The Tank is Officially Derailed

[SammySmif]

Yeah we really don’t HAVE to take a QB this year. If we can rebuild this team to win 7-9 games next season with picks plus free agency and with Rosen and Fitzgerald - then we can push in our chips to move up and draft Lawrence or Fields or whomever else we want in a better QB draft.

 

[dolfan91]

New England has always been able to draft QB's, Offensive Linemen and DL to LB converts throughout the years; without having to use premiem resources to draft them. The point is, they've found guys, who they developed, which includes Tom Brady. I think it's safe to say, everyone in the building is of the same mindset. It may come to a huge surprise to many fan, when Miami potentially passes on an expected position in the early rounds, for players at other positions that are rated higher and fit their system. Something to think about. Rome wasn't built in a day. Nor will the Miami Dolphins. Expect the unexpected moving forward.

 

[SkapePhin]

Yeah we really don’t HAVE to take a QB this year. If we can rebuild this team to win 7-9 games next season with picks plus free agency and with Rosen and Fitzgerald - then we can push in our chips to move up and draft Lawrence or Fields or whomever else we want in a better QB draft.

Why do people continually overlook the fact that it takes two to tango in a draft? There is ZERO chance that Dolphins will be able to move up for Lawrence in 2021. Whoever has the pick will take him because its most likely they had very bad QB play.

I don't know about Fields or other options, but deferring on a QB is mistake. It sets back the schedule, and there are simply no guarantees. All we heard all offseason was how the 2020 draft class was a generational class... and that went up in a puff of smoke with Tua's injury and the subpar performances of other QB prospects. The same could happen in 2021.

 

[The Goat]

Given their performance the last month, no. I think they split it 2-2 at this point ending up with a 5-11 record.

After the Jets' let down against another winless team this week, I think they will come out strong against the Dolphins in New York in kind of a revenge game, so I have that pegged as a loss. But the Giants look listless and the Bengals already got their win so I think they pack it in. Patriots is a wildcard to me because they could play it with a bunch of scrubs if they can't move up or down in playoff seeding by the final game.

EDIT:

I just used the playoff machine tool to see how it could shake out. The way I predicted the remaning games in the league, Dolphins finish 5-11 and could end up with anywhere from 5th to 10th pick in that scenario depending on SOS.

Yeah, if I were to wager, I’d say 2-2 is most likely, but I have no idea which Jets team is going to show up next week.

 

[SkapePhin]

Yeah, if I were to wager, I’d say 2-2 is most likely, but I have no idea which Jets team is going to show up next week.

If Gase gets swept by this Dolphin team the Jets will have to think hard about firing him. I think Gase pulls out all the stops for this game.

 

[dolfan91]

I think F/A around the league are taking notice as to what's going on in Miami. They see whats happening with Street F/A and UDFA. They see how other Vets are talking about the team, less Minkah Fitzpatrick. With approximately $140m plus in cap space, I'm beginning to think F/A's are going to Flock to Miami. Getting the rebuild started in a shorter time span. I wasn't so sure at the beginning of the season. Flores may be unintentionally recruiting by his coaching and developmental prowess. Which is a good thing, because word spreads fast.

 

[SkapePhin]

I think F/A around the league are taking notice as to what's going on in Miami. They see whats happening with Street F/A and UDFA. They see how other Vets are talking about the team, less Minkah Fitzpatrick. With approximately $140m plus in cap space, I'm beginning to think F/A's are going to Flock to Miami. Getting the rebuild started in a shorter time span. I wasn't so sure at the beginning of the season. Flores may be unintentionally recruiting by his coaching and developmental prowess. Which is a good thing, because word spreads fast.

The Patriots traditionally lay low in FA, so if they are following "The Patriot Way", don't expect a boatload of superstars. My hope is that they sign solid vets who fit their blueprint to fill needs along the trenches on both sides of the ball, and double down in the draft to futureproof those positions. I don't think you will see many flashy signings in FA.

 

[dolfan91]

The Patriots traditionally lay low in FA, so if they are following "The Patriot Way", don't expect a boatload of superstars. My hope is that they sign solid vets who fit their blueprint to fill needs along the trenches on both sides of the ball, and double down in the draft to futureproof those positions. I don't think you will see many flashy signings in FA.

That's exactly how I see it. They'll get F/A's, just their type of guys. Although, I'm expecting at least 1 huge deal.

 

[Mach2]

The Patriots traditionally lay low in FA, so if they are following "The Patriot Way", don't expect a boatload of superstars. My hope is that they sign solid vets who fit their blueprint to fill needs along the trenches on both sides of the ball, and double down in the draft to futureproof those positions. I don't think you will see many flashy signings in FA.

I feel the same, but I don't discount the possibility, if it's the "right guy". They did seem to have an interest in Clowney, unless that was a smokescreen.

 

[SammySmif]

Why do people continually overlook the fact that it takes two to tango in a draft? There is ZERO chance that Dolphins will be able to move up for Lawrence in 2021. Whoever has the pick will take him because its most likely they had very bad QB play.

I don't know about Fields or other options, but deferring on a QB is mistake. It sets back the schedule, and there are simply no guarantees. All we heard all offseason was how the 2020 draft class was a generational class... and that went up in a puff of smoke with Tua's injury and the subpar performances of other QB prospects. The same could happen in 2021.

Zero chance? LOL, you follow that yup by saying the team with the top pick “likely” will have bad QB play. Likely is not the same as 100% certainty.

So if a team who has a young QB and sucked finishes first, they may be open to trading back if they can rebuild with a bunch of picks.

Deferring on QB is not a mistake if there is no franchise QB available in the first round when we pick. We have too many holes to reach on a QB just because we need one. You don’t know about Fields? He is better than any QB in this draft, the only argument would be Burrow (who transferred to LSU once Fields came to OSU).

I didnt hear that this was a generational class all offseason, thats not true either. Many people say the better class is the year after.

 

[Dogbone34]

On draft day you can usually spot a player that's still on the board for Miami. Then that player usually goes 2 to 3 spots ahead of Miami's pick.

Or in Chris Grier's case you pick a Chuck Harris when TJ Watt falls in your lap.

But hey Miami got a meaningless win. Celebrate good times, come on...

 

[John813]

As a Cowboys fan too, it felt good watching the Eagles lose to the Dolphins.

With the way Sunday played out, they are still in contention for pick #2.

Good enough for me. And if not, no big deal.

Very few teams pick top 2/3 and then have great success.

In the NFL you need more than just one player to be great team.

 

[PCmor]

If Gase gets swept by this Dolphin team the Jets will have to think hard about firing him. I think Gase pulls out all the stops for this game.

Will it matter? This is Gase we're talking about.

 

[PCmor]

This absolutely was a tank. Unfortunately for the draft hopes, Fitzmajic happened, Flores found a way to squeeze every ounce to quality out of this group for the last five or so games, and the Steelers might be getting an even better coaching job from Mike Tomlin -- it's amazing that team is 7-5 and we're not getting the value we could in the Minkah deal. Some of these other teams must be pretty bad that they actually were trying to win and were worse than us.

On the plus side, and I think this is bigger than the draft, it looks like Flores might have the touch to be a top coach; I never thought the team I saw in the first two weeks would be competitive in a game let alone win one. I think this will give us an edge with some free agents who see a positive trend and little competition on the roster.

Now it's just up to the front office. Don't go splurging for big-name free agents who've been through the mill. Spread the money around to solid, preferably younger, hungry guys looking for opportunities. Go early in the draft on difference-making positions: A quarterback if the right one's there when we pick (which I doubt will be the case now), guys who can protect the QB, pass catchers, pass rushers and pass defenders. Pick your stars like apples fresh off the tree and let your roots be free agency and the later rounds of the draft -- and, if you don't see difference-makers of value when you are drafting, trade down instead of reaching for someone, even if it's not an ideal value exchange. It doesn't matter at the moment. Acquire assets who will make the team better in the long run.

 

[Geordie]

Zero chance? LOL, you follow that yup by saying the team with the top pick “likely” will have bad QB play. Likely is not the same as 100% certainty.

So if a team who has a young QB and sucked finishes first, they may be open to trading back if they can rebuild with a bunch of picks.

Deferring on QB is not a mistake if there is no franchise QB available in the first round when we pick. We have too many holes to reach on a QB just because we need one. You don’t know about Fields? He is better than any QB in this draft, the only argument would be Burrow (who transferred to LSU once Fields came to OSU).

I didnt hear that this was a generational class all offseason, thats not true either. Many people say the better class is the year after.

The better draft class is always the next year's. I've heard that nonsense for so many years now. Each class has it's stars each has it's busts. There are two QBs that are ready to be a "face of the franchise" guy in Burrow and Tua, also two diamonds in the rough in Herbert and Love (if he declares), along with a wildcard in Hurts. Next year, there are two potential "face of the franchise" in Lawrence and Fields, just as there are this year, there will be diamonds to polish and wildcards.