Gamezover
Scout Team
There appears to be a lot of bickering back and forth betweens Dolfans on this site on the state of the franchise, the performance or lack there of the front office brass and our owner Mr. Ross, and who are "real fans" of the team. First, everyone is a real fan of the team or you wouldn't be on this site constantly. I have been a member of this site since 2005 and come here quite frequently to check on relevant news, but rarely post. However, several people on this site are choosing to ignore reality and while I admire your optimism, you may need to think a little deeper why some of us fans feel the way we do. Thus, I feel its appropriate to comment.
I'm not going to harp on the past seasons (even though it is completely appropriate when analyzing the perfomance of Ireland and Ross, but unfare to Philbin). Around the time the Dolphins hired Joe Philbin as our head coach, both Stephen Ross and Jeff Ireland were interviewed by several memebers of the local media. Ross was quoted as saying Miami is looking to make a "big splash" this off-season; and furthermore, both Ireland and Ross spoke about addressing the quarterback position as one of the biggest offseason needs. This set-up the fan base for high expectations for the off-season.
So how did the Dolphins start off this off-season??? Well at 4:00 p.m. the first move made by any team was announced, and it sure rocked Dolfan nation, but not in the manner we had hope. Brandon Marshall had been traded to the Chicago Bears for 2 3rd round picks....what??? I found out from a non-dolphins fan and I thought for sure he was messing around with me. Unfortunately, he wasn't. The Dolphins unloaded a 27- year old WR in the prime of his career whom they traded 2 2nd round picks for and got less in return. Mmmmm. What gives? While it was later revealed Brandon had another one of his run ins with the law and possible suspension loomed, surely Miami could have received at least equal value in return. It wasn't like his on the field performance had diminished. Marshall was comming off his 5th 1,000 yard season and just made the pro bowl for the 3rd time in 5 years. Despite his issues dropping balls, he continued to produce as a top 10 WR. Its pretty clear Miami could have gotten more in return, but rushed to unload Marshall before the announcement of his latest antics went public. Not a good start to free agency, especially given the hype brought on by the Dolphins organization themselves.
Back to the QB situation. Ross tried desperately in his attempt to land the coveted free agent, Peyton Manning that would make his promised big splash. But once Marshall was unloaded, a key offensive weapon for Miami, the writing was on the wall that Peyton would have no interest. Peyton informed Miami that he was no longer considering them as a potential option, regretably the fins had to move on. In the mean time, the Redskins swooped in and traded up for the #2 pick and thus, the possibility of getting RG III was just taken out from underneath them.
Next Miami brought in Matt Flynn, who was deemed by experts to be the favorite to land in Miami (as was Peyton at one point at least by Vegas) due to his familiarity with Philbin. He toured the facility and met with Dolphin brass, but Miami let him walk. Why? Money? Well if they viewed Flynn to be the answer then surely they would have ponied up 9 mil per year to land their franchise quarterback, so that's out. Some seem to argue that Miami never viewed him as a franchise QB and who better to know than Philbin. No arguement here. My question is why Miami brought him in the first place. To see if he would sign for back-up money and compete with Matt Moore? This is hardly the way to address the QB need that Ross and Ireland were talking about prior to the off-season. He had already met with Seattle prior to coming to Miami, and so clearly they had to know prior that there was some interest from the Seahawks in signing him as a starter, which he ended up doing. Was it for due diligence or to save face and say they tried to sign him but were outbid? Well if that's the case, Miami needs to hire a new PR rep because bringing him and not signing him only heightend the tension between fans and the front office.
Then Miami brings in Alex Smith. Now it seems the Dolphins are realing and are desperate to sign someone. They met for over five hours and reportidly offered a 3 year, $26 million dollar offer only to have Smith tell them that he would only sign with Miami if Peyton went to the 49ers. Well Peyton signed with the Broncos and Smith has already been spotted back in the bay area. Well, there goes another one (not that I am upset).
So what's next on the agenda....Miami is bringing in David Garrad....REALLY??? Wow? Is this is seriously what Miami was talking about in addressing the need for a QB this off-season? It can't be. You can't tell me that aside from Manning, that Miami considered Moore to be the guy and that they would sign Flynn to compete. Everyone knows some other team was gonna sign Flynn to contract that force the team to start him next year. Moreover, if Moore was "the guy" then why did Miami just bring in Alex Smith and try and sign him to an $8 mil per year contract? To have him "compete" with Moore? C'mon. Don't be this nieve. And I have no idea what to say about Garrard other than the fact that Miami is really desperate at this point to sign an experienced qb. Ladies and Gentlemen I present to you your Dysfunctional Dolphins.
As I'm writting this out, my thoughts have evolved to this. These meetings with several QB over the last few days surely doesn't bode well for the front office's confidence in the QB draft class to come in and take over in 1 to 2 years. Mannning was likely to be a 3 year stop gap solution. Miami offered Smith a three-year contract, which is likely similar to what they offered Flynn length wise. All of this leads me to believe that Miami was originally targetting someone in the draft to take over in three years, so Weeden is out. And now there is a potential that the Browns may draft Tannehill at #4 which would really leave Miami with extremely limitted options. Next thing you know we are going to draft a kick return specialist and his entire family with our first round draft pick. Oh wait.....that already happend
Overall, Miami fans have a right to be pissed. We went into this offseason being promissed big things by ownership only to fail so far. We were led to believe that we were a couple moves away from really being contenders and that moves were going to be made to put us in this position. Now we have swing and missed on several QB options, (not to metion letting several other FA walk like Anderson and the RT from Houston) and traded the best offensive weapon on the team for 2 3rd round picks. So we went from that optomistic outlook to REBUILDING MODE here we go again. Ireland you have been rebuilding for three years but hey tahts water under the bridge; lets just start over and give you another 3 years. OK?? Maybe Miami will make its second playoff appearance in in 14 years in 2014....Whatever is the case, the front office appears to be unorganized and needs to get it together quickly. And then there is the WR issue to address, which apparently the Dolphins #1 and #2 WR are going to be rookies this year. Oh boy....
I'm not going to harp on the past seasons (even though it is completely appropriate when analyzing the perfomance of Ireland and Ross, but unfare to Philbin). Around the time the Dolphins hired Joe Philbin as our head coach, both Stephen Ross and Jeff Ireland were interviewed by several memebers of the local media. Ross was quoted as saying Miami is looking to make a "big splash" this off-season; and furthermore, both Ireland and Ross spoke about addressing the quarterback position as one of the biggest offseason needs. This set-up the fan base for high expectations for the off-season.
So how did the Dolphins start off this off-season??? Well at 4:00 p.m. the first move made by any team was announced, and it sure rocked Dolfan nation, but not in the manner we had hope. Brandon Marshall had been traded to the Chicago Bears for 2 3rd round picks....what??? I found out from a non-dolphins fan and I thought for sure he was messing around with me. Unfortunately, he wasn't. The Dolphins unloaded a 27- year old WR in the prime of his career whom they traded 2 2nd round picks for and got less in return. Mmmmm. What gives? While it was later revealed Brandon had another one of his run ins with the law and possible suspension loomed, surely Miami could have received at least equal value in return. It wasn't like his on the field performance had diminished. Marshall was comming off his 5th 1,000 yard season and just made the pro bowl for the 3rd time in 5 years. Despite his issues dropping balls, he continued to produce as a top 10 WR. Its pretty clear Miami could have gotten more in return, but rushed to unload Marshall before the announcement of his latest antics went public. Not a good start to free agency, especially given the hype brought on by the Dolphins organization themselves.
Back to the QB situation. Ross tried desperately in his attempt to land the coveted free agent, Peyton Manning that would make his promised big splash. But once Marshall was unloaded, a key offensive weapon for Miami, the writing was on the wall that Peyton would have no interest. Peyton informed Miami that he was no longer considering them as a potential option, regretably the fins had to move on. In the mean time, the Redskins swooped in and traded up for the #2 pick and thus, the possibility of getting RG III was just taken out from underneath them.
Next Miami brought in Matt Flynn, who was deemed by experts to be the favorite to land in Miami (as was Peyton at one point at least by Vegas) due to his familiarity with Philbin. He toured the facility and met with Dolphin brass, but Miami let him walk. Why? Money? Well if they viewed Flynn to be the answer then surely they would have ponied up 9 mil per year to land their franchise quarterback, so that's out. Some seem to argue that Miami never viewed him as a franchise QB and who better to know than Philbin. No arguement here. My question is why Miami brought him in the first place. To see if he would sign for back-up money and compete with Matt Moore? This is hardly the way to address the QB need that Ross and Ireland were talking about prior to the off-season. He had already met with Seattle prior to coming to Miami, and so clearly they had to know prior that there was some interest from the Seahawks in signing him as a starter, which he ended up doing. Was it for due diligence or to save face and say they tried to sign him but were outbid? Well if that's the case, Miami needs to hire a new PR rep because bringing him and not signing him only heightend the tension between fans and the front office.
Then Miami brings in Alex Smith. Now it seems the Dolphins are realing and are desperate to sign someone. They met for over five hours and reportidly offered a 3 year, $26 million dollar offer only to have Smith tell them that he would only sign with Miami if Peyton went to the 49ers. Well Peyton signed with the Broncos and Smith has already been spotted back in the bay area. Well, there goes another one (not that I am upset).
So what's next on the agenda....Miami is bringing in David Garrad....REALLY??? Wow? Is this is seriously what Miami was talking about in addressing the need for a QB this off-season? It can't be. You can't tell me that aside from Manning, that Miami considered Moore to be the guy and that they would sign Flynn to compete. Everyone knows some other team was gonna sign Flynn to contract that force the team to start him next year. Moreover, if Moore was "the guy" then why did Miami just bring in Alex Smith and try and sign him to an $8 mil per year contract? To have him "compete" with Moore? C'mon. Don't be this nieve. And I have no idea what to say about Garrard other than the fact that Miami is really desperate at this point to sign an experienced qb. Ladies and Gentlemen I present to you your Dysfunctional Dolphins.
As I'm writting this out, my thoughts have evolved to this. These meetings with several QB over the last few days surely doesn't bode well for the front office's confidence in the QB draft class to come in and take over in 1 to 2 years. Mannning was likely to be a 3 year stop gap solution. Miami offered Smith a three-year contract, which is likely similar to what they offered Flynn length wise. All of this leads me to believe that Miami was originally targetting someone in the draft to take over in three years, so Weeden is out. And now there is a potential that the Browns may draft Tannehill at #4 which would really leave Miami with extremely limitted options. Next thing you know we are going to draft a kick return specialist and his entire family with our first round draft pick. Oh wait.....that already happend
Overall, Miami fans have a right to be pissed. We went into this offseason being promissed big things by ownership only to fail so far. We were led to believe that we were a couple moves away from really being contenders and that moves were going to be made to put us in this position. Now we have swing and missed on several QB options, (not to metion letting several other FA walk like Anderson and the RT from Houston) and traded the best offensive weapon on the team for 2 3rd round picks. So we went from that optomistic outlook to REBUILDING MODE here we go again. Ireland you have been rebuilding for three years but hey tahts water under the bridge; lets just start over and give you another 3 years. OK?? Maybe Miami will make its second playoff appearance in in 14 years in 2014....Whatever is the case, the front office appears to be unorganized and needs to get it together quickly. And then there is the WR issue to address, which apparently the Dolphins #1 and #2 WR are going to be rookies this year. Oh boy....
