Why the Dolphins should re-sign safety Chris Clemons: The story behind his surprising availability
http://www.thephinsider.com/2014/8/31/6091023/why-the-dolphins-should-re-sign-chris-clemons
1. The Dolphins' need for a veteran safety is undeniable. The Dolphins wouldn't have claimed the second worst safety in the NFL off waivers if they didn't consider backup safety to be a need. Whatever you felt about Chris Clemons' performance last year, he was better than the second worst safety in the NFL last year.
2. Clemons knows the scheme, so unlike anybody else the Dolphins could claim or sign, the transition would be easiest for Clemons. Having spent the 2 previous seasons in defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle's scheme, Clemons could realistically start within days of signing with the Dolphins. Ross, the safety picked up off the waiver-wire, will take days to weeks to get up to speed if the Dolphins keep him, which would leave the Dolphins very vulnerable if there's an injury at safety in game 1.
3. Signing Clemons helps both the safety and cornerback situations. Right now, Jimmy Wilson has been promoted to safety in wake of Reshad Jones' suspension, which weakens both the cornerback rotation and the safety rotation. First, Wilson is an above average slot cornerback, and the loss of Wilson robs the team of the player who spent the early part of the offseason getting 1st team reps in the slot. Of the remaining options at cornerback, only Cortland Finnegan has significant NFL experience playing slot cornerback, so with Wilson playing safety, the team only has 1 proven option in the slot available. Finnegan meanwhile is coming off 2 consecutive seasons in which he was limited by injury, though he's healthy now.
Secondly, while Wilson has spent a lot of practice time at safety the past couple of seasons, he's at times prone to missed tackles when attempting to deliver a big hit to force a fumble or incompletion. Those attempts to generate a big play aren't very damaging when Wilson is in the slot because at least 1 safety further downfield can "bail him out" if he misses, but when Wilson himself is that last line of defense, those mistakes can be disastrous.
4. Clemons will be cheap. Clemons was forced to settle for a 2-year, $2.7 million deal a few months ago with just $450,000 guaranteed despite being an unrestricted free agent. His inability to successfully catch giftwrapped interception opportunities no doubt limited his appeal, given that every team wants playmaking safeties who create game-changing plays. Clemons' lack of playmaking is why the Dolphins targeted Louis Delmas instead of retaining Clemons - the goal was to create a playmaking tandem in safeties in Delmas and Jones. However, Jones got himself suspended, and Clemons is by far the best free agent safety available to help the Dolphins in the meantime. Because Clemons is hitting the market in late August, any other team that bids for Clemons would worry about his ability to learn a new scheme on the fly and wouldn't want to guarantee him much money upfront. The Dolphins should be able to sign Clemons for either the veteran's minimum or near the minimum because at this point, Clemons' goal is to be on any NFL team that can give him playing time as soon as possible.
If the Dolphins wait until after the 1st regular season game, the Dolphins would only pay Clemons a weekly salary for however many weeks he's on the roster instead of his entire season salary. That way, once Jones comes back, Clemons could be cut after receiving only 3 gamechecks if the coaches don't like the way Clemons is playing, or if they feel Wilson is a better option.
Ultimately, a reunion between the Dolphins and Clemons would be mutually beneficial. A veteran minimum offer from the Dolphins would go further than the same offer coming from most other teams because Florida doesn't have a state income tax. Also, Clemons would be guaranteed to start at least 4 games for the Dolphins, which is something that most other teams can't necessarily promise at this point in the season. Last but not least, Clemons would be more likely to shine as a member of the Dolphins than playing for other teams due to the combination of him knowing the system and having a potentially great pass rush to harass opposing quarterbacks as they attempt deeper throws. Who knows - maybe he'd manage to catch 2 interceptions, which would match his highest total of his career?
