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The Trifecta's misses have been blown out of proportion

FinAtic8480

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A lot has been made about the Parcells led Miami Dolphins whiffing in free agency the previous two offseasons, but I’d like to argue the Trifecta’s misses have been blown way out of proportion.
Especially when you factor in the contracts given to the handful of free agent busts the Dolphins have quickly moved on from.
Let’s look at the bad signees who are used as evidence against this regime’s ability to identify talent.

FS Gibril Wilson – It’s never a good sign when the dismal Raiders dump a player, but the Dolphins overlooked Wilson’s release from Oakland last season and gave him a lofty five-year, $27.5 million contract. While Wilson’s play wasn’t good, his release this offseason was brought on by him being ill-fitted for the free safety spot in Miami’s 3-4 scheme, and the fact this was an amnesty season where there’s no salary cap ramifications for cutting a player.

WR Ernest Wilford – While Wilford didn’t come cheap (four-year, $13 million contract), it’s not like the Dolphins backed up a Brinks truck to his house. They wanted a big and physical receiver like Keyshawn Johnson, which Wilford resembled. He had been productive in Jacksonville. The Trifecta just overestimated his limited speed, which wouldn’t allow him to create separation from defensive backs, and underestimated Greg Camarillo and Davone Bess.

FS Chris Crocker – Crocker was signed to a one-year, $1.15 million contract, and given first crack at the starting free safety spot in 2008. Coincidentally, he got released six games into that season after being unseated by Renaldo Hill because he allowed too many big plays. The bottom line is Crocker just wasn’t the right fit for the 3-4 scheme. After Crocker got cut he quickly caught on with Cincinnati and has started 19 games since.

CB Eric Green – Green was added as roster filler just in case the 2009 draft didn’t play out as the Dolphins planned. He signed a two-year contract worth $6 million, but was immediately passed on the depth chart by rookie cornerbacks Vontae Davis and Sean Smith. It didn’t help matters that he didn’t make it out of training camp after stinking up the joint in the exhibition season. Green didn’t stick with another NFL team in 2010 despite getting a few opportunities after his release.

CB Michael Lehan – This leftover from the 2007 squad was re-signed to a four-year, $10.5 million contract in the Trifecta’s first offseason. A high ankle sprain Lehan suffered in minicamp of 2008 derailed his progress. The injury eventual got him placed on IR. He was released later that season and had a cup of coffee with the Saints before disappearing from the NFL landscape.

QB Josh McCown – We never really were able to see what McCown could do as a starter because he was traded to the Panthers shortly after Chad Pennington was signed. But considering the coaches were prepared to start the 2009 season with Chad Henne, the team’s 2008 second-round pick, as a rookie starter before Pennington’s addition, it’s clear McCown wasn’t the stopgap veteran the Trifecta thought he was. However, he only signed a two-year deal worth $6.25 million, and the Dolphins did get a 2009 seventh-round pick from Carolina for him.

http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/sport...miami-dolphins-strike-out-in-free-agency.html

It is very easy to sigle out the misses, but what about the finds. Chad Pennington, Lousaka Polite, Dan Carpenter, Nate Garner, Joe Berger, Tyron Culver, Randy Starks, Charlie Anderson & Erik Walden. Why some of those names are not starters they are ket backups and real good special teamers. It is very easy to point out the flaws, but how about pointing out the good signings this organization has had the last two years, as well.
 
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It's not really the misses in FA people are pissed about, it's the White and Turner picks. (Which as it stands now, were terrible picks)
 
You know.. the article kind of proves that its not blown out of proportion.. this regime has done a lousy job of identifying and signing free agent help.. theyve also made some terrible draft picks (as mentioned above).
 
No I still get pissed about FA misses like GERBIL, Green, Grove, Smiley, Wilford, etc...

It makes us have to draft to fill the void by the miss and this FO likes to double draft a position. Another member said it in another thread, it seems like when we take one step forward we take 2 steps back. The vast majority of our FA signings are role players or averae starters, we need more impact guys like Dansby and less crap!
 
No I still get pissed about FA misses like GERBIL, Green, Grove, Smiley, Wilford, etc...

It makes us have to draft to fill the void by the miss and this FO likes to double draft a position. Another member said it in another thread, it seems like when we take one step forward we take 2 steps back. The vast majority of our FA signings are role players or averae starters, we need more impact guys like Dansby and less crap!

With all due respect, I don't think Grove or Smiley should be included since both of whom when on the field, performed better-than-average. Sure they each had injury concerns, but anyone who'd take the FO to task for essentially making a "medium risk/high reward" gamble would be disingenuous if they're advocating taking a flyer on a much higher risk/high reward gamble such as Marshall.

I do agree with you though re Wilford, Gerbil (although I had I hopes for him based on his NYG performance) and of course Wilford.
 
People just don't want to admit the obvious; this team is still VERY MUCH a work in progress. We have an unproven young QB, an injury prone RB, an old man RB, several unproven RB's, a she-man WR, and OL in transition, a 3-4 with no proven NT, a group of LB's with serious questions, a stable of "functional" TE's with no clear starter, NO FS, an old SS, young talented CB's with a lot still to prove, and so forth et cetera.

This draft is critical for this team if we're going to take some serious steps forward under the "Trifecta." The proof will be obvious real soon, one way or the other...
 
http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/sport...miami-dolphins-strike-out-in-free-agency.html

It is very easy to sigle out the misses, but what about the finds. Chad Pennington, Lousaka Polite, Dan Carpenter, Nate Garner, Joe Berger, Tyron Culver, Randy Starks, Charlie Anderson & Erik Walden. Why some of those names are not starters they are ket backups and real good special teamers. It is very easy to point out the flaws, but how about pointing out the good signings this organization has had the last two years, as well.

dont forget bess, hartline, and wake
 
People just don't want to admit the obvious; this team is still VERY MUCH a work in progress. We have an unproven young QB, an injury prone RB, an old man RB, several unproven RB's, a she-man WR, and OL in transition, a 3-4 with no proven NT, a group of LB's with serious questions, a stable of "functional" TE's with no clear starter, NO FS, an old SS, young talented CB's with a lot still to prove, and so forth et cetera.

This draft is critical for this team if we're going to take some serious steps forward under the "Trifecta." The proof will be obvious real soon, one way or the other...

its just that this team has been a work in progress for the last 10 years

its time we man the f*ck up and start making $h*t happen.
 

With all due respect, I don't think Grove or Smiley should be included since both of whom when on the field, performed better-than-average. Sure they each had injury concerns, but anyone who'd take the FO to task for essentially making a "medium risk/high reward" gamble would be disingenuous if they're advocating taking a flyer on a much higher risk/high reward gamble such as Marshall.

I do agree with you though re Wilford, Gerbil (although I had I hopes for him based on his NYG performance) and of course Wilford.

Ok well maybe not Smiley because he was not often injured before we signed him. But I stand firm on Grove before we signed him he averaged 35% of each season out injured and missed 5.5 games with us. I don't call 20+ million a medium risk flyer.

Sorry Vaark I don't care how we get them draft, fa, or undrafted. I wanna see a lot less bad to average players and a lot more good to probowl players on this roster.
 
Things they have done that i like: Jake Long, Chad Henne, Philip Merling, Donald Thomas, Davone Bess, Dan Carpenter, Chad Pennington, Cameron Wake, Randy Starks, Vontae Davis, Sean Smith, Brian Hartline, Andrew Gardner, Jake Grove, and Karlos Dansby.
EDIT- Forgot Joe Berger, Lousaka Polite, and Justin Smiley.


Things they have done that i dont like: Gebril, Green, Wilford, Pat White, Pat Turner.

Positives FAR out weigh the negatives, this regime is doing a FINE job and deserves credit. Just look at the 2007 team and how far we have come, could Satan or Cam Cameron bring us here? simply put no.

Add any in case i missed something..
 
Grove played amazing while healthy, he was considered the best C in the league. What I am reading is BS
 
Grove played amazing while healthy, he was considered the best C in the league. What I am reading is BS

Exactly, when Healthy, Grove is a MONSTER. You can NOT convince me that he or smiley was a bad signing.
 
100% agree with the article.

Most misses really didn't hurt us they just never helped us. G.Wilson was the right idea and end up not fitting but I think he was there in case Y.Bell failed and then it would have been Bell getting cut with G.Wilson sliding over to strong safety.

E.Wilford was the right idea aswell, big body, redzone threat, veteran receiver but I doubt anyone could have predicted how poorly that worked out. But it's not like they gave TO a 4 year 40mil and became a locker room cancer and screwed us up in the cap. They took a chance and cut their ties when it didn't work.

McCowen and Green were fill in "just in case" signings to cover their butts if all else failed. What happened, we got Pennington so bye-bye McCowen, with W.Allen, N.Jones, J.Allen and then V.Davis and S.Smith showing enough promise there was no need for Green.

We tried on a few other FA's but the asking price was to high- good move not over paying.

Pennington was a great pouncing, Minnesota could have easily picked him up if we low balled him or waited.

The low level moves like Starks, Bess, Polite, Wake have been homeruns
big time. Carpenter and Fields have had their impact.

Then with trades we've been disgusting good with the results....
McDaniel, Fergy, Ayodele, Fasano, Taylor and Thigpen have given us great value for so little given up.

Then the draft, a couple bad picks (in some peoples opinions) can't over shadow 7 starters and 4/5 more role players with a few picks still developing. Most important we got our franchise QB and LT to set up this franchise for the next decade.

Ya I'd say things get way over blown, in my humble opinion, lol!
 
its just that this team has been a work in progress for the last 10 years

its time we man the f*ck up and start making $h*t happen.

True. Which is why I've been saying this is a make or break year for the Trifecta. Right now the roster is filled with "pieces of the puzzle" (i.e., QB, DL, CB, LB, WR, etc.) where the young players need to step up big time and show what the future of this team is all about. In that way its a pivotal year in regards to how well we've selected talent and developed that talent.

IMO the pressure is on to show positive results the "formula" these guys are employing is actually working -- and the essential nucleolus of a powerful team is in place. On the other hand if this team falters early in the season and doesn't show signs of significant improvement -- it could get REALLY ugly!
 
And it is not like the Fins did not prepare themselves. They signed Berger and Grove they doubled up at the position and when Grove sprained his ankle in came Berger and did not skip a beat.

Do the research and you will see the Fins two C were among the best in the league.
 
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