PressCoverage
☠️ Banned ☠️
- Joined
- May 7, 2005
- Messages
- 9,409
- Reaction score
- 15
Purge: Get younger, NOW.
We have the oldest starting defense in the NFL.
Let me repeat that, so that it sinks in a bit: The Miami Dolphins, 4-12 last year and trying to rebuild with a new coaching staff, have the oldest defense in the entire league.
Now, I am not trying to post negativity, nor disrespect any of the accomplishments of some great, GREAT Dolphins veterans on this team. It would be heart-wrenching to see them go.
However, people seem to think all Saban needs to do is revamp the offense and secondary, and that all the rest will remain static. The truth is that as the weaknesses improve, the strengths will rapidly decline (perhaps even faster). It will be very soon that our front 7 will begin "getting old". Perhaps as soon as later this season.
It was my humble opinion that this new regime should have purged the personnel this past offseason, and it is my confident opinion that it MUST do so this offseason. The experiment of keeping some veterans for buoyancy is not working out.
People put a bit too much stock in demanding 1st or 2nd for this player, etc., and "scrap the deal unless our demands are met." But, as Jimmy Johnson showed the league in 1989-1992, you just need DRAFT picks... And lots of them. Sam Madison for a fourth? Where do I sign? Chris Chambers for a 3rd? Where do I sign? McMichael for a 2nd? Done deal. Even Ricky for a fourth? Let's make a deal. No offense to any of these accomplished (yet aging players), but it's a business. I'd rather have a team of talented, hand picked 23-year-olds learning together, than a team of 29+ yearolds who haven't gotten over the hump, whose salaries escalate, and whose habits from past regimes are hard to break.
Now is the time when we must put our faith in Saban's eye for amateur talent, and in the Dolphins scouting department. Stockpile draft picks. Try to trade veterans, but if not, let them go and cut salary. For our elite favorites: JT and ZT, invite them back if they so choose, but at a slightly reduced salary. If not, out of respect for them, let them seek a trade for the money they feel they deserve and a shot at a title so so richly deserve. Otherwise, welcome back JT and ZT. Please help us nurture and cultivate this new crop.
I don't buy into the theory that going young completely sacrifices JT and ZT's remaining years. The 92 Cowboys were the youngest team ever to win it. I LOVE the theory that good, young, ****y teams don't know any better and don't get caught up in the pressure.
The point is, going into the draft armed with 12-16 picks gives a team much greater margin for error. Sure, there are going to be picks that don't pan out, but you increase your risk for great finds by increasing your opportunities to select them. You also have more picks to trade up and down with and get the players you want to target on draft day. We get a second for McMichael? Trade down with it, get another team's second, as well as their fourth. We get a fourth for Madison? Trade up a few notches along with one of our three acquired fifth rounders, and get that underrated safety before another team does.
Draft picks and salary cap space are the nectar by which new coaching regimes blossum. It's hard to do, and I'm sure loyalists on this board would flame some tough cuts/tradeaways. But the plain truth is this: We can not rebuild with older veterans. You can point to the Patriots, who added a few key aging vets, but even they stockpiled picks and drafted well (Seymour, Warren, Wilfork, Samuels, Wilson, Brady, Light, Graham, Koppen, Hochstein, Ashworth, Watson, Branch, Givens, etc. etc.)
So here's my breakdown:
Some still productive veterans we have, who aren't going to get better, but who may bring something in return:
Sam Madison, Chris Chambers, Marty Booker, Jeno James, Kevin Carter, Vonnie Holliday, Keith Traylor, Lance Schulters, Randy McMichael, Stockar McDougle.
Could live without all of them, not to say I don't really enjoy some of them and their play this year. But these are the kind of players that might yield mid-round gems.
Some veterans, expensive or not, that can just go (for a 6th, or 7th, or just to cut salary):
Reggie Howard, Gus Frerotte, Seau (sorry, Junior, love ya), Donnie Spragan, Sammy Morris, David Boston.
Some proud and loved veterans that would be offered to return as a priority, but could still be shopped for a nice price if they wish to go/won't take a pay cut:
Jason Taylor, Zach Thomas, Ricky Williams.
Perhaps you're asking if there's anyone safe on the roster? Well, ask yourself that. Who is not expendable toward the aim of getting younger, faster, better, cheaper? Not many: I'll say only the guys who already are younger, faster and/or cheaper. It's a tough business, and there is little patience in this league from fans who demand results. But I'm no longer interested in treading water, as we've been doing for 15+ years. We bottomed out last season, and should have cleaned house. Save for ZT and JT, who should be afforded every opportunity to stay, the rest of the 4+ year veterans can all go.
That's not to say I don't like any of those players, it's just that we have them all now, and we're 3-6. Our veteran defense is showing cracks and wearing down at the same speed our young O-line and devastating RB is improving. Please let's not do this again next offseason with patchwork fixes of expensive 29-year-old veterans and 34-year-old QBs who "know the system."
Saban is supposed to be a great teacher and handler of young men. Let's get some Rah Rah!! back for our Dolphins. Younger is better. Trust it.
(let the flames begin)
We have the oldest starting defense in the NFL.
Let me repeat that, so that it sinks in a bit: The Miami Dolphins, 4-12 last year and trying to rebuild with a new coaching staff, have the oldest defense in the entire league.
Now, I am not trying to post negativity, nor disrespect any of the accomplishments of some great, GREAT Dolphins veterans on this team. It would be heart-wrenching to see them go.
However, people seem to think all Saban needs to do is revamp the offense and secondary, and that all the rest will remain static. The truth is that as the weaknesses improve, the strengths will rapidly decline (perhaps even faster). It will be very soon that our front 7 will begin "getting old". Perhaps as soon as later this season.
It was my humble opinion that this new regime should have purged the personnel this past offseason, and it is my confident opinion that it MUST do so this offseason. The experiment of keeping some veterans for buoyancy is not working out.
People put a bit too much stock in demanding 1st or 2nd for this player, etc., and "scrap the deal unless our demands are met." But, as Jimmy Johnson showed the league in 1989-1992, you just need DRAFT picks... And lots of them. Sam Madison for a fourth? Where do I sign? Chris Chambers for a 3rd? Where do I sign? McMichael for a 2nd? Done deal. Even Ricky for a fourth? Let's make a deal. No offense to any of these accomplished (yet aging players), but it's a business. I'd rather have a team of talented, hand picked 23-year-olds learning together, than a team of 29+ yearolds who haven't gotten over the hump, whose salaries escalate, and whose habits from past regimes are hard to break.
Now is the time when we must put our faith in Saban's eye for amateur talent, and in the Dolphins scouting department. Stockpile draft picks. Try to trade veterans, but if not, let them go and cut salary. For our elite favorites: JT and ZT, invite them back if they so choose, but at a slightly reduced salary. If not, out of respect for them, let them seek a trade for the money they feel they deserve and a shot at a title so so richly deserve. Otherwise, welcome back JT and ZT. Please help us nurture and cultivate this new crop.
I don't buy into the theory that going young completely sacrifices JT and ZT's remaining years. The 92 Cowboys were the youngest team ever to win it. I LOVE the theory that good, young, ****y teams don't know any better and don't get caught up in the pressure.
The point is, going into the draft armed with 12-16 picks gives a team much greater margin for error. Sure, there are going to be picks that don't pan out, but you increase your risk for great finds by increasing your opportunities to select them. You also have more picks to trade up and down with and get the players you want to target on draft day. We get a second for McMichael? Trade down with it, get another team's second, as well as their fourth. We get a fourth for Madison? Trade up a few notches along with one of our three acquired fifth rounders, and get that underrated safety before another team does.
Draft picks and salary cap space are the nectar by which new coaching regimes blossum. It's hard to do, and I'm sure loyalists on this board would flame some tough cuts/tradeaways. But the plain truth is this: We can not rebuild with older veterans. You can point to the Patriots, who added a few key aging vets, but even they stockpiled picks and drafted well (Seymour, Warren, Wilfork, Samuels, Wilson, Brady, Light, Graham, Koppen, Hochstein, Ashworth, Watson, Branch, Givens, etc. etc.)
So here's my breakdown:
Some still productive veterans we have, who aren't going to get better, but who may bring something in return:
Sam Madison, Chris Chambers, Marty Booker, Jeno James, Kevin Carter, Vonnie Holliday, Keith Traylor, Lance Schulters, Randy McMichael, Stockar McDougle.
Could live without all of them, not to say I don't really enjoy some of them and their play this year. But these are the kind of players that might yield mid-round gems.
Some veterans, expensive or not, that can just go (for a 6th, or 7th, or just to cut salary):
Reggie Howard, Gus Frerotte, Seau (sorry, Junior, love ya), Donnie Spragan, Sammy Morris, David Boston.
Some proud and loved veterans that would be offered to return as a priority, but could still be shopped for a nice price if they wish to go/won't take a pay cut:
Jason Taylor, Zach Thomas, Ricky Williams.
Perhaps you're asking if there's anyone safe on the roster? Well, ask yourself that. Who is not expendable toward the aim of getting younger, faster, better, cheaper? Not many: I'll say only the guys who already are younger, faster and/or cheaper. It's a tough business, and there is little patience in this league from fans who demand results. But I'm no longer interested in treading water, as we've been doing for 15+ years. We bottomed out last season, and should have cleaned house. Save for ZT and JT, who should be afforded every opportunity to stay, the rest of the 4+ year veterans can all go.
That's not to say I don't like any of those players, it's just that we have them all now, and we're 3-6. Our veteran defense is showing cracks and wearing down at the same speed our young O-line and devastating RB is improving. Please let's not do this again next offseason with patchwork fixes of expensive 29-year-old veterans and 34-year-old QBs who "know the system."
Saban is supposed to be a great teacher and handler of young men. Let's get some Rah Rah!! back for our Dolphins. Younger is better. Trust it.
(let the flames begin)
