Miami Dolphins Rebuild? Here’s A Plan For An Aggressive Tear-down To Start

[DolfanISS]

Amazing how many posters were staunchly against the idea of tanking, but now that the Dolphins seem to be commited to it, most posters are on board. Good stuff.

For now. Once we start losing games we will lose fans being on board with it. Human nature. How many times do we see guys predicting 7-9, 6-10 or 8-8 who fall apart during losses that are leading us to their predicted, expected record. Expectations will be low but folks on here will turn on Flores before the end of 19 even though we know what’s coming.

 

[CoryMatthews]

There isn’t going to be a “tank”. They aren’t going to spend in free agency or trade picks for players.

And most of the salary dump started last year with Suh/Pouncey. One thing that wouldn’t surprise me is if they cut/traded Reshad Jones. That was a terrible extension and paying for two starting safeties is not good. The patriots would never have a person like Reshad on their roster.
Cutting him would actually cost cap space this year but free in up going forward.

 

[Mach2]

For now. Once we start losing games we will lose fans being on board with it. Human nature. How many times do we see guys predicting 7-9, 6-10 or 8-8 who fall apart during losses that are leading us to their predicted, expected record. Expectations will be low but folks on here will turn on Flores before the end of 19 even though we know what’s coming.

It depends on the type of fan.

The casual fan may lose interest quickly. The more hardcore fan will probably give it some time, as long as there is a perceived plan, and progress is evident.

 

[finomenal]

I’m not on board with it. It’s a horrible feeling knowing Miami is going to aim to be bad in the next year or two. You’re supposed to be excited when the new league year starts bc your team has hope. It’s going to be a LONG time before I get excited about this team and that kills me bc I love football. At least when Miami was average there was still the chance they could make a little noise. Even that is gone now.

I hear you. Much different being a fan since the turn of the century. I'd much rather be talking about the Dolphins winning the division and grabbing a bye like how fans used to in the 90s and before that; however, I'm tired of being teased. We've been in the wilderness this long, what's one more year?

I'd prefer they draft Murray and start from there. No tank needed. A 2-13 type season would definitely mean more days at the beach. Not watching that **** lol

 

[NorFlaFin]

Wonder if Mandy will restart his David Garrad campaign.

Disagree on cutting Robert Quinn..yet he still got alot game left. A prime candidate for midseason or training camp trade provided he plays better and puts out good tape.

 

[Avigatorx]

It depends on the type of fan.

The casual fan may lose interest quickly. The more hardcore fan will probably give it some time, as long as there is a perceived plan, and progress is evident.

I'm with ya there.

Most fans are indeed casual fans, so there is definitely going to be some flack, especially if Gase performs better than Flores this year.

Posters here are not casual, not even close. Most will be ok, many will still be critical, but try to keep the big picture in mind, and of course, we have the never-happy malcontents.

But what you are saying, Is there a plan? Are they progressing according to the plan? That is spot on.

For myself, I will have a better feeling with the "tank job" and Flores if we can play disciplined, hard-nosed football. Keep the games close if we can. Minimize the blow-out losses that we have endured lately. If we have issues, let them be at the skill positions, I dont want problems in the trenches. (Understanding that it will take time, probably half the season, for them to begin to Jell.)

I want to see the team progress during the season, not start strong and fade.

Show me you are properly identifying team needs and addressing those needs.

Show me the ability to adjust your gameplan according to your own personnel, your opponents' personnel, tendencies, game time situations.

Show me that when you make mistakes, you learn from and correct those mistakes as best you can.

Of course, I'll never lose interest. Not many in here will.

The casuals on the other hand? Just hope people like you and I (Or we or us) can help to educate our friends in the Dolphin community and make them more tolerant of some of the struggles we will be facing this year.

 

[Phinfan407]

D*** that hurt, but it def needs to be done. I'm on board with all those moves. Gonna be a painful couple years for Phins fans! At least we know we'll be bad. Better than having Gase at the healm and having false hopes I guess.

 

[volk]

I’m not on board with it. It’s a horrible feeling knowing Miami is going to aim to be bad in the next year or two. You’re supposed to be excited when the new league year starts bc your team has hope. It’s going to be a LONG time before I get excited about this team and that kills me bc I love football. At least when Miami was average there was still the chance they could make a little noise. Even that is gone now.

Truth.

The other problem is the team and fans appear to be under the assumption that this will all work out great because we will finally draft our “elite QB”. Problem is, no one knows if Grier and Flores actually know how to draft one, or any other players for that matter, because we have no clue who was responsible for drafting our most recent successful picks. Gase? Grier? TBaum? Who knows. Furthermore, the chance of drafting a complete bust at QB is much higher than actually getting a good one. Just because fans are in love with Tua doesn’t mean he will make it at the NFL level.

I am all for purging bad contracts and releasing older players and completely understand the importance of picks in the draft. Having said that, the notion of trading everyone with any value just to have to replace them later is somewhat foolish, IMHO. It overvalue’s the QB position and forces the GM to be nearly perfect in picking replacements. In short, if Grier cannot pick a great franchise QB and fill in the roster with better overall talent then he purged from it, fans will know what it feels like to be Cleveland. Once you commit to the tank approach, you are stuck there until franchise QB is found, good coaching is in place and the roster is filled in with some real superstars. Ask the Browns how long that can take.

Ask yourself this: If John Gruden doesn’t get an elite QB in this draft or pick up at least two other superstar players at their respective positions, how long term will the damage be to the Raiders?

 

[fansinceGWilson]

Amazing how many posters were staunchly against the idea of tanking, but now that the Dolphins seem to be commited to it, most posters are on board. Good stuff.

I think the disagreements were over the definition of 'tanking.' Some people seem to think it means keeping 3-5 key players and getting 48-50 new faces.

 

[fansinceGWilson]

Truth.

The other problem is the team and fans appear to be under the assumption that this will all work out great because we will finally draft our “elite QB”. Problem is, no one knows if Grier and Flores actually know how to draft one, or any other players for that matter, because we have no clue who was responsible for drafting our most recent successful picks. Gase? Grier? TBaum? Who knows. Furthermore, the chance of drafting a complete bust at QB is much higher than actually getting a good one. Just because fans are in love with Tua doesn’t mean he will make it at the NFL level.

I am all for purging bad contracts and releasing older players and completely understand the importance of picks in the draft. Having said that, the notion of trading everyone with any value just to have to replace them later is somewhat foolish, IMHO. It overvalue’s the QB position and forces the GM to be nearly perfect in picking replacements. In short, if Grier cannot pick a great franchise QB and fill in the roster with better overall talent then he purged from it, fans will know what it feels like to be Cleveland. Once you commit to the tank approach, you are stuck there until franchise QB is found, good coaching is in place and the roster is filled in with some real superstars. Ask the Browns how long that can take.

Ask yourself this: If John Gruden doesn’t get an elite QB in this draft or pick up at least two other superstar players at their respective positions, how long term will the damage be to the Raiders?

I agree. I'll not give the entire sermon, but a number of people have listed R1 QBs taken in the last 10-15 years. How many are top 10? It's not just Grier/Flores. EVERY team has problems identifying the next 'top' QB. That doesn't mean don't try, but it DOES mean some fans need to rid themselves of the myth drafting a top 3 QB means 'problem solved.'

 

[Slainte]

"The Dolphins kept a player that is more valuable to them on another team. Because on the Dolphins, he’ll make plays for the next two or three years at a very steep price while the Dolphins are actually trying to maximize their draft position by losing."

Read more here: https://www.miamiherald.com/sports/...-salguero/article225952960.html#storylink=cpy

I don't agree with this statement at all. Does that mean we are going to draft crappy players in 2019 so they don't go an win some games for us? Field the QBs that we have on our roster and the 'L's will come. I'd give Flores and X some time to get to know each other then either make him the highest paid CB in the league or trade him before the deadline.

 

[TeeMoney]

People who say they have a plan for Miami to be winners next year typically have the idea that a few positions need to be patched up with limited resources. So you allocate a large amount of resources to one or two positions, and fill the rest with aging/injury prone vets or reclamation projects. As has happened in the past in Miami, this leads to 8-9 wins on average. Some years you may get lucky with a 10 win season, whoopee. You analyze your roster, and find a few areas that need to be patched up with the limited resources and head into another season, hopes high.

The "tank" is a buzzword that is ambiguous enough that any argument against it succeeds, others just need to appropriate YOUR definition of what "tank" means. Actually, I think these guys that think they can patch a few spots here and there are the actual "tank"ers, as they are in a perpetual cycle of inadequacy. A Sisyphean task, punishing the fans with your hopes and dreams.

 

[Buff]

I dint think we will have a bad 2019 season, or 2020 season at all. The nuclease of a good team is already in place. Injuries more than anything else, culled our season. Play calling was bad, but that should change now. Our defence let us down more than our offence, and with a draft heavy defence and o line, I see no real reason to think we wont be better than all the AFC east bar the pats.

I am remaining positive, I think the coaching selections are pretty solid. That alone will be worth a few more wins.

 

[Mach2]

I dint think we will have a bad 2019 season, or 2020 season at all. The nuclease of a good team is already in place. Injuries more than anything else, culled our season. Play calling was bad, but that should change now. Our defence let us down more than our offence, and with a draft heavy defence and o line, I see no real reason to think we wont be better than all the AFC east bar the pats.

I am remaining positive, I think the coaching selections are pretty solid. That alone will be worth a few more wins.

What nucleus?

There is not 1single unit that I consider solid. We have above average OTs, and some pieces in the secondary (for now).

I'm as optimistic as the next guy, but I think some ppl have blinders on. To say we have a good nucleus flies in the face of the need to rebuild.

 

[Kamelion4291]

I’m not on board with it. It’s a horrible feeling knowing Miami is going to aim to be bad in the next year or two. You’re supposed to be excited when the new league year starts bc your team has hope. It’s going to be a LONG time before I get excited about this team and that kills me bc I love football. At least when Miami was average there was still the chance they could make a little noise. Even that is gone now.

I think it's just your mindset tbh. I had a lot of fun cheering for losses during the Suck For Luck season until Matt Moore blew it like I knew he would.

Your excitement shouldn't be based on merely wins or losses, but how close we are to being Super Bowl caliber. At least that's how I operate. I'm going to have more fun cheering to lose next year because I know it's going to give us a better chance in the future as opposed to the hamster wheel we've been on for 20 years.

I'll bet Browns fans are going to have more fun this year watching their team than they've had in a looooooong time and in order to do that, they had to endure being terrible, but it was at least resulting in something positive.