ESPN Insiders Offseason Grade for Miami

[Daytona Fin]

They gave us a B which is pretty fair IMO.

The best offseason work assures nothing in the NFL, as Tampa Bay and a few other teams proved again last offseason. But we can still evaluate the jobs teams have done in addressing their roster needs through free agency, trades and the draft, with an eye toward how moves affect outlooks in the short and long terms.

To that end, I've enlisted ESPN analysts Bill Polian, Louis Riddick, Matt Williamson and Field Yates, quoting each extensively in our 2015 NFL offseason grades. I also took into account Mel Kiper's draft grades for every team.

Miami Dolphins: B

Re-signed: QB Ryan Tannehill, OL Jason Fox, OL Mike Pouncey, P Brandon Fields, QB Matt Moore, S Louis Delmas

Veteran additions: CB Brice McCain, WR Greg Jennings, C J.D. Walton, OG Jacques McClendon, OT Jeffrey Linkenbach, TE Jordan Cameron, DT Ndamukong Suh, OLB Spencer Paysinger, CB Zack Bowman, WR Kenny Stills, QB Josh Freeman

Veteran subtractions: WR Brandon Gibson, WR Brian Hartline, TE Charles Clay, CB Cortland Finnegan, RB Daniel Thomas, OG Daryn Colledge, CB James Wilson, DT Jared Odrick, OLB Jason Trusnik, SS Jimmy Wilson, OLB Jonathan Freeny, RB Knowshon Moreno, OG Nate Garner, LB Philip Wheeler, CB R.J. Stanford, DT Randy Starks, C Samson Satele, G Shelley Smith, WR Mike Wallace, LB Dannell Ellerbe, CB T.J. Heath, CB Lowell Rose

Draft picks: 1-DeVante Parker (WR), 2-Jordan Phillips (DT), 4-Jamil Douglas (G), 5a-Bobby McCain (DB), 5b-Jay Ajayi (RB), 5c-Cedric Thompson (DB), 5d-Tony Lippett (WR)

Analysis: Williamson was highest on the Dolphins' offseason, giving them an A-minus for adding Suh and making moves to strengthen a promising offense. They were a solid B even before reaching agreement with Tannehill on a deal that seemed to work well for both parties.

"It feels weird not going higher than a B-plus after landing Suh and extending Tannehill and Pouncey," Yates said of his Dolphins grade. "You land the pre-eminent free agent available at a huge price. Those deals have not proven to be foolproof in the past. I have a little reservation about roster construction. They have a lot of cooks in the kitchen in the front office after adding Mike Tannenbaum and I'm not sure that is a great thing. Wallace, Clay and Hartline are out. Do they have a better cast of weapons now? Let's not mistake activity for achievement, to quote John Wooden."

Riddick questioned whether Suh could ever live up to his contract. He loved Parker's selection in the first round and thinks Jarvis Landry is one of the NFL's better young receivers, but he wasn't sure about Stills' career trajectory or how much Jennings has left.

"The best way to attack New England is up the middle and Suh gives them that ability," Polian said. "They really need to run the ball effectively. If they do that and protect Tannehill better, then throw it in fourth gear and let's go."

http://espn.go.com/nfl/insider/story/_/id/12913383/offseason-grades-all-32-teams-nfl

 

[Phinatic8u]

Very fair.

Louis Riddick is a good insider, but I don't understand the Stills comment.

---------- Post added at 03:31 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:30 PM ----------

Also, the Jets added a potentially elite guy in Willamson, BUT he plays the same postion as the beat defensive player they got in Wilkerson.

 

[Daytona Fin]

Very fair.

Louis Riddick is a good insider, but I don't understand the Stills comment.

---------- Post added at 03:31 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:30 PM ----------

Also, the Jets added a potentially elite guy in Willamson, BUT he plays the same postion as the beat defensive player they got in Wilkerson.

Jets got an A, Bills a B+ and the Deflators got a C.

 

[raving]

ESPN sucks...

Not into fair...

They are hedging their bets.

What does it mean to do well in the offseason?

No games are won or lost so it means: Did the organization move in a direction that takes the franchise to a place that has a better chance of winning or not?

Do I need ESPN to agree with the Dolphins moves or decisions? NO

Do they suck for taking such a pedestrian point of view about an offseason that was anything but pedestrian?

Yeah, bigtime! I rather them give us a D or an F then play the middle and get to be "right" no matter what.

ESPN has been and continues to be haters of the Dolphins. I think that this is fair - they can hate on us -

I just long for the days when Shula would put it in everybody's faces....

Shula whooped up on the league year in and year out and prognosticators would have to eat their poopy words by season's end!

 

[Atila]

but I don't understand the Stills comment.

I think it's pretty obvious... Stills is anything but a sure bet... He hasn't established himself yet and has only played in an elite passing offense. We expect him to be ascending but really we don't truly know how high this guy will go.

 

[PYRO]

I said this last off season too... there is only 3 grades. A for Progression, C for stagnant, and F for clear regression.

I hate them hiding behind their B minus and Cs to cover up their ineptitude of teams outside their favorite top 5.

Own up to your opinion and stop hiding behind your comments like "even though I gave this, pretty much everything is uncertain."

It's all a joke, I enjoy reading the news of Facts, i.e. who was signed, injured, or being fined/suspended. These grades never tell anything noteworthy or worth reading.

 

[Hc90]

I said this last off season too... there is only 3 grades. A for Progression, C for stagnant, and F for clear regression.

I hate them hiding behind their B minus and Cs to cover up their ineptitude of teams outside their favorite top 5.

Own up to your opinion and stop hiding behind your comments like "even though I gave this, pretty much everything is uncertain."

It's all a joke, I enjoy reading the news of Facts, i.e. who was signed, injured, or being fined/suspended. These grades never tell anything noteworthy or worth reading.

Yeap , And If its Omar Kelly .....

Well Put it short ... Omar Kelly is worth less . Might as Well be a whore on 8th street with a type writer

 

[trojanma]

If we are getting ho hum grades for spending cash. Jets get an A? for doing the same thing. With older prospects. ?

 

[Kdawg954]

I think it's pretty obvious... Stills is anything but a sure bet... He hasn't established himself yet and has only played in an elite passing offense. We expect him to be ascending but really we don't truly know how high this guy will go.

There were 3 positives with the trade . . . dumping the Ellerbe contract, getting a proven NFL player and Stills fantasy numbers.

As far as the negatives:

3rd round pick we gave up
2 years left on a rookie contract instead of 4
History of Drew Brees deep threats success in New Orleans followed by failure somewhere else
Reasoning the Saints felt he was expendable (Still don't think anybody really knows . . . but word has it Brees wasn't a fan, immaturity, attitude issues, etc.).

Definitely not sure how this will work. Him and Rishard Matthews could be in the back playing patty cake while Hazel steps up and becomes the field stretcher of this offense.

 

[nick1]

I like what we did. I expect a really good offense. Hopefully top 10

 

[Dolfan Dave]

I think it's fair too.

The Dolphins made a lot of personal moves that fit their team well imo. I think the Jets and Bills had more sexy names added which deservingly should get more headlines.

 

[ohall]

Yeap , And If its Omar Kelly .....

Well Put it short ... Omar Kelly is worth less . Might as Well be a whore on 8th street with a type writer

Omar has been very fair when it comes to RT's contract. He says if RT takes the Phins to the play-offs 3 out of the next 5-years he considers the contract a success for RT.

The thing with Omar, he says so many damn things it's hard to track what he really feels.

 

[Kdawg954]

Omar has been very fair when it comes to RT's contract. He says if RT takes the Phins to the play-offs 3 out of the next 5-years he considers the contract a success for RT.

The thing with Omar, he says so many damn things it's hard to track what he really feels.

If Tannehill goes 8-8 the next 3 years the contract was fine. $13 million a year for a starting QB (12.5 for the next 2) . . . he was already in line to get $9 million a year for the next 2 seasons.

Great thing with this deal is, we can make a decision after year 2 or 3 on if we wanna make him a $19 million a year QB.

 

[Digital]

Honestly, our season comes down to our OL and our secondary.

If the OL gives Tannehill time, Parker and Cameron can provide a dynamic element down the field that we have been lacking even if Tannehill struggles to hit Stills and Jennings deep. If our OL can open running lanes against the Jets, Bills, Ravens, etc., then Ajayi will be a 3 way threat (running, catching, and pass protecting). If our OL gets overwhelmed by power and starts over setting etc., then we will struggle to make the playoffs.

If our secondary can cover without being burned or a few seconds, our pass rush should make life miserable for QB's. With Phillips imitating Soliai and Suh wrecking offenses, our LB's shouldn't have such a problem stopping the run.

 

[Mogwai]

What's fair about a B? This has been a wildly impressive offseason. It may not mean much in the regular season with Joe coaching this team, but if we get someone like Mathis before the season starts then we've basically done everything you can possibly do in one offseason.