Sunday Buzz: Years of enormous cap space over | FinHeaven - Miami Dolphins Forums

Sunday Buzz: Years of enormous cap space over

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gafin

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A six-pack of Dolphins notes:
### It’s a taboo topic in the locker-room, but as you watch this team Sunday and beyond, keep a few financial realities in mind, because the Dolphins certainly will be.
It’s unclear yet if the franchise’s prolonged run of mediocrity is over, but the years of enormous cap space certainly are.
Even with Ryan Tannehill earning low salaries (by quarterback standards) through 2015, the Dolphins’ 2015 cap commitments are already $144 million, with the cap projected to fall around $145 million. They can carry over $13.9 million in unused space, but a lot of that cash will be needed simply to sign a 2015 draft class and potentially re-sign free agents Charles Clay, Jared Odrick and Knowshon Moreno.
So why is that relevant now? Because it puts even more pressure on more than a half dozen players, in particular, to outperform their contracts this season. Several figure to be cut or asked to take pay cuts.
With Dawn Aponte's help, general manager Dennis Hickey structured contracts of his free-agent signings in a way that would easily allow the Dolphins to part ways with any of them without onerous cap hits.
So keep a close eye on Cortland Finnegan (who has $6.5 million hit if he’s on the team in 2015, $1 million if he’s not), Randy Starks ($6 million to $1 million), Earl Mitchell ($4.5 million to nothing) and Shelley Smith($3 million to $250,000).
Among Jeff Ireland pickups, keep an eye on Brandon Gibson, whose 2015 hit is $4.3 million if he’s on the team, $1 million if he’s not. (Gibson is doubtful for Sunday with a hamstring injury.)
With Jarvis Landry’sdevelopment, it’s difficult to see Gibson here long-term. And Finnegan, Smith and Starks would need to play extremely well to be retained on their current deals.
Meanwhile, linebacker Jelani Jenkins’ development means we might have seen the last of Dannell Ellerbe, who has a $9.8 million hit if he’s on the team next season, $4.2 million if cut.
Also, safety Reshad Jones needs to play well over the next 12 games. He has a $7.8 million hit if he’s on the team next season, $3 million otherwise. And linebacker Koa Misi ($4.4 million if here, $1.7 million if not) must stay healthy.
Conversely, Dion Jordan is one of three prominent veterans (Branden Albert, Brent Grimes the others) who have a bigger cap hit if they’re cut or traded than if they’re here. For Jordan, it’s $5.6 million if he’s here, $6.8 million if he’s not.
Meanwhile, linebacker Philip Wheeler $4.4 million cap number in 2015 shrinks by only $200,000 if he’s cut, which could buy him another year here. Mike Wallace should be here next season and likely will be, with a $12.1 million hit if he’s here, $9.6 million if he’s not.
### The Dolphins haven’t been able to click on any quintessential deep balls yet, but they hope they’ve struck gold with one of the shortest patterns possible: screens to receivers in a formation with three receivers or tight ends bunched to one side. That carved up Oakland, and Wallace said that could become a real staple.
“Those routes have to be the toughest [to defend],” said Wallace, who is showing his physicality more after adding eight pounds of muscle this offseason.
In Pittsburgh, “we ran every route off bunch with [then-coordinator]Bruce Arians. Every single week, [opposing players] would tell us after the game, ‘I hate the way you run offense with the bunch.’
“It’s tough to stop, especially when you have multiple routes off of it because it gives you so much more room on the field. We run every route out of it.
“It’s hard for [defensive backs] to judge it. They want to break on a route but they don’t trust it enough, because if we break it and go up the field, it’s over. That’s how it is here, too. If you execute those routes every time, it’s a nightmare to stop.”
### Brian Hartline, who had 76 catches for 1016 yards last season, is on pace for 64 and 644 but he’s not complaining:
“As long as we’re winning, I don’t care how it goes [with targets]. But if we’re not, anybody would say, ‘I want to help more so I want more targets.’”
He would love this season to become the first Dolphin players ever with three consecutive 1000 yard receiving seasons, but if he doesn’t, “I would just start over and do it again.”
### Though rookie Chris McCain had a sack in the opener, he has played only two defensive snaps since (he missed the Oakland game with a death in the family), and the Dolphins seem to be making it more difficult for him by splitting his time between defensive end and linebacker (his college position).
“McCain has got a lot to learn in terms of the coverage aspect of the pro game,” Joe Philbin said. “He’s one of those hybrid guys getting reps at duel positions.”
They’ve taken the opposite approach with the suspended Jordan, whom they had focus on defensive end even though a lot of smart football people believe he should be a linebacker….
Click to expand...




Read more here: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/sports-buzz/#storylink=cpy
 
Been saying we're going to be in some tight cap space next year and that carry over is going to be crucial. So all you guys who keep saying sign this guy and that guy or make that trade better think about the cap situation.
 
So you have Chris McCain making plays when he's on the field against new england, and then he only plays 2 defensive snaps because he's still learning coverage. He cant be put in to be a situational pass rusher, which he was effective at against NE, in the meantime?
 
gafin said:
[/FONT][/COLOR]Though rookie Chris McCain had a sack in the opener, he has played only two defensive snaps since (he missed the Oakland game with a death in the family), and the Dolphins seem to be making it more difficult for him by splitting his time between defensive end and linebacker (his college position).
“McCain has got a lot to learn in terms of the coverage aspect of the pro game,” Joe Philbin said. “He’s one of those hybrid guys getting reps at duel positions.”
They’ve taken the opposite approach with the suspended Jordan, whom they had focus on defensive end even though a lot of smart football people believe he should be a linebacker….

Read more here: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/sports-buzz/#storylink=cpy
Click to expand...

Is there a more clueless coach than Joe Philbin? He has got to be the most ignorant coach in America to not see McCain's talent and utilize it on the field. And the guy can not admit they made a mistake with Jordan. It has been 15yrs, when will this nightmare be over?:smad:
 
DKphin said:
Is there a more clueless coach than Joe Philbin? He has got to be the most ignorant coach in America to not see McCain's talent and utilize it on the field. And the guy can not admit they made a mistake with Jordan. It has been 15yrs, when will this nightmare be over?:smad:
Click to expand...

1. McCain is dealing with things and was hampered with multiple injuries in the wake of the NE game. Its pretty ridiculous to assume Philbin is keeping him out of the game just to be stubborn after his great performance in his first game as a pro. Oh, did I mention he got significant playing time in his first game as a pro? Who in the **** do you think allowed that to happen?

2. If he had forced Jordan to be a full time OLB I'm pretty sure we'd have somebody else, maybe even you again, calling him a moron for not moving him to DE. Jordan blows. Horrible, horrible pick. And its hilarious the article labels him as one of the "prominent veterans" on the team
 
Ellerbee is definitely gone regardless of how anyone else plays. One year he was bad, the next year hurt. two years of nothing for a a lot of money
 
At this point I am not too worried about the cap space. Some contracts will be restructured, and a couple players let go. I'd be worried if we would be over the cap. Then yiu have to get rid of players just to get under the cap.
 
Isn't there supposed to be giant hike in the salary cap again soon?
 
dlockz said:
Ellerbee is definitely gone regardless of how anyone else plays. One year he was bad, the next year hurt. two years of nothing for a a lot of money
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Wheelerbee instead of Dansby and burnett. Classic ireland.
 
roy_miami said:
1. McCain is dealing with things and was hampered with multiple injuries in the wake of the NE game. Its pretty ridiculous to assume Philbin is keeping him out of the game just to be stubborn after his great performance in his first game as a pro. Oh, did I mention he got significant playing time in his first game as a pro? Who in the **** do you think allowed that to happen?

2. If he had forced Jordan to be a full time OLB I'm pretty sure we'd have somebody else, maybe even you again, calling him a moron for not moving him to DE. Jordan blows. Horrible, horrible pick. And its hilarious the article labels him as one of the "prominent veterans" on the team
Click to expand...
I think they chose a good word. He's prominent because he was a 3rd overall pick...well known...not necessarily good. That's one of the only words that could be used to group him with Albert who is well known and a good player, for purposes of talking cap situation and keeping the article flowing.
 
datruth55 said:
Been saying we're going to be in some tight cap space next year and that carry over is going to be crucial. So all you guys who keep saying sign this guy and that guy or make that trade better think about the cap situation.
Click to expand...

Hopefully the roster can get to a spot where we don't have to be players for top tier FA's. with that said, I see where loads of room can be created and not a situation of tight space. Redo Wake, Wallace and extend Pouncey you have even more room.
 
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