did in New Orleans. I give him more credit for the system being run in both New Orleans and with the Rams than I do the head coaches.
So, Dolphins will be running a Saints/Rams type offense next year the defense will be the 3-4 attacking.
Cuts/Trades: Source...
https://overthecap.com/salary-cap/miami-dolphins/
Cut...Ryan Tannehill,Davante Parker,Andre Branch,Danny Amendola,Akkeem Spence,Daniel Kilgore,Ted Larsen
Trades: Robert Quinn has not had a good year and may very well be untradable. The only way I see a deal getting done is if Quinn takes a big pay cut. If we can work a deal with Carolina something might happen. If Julius Peppers retires they have almost nothing at DE. They will be drafting the position for sure, but that won't be enough. We might get a 5th or 6th with a pay cut involved. They might just rework the contract themselves.
Gotta move Stills, McDonald,and Sitton.. There will be dead money, but the new coaches need to be able to draft their guys. All three are late round pick value with their,imo,bloated contracts. Actually, TJ McDonald is ranked 34th among all safeties by PFF, which isn't too bad, but I think the new regime will consider starting two strong safeties to be stupid, and there is nothing we can do about Reshad Jones contract; we are stuck with him. All they can do is put an elite FS next to him and hope for the best. Acquire Earl Thomas!!
Stills can't get open, and besides, if he and Quinn are gone, maybe they can talk Albert Wilson into not protesting while on the job. Might even see a full stadium next year if they win some games.
Looks like Brendel(RFA) is the LG going forward. His grade from PFF, so far, is higher at LG than what Sitton's was before he went down. Probably gets a 2nd round tender if he keeps up the good work.
Taking two 5ths and two 6ths for these trades. Ya, it's a rebuild, we cut several players and trade 4 more.
These cuts and trades will result in well over 90 mil in cap room with the roll over and about 30 some in dead money with Ndamukong Suh's 13 mil still on the books. So about 55 to spend after rookie pool, BUT!!, Dolphins will have very little salary on the books going forward after 2019. They can easily afford to spend freely in FA, issuing contracts with low first year cap hits.
Also, bring back the gray beard's on 1 or two year deals. Cam Wake and Frank Gore are having great years. Gore is PFF's 5th ranked RB and Wake is the tenth ranked edge defender. Good role models and quiet leaders as well. Wake is surprisingly good in coverage and has played in the base 3-4 before; but of course he will be a situational pass rusher going forward.....at least that is always the plan.
Nick O'Leary is our highest ranked TE at #22. He is a RFA and gets tendered as well. Of course we bring back all our ERFA's. Woodard will be asked to bulk up to compete as a 3-4 end.
Bring back Stephone Anthony at the veterans minimum and see if he can learn how to be a situational speed rusher off the edge. Maybe Wake could mentor him. If nothing else, he is good in coverage. Maybe he was miscast for years, and he can now reinvent himself as a poor man's Dee Ford. Has he done anything on special teams?
Dolphins transition tag Ju'Wuan James. Impossible to even guess what happens there. So much depends on the offer he gets, and he will get one. The free agent tackle market is again abysmal.
Acquire Earl Thomas on a five year deal. Minimal first year cap hit. Minkah to the boundary.
Acquire Matt Paradis Center on a four year deal. Paradis is PFF's 2nd ranked center. He is 30. He may fade in the later years of the deal so the bulk of the money should be paid in the 2nd and 3rd year. Minimal first year cap hit.
Acquire Mark Glowinski if he isn't franchised. Nix that, ain't happening. Colts have 124 mil in cap room before even cutting anyone. Wow! They are primed for a SB run in 2019. Sign RG Mike Person, PFF's 6th ranked guard this year.
Three years, most of the money in the 2nd and 3rd year. Jesse Davis may have to compete at RT if we lose James, or, be a very backup at multiple positions.
Acquire WR Chris Conley. Conley is a bona fide freak athlete and he has shown some real improvement this last year. He has been looking awful good when starting for the oft injured Sammy Watkins. He is also the best blocking WR in the NFL according to PFF.
Acquire WR Quincy Enunwa. Horribly underrated player. This guy is a beast. He has a better run after catch % than Alvin Kamara. In fact there are very few with a better RAC% even among top receiving RB's. He is also ranked #13 in the league in run blocking. He is on par with Albert Wilson in RAC% who does it a different way. This will be better talent for Kromer to work with than Kupp and Cooks, especially since we are drafting Andy Isabella, AKA uncoverable.
QB... First of all, we aren't paying anybody because none of them are worthy of a significant contract. The draft sucks as well, so this may be an unsolvable problem. Somebody is going to pay Teddy Bridgewater but it better not be us.
I liked what I saw of Robert Griffin in pre-season this year. I would give him a multi-year deal if he signs for cheap. I think he would be at least a quality backup.
Draft:
#6.....Trade Down and garner a 2nd. Draft OLB Josh Allen.
2nd ...Trade up and draft Jerry Tillery DL Dolphins send a 2020 2nd to Gruden and get the first pick in the 2nd round
2nd....Trade down and pick up a 3rd....draft Corbin Kaufusi DL
3rd....Olive Sagapolu NT
3rd....Ryan Finley QB
4th....Sam Mustipher Center
5th...Porter Gustin OLB/edge
5th....Charles Omenihu Edge/OLB
6th....Andy Isabella WR
6th...Darnell Savage S
7th...Easton Stick QB
FA's: RB Patrick Liard....OG John Runyan.....DL Bryan Mone.....Jordan Brown DB...Ulysees Gilbert lll ILB
Roster/Depth
QB... Griffin,Finley,Stick,Luke Falk?
RB...Gore,Drake,Ballage,Patrick Liard
WR...Enunwa,Wilson,Conley,Grant,Isabella
TE...Gesicki,O'leary,Smythe
OT...Tunsil,James,Davis,Sterup
C/OG...Paradis,Brendel,Person,Mustipher,Runyan
NT...Godchaux,Olive Sagapoulo,Bryan Mone
DE..Tillery,Vincent Taylor,Corbin Kaufusi,Omenihu
ILB...Baker,McMillan,Chase Allen,Gilbert lll
OLB....Allen,Harris,Wake,Gustin,Anthony......Justin Houston??
S....Thomas,Jones,Savage,Aikens
CB...Howard,Fitzpatrick,McCain,Tankersley,McTyer,Armstrong
Damneration, that was a lot of work.
I think a nice foundation for a very strong defense could be laid next year along with a strong foundation for a dominating offensive line in 2020.
Lucky breaks could happen later. Cap Casualties for instance. Justin Houston may be let go by KC. That could make for a huge addition.
Not really interested in Eli or Flacco, and Bridgewater is going to bust all over somebody. Could be looking good in 2020 though, really good.
