Jeff Ireland, success / failure?

[normaniii]

I was wondering how well Jeff Ireland has performed as GM. Which made me consider, what makes a successfull draft?

Bill Polian stated his formula as; ‘I think you have to divide it into top 12 and bottom 20. If you’re in the top 12, it ought to be in the .640 range. That’s about 4.5 guys on average per year out of the seven. You measure that at the end of three years and what you are measuring is whether or not those guys become winning players, guys that contribute to wins. Bottom 20 is .571, that’s four out of seven’.

Based on this formula:-

2007 (1st pick)
Jake Long
Philip Merling
Chad Henne
Kendall Langford
Shaun Murphy
Jalen Parmale
Donald Thomas
Lex Hilliard
Lionel Dotson
Devone Bess
Dan Carpenter

We hit 5/11, even with Chad Henne at .450, well below the expected .640.

2008 (25th pick)
Vontae Davis
Pat White
Shaun Smith
Patrick Turner
Brian Hartline
John Nalbone
Chris Clemons
Andrew Gardener
J.D.Folsom
We hit 4/9 at .440, again well below the expected .571

2009 (traded down to pick at #28)
Jared Odrick
Koa Misi
John Jerry
AJ Edds
Nolan Carroll
Reshard Jones
Chris McCoy
Austin Spitler

I know this is a bit hard to judge, but in my mind, Odrick, Misi, Edds, Carroll & Reshard Jones will all contribute this year, resulting in 5/8 players with a hit of .625.

Based on Polian’s philosophy, in my mind, only last year was a successful draft.

Titans general manager Mike Reinfeldt bases success on this formula, "If you look historically, teams get 2.3 starters per draft and as a team, I think you need to strive to get three starters per draft, or I should say players worthy of starting.

Based on this principle:-

2007
Not including Chad Henne, we had 4 players worthy of starting status, Long, Langford, Bess & Carpenter.

2008
Again I would say we had 4 players, V.Davis, S.Smith, Hartline & Clemons

2009
I would say only 3 have an oppurtunity to start, Odrick, Misi & Reshard Jones.

Based on this principle, Ireland has been very succesful.

Although Ireland has been successful in drafting starters, or players worthy to start, in my mind where we have struggled is players who are able to contribute. Look at this stat - http://www.drafttek.com/consolidatednfldraft-stillwithteam.asp.

I think the draft’s have been somewhat symptomatic to our success as a franchise. We have the players compete on depth chart, but below the surface we do not have the roster to contribute to a winning franchise.

 

[Miamifinz]

I'd say he's right in the middle in terms of drafting. Some solid players, some bad whiffs. Have enjoyed many of the big FA signings. But like any Dolphins GM, he loses major points for not drafting a good quarterback.

 

[miamiron]

To simplify things ...we have two years in a row achieved a 7-9 record

Don't care about 4 years ago,I care about what we are today
and the answer is mediocre at best...Ireland mediocre at best

 

[Pinkboy]

To simplify things ...we have two years in a row achieved a 7-9 record

Don't care about 4 years ago,I care about what we are today
and the answer is mediocre at best...Ireland mediocre at best

basically that's it right there.

 

[Dfan06]

I think he has done really well, don't forget the free agents. Cam Wake, Starks, Dansby, Burnett, Polite etc. Hopefully this is the year we hit on offensive players. If Henne shows no progress this year, QB will be our main target in the next draft. I think he should stick, getting a QB is hard. I still would not pick Ryan over Long.

 

[rickd13]

It all comes down to finding a franchise QB. If Ireland doesn't get one, then he is a failure. If he finds a franchise QB then he will be considered a success. Bill Belichick was a failure as a head coach until the Patriots stumbled into Tom Brady in the sixth round of the draft.

 

[rickd13]

I think he has done really well, don't forget the free agents. Cam Wake, Starks, Dansby, Burnett, Polite etc. Hopefully this is the year we hit on offensive players. If Henne shows no progress this year, QB will be our main target in the next draft. I think he should stick, getting a QB is hard. I still would not pick Ryan over Long.

I agree with most of what you said, but taking Long over Ryan was a mistake in hindsight. I'm saying this even though I think Long is a great player, and he is my favorite player on the team, but you always would rather have a franchise QB over a great left tackle. I believe that Ryan is a franchise QB.

 

[twix2500]

I think Ireland has done okay, yeah a couple of stiff in the second round. But everyone drafts a dud or two. I think whats missing from Ireland draft, is he hasnt hit on a real difference maker. I know some are sour about how Jimmy Johnson left, but man we do miss the impact players he drafted Madison, Surtain, Thomas, Daryl Gardner, Jason Taylor. LOL hell we are still using Jimmy Johnson players in Jason Taylor lol. Hopefully one day Davis and Smith can become Surtain and Madison.

 

[JEDIJ007]

Ireland = EPIC FAIL

 

[Klenton66]

If the GM's number one stated goal for this year, is to get a qb to compete with Henne for worst qb in the league, and he fails to do so, he is a failure. Just like Obama claiming that "jobs" are his number one focus for america. When creating a socialist america really is the number one focus.

 

[twix2500]

I agree with most of what you said, but taking Long over Ryan was a mistake in hindsight. I'm saying this even though I think Long is a great player, and he is my favorite player on the team, but you always would rather have a franchise QB over a great left tackle. I believe that Ryan is a franchise QB.

Im going to tell you this and I said this the time we drafted Jake Long. No matter what QB we drafted unless he was a Michael Vick type QB, every quarterback would of failed if we did not draft a left tackle. Jake Long was the right move, Matt Ryan would of failed in our situation. Our team was soooo bad when Cameron left. It was the worse dolphin football team ever!

 

[Klenton66]

just like Bill Parcells said, "you are what your record say's you are". Ireland is a 7-9 gm.

 

[JCane]

Solid post.

 

[dlockz]

Im going to tell you this and I said this the time we drafted Jake Long. No matter what QB we drafted unless he was a Michael Vick type QB, every quarterback would of failed if we did not draft a left tackle. Jake Long was the right move, Matt Ryan would of failed in our situation. Our team was soooo bad when Cameron left. It was the worse dolphin football team ever!

the falcons were horrible too. Their gm was smart enough to add pieces to help him. Rtyan would be a good qb anywhere

 

[NY8123]

Regardless of what Ireland does or doesn't do via draft and free agency his legacy as Dolphins GM will and always has been at QB. I think the man has done a fine job in all other areas of the team personally but that will never matter unless he secures the QB position for the next 10+ seasons for this franchise, until that happens this regime will be labeled underachievers no matter what.

When Dan retired little did I know that the hole he left would be as big and vast as the Grand Cannon and the efforts placed around finding his replacement would be as futile as trying to fill up the Grand Cannon with a shovel.