ckparrothead
Premium Member
Sticking with the theme of the salary cap space being able to be easily rolled forward. I have to think that has an impact on final cut dates. Here are some examples of cuts that could happen due to the new salary cap rules:
1. QB Matt Moores - $3.03 mil potential cap savings - With both David Garrard (Philbin's choice) and Ryan Tannehill (everyone's choice) also in the mix, the pressure will be on both Garrard and Moore to separate themselves and prove their value to the roster during training camp. The Dolphins under Jeff Ireland have already had a longstanding policy that if it's close between the old guy and the young guy, they get rid of the old guy. What happens now that they know they can roll cap space forward easily and freely into future years?
2. QB David Garrard - $2.35 mil potential cap savings - Exact same situation here between Garrard and Moore. With between $2.35 and $3.03 million of future cap space hanging in the balance, one of these two players is NOT going to be spending 16 games holding a clipboard as the third quarterback. It's not going to happen. Garrard was signed with a thesis in mind that said that he's A) healthy and B) good for Philbin's and Sherman's WCO. If those prove to be less than true, he's gone. If the Dolphins get a decent trade offer for Matt Moore (I'm still looking square at Denver on this one) then Garrard will stay.
3. OL Nate Garner - $1.45 mil potential cap savings - Unfortunately, if you're a veteran that ranks in the top 12 among potential cap savings, and you're just a backup, you are a prime candidate to be cut before the season starts. Nate Garner is in that uncomfortable position, but as if that were not enough, there's the simple fact that he was acquired to play for a different coaching regime that appreciated a different prototype in its offensive linemen. Garner arguably does not fit the new prototype. He got a shot to increase his street cred tremendously by filling in for Jake Long at left tackle, but he botched it (predictably, he's not suited for left tackle against top rushers). The pressure will be on him to have a hell of a training camp and separate himself considerably from the likes of Ryan Cook, Ray Feinga, Terence Brown, Will Barker and Josh Samuda.
4. OL Ryan Cook - $1.01 mil potential cap savings - Ryan Cook is in a similar situation as Nate Garner, but with a couple of small advantages. First, it's not much of a difference, but there is a difference in the amount of savings the team would get by cutting the two players. Second, though Garner has filled in at Center in the past, Cook is more experienced there and more trustworthy. He is not the kind of player Mike Sherman and Joe Philbin want on their offensive line. He's huge, oafish and slow. He doesn't get to the second level well at all. But if he solidifies his position as the backup Center, that could be his ticket to surviving cut dates. I don't see another player on roster aside from Richie Incognito (whose experience at the position is scant) who can play swing if Pouncey were to get hurt.
5. SS Tyrone Culver - $0.85 mil potential cap savings - Culver ranks among the top 20 potential salary cap savings, but the bottom line is he just does not have the range that Kevin Coyle seems to covet in his safeties, judging by players he polished up in Cincinnati, as well as some of the pickups in Miami. He will need to prove in camp that he is significantly better than younger, more athletic guys like Chris Clemons, Kelcie McCray and Jimmy Wilson, in order to make the roster.
6. LB Jason Trusnik - $0.72 mil potential cap savings - Trusnik is on very thin ice and will have to separate himself from a lot of young players on special teams. He did not help his cause in 2011 with some untimely penalties. In addition to the potential cap savings putting a target on his back, he plays a position which may be overcrowded given the increase we could see in the Dolphins' use of four man fronts. Trusnik is not a down lineman, yet he is an outside linebacker. They just drafted Josh Kaddu, which probably spells Jason Trusnik's doom, but he will also compete with Jamaal Westerman and Koa Misi. If he does not soundly beat Kaddu in camp, he's a goner.
7. DT Tony McDaniel - $3.00 mil potential cap savings - I was a little surprised the Dolphins did not go ahead and cut McDaniel in order to make some room for Soliai's new contract, but they may want to take him through training camp and see what they have before they cut him loose. He's in another contract year, so it wouldn't surprise me if he steps it up a little. However, the Dolphins drafted Kheeston Randall, and Ryan Baker is actually a pretty solid player for the rotation. The Dolphins have six guys all worthy of roster spots at defensive tackle in Paul Soliai, Randy Starks, Jared Odrick, Tony McDaniel, Kheeston Randall and Ryan Baker. Odrick may play some defensive end but they know he's a defensive tackle by trade. A guy like Chas Alecxih could always surprise you, as well. Yes, the Dolphins will need more defensive linemen now that they plan to play more 4-3 fronts. However, the deficiency seems to be at defensive end, not tackle. Their cup runneth over at tackle, which is part of why Odrick will play some end. The end position has guys like Cam Wake, Jamaal Westerman, Olivier Vernon, Jonathan Freeny, Jarrell Root, Jacquies Smith and Derrick Shelby, which makes it look thin, but they know Koa Misi can come down and put his hand on the ground or play outside linebacker any time they want.
8. G/T Artis Hicks - $1.25 mil potential cap savings - It sounds like Hicks was signed in part to compete at tackle, in case they could not address the position adequately in the Draft. With Jon Martin drafted, that means Hicks got one of the legs holding up his value kicked out from under him. I personally think he has an ace up his sleeve as a guard, because I've seen him play there and I believe he has a very compatible game when it comes to Mike Sherman's scheme. He has always been a huge, strong, yet surprisingly mobile player. He sucks at pulling, but pulling is less than 20 percent of Mike Sherman's running game, and it was almost zero percent of Joe Philbin's. Pulling is different from releasing to the second level, and he can do the latter. I've seen him do it well. But he's older, injury prone, and one little injury could see the Dolphins looking at the $1.25 million in potential cap space and saying we're better off having that money available to us in 2013 than we are having him on roster in 2012.
9. FS Chris Clemons - $1.31 mil potential cap savings - It may be a surprise that the team can save this much money if they cut Clemons, but according to the data I have, it is true. I would put him higher but I think he has the range and speed that Kevin Cole covets. Still, if Tyrone Culver soundly beats him out in the mental/durability department, and someone like Kelcie McCray looks any good, the Dolphins could make a choice to part with Clemons for the sake of the $1.31 million they would get credited back to them in 2013.
10. OT Lydon Murtha - $1.97 mil potential cap savings - This potential cut would be considered a big surprise, especially as Mike Sherman seemed to be talking about Murtha when he talked about hidden talent in the offensive line. He fits exactly what they want as far as explosiveness, athleticism and mobility, and he helped block for Zac Taylor back in college. However, the front office has to be getting tired of his lack of durability. He came out of college injury prone, and he's been injury prone in the NFL. This may be his final shot in Miami to prove he can stay healthy. One injury setback in camp and we may be talking about him being ousted in order to save money on the salary cap in 2013.
1. QB Matt Moores - $3.03 mil potential cap savings - With both David Garrard (Philbin's choice) and Ryan Tannehill (everyone's choice) also in the mix, the pressure will be on both Garrard and Moore to separate themselves and prove their value to the roster during training camp. The Dolphins under Jeff Ireland have already had a longstanding policy that if it's close between the old guy and the young guy, they get rid of the old guy. What happens now that they know they can roll cap space forward easily and freely into future years?
2. QB David Garrard - $2.35 mil potential cap savings - Exact same situation here between Garrard and Moore. With between $2.35 and $3.03 million of future cap space hanging in the balance, one of these two players is NOT going to be spending 16 games holding a clipboard as the third quarterback. It's not going to happen. Garrard was signed with a thesis in mind that said that he's A) healthy and B) good for Philbin's and Sherman's WCO. If those prove to be less than true, he's gone. If the Dolphins get a decent trade offer for Matt Moore (I'm still looking square at Denver on this one) then Garrard will stay.
3. OL Nate Garner - $1.45 mil potential cap savings - Unfortunately, if you're a veteran that ranks in the top 12 among potential cap savings, and you're just a backup, you are a prime candidate to be cut before the season starts. Nate Garner is in that uncomfortable position, but as if that were not enough, there's the simple fact that he was acquired to play for a different coaching regime that appreciated a different prototype in its offensive linemen. Garner arguably does not fit the new prototype. He got a shot to increase his street cred tremendously by filling in for Jake Long at left tackle, but he botched it (predictably, he's not suited for left tackle against top rushers). The pressure will be on him to have a hell of a training camp and separate himself considerably from the likes of Ryan Cook, Ray Feinga, Terence Brown, Will Barker and Josh Samuda.
4. OL Ryan Cook - $1.01 mil potential cap savings - Ryan Cook is in a similar situation as Nate Garner, but with a couple of small advantages. First, it's not much of a difference, but there is a difference in the amount of savings the team would get by cutting the two players. Second, though Garner has filled in at Center in the past, Cook is more experienced there and more trustworthy. He is not the kind of player Mike Sherman and Joe Philbin want on their offensive line. He's huge, oafish and slow. He doesn't get to the second level well at all. But if he solidifies his position as the backup Center, that could be his ticket to surviving cut dates. I don't see another player on roster aside from Richie Incognito (whose experience at the position is scant) who can play swing if Pouncey were to get hurt.
5. SS Tyrone Culver - $0.85 mil potential cap savings - Culver ranks among the top 20 potential salary cap savings, but the bottom line is he just does not have the range that Kevin Coyle seems to covet in his safeties, judging by players he polished up in Cincinnati, as well as some of the pickups in Miami. He will need to prove in camp that he is significantly better than younger, more athletic guys like Chris Clemons, Kelcie McCray and Jimmy Wilson, in order to make the roster.
6. LB Jason Trusnik - $0.72 mil potential cap savings - Trusnik is on very thin ice and will have to separate himself from a lot of young players on special teams. He did not help his cause in 2011 with some untimely penalties. In addition to the potential cap savings putting a target on his back, he plays a position which may be overcrowded given the increase we could see in the Dolphins' use of four man fronts. Trusnik is not a down lineman, yet he is an outside linebacker. They just drafted Josh Kaddu, which probably spells Jason Trusnik's doom, but he will also compete with Jamaal Westerman and Koa Misi. If he does not soundly beat Kaddu in camp, he's a goner.
7. DT Tony McDaniel - $3.00 mil potential cap savings - I was a little surprised the Dolphins did not go ahead and cut McDaniel in order to make some room for Soliai's new contract, but they may want to take him through training camp and see what they have before they cut him loose. He's in another contract year, so it wouldn't surprise me if he steps it up a little. However, the Dolphins drafted Kheeston Randall, and Ryan Baker is actually a pretty solid player for the rotation. The Dolphins have six guys all worthy of roster spots at defensive tackle in Paul Soliai, Randy Starks, Jared Odrick, Tony McDaniel, Kheeston Randall and Ryan Baker. Odrick may play some defensive end but they know he's a defensive tackle by trade. A guy like Chas Alecxih could always surprise you, as well. Yes, the Dolphins will need more defensive linemen now that they plan to play more 4-3 fronts. However, the deficiency seems to be at defensive end, not tackle. Their cup runneth over at tackle, which is part of why Odrick will play some end. The end position has guys like Cam Wake, Jamaal Westerman, Olivier Vernon, Jonathan Freeny, Jarrell Root, Jacquies Smith and Derrick Shelby, which makes it look thin, but they know Koa Misi can come down and put his hand on the ground or play outside linebacker any time they want.
8. G/T Artis Hicks - $1.25 mil potential cap savings - It sounds like Hicks was signed in part to compete at tackle, in case they could not address the position adequately in the Draft. With Jon Martin drafted, that means Hicks got one of the legs holding up his value kicked out from under him. I personally think he has an ace up his sleeve as a guard, because I've seen him play there and I believe he has a very compatible game when it comes to Mike Sherman's scheme. He has always been a huge, strong, yet surprisingly mobile player. He sucks at pulling, but pulling is less than 20 percent of Mike Sherman's running game, and it was almost zero percent of Joe Philbin's. Pulling is different from releasing to the second level, and he can do the latter. I've seen him do it well. But he's older, injury prone, and one little injury could see the Dolphins looking at the $1.25 million in potential cap space and saying we're better off having that money available to us in 2013 than we are having him on roster in 2012.
9. FS Chris Clemons - $1.31 mil potential cap savings - It may be a surprise that the team can save this much money if they cut Clemons, but according to the data I have, it is true. I would put him higher but I think he has the range and speed that Kevin Cole covets. Still, if Tyrone Culver soundly beats him out in the mental/durability department, and someone like Kelcie McCray looks any good, the Dolphins could make a choice to part with Clemons for the sake of the $1.31 million they would get credited back to them in 2013.
10. OT Lydon Murtha - $1.97 mil potential cap savings - This potential cut would be considered a big surprise, especially as Mike Sherman seemed to be talking about Murtha when he talked about hidden talent in the offensive line. He fits exactly what they want as far as explosiveness, athleticism and mobility, and he helped block for Zac Taylor back in college. However, the front office has to be getting tired of his lack of durability. He came out of college injury prone, and he's been injury prone in the NFL. This may be his final shot in Miami to prove he can stay healthy. One injury setback in camp and we may be talking about him being ousted in order to save money on the salary cap in 2013.
