Veteran Stopgaps

[JTech194]

I'm reading a lot of fans complaining about the fact that the dolphins are signing a lot of veteran stopgaps this Free Agency period but isn't that the SMART approach to take??

I think the strategy is actually smart. You don't want to rely on rookies to start the season. That's a recipe for disaster. How many rookies step right in from Day one and start on good teams? Pats, Pitt, Ravens etc... If you're relying on rookies to come in from day one and start.. that means the players in those current positions aren't good enough. It's much smarter to address those starter needy positions with veteran stop gaps (unless you want to pay big money for long term solutions in Free Agency,)

Look at the patriots for example. They had two major holes on their roster coming into ***eny.... CB and WR. They have plenty of draft picks, but instead of relying on a drafted rookie to come in and play right away... they signed a veteran CB and traded picks for a #1 WR. They've actually missed on several draft picks but it doesn't matter because they usually have a season ready starting 22 prior to the draft.

I know fans want to see draft picks play right away, but if they have to sit for a while, that actually means your starters are pretty good (or it could mean your draft pick sucks)

 

[foozool13]

I like Veteran stopgaps when they are one year contracts/prove it deals. You need a motivated guy. Money motivates even the worst players to do better for that one year in hopes of a big pay day.

 

[Sons Of Shula]

I'm reading a lot of fans complaining about the fact that the dolphins are signing a lot of veteran stopgaps this Free Agency period but isn't that the SMART approach to take??

I think the strategy is actually smart. You don't want to rely on rookies to start the season. That's a recipe for disaster. How many rookies step right in from Day one and start on good teams? Pats, Pitt, Ravens etc... If you're relying on rookies to come in from day one and start.. that means the players in those current positions aren't good enough. It's much smarter to address those starter needy positions with veteran stop gaps (unless you want to pay big money for long term solutions in Free Agency,)

Look at the patriots for example. They had two major holes on their roster coming into ***eny.... CB and WR. They have plenty of draft picks, but instead of relying on a drafted rookie to come in and play right away... they signed a veteran CB and traded picks for a #1 WR. They've actually missed on several draft picks but it doesn't matter because they usually have a season ready starting 22 prior to the draft.

I know fans want to see draft picks play right away, but if they have to sit for a while, that actually means your starters are pretty good (or it could mean your draft pick sucks)

Always my favorite line.

Patriots traded away two of their top defensive players last year and still ended up with the #1 scoring defense and won the SB.

Spoiler: We can't compare what we are trying to build with a dynasty that is now in it's 17th ****ing year.

 

[Eesti]

I like our veteran stop-gap signing (Hayes) better than I like our DE signing for a younger player (Branch). He will be a backup before 2018 when he counts 10M against the cap.

 

[J. David Wannyheimer]

There's nothing wrong with bringing in a couple of veterans to shore up positions of critical need for 1 to 2 years. In fact, this is often a good strategy if the veterans are affordable within the cap.

The biggest issue is we have to hit on some draft picks.

 

[circumstances]

I'm reading a lot of fans complaining about the fact that the dolphins are signing a lot of veteran stopgaps this Free Agency period but isn't that the SMART approach to take??

I think the strategy is actually smart. You don't want to rely on rookies to start the season. That's a recipe for disaster. How many rookies step right in from Day one and start on good teams? Pats, Pitt, Ravens etc... If you're relying on rookies to come in from day one and start.. that means the players in those current positions aren't good enough. It's much smarter to address those starter needy positions with veteran stop gaps (unless you want to pay big money for long term solutions in Free Agency,)

Look at the patriots for example. They had two major holes on their roster coming into ***eny.... CB and WR. They have plenty of draft picks, but instead of relying on a drafted rookie to come in and play right away... they signed a veteran CB and traded picks for a #1 WR. They've actually missed on several draft picks but it doesn't matter because they usually have a season ready starting 22 prior to the draft.

I know fans want to see draft picks play right away, but if they have to sit for a while, that actually means your starters are pretty good (or it could mean your draft pick sucks)

You can't count on draft picks coming in and starting.

Ideally they will, and ideally they are also your long term solution.

But sitting back and counting on that happening is a recipe for disaster, and definitely not covering your a$$.

Draft picks bust all the time for all 32 teams.

Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.

 

[fansinceGWilson]

I'm reading a lot of fans complaining about the fact that the dolphins are signing a lot of veteran stopgaps this Free Agency period but isn't that the SMART approach to take?? I think the strategy is actually smart. You don't want to rely on rookies to start the season. That's a recipe for disaster. How many rookies step right in from Day one and start on good teams? Pats, Pitt, Ravens etc... If you're relying on rookies to come in from day one and start.. that means the players in those current positions aren't good enough. It's much smarter to address those starter needy positions with veteran stop gaps (unless you want to pay big money for long term solutions in Free Agency,) Look at the patriots for example. They had two major holes on their roster coming into ***eny.... CB and WR. They have plenty of draft picks, but instead of relying on a drafted rookie to come in and play right away... they signed a veteran CB and traded picks for a #1 WR. They've actually missed on several draft picks but it doesn't matter because they usually have a season ready starting 22 prior to the draft. I know fans want to see draft picks play right away, but if they have to sit for a while, that actually means your starters are pretty good (or it could mean your draft pick sucks)

Fans also forget reality. They want a play-off team capable of unseating NE THIS year, but want to "build through the draft." Not happening. And it's hard to "build through the draft" when 4-6 positions are manned by substandard players - a situation NOT shared with consistently top teams. Top teams need few FAs because they have few major holes - NOT because they're against FAs. Maintaining a good team MAINLY through the draft is much easier when it's "maintaining" and not "building."

 

[Mike13]

Most Free Agents are veteran stopgaps

 

[Scotty P]

I dont get it either. Im fine with stopgaps, especially when you have multiple holes to fill. We have brought everyone back, with the exception of Brandon Albert. We also added positions of need.....with a couple of Pro-Bowlers in Timmons and Thomas.

Our roster is better and we still have the draft.

 

[fansinceGWilson]

I dont get it either. Im fine with stopgaps, especially when you have multiple holes to fill. We have brought everyone back, with the exception of Brandon Albert. We also added positions of need.....with a couple of Pro-Bowlers in Timmons and Thomas. Our roster is better and we still have the draft.

Admittedly, I have on my darkest rose-colored glasses, but here we go . . . Miami players with Pro-Bowl histories - Pouncey, Thomas on O, with Landry, Tunsil, and Ajayi legitimate contenders. On D, it's Suh, Wake (yes, I know his age), Timmons, with Jones as a legitimate contender and some arguing Howard is as well. Even better, most of the BAD players are gone (Bobby and Misi the only ones left?), and the draft upcoming. I'm aware of potential injuries and some players will likely underperform, but I'd like to see all these guys play the first 8 games.

 

[Atila]

Every single year, guys "on the wrong side of 30" win Superbowls.

 

[Fcroar20]

Here my list of Stop gaps I like for Miami 2 sign DE DATONE JONES, RB Karlos Williams,WR Floyd, DE/DT Walker,LB Hodges,LB Minter,OG John "the brain" Urschel

 

[JTech194]

Always my favorite line.

Patriots traded away two of their top defensive players last year and still ended up with the #1 scoring defense and won the SB.

Spoiler: We can't compare what we are trying to build with a dynasty that is now in it's 17th ****ing year.

Why not? It makes all the sense in the world to me to look at teams that are successful year in and year out and try to model aspects of what you do to what they do. If I'm working in the Dolphins front office I'm asking my co-workers... How are they able to trade\let go key players every year and STILL be successful?

 

[Sons Of Shula]

Why not? It makes all the sense in the world to me to look at teams that are successful year in and year out and try to model aspects of what you do to what they do. If I'm working in the Dolphins front office I'm asking my co-workers... How are they able to trade\let go key players every year and STILL be successful?

Easy. Just have the greatest football mind/HC/GM in the NFL history.

Their success and model can not be duplicated.

 

[fansinceGWilson]

Easy. Just have the greatest football mind/HC/GM in the NFL history.

Their success and model can not be duplicated.

We disagree, I think. A lot of NE's success can be attributed to little stuff. Brady lines up and sees a LB on Edleman. He motions edelman out wide by himself. What other team takes such easy matchups? Brady lines up and sees two defenders running off the field. Quick snap and 5 yards. Just about every other QB waits politely for the defenders to get off the field. Little stuff. NE seldom runs the same O scheme 3 series in a row. Other teams? rarely. Little stuff. Yeah, they have done well replacing players and hiding weaknesses, but for the alleged "copycat league," NE stands alone in much of the little stuff. I credit NE's success more to BB than Brady. It's the system and other teams don't seem interested in copying any part of it.