The Time Has Come For Miami To Decide On Evan Mathis

[DKphin]

Evan Mathis #69 of the Philadelphia Eagles in action against the Baltimore Ravens during their pre season game at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Source: Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

It’s no secret that the Miami Dolphins offensive line, particularly the two guard spots, has been under the microscope since the team began training camp.
The two guys who have been penciled in as the starters are Billy Turner at right guard and Dallas Thomas at left guard.
Both players were drafted in the third round by the Dolphins in consecutive years. Thomas was taken 77th overall in 2013 while Turner was selected 67th overall in 2014.
They have each had their struggles when plugged into Miami’s lineup over the past couple years and confidence wasn’t particularly high in either of them heading into this season.
Judging them during team practices isn’t an easy task considering how talented the Dolphins defensive line is with players like Ndamukong Suh, Cameron Wake and Olivier Vernon.
The rest tests would come during the preseason where Thomas has held his own while Turner has struggled in both games.
What makes the situation even more interesting is the availability of a Pro Bowl caliber guard, Evan Mathis, on the open market.
Mathis was cut by the Philadelphia Eagles earlier this summer when the team didn’t want to pay him the $5.5 million that he was due to make. Mathis wasn’t willing to take a pay cut.
The Dolphins aren’t the only team in the NFL with needs on the offensive line but so far there has been little interest, at least publicly, by anyone in the 33-year-old Mathis. He’ll turn 34 during the season.
Mathis’ agent, Drew Rosenhaus, has been seen at several Dolphins practices and even was overheard speaking with football executive vice president Mike Tannenbaum about the guard.
Rosenhaus said on Monday that Mathis will make “a decision on a team by the end of this week."

http://miami.cbslocal.com/2015/08/2...-has-come-for-miami-to-decide-on-evan-mathis/

Please merge with hoops thread

 

[Tannchise]

classic game of poker right now. However, teams are cautious about a 34 year old guard that was injured and spending $11.5M.
The debate for me is, if Miami spends that kind of money (or any team), with it being so late in the preseason, how many weeks before a guy like this has impact? So now you're talking ROI. More and more, a Mathis signing is for depth, esp after week 3 of the Preseason. So $11.5M over two doesn;t make sense.

 

[darefugee]

Well alrighty then. I guess when Ross & Co. log on and see this thread they'll get with Rosey right away. They probably didn't know about the deadline.

 

[spiketex]

Let's see. Evan Mathis has successfully skipped Training Camp where all those pesky coaches push players to train hard. Nice work - Drew, organizing all those trips around the country and getting GMs salivating to get a 34 year old veteran Guard with big demands and expectations, but at least you kept your boy out of jail and injury free.
Lots of teams have O-line needs at Guard but the fact that no team rushed to meet the $5.5M per season amount that the Eagles dumped him for, is significant. Evan and Team Evan (Drew) need to lower their expectations. My read is that Miami is still in the hunt, at the right price.

 

[finomenal]

I'm guessing they've already made their decision on Mathis.

 

[Hayden Fox]

They are not signing him.

 

[nick1]

Miami loves what they see from Dallas Thomas. I do too. We aren't signing Mathis

 

[Drfletcherdc]

I'm more worried about left tackle than guard. BA isn't going to be ready until a month into the season and he can easily tear it again.

 

[finfanatl]

And then the new threads will begin:
1. Why we should have signed Mathis
2. The FO is incompetent because they didn't sign Mathis
3. We just lost the Super Bowl because we didn't sign Mathis
Etc, etc
I've never seen so much fuss over an overpriced guard.
If he was all that some people are saying he is, someone would have signed him at his price a long time ago.
There a lot of teams with Oline needs.

 

[NJPHINFAN79]

Heard we kicked a 2.75 a year offer about half what he expects.

If he comes down to it, we may sign him, but we are not budging, our guards have done well to make this play possible. No one appears to be close to what he wants, think if he takes a 2-3 year deal worth 3.25 per in the end

 

[tcdrover]

They need to be scouring the waiver wire and have their contracts ready for Left Tackle depth.

Signing Mathis doesn't make sense.

They need better LT depth behind Fox

and if they get really lucky in FRONT of Fox.

The thing is, most NFL teams will be doing the exact same thing

 

[BigNastyFish]

We shouldn't be in this position to begin with --- needing some super expensive short term patch when the #1 need of Philbin and Co. was to build a viable OL.

In the meantime we have a very high #1 parked in the garage with a blown tire when we could have used that draft capital for OL.

So now we're stuck.

BNF.

 

[Fin-Loco]

I think the lack of presence is their decision. Who is going to spend ******** money on a 34 year old? Until this guy comes down A LOT he won't be on any roster.

---------- Post added at 09:44 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:43 AM ----------

We shouldn't be in this position to begin with --- needing some super expensive short term patch when the #1 need of Philbin and Co. was to build a viable OL.

In the meantime we have a very high #1 parked in the garage with a blow tire when we could have used that draft capital for OL.

So now we're stuck.

BNF.

Look, I'm tired of us using top draft picks to fix the OL. We need talent. Parker will be baller.

 

[BigNastyFish]

Look, I'm tired of us using top draft picks to fix the OL. We need talent. Parker will be baller.

I sure hope so. But right now with the WR depth we have and squat on OL that #1 pick sure looks a tad misapplied if not wasted (at least in the short term).

But like they say, hindsight is always 20/20.

I'm not bitching about the pick of Parker -- for about 24 hours the kid looked damn good. The foot problem is a real bad deal all the way around -- and the FO has to be questioned at least somewhat for taking a player that high who obviously had a per-existing. But yea, if he's all wOrld by November who will care!?

I just hope that's the case and they find a way to at least put a viable OL on the field week in and week out.

Otherwise having all those fancy WRs with no OL is like having race car with no tires. It ain't going anywhere...

 

[J. David Wannyheimer]

Look, I'm tired of us using top draft picks to fix the OL. We need talent. Parker will be baller.

I'm tired of us spending picks on BAD linemen.

Ja'Wuan James looks like a pretty dang good pick at 19 right now to me.