First off let me reiterate that building a NFL team through free agency is not the way to go, ultimately you want to build the foundation of the team through the draft. But in doing so you still need to be somewhat active in free agency and take shots at proven veterans. I think what the Dolphins are doing right now is exactly how you want to build a team. They drafted a young franchise quarterback last year, have picked up some other quality players in the draft the last couple of years and set themselves up beautifully this season with cap space and draft picks. Miami had the cap room to bring in explosive veteran difference makers like Mike Wallace, Dannell Ellerbe and Philip Wheeler. They also have 9 total draft picks(will increase to 10 this week with compensatory picks being announced) and five picks in the top 3 rounds.
I understand cap strapped teams like the Cowboys and Jets not spending money since they don't really have any. But look at the Buffalo Bills, they only have 6 draft picks, but they are also sitting on roughly $20 million in cap space. They did sign a declining linebacker in Manny Lawson, but that was it. Even the cap strapped Jets have been more active. The Bills have holes all over that roster and have NOTHING at the quarterback position. Tarvaris Jackson is currently slated as their starting quarterback and he would be third string here in Miami behind Tannehill and Moore. Granted they are probably going to reach for a quarterback in the first round, but they kind of have to since they don't have anything else to work with. Talk about a bad year to have to try and draft a quarterback.
They don't have a lot of draft picks, so you would think they would have to substitute that with some activity in free agency. They have the cap space, why is Ralph Wilson and Buddy Nix sitting on it? Seems things in Buffalo haven't changed a bit and there is a reason why they haven't made the playoffs this Millennium. That embarrassing phone tap last week involving Nix doesn't help the perception of how clueless that organization is. The Jets will be bad in 2013 and likely challenge for the first overall pick in 2014, though it wouldn't surprise me if Buffalo enters that mix also. What a mess.
I understand cap strapped teams like the Cowboys and Jets not spending money since they don't really have any. But look at the Buffalo Bills, they only have 6 draft picks, but they are also sitting on roughly $20 million in cap space. They did sign a declining linebacker in Manny Lawson, but that was it. Even the cap strapped Jets have been more active. The Bills have holes all over that roster and have NOTHING at the quarterback position. Tarvaris Jackson is currently slated as their starting quarterback and he would be third string here in Miami behind Tannehill and Moore. Granted they are probably going to reach for a quarterback in the first round, but they kind of have to since they don't have anything else to work with. Talk about a bad year to have to try and draft a quarterback.
They don't have a lot of draft picks, so you would think they would have to substitute that with some activity in free agency. They have the cap space, why is Ralph Wilson and Buddy Nix sitting on it? Seems things in Buffalo haven't changed a bit and there is a reason why they haven't made the playoffs this Millennium. That embarrassing phone tap last week involving Nix doesn't help the perception of how clueless that organization is. The Jets will be bad in 2013 and likely challenge for the first overall pick in 2014, though it wouldn't surprise me if Buffalo enters that mix also. What a mess.
