The Method in Miami's Seeming Free Agency Madness | FinHeaven - Miami Dolphins Forums

The Method in Miami's Seeming Free Agency Madness

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DolphanB

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It appears that MIA is looking for players who have previously performed well in the team's offensive and defensive systems, underperformed recently in different systems and thus come cheaper.

Mario Williams was a monster as a 4-3 DE, but underperformed in the BUF 3-4 system last year.

Kiko Alonso was an immediate rookie hit as a 4-3 MLB at BUF, but underperformed as a 3-4 ILB for PHI.

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Byron Maxwell was very effective in SEA's zone coverage, but played poorly at PHI in man coverage.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]This may be the method in MIA's seeming free agency madness.

[/FONT]:err:
 
And I'm ok with that. We have limited cap space and these players weren't flukes when they had great seasons before.

When you go 6-10 and your defense was near the bottom of the league, things need to be shaken up.
 
They are not overpaying and positioning themselves for future drafts an FA - got to hit on at least 3 picks from this draft. They should be going BPA all the way.

I'm ok with what's going down right now
 
I'm not sure "come cheaper" really applies. Yes Mario is making much less than he did at peak. He would not be available if he was. But he performed sooo poorly, frankly it seems the Dolphins were the only ones that gave him even close to what he wanted. Based on Mario's 2015 performance, he's not worth 8-10 million /year. It's an IF, he will come back and perform better in a new system.

Maxwell's contract was and still is an albatross. He's not coming cheaper. It's a steep price for what he brings to the table. His actual contract should be between 60-70% of what it is. Alonso is on his rookie contract, but relative to his production the last couple of years, that's the only reason he might be even remotely considered "cheaper".

So really no one is coming cheaper. In essence, the Dolphins are overpaying for underperforming talent.

This was an awful offseason to come in with specific position needs. Because of the 89% rule a bunch of teams had to spend tons of cap space and this artificially inflated this free agent crop. If the Dolphins knew this (as they should have), they certainly didn't plan ahead. All their positions of need are going sky high in costs.

Frankly there wasn't a lot that Miami could have done this offseason without seriously overpaying someone. The moves they are making are all risky on underperforming/injured players. However, at the OG position, the front office really needed to land a solid player even if you had overpay. It's a NEED NEED position.
 
Also guys we are not tied to long term, so as younger guys are drafted, they will not be "blocking" them and we can get younger, cheaper and better (hopefully)
 
Am just glad they didn't go on a shopping spree as usual. Love what they have done so far. if only they can sign Vasquez or Schwartz, I will sleep better.
 
DolphanB said:
It appears that MIA is looking for players who have previously performed well in the team's offensive and defensive systems, underperformed recently in different systems and thus come cheaper.

Mario Williams was a monster as a 4-3 DE, but underperformed in the BUF 3-4 system last year.

Kiko Alonso was an immediate rookie hit as a 4-3 MLB at BUF, but underperformed as a 3-4 ILB for PHI.

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Byron Maxwell was very effective in SEA's zone coverage, but played poorly at PHI in man coverage.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]This may be the method in MIA's seeming free agency madness.

[/FONT]:err:
Click to expand...

yes the overspending and future guaranteed monies have caused this
 
I'm fine with the way things are going so far. We dropped 5 spots in the first (not my first choice) for a proven 6-2 corner and a MLB we needed. A proven DE for half of what we let go. Keep in mind teams only rent players this day and age.
I wouldn't be surprised if the fins dropped further in the 1st for a player or picks.
This off season is so much different than the previous ones. Maybe it is because Gase is being given an opportunity to build a champ and we are not in "save my ass mode" by the previous regime?
 
As to all the negativity surrounding our off season so far:

To begin with, I'm not a Mike Tannenbaum fan, but:

I doubt that he would not have cleared the trade/players to be brought in with Gase and Joseph, the new guys that Ross and Tannenbaum just hired, because that would have just been stupid, made no sense really, and been a bad start to the relationships with the two main coaches brought in to fix this team.

Let's not forget that Eagles GM Howie Roseman was pissed off mightily when his player personnel power was taken away by Jeffrey Lurie last year and given to Chip Kelly- he's acting like a male lion killing off cubs that aren't his, salary dump/fire sale time to reinvent the roster in his image again. But I will say this- if Demarco Murray could have been had for a swap of 4th rd picks, maybe we could have swapped 2nd rd picks instead, or gotten a 4th rd pick thrown in.

Kiko Alonso can ball, and he's 2 years off of the major knee surgery, way better than one year. And he's a MLB, not OLB where Philly played him, he's plenty big at 6-3 240 lbs. Maxwell proved that he can play in Seattle, in the right scheme, bigger player who's a scheme fit for less money than the small Grimes and his idiot wife.

Issa Abdul Quddus looks to be an up and comer at Free Safety and he brings speed, no real complaint there so far.

I'd rather have Mario Williams than Olivier Vernon, not even factoring in Vernon's ludicrous salary.

I'm ok with Jermon Bushrod, they'll try him at OG- I don't look at that position switch as a huge issue- and if nothing else we have our swing Tackle.

I have little confidence in OT Sam Young.

All things considered, I'd rather have kept Lamar Miller at a reasonable salary- same fate as Tannehill so far, we don't know how good he is because of the crappy OL. I've raved about his feet since the UM days, but if we can get CJ Anderson for less money- good move. It wouldn't surprise me to draft Ezekiel Elliott at #13 if available, and I'm fine with Jay Ajayi starting at RB this year. I wouldn't mind taking a look at Toby Gerhart to share some of the load with Ajayi.

I'm expecting two Guards to be drafted, the first one probably in rds 2-3 and the other in rds 4-5. If we get another Guard late in FA that'll be nice.

Gase, right out of the gate, said that OG was a top priority- now it's certainly a top priority in the draft.

What will cause me to lose confidence is if Dallas Thomas starts this year. If he even makes the 53 I'll be wary of Gase, and I don't see it happening. I don't buy into this bs weightlifting story- when the time is right for Thomas to be fired, before the start of the 2016 regular season, it will happen. The new regime knows that the Dolphins screwed the pooch, big time, as per the Guard position in previous years. I'm looking for 3 new OGs, Bushrod and 2 rookies, to push not only Thomas but Billy Turner as well. Let's face it, they both sucked, but only Thomas sucked the chrome off the bumper. We'll see if Jamil Douglas improves as well, but Dallas Thomas is a goner. New regime takes out the trash not only with the worst rated Guard in the NFL, but a player brought in by a previous regime.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Adam Jahns ‏@adamjahns
We'll see what happens, but #Bears GM Ryan Pace has added three FAs who are in their mid-20s & prime of careers without breaking the bank.
Click to expand...

It's not how much (Dolphin's offseason '15) or how little (Dolphin's '16) is spent, it's how it's spent that matters.
 
As much as people are fixated on our poor guards, our right tackle position was a disaster last year. Jason Fox might as well not even been there at all. Forget about moving Bushrod to guard, just let him compete for the right tackle spot with Juwan James and be our key back-up during the year. Wasn't the guy a ProBowl tackle with the Saints? He's been banged up but you don't 'forget' how to play OT. With the limited reps of being a back-up, he could be very effective.
 
BlueUndertow said:
I'm not sure "come cheaper" really applies. Yes Mario is making much less than he did at peak. He would not be available if he was. But he performed sooo poorly, frankly it seems the Dolphins were the only ones that gave him even close to what he wanted. Based on Mario's 2015 performance, he's not worth 8-10 million /year. It's an IF, he will come back and perform better in a new system.

Maxwell's contract was and still is an albatross. He's not coming cheaper. It's a steep price for what he brings to the table. His actual contract should be between 60-70% of what it is. Alonso is on his rookie contract, but relative to his production the last couple of years, that's the only reason he might be even remotely considered "cheaper".

So really no one is coming cheaper. In essence, the Dolphins are overpaying for underperforming talent.

This was an awful offseason to come in with specific position needs. Because of the 89% rule a bunch of teams had to spend tons of cap space and this artificially inflated this free agent crop. If the Dolphins knew this (as they should have), they certainly didn't plan ahead. All their positions of need are going sky high in costs.

Frankly there wasn't a lot that Miami could have done this offseason without seriously overpaying someone. The moves they are making are all risky on underperforming/injured players. However, at the OG position, the front office really needed to land a solid player even if you had overpay. It's a NEED NEED position.
Click to expand...

So you say Williams performed "sooo poorly" but he had 5 sacks last year which was 2 1\2 sacks less than Vernon and he was playing in a defensive system that he's NEVER played in before and is not suited to. While Vernon was playing in the same system he's played in his entire life. In a 4-3 defensive alignment.... Vernon does not come close to how dominant Mario Williams was and imo still can be.
 
JTech194 said:
So you say Williams performed "sooo poorly" but he had 5 sacks last year which was 2 1\2 sacks less than Vernon and he was playing in a defensive system that he's NEVER played in before and is not suited to. While Vernon was playing in the same system he's played in his entire life. In a 4-3 defensive alignment.... Vernon does not come close to how dominant Mario Williams was and imo still can be.
Click to expand...
This all sounds reasonable. He should get at least 7 sacks here I think if we can keep him happy.

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