DKphin
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Dolphins’ player development better than pre-Gase
- Thread starter DKphin
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That really matters when you start extending and re-signing your draft picks. Too long we've drafted developmental guys like Olivier Vernon, then develop them, then let them leave after their rookie contract expires. If we're going to be a top team, we need to identify those guys earlier, extend/re-sign them earlier and avoid facing a huge sum to re-sign them. Alas, it looks like we're going to take the road most often travelled again with Jarvis Landry, forcing us to either pay through the nose, or let go of an exceptional talent.
More than development, we need to learn to identify and sign those guys early. Other than Reshad Jones, I can't think of too many Dolphins we correctly identified and signed early. And then again, we did not sign Reshad Jones early this most recent round, we waited until he was up then gave him a Brinks truck. I'm referring to extending him early from his rookie contract. I supported that at the time, and while many people were up in arms about it, it proved to be a very good move. THAT is what we need to do more of, and that is not even very hard to do. Only then will I really be worried about player development ... when we figure out how to keep the players we develop.
More than development, we need to learn to identify and sign those guys early. Other than Reshad Jones, I can't think of too many Dolphins we correctly identified and signed early. And then again, we did not sign Reshad Jones early this most recent round, we waited until he was up then gave him a Brinks truck. I'm referring to extending him early from his rookie contract. I supported that at the time, and while many people were up in arms about it, it proved to be a very good move. THAT is what we need to do more of, and that is not even very hard to do. Only then will I really be worried about player development ... when we figure out how to keep the players we develop.
maralieus
Lets get those balls deep!!
I don't see them paying players early very often really. They want to keep that culture of earning everything. I think Landry gets one early though. But think about it, landry and Jones. Both those guys are HoF level players imo. It takes being that good to get paid early by this regime I'd bet. We'll see I guess. We will hopefully have many years of gase and co.
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So we just added Lawrence Timmons. That reminds me of the Pittsburgh Steelers, IMHO one of the truly well run organizations in the NFL. They've let players go from time to time ... but it's usually the right decision. Remember when they offered Mike Wallace good money and he turned it down to a FA team that backed up the Brinks truck for him? Who did they pay instead? Antonio Brown right? Well, I'd say that was a good move for them. They also let a Super Bowl MVP go a few years earlier, Santonio Holmes (at least I _think_ he was Super Bowl MVP ... if not he could have been), who was an elite WR. The Steelers did well there too, while Holmes had mixed success outside of Pittsburgh. Ditto for Plaxico Burress, who was probably the most successful of all outside of Pittsburgh, and if he hadn't taken a gun to a NY club and shot himself in the foot, he might have been classified as a mistake to let go ... but ... well again the Steelers look like they made the right choice. They keep drafting elite WR's. Most aren't first round guys either.
If we end up drafting DL that become elite for us, and we can do it outside of the first round, then kudos. But so far it's not looking like we can do that. We did very well with free agents like Randy Starks and Cam Wake, there is no denying that. We seem to identify those guys very well. Suh was a Reggie White type addition, and he's played up to his billing. It looks like William Hayes will be another very good addition. So, I'll give them the benefit of the doubt with Andre Branch, and hope his best football is ahead of him.
But our habit of drafting guys, developing them to play for us for one good year before not re-signing them ... that's not what the Steelers tend to do. That's not what the Green Bay and Seattle types tend to do. They keep their good players. Green Bay signs them early, so they keep Nelson, Cobb and at least 1 other good WR on the field for their All-World QB Rodgers. I get that we can't sign everyone early ... but keep the core together. Identify the heart of the machine and keep it well oiled and running. If we're going to draft developmental guys, then keep them. If we're not going to keep them, then stop drafting high-potential developmental guys and draft NFL-ready role players ... so we get 3 or 4 productive years out of them instead of 1 exceptional year. Then use the high picks and free agency to get the guys you really value.
Personally, I'd rather get the top tool guys in the draft, re-sign them early, keep them on the team through their second contract and build a dang good football team. Then draft the best talent. And THEN we can use free agency to get the role players to fill the holes. But alas, the Dolphins would rather get one good contract year out of everyone, then throw their hands up and say "too expensive for us" and let them walk.
We can't talk in TOO much generalities any more - it's an entirely new regime and new front office, we can only really judge based on what these guys are doing - I mean it sucks for all of us cause we had to deal with front offices run by guys like Ireland and Philbin etc but their personal past failures cannot be held over the head of the current regime.
They're definitely going to be better at developing talent, I think that's already an obvious one... they still only have a couple drafts/re-signs so far, and haven't done too poorly managing the offseasons - letting Vernon walk was a good move, letting Miller walk was a *lucky* but good move because we didn't know Ajayi would develop like this if we're being honest. Letting guys like Albert go and resigning Stills were solid moves. I think Timmons was an underrated signing. They're overall banking on developing and keeping their own and that's kind of how they've gone this past offseason too.
ps: For what it's worth, I didn't love the resign on R. Jones based on the contract he got (or Branch). They must be thinking R. Jones is developing and still going to get notably better because they gave him a little too much guaranteed with a year still left on his current contract.
They're definitely going to be better at developing talent, I think that's already an obvious one... they still only have a couple drafts/re-signs so far, and haven't done too poorly managing the offseasons - letting Vernon walk was a good move, letting Miller walk was a *lucky* but good move because we didn't know Ajayi would develop like this if we're being honest. Letting guys like Albert go and resigning Stills were solid moves. I think Timmons was an underrated signing. They're overall banking on developing and keeping their own and that's kind of how they've gone this past offseason too.
ps: For what it's worth, I didn't love the resign on R. Jones based on the contract he got (or Branch). They must be thinking R. Jones is developing and still going to get notably better because they gave him a little too much guaranteed with a year still left on his current contract.
The Timmons signing scares me more than any signing. An 11yr player who Pitt must've thought was getting long in the tooth. Glad we only signed him for 2/$12. Completely different D look for him too. But, it won't take much to upgrade from what we had there last yr.
Before the contract terms were disclosed *everyone* thought it was going to be a $10mil/year contract. The value the team is going to get from this contract is going to be great.