Moving Forward Who Are the Must Keepers?

[SF Dolphin Fan]

Honestly I don't see any player on our team as being untouchable.

I like Waddle, and I believe this is Hill's last year. I think Phillips is a very solid and complete player (before injury). Holland, he is a safety, I wouldn't break the bank for that position.

Tua, I've never been believer, started to have a little hope last year, but he still needs everything to go well to really click. I don't ever see him a carrying a team, I think his play today is more of McD making it work (player design and personnel) , than Tua being anything beyond viable at the position.

I think Miami can win with Tua, but you're right they need more talent around him than with a Mahomes or Allen.

The one thing to keep in mind about Tua, though, is he's probably never had even an average level offensive line. Without all the injuries last year, the unit was probably close to league average.

Fans were excited because the offensive line started to grow under Barry, which is a good sign. But it still needs work.

 

[circumstances]

No such thing as a keeper when any star player you draft decides they want to wait for free agency, and another club offers them the sun, the moon, and the stars. I hate the current system.

 

[SF Dolphin Fan]

I’m excluding Tyreek and Ramsey because I feel like you’re talking about youth, but IMO we must keep Tyreek and Ramsey for at least three more years. Even once they start losing a step, they’re the foundation of this team.

So among youth: Tua, Waddle, Achane, and Phillips.

I’m not tied to Holland. Plenty of comparable players for cheap if he wants stupid money. Safeties are a dime a dozen, and I’m not convinced Holland is Top 5.

Would be nice if Cam Smith or Jordyn Brooks entered this conversation, though. They fit the right mold.

Love Holland, but I agree here. A lot of good safeties found on the free agent market. Now, if he takes his game to the next level, I might feel differently.

But if you stick to spending on premium positions, maybe fans should prepare for Holland to move on in free agency when he's eligible.

 

[1972forever]

The Miami Dolphins have reached the point where they have one of the better rosters in the NFL.

Now comes the hardest part; adding to the team and trying to keep as much talent as possible.

So, with that in mind, who are the must keepers on the team? Players like Phillips, Holland and Waddle are all going to get paid soon. Can Miami keep them all?

At this point, looks like Tua is getting paid. Any others?

Phillips, Holland, Waddle and Tua are the must sign players. They should have the cap space in 2025 to ensure Phillips, Holland, and Waddle get their money and Tua will likely get his in a few months once Howard’s cap money comes off their cap.

 

[Danny]

we're going to lose players to free agency every year if we have good players....the problem is when you don’t have picks to continue to draft their replacements.....if you draft well then you lose players and get comp picks and continue to add to your roster.....last two years we only had 8 picks and so far have ONE single player(Achane) to show for it....hard to be a consistent winner that way. That's why I hate trading away multiple picks for one expensive player.....now you do that once it might be ok but when you continue to do it you'll lose players to free agency and you have no picks to replace them with.

 

[SF Dolphin Fan]

we're going to lose players to free agency every year if we have good players....the problem is when you don’t have picks to continue to draft their replacements.....if you draft well then you lose players and get comp picks and continue to add to your roster.....last two years we only had 8 picks and so far have ONE single player(Achane) to show for it....hard to be a consistent winner that way. That's why I hate trading away multiple picks for one expensive player.....now you do that once it might be ok but when you continue to do it you'll lose players to free agency and you have no picks to replace them with.

I love that Grier is aggressive, but I think the Chubb trade is the one we can question the most. Not a bad player, but injury prone.

Hard not to get behind the deals for Hill and Ramsey, but I think the concentration should shift back to the draft.

Not sure the all in approach was timed well, but I do believe this team could have had playoff success with fewer injuries.

 

[j-off-her-doll]

I wouldn’t say waddle is special. At least not yet. Maybe without TH but as of now he isn’t more than good wr2

He was battling injuries all of 2023, but he led the league in yards per target in 2022 - with over 1,300 yards. There aren't five more dynamic receivers the league.

 

[wontrememberthis]

is it possible that the way Wilkins worked out is the new way of doing things? what if a player values himself more than the team does and won't accept what the team is offering, would you cave and sign them because you like the player? or would you take that money and get several more players? what if Tua likes himself more than the team does, what if he wants a record contract and the team wants maybe $40-45million? is it possible that they do the same with him as they did with Wilkins? do they draft someone sooner or later depending on his signing or not? i don't hate Tua, but i don't want his next contract to keep us from having a full team
maybe no one is a must keeper

 

[Birdmond]

As of now I see no one who would break my heart to walk. Waddle is probably the closest

 

[gofins60]

I think Miami can win with Tua, but you're right they need more talent around him than with a Mahomes or Allen.

The one thing to keep in mind about Tua, though, is he's probably never had even an average level offensive line. Without all the injuries last year, the unit was probably close to league average.

This is why IMO, all of the good things that Grier has done can't erase the fact that he drafted a QB at #5 with a major injury, and then failed to build a good o-line to protect that QB. And, if he truly does work hand-in-hand with the HCs, then that also means that not one of the HCs he had a hand in hiring made the o-line a priority. IOW, both Grier and the HCs are to blame for the lack of a competent o-line.

You'd think that McDaniel, the so-called "running game guru", would want a strong o-line, but instead he decided to base his offense on Tua getting rid of the ball quickly to a speedy WR. Grier and McDaniel amassed a bunch of offensive weapons, but without a strong o-line they'll never reach their full potential.

 

[Miami Matt]

I'd say Waddle and Phillips. And possibly Holland

 

[Manning]

He was battling injuries all of 2023, but he led the league in yards per target in 2022 - with over 1,300 yards. There aren't five more dynamic receivers the league.

Yes sure he’s dynamic so was Ted Ginn lol I just think there are much better all around wrs in the league than waddle. I don’t think he’s a bad player by any means and I’m sure every team in the nfl would love to have him but if he wants top wr money I’m ok moving on.

 

[Yessir]

Yes sure he’s dynamic so was Ted Ginn lol I just think there are much better all around wrs in the league than waddle. I don’t think he’s a bad player by any means and I’m sure every team in the nfl would love to have him but if he wants top wr money I’m ok moving on.

And thank God you aren’t the GM.

Waddle is an emerging superstar and is going to get 30 million a year, and he’s for sure going to get an extension

The answer to the OP’s question? Tua, Waddle, and Holland. And I anticipate all 3 to get extensions.

 

[dolfan91]

Here's the question, though it veers off topic. If Phillips proves to be good, but not great and Miami moves off Chubb's contract pretty quickly, is a pass rusher a bigger priority than many think?

The biggest difference from this point on will be having to account for a QB getting paid $50m per year. That makes a huge difference moving forward.

Managing the cap in order to pay productive players like Phillips gets much harder. If you thought Chubb was a bloated contract wait till you see what Phillips gets paid in 2 years.

Prioritizing the edge position is probably a wise choice. Got to find a way to keep an influx of players coming in.

Stockpiling draft picks and signing vet edge players to reasonable contracts should become the norm.

The edge class in the 2024 draft is top heavy so getting one of the top 10 at the position might require a 1st or 2nd round pick.

The good news is the 2025 draft is absolutely loaded at the edge position. A draft that Miami currently sits with 11 picks.

So if Miami prioritizes finding an edge player, who can potentially contribute day one, might be easier in a year. Luckily an opportunity, to draft a young player, in next months draft, could present itself; if as expected an edge player drops, due to the overwhelming amount of offensive talent, expected to be selected before Miami picks.

It appears Miami is in the perfect spot. So prioritizing a position of need is absolutely a possibility.

 

[Manning]

And thank God you aren’t the GM.

Waddle is an emerging superstar and is going to get 30 million a year, and he’s for sure going to get an extension

The answer to the OP’s question? Tua, Waddle, and Holland. And I anticipate all 3 to get extensions.

I didn’t say he wasn’t going to get 30 mil per. The way these contracts are going now it’s very likely but I’m not putting waddle at the same level as guys like CeDee and JJ. What waddle has shown so far is that he is a good wr 2. I’m not breaking the bank on that. Oh and if I were GM I would’ve drafted JJ over AJ and not reached for a project at 18, so I damn sure would’nt have traded up for waddle, which I also don’t think was a guy you invest 2 first rounders on, but on the other hand Jake Fromm might also be our starting QB