How should the Miami Dolphins tackle free agency? | FinHeaven - Miami Dolphins Forums

How should the Miami Dolphins tackle free agency?

fisi

fisi

Active Roster
Joined
Sep 4, 2010
Messages
2,449
Reaction score
23
In 2013, Athlon Sports named the Falcons, Bears, Texans, Dolphins, and Vikings free agent winners. The Faclson signed players such as Steven Jackson, Osi Umenyiora, William Moore, Sam Baker, and others. The Bears signed players such as D.J. Williams, Jermon Bushrod, and D.J. Williams. The Texans signed players such as Ed Reed, Shane Lechler, and Greg Jones. The Dolphins signed players such as Mike Wallace, Dannell Ellerbe, Dustin Keller, Brent Grimes, and Phillip Wheeler. The Vikings signed players such as Greg Jennings, Phil Loadholt, Jerome Felton, and Matt Cassel.


The Falcons finished 4 – 12, the Bears finished 8 – 8, the Texans finished 2 – 14, the Dolphins finished 8 – 8, and the Vikings finished 5 – 10. Not one of those teams made the playoffs. We’ve already seen one release with Ed Reed in the middle of last season. There is no doubt that there will be many more added to that list within the next one to three years.


As for the losers, they named the Ravens, Bills, Browns, Jets, Raiders, Steelers, and Patriots. The Ravens finished 8 -8, the Bills finished 6 – 10, the Browns finished 4 – 12, the Jets finished 8 – 8, the Raiders finished 4 – 12, the Steelers finished 8 -8, and the Patriots finished 12 – 4 and were one game away from the Super Bowl. With the exception of the Patriots, none of those teams made the playoffs.


What does this show us? For the third straight year, it shows us that teams who go crazy in free agency are almost guaranteed not to make the playoffs. It shows us that teams who sit back and do very little to fill their holes are almost guaranteed not to make the playoffs. It shows us that you want to be very strategic in free agency, filling holes here and there without chasing every big name that hits the market.


This is extremely important to keep in mind when free agency opens at 4:00 PM EST on March 11. If you see the Dolphins going crazy throwing money at countless top free agents, you should be worried. If you see the Dolphins sitting back and doing almost nothing, you should be worried. The Dolphins need to worry about locking up their own players before March 11. From there, they should target at least one and possibly two top free agents to go after. After that, they need to be selective and strategic. Doing it that way will give them a much better chance at building a successful team that can make a run at the playoffs during the 2014 season and beyond.
Follow me on Twitter: @PhinManiacs




For me, the Miami Dolphins have their work cut out for them; this offseason is about two things- protecting Ryan Tannehill and establishing the run game. They can not over think this, they cannot and must not over blow this. The teams' problem are very very fixable. IT IS VERY EASY- SIGN TACKLE DRAFT A TACKLE. AND SIGN A GUARD AND DRAFT A GUARD. THAT EASY, EVERYTHING ELSE IS CHERRY ON THE CAKE!



http://network.yardbarker.com/autho...mi_dolphins_tackle_free_agency&sport_name=nfl
 
I really, really hope we can get Gerhart to go with Miller. Line help is obvious too.
 
I wonder how the "Year 2" results look for teams who acquire a lot of FA talent in a given offseason.

We all know that most free agents don't really get going until Week 8 or later in the first season. Learning new schemes, coaches, teammates, etc can sometimes yield a learning curve similar to rookie's. Drafting and Free Agency is an art.

Several on this board have posted they want Gibson, Wallace, Wheeler and a few others from our FA class gone or have labeled them as a bust. I don't care how many reps you get in the first year, rookie or FA, you're real potential on a new team is rarely realized until the 2nd or 3rd year. For every celebrated success story, there are many more failures. And I think owners, coaches and fans place so much pressure on winning now they give up on a player too soon.

Fixing the OLine and a 2nd year together will fix our FA class from last year. But they will now face another set back with a new OC. Tinkering is necessary from time to time, but when a team isn't polished time is needed to allow changes to yield their potential.

Also, if you want FA's to come and be productive Day 1 you need leadership and elite talent around them. Pinning your hopes on a new guy means you don't have faith in what you have. So, why should he?
 
By making smart decision and actually signing and drafting player that fit what the team is trying to accomplish.
 
phinfan40353 said:
I wonder how the "Year 2" results look for teams who acquire a lot of FA talent in a given offseason.

We all know that most free agents don't really get going until Week 8 or later in the first season. Learning new schemes, coaches, teammates, etc can sometimes yield a learning curve similar to rookie's. Drafting and Free Agency is an art.

Several on this board have posted they want Gibson, Wallace, Wheeler and a few others from our FA class gone or have labeled them as a bust. I don't care how many reps you get in the first year, rookie or FA, you're real potential on a new team is rarely realized until the 2nd or 3rd year. For every celebrated success story, there are many more failures. And I think owners, coaches and fans place so much pressure on winning now they give up on a player too soon.

Fixing the OLine and a 2nd year together will fix our FA class from last year. But they will now face another set back with a new OC. Tinkering is necessary from time to time, but when a team isn't polished time is needed to allow changes to yield their potential.

Also, if you want FA's to come and be productive Day 1 you need leadership and elite talent around them. Pinning your hopes on a new guy means you don't have faith in what you have. So, why should he?
Click to expand...

Well said and agreed. Many want to pick on Wallace, Ellerbe, and Wheeler, and with good reason for production vs money.

Wallace and RT did not click last year, and it was not for Wallace not being open and beating his man or for RT not being able to throw deep, it was time and timing. Tannehill connected with Hartline on 6 of 14 passes over 20 in the air in 2012, and 11 of 25 in 2013. That is VERY good to a WR with good speed. Wallace does dot have good speed, he has elite speed. HOF WR's and QB's say it takes a year to adjust, and sometimes a little longer but, what the hell do they know?

On our two FA LB's. Ellerbe played really well on a SB run vs the best the NFL has to offer but, moved from a 3-4 to a 4-3 on a new team. Wheeler had more problems, and Wake not setting the edge as the year before, and having an off year did not help him. Also. Coyle putting in more stunts than a great action packed movie, hurt both. JMO

Players need to react, and not think. Guarantee that all three were thinking way too much in their first year here, and many will be eating some crow this year.
 
Hopefuly better than how our linebackers tackled.
 
I want Miami to be aggressive but smart. For example, we know Miami will look for a LT. I'd rather make sure to get a good fit than just driving a Brinks truck up to Branden Alberts house. Veldheer is much more appealling a signing IMHO.
 
I hope we sign some decent Guards and and maybe a RB as well as keep our guys Like Grimes, and either Starks or Soliai. Not sure we have the luxury to spend huge money on a new free agent.
Draft a Tackle early and maybe a LB and DB.

I sure hope nobody sees Gibson as a bust either.
 
So I wonder how much of our F/A failures were the players, schemes or coaching. These guys were doing great with the teams they were at before coming here, so why did they bomb so badly once they got here? Given, some players just want to get paid and once they do, they don't play. But is that the case with our F/A's last year or was it more the coaching/scheme? We can maybe see on the O side of the ball since we are changing OC. But have we really really changed anything on the D side ? So why would we expect them to improve then? Just asking, should we blame the player or the coaching?
 
We should see if we can restructure Patterson and Moore's deals to create more cap space.
Resign: Grimes, Soliai, Carroll, and McKinnie.
FA: We should sign Gerhart or MJD, and a tackle like Monroe or Albert. Maybe a decent Guard as well?
Draft: We should go with BPA, regardless of position. By the time we get to the 19th spot 3 or 4 of the top tackle prospects will be taken. We should use our 1st for a playmaker. We can use the late r round to grab bodies to fill in the offensive line.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom