Early grades for Dolphins GM Dennis Hickey’s offseason moves | FinHeaven - Miami Dolphins Forums

Early grades for Dolphins GM Dennis Hickey’s offseason moves

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Long article but worth a read if you have the time.

The Dolphins are only six games into the season but we have enough sample size now to start looking at first-year general manager Dennis Hickey’s offseason moves and how they’re working out. Coach Joe Philbin had major input on these decisions, and VP Dawn Aponte is a key player on the contract side, but ultimately the praise or blame for the offseason moves will be on Hickey.
We’ll do this again later in the season, but here’s how it looks at the moment.
Key free agent signings:​
LT Branden Albert: A+
The Dolphins broke the bank for left tackle Branden Albert with a five year, $47 million ($25 million guaranteed) and so far he’s been the anchor of Miami’s revamped offensive line. He’s graded by Pro Football Focus as the NFL’s second-best tackle. Before free agency began, Eugene Monroe was considered the top tackle on the market. Monroe, who re-signed with Baltimore, has missed the last four weeks after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery. In three starts he graded 44th of 71 tackles. So there’s no question Miami made the right move.
RB Knowshon Moreno: C
Miami knew Moreno was injury-prone but still signed him to a 1-year $3 million deal. It was a low risk contract — and Moreno looked great in his one full game with the Dolphins, winning FedEx Ground Player of the Week. But he’s out for the year following an ACL tear and the Dolphins are back to where they were last year with Lamar Miller and Daniel Thomas as the featured backs. Fortunately for Miami, they’re both playing better this year and Miami’s offensive line is opening up holes.
DT Earl Mitchell: A
The Dolphins defensive line has been strong all season and Miami hasn’t missed Paul Soliai. Atlanta overpaid for Soliai with a five years, $33 million ($14 million guaranteed) deal while Mitchell signed a team friendly four-year $16 million ($9 million guaranteed) deal. So far this season Mitchell is graded 17th of 72 tackles while Soliai is 40th.
DT Randy Starks: A
Starks is probably playing more at a B+ level (24th graded) but the Dolphins got him on the cheap so you have to give them a A for bringing him back. No one thought Starks would be back in Miami because the Dolphins weren’t willing to pay close to what he wanted. But they lured him back for a two year $10 million deal with only one season guaranteed. He may not have had many other options, but it was still a strong signing.

http://dailydolphin.blog.palmbeachp...r-dolphins-gm-dennis-hickeys-offseason-moves/
 
Albert Romano said:
Long article but worth a read if you have the time.

The Dolphins are only six games into the season but we have enough sample size now to start looking at first-year general manager Dennis Hickey’s offseason moves and how they’re working out. Coach Joe Philbin had major input on these decisions, and VP Dawn Aponte is a key player on the contract side, but ultimately the praise or blame for the offseason moves will be on Hickey.
We’ll do this again later in the season, but here’s how it looks at the moment.
Key free agent signings:​
LT Branden Albert: A+
The Dolphins broke the bank for left tackle Branden Albert with a five year, $47 million ($25 million guaranteed) and so far he’s been the anchor of Miami’s revamped offensive line. He’s graded by Pro Football Focus as the NFL’s second-best tackle. Before free agency began, Eugene Monroe was considered the top tackle on the market. Monroe, who re-signed with Baltimore, has missed the last four weeks after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery. In three starts he graded 44th of 71 tackles. So there’s no question Miami made the right move.
RB Knowshon Moreno: C
Miami knew Moreno was injury-prone but still signed him to a 1-year $3 million deal. It was a low risk contract — and Moreno looked great in his one full game with the Dolphins, winning FedEx Ground Player of the Week. But he’s out for the year following an ACL tear and the Dolphins are back to where they were last year with Lamar Miller and Daniel Thomas as the featured backs. Fortunately for Miami, they’re both playing better this year and Miami’s offensive line is opening up holes.
DT Earl Mitchell: A
The Dolphins defensive line has been strong all season and Miami hasn’t missed Paul Soliai. Atlanta overpaid for Soliai with a five years, $33 million ($14 million guaranteed) deal while Mitchell signed a team friendly four-year $16 million ($9 million guaranteed) deal. So far this season Mitchell is graded 17th of 72 tackles while Soliai is 40th.
DT Randy Starks: A
Starks is probably playing more at a B+ level (24th graded) but the Dolphins got him on the cheap so you have to give them a A for bringing him back. No one thought Starks would be back in Miami because the Dolphins weren’t willing to pay close to what he wanted. But they lured him back for a two year $10 million deal with only one season guaranteed. He may not have had many other options, but it was still a strong signing.

http://dailydolphin.blog.palmbeachp...r-dolphins-gm-dennis-hickeys-offseason-moves/
Click to expand...

I often wonder about how the offense would be with Moreno for a full season. He only played 1 game, but he brought a certain amount of confidence and Swag that this team just hasn't shown without him. A very explosive back for sure......sigh
 
Hickey's worth keeping regardless of Philbin's future.
 
I like what he's done, though the Shelley Smith deal looks like the one miss(and everyone misses once and a while)
I think he deserves that 2nd season on his contract, and he really needs to add in the offseason a RB, solidify the line a little more, and depth at WR and LB.
 
The grade and Moreno is too high. You can't give a C to a guy who only played 1 game. I know the injury thing is not foreseeable but the history is "known" so the grade here should be a D at best.
 
Not every free agent acquisition and draft pick is going to work out how you'd like but Hickey seems to have made a good amount of them work. What is most appealing is that he is hitting on both sides of the ball, something that Ireland couldn't do. Ideally for me is if you replace Philbin then you replace the GM. That said, I would like to see Hickey get more time to see if he can build on what he started. Doesn't mean I want Philbin to get more time in Miami as well but would rather hire someone to work with Hickey should that situation arise.

Like a UDFA that pans out it's quite possible that Ross hit on what most view as a last option.
 
Moreno should remain ungraded. He proved to be a heckuva stud in his small time with us. It was cheap and low risk...grading an injured player is ridiculous.
 
How do Colledge and Satale only get tiny mentions at the bottom? Both have been great signings for cheap and are starting. They should be balancing out what looks like a bad signing in Smith.
 
I also like that Hickey got players that fit the schemes. Ireland was always trying to fit square pegs in round holes.
 
I like Hickey. But like others have said if Philbin goes and The fins try to hit a HR, then someone will probabaly be brought in who wants a gm hes worked with before
 
PyroDOLFAN said:
Moreno should remain ungraded. He proved to be a heckuva stud in his small time with us. It was cheap and low risk...grading an injured player is ridiculous.
Click to expand...

I think its reasonable to criticize the GM for signing a player that is known to be injury prone to be the primary running back without having much in the way of a fallback option. I think you have to assess risk not just in terms of the contract given but also the impact on the team when the player goes down.
 
1 sack in 6 games from a rookie right tackle...sign me up for that action
 
The grade for Moreno s/b Incomplete.

Hickey should stay. If Philbin goes, Dennis should have input on who he can work with.

Though, it appears JP & DH work well together.

p.s. Not many saying that it was a reach for Ja'waun now.
 
Great offseason. Moreno was a great add you can't hold an injury against him. Good picks. Billy Turner will need a year but will be good as well
 
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