With cap issues looming, five Dolphins under particular pressure this season

[DKphin]

There’s pressure on every high-salaried veteran in a league without guaranteed contracts, but more so on some than others.
With the Dolphins needing to clear cap space next spring (they have essentially no 2018 space at the moment), there are a handful of players who must play particularly well – and be durable this year – to avoid Miami cutting or restructuring them.
The top five to keep in mind as you watch games this season:

http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/barry-jackson/article171718682.html

 

[Snoop]

Incidentally, Ryan Tannehill remains very much in the Dolphins’ plans, according to multiple people in the organization, and even a good year by Jay Cutler wouldn’t necessarily change that.

In the unlikely event that Cutler was absolutely brilliant and wins big this season and the Dolphins wanted to deal Tannehill (after guaranteeing his $17.5 million for 2018), what could they get?

Former NFL front office executive Mike Lombardi told me Tannehill could net two second-round picks, like Alex Smith did in the Chiefs/49ers trade.

The idea of letting Tannehill walk is almost unfathomable, because he would be an asset even in the unlikely event that Miami sticks with Cutler instead. Tannehill has a $19.8 million hit if he’s on the team next season, $4.6 million if he’s cut before the fifth day of the 2018 year.

 

[Snoop]

I'm definitely cutting Maxwell and Pouncey. Julius is 50-50 right now on returning, let's see how he performs now that he's back with Gase. Cam Wake would have to have an abysmal year for Miami to even consider letting him go, and that won't happen. Juwan James needs to step up his play if he wants to earn $9M next year.

 

[dolfan91]

Maxwell, James, Thomas and Pouncey would essentially add $32M in cap space. And I can see Tannehill restructuring to help save some cap space. I don't see any other way to add more. Wake shouldn't even be a consideration unless he absolutely loses his ability. It's shaping up to be a bargain hunt type of off-season in 2018. The Tannehill injury and subsequent Cutler signing hurt to a degree what Miami can do.

 

[greasyObnoxious]

the writing's been on the wall. ever since we gave Suh the big contract and extended Tannehill, this team needed to start hitting in the draft. or in other words, needed to be run like any other successful franchise

 

[miamiron]

Deja vu looks like we may be rebuilding the offensive line
again and again...will we ever get it right?

 

[Burnt Reynolds]

Maxwell, James, Thomas and Pouncey would essentially add $32M in cap space. And I can see Tannehill restructuring to help save some cap space. I don't see any other way to add more. Wake shouldn't even be a consideration unless he absolutely loses his ability. It's shaping up to be a bargain hunt type of off-season in 2018. The Tannehill injury and subsequent Cutler signing hurt to a degree what Miami can do.

this^

I think the main draft focus next year is OL. 2 of first 3 picks will be OL. Probably a TE too.

 

[<O>]

Trading Tannehill for two second-round picks would be a mistake. Second-round picks are less likely than not to become long-term starters in the league.

 

[<O>]

Deja vu looks like we may be rebuilding the offensive line
again and again...will we ever get it right?

With that being a five-player unit, the largest on the field, it's impossible to stock that unit with talent across the board unless a team neglects some other part of the starting roster. Teams simply have to live with about average-level play from that unit and try to overcome it with talent elsewhere.

This is why there isn't much variation in offensive line play throughout the NFL. There is no team that's willing to put excessive resources into that area, and extremely good or bad offensive line play happens for teams more by accident than by design.

For every third-round Dallas Thomas-like pick who flops like Thomas, there is one who plays well. The team that got Thomas was unlucky. The team that got the guy who played well was lucky. The latter team has a better player on the offensive line than the former team, but there still isn't much variation in that area throughout the league, certainly nowhere near as much as there is in other areas of the starting roster.

 

[greasyObnoxious]

Getting Dallas Thomas in the 3rd round wasn't bad luck but ineptitude.

 

[<O>]

Getting Dallas Thomas in the 3rd round wasn't bad luck but ineptitude.

The percentage of third-round picks who become long-term starters in the league is well below 50, and I'm not sure there's a team out there that's significantly better than any other at bettering that mark. If not, it's a crap shoot, and luck rules the day.

 

[Jimi]

The percentage of third-round picks who become long-term starters in the league is well below 50, and I'm not sure there's a team out there that's significantly better than any other at bettering that mark. If not, it's a crap shoot, and luck rules the day.

Ya but what are the odds that a 3rd round pick is so bad that he costs you years of your life just from having to watch him?

 

[Sons Of Shula]

This is why there isn't much variation in offensive line play throughout the NFL. There is no team that's willing to put excessive resources into that area, and extremely good or bad offensive line play happens for teams more by accident than by design.

I don't even know how to approach this nonsense.

 

[NorFlaFin]

Two 2nds for T-Hill and 1st & 3rd for Landry, yeah I could fix a wholelotta holes on this team provide Cutler plays like an All-Pro and Landy forces a trade without any D/V baggage

 

[dolfan91]

What the lack of cap space in 2018 and the limited options mentioned in the article, I can understand the rumors surrounding Jarvis Landry. I remain hopeful Miami will be able to sign him to a long term deal. We'll soon find out. The luck of having found O-Linemen, Eric Smith, Jake Brendel, Anthony Steen, In UDFA over the last 2 years will help cap wise, especially, "IF" they develop into starters and or solid backups, for 2018. This cap situation for at least 2018 puts an enormous emphasis on hitting on the teams 2018 draft selections. They are in a bargain hunting position next year. But I am nervous about the D-Line moving forward at the DE position. If Charles Harris doesn't develop another DE will need to be drafted high.