Free agent news - Dolphins and general NFL

Wilkins at least got his $$$ with a team in Nevada, so he won't have state income tax to deal with. Hey, good at him. I'm OK with Miami losing him at that price.

Van Ginkel and Hunt, on the other hand, will have state income tax to deal with, and I'm not sure I'd want to go to Minnesota for any amount of $$$ myself. I know that almost no agent considers the state income tax issue while shopping a client (and why should they, doesn't really affect the agent) but if I were a player I damn well would.

The defensive system is changing considerably, though, and that's something to take into account.

With the dust clearing, I don't have a problem with Miami's go for it attitude the past year. If AVG, Phillips, Chubb, Howard, Williams etc don't all get hurt at once, it might have had a shot to work. They did and it didn't. Now...time to start building again through the draft, and hope that we don't have a full fledged rebuild. IMO we will unless we get 4 or 5 immediately productive players next month.

I dont see it happening. Which is puzzling that they would restructure Terron Armstead but let Homegrown guys walk. Knowing full well that the injuries to Phillips and Chubb are setting us back at the very least till Dec.

The dream for "THIS" team is over. What we thought was savy moves are now biting us in the ass. We have no shot. We went all in last year. It wouldn't have mattered one bit if we won a superbowl or not because this cap situation was eventually gonna happen.

There was no way out of this. We had too many people at one time on expiring contracts and it just so happened that they deserved those paydays. We were never ever ever in a position to keep them all.

Umix10 wrote:I dont see it happening.  Which is puzzling that they would restructure Terron Armstead but let Homegrown guys walk.  Knowing full well that the injuries to Phillips and Chubb are setting us back at the very least till Dec.

The dream for "THIS" team is over.  What we thought was savy moves are now biting us in the ass.  We have no shot.  We went all in last year.  It wouldn't have mattered one bit if we won a superbowl or not because this cap situation was eventually gonna happen.

There was no way out of this.  We had too many people at one time on expiring contracts and it just so happened that they deserved those paydays.  We were never ever ever in a position to keep them all.

I still say Chubb ends up sitting out next season altogether since his injury happened so damn late.

At least the Rams actually WON when they went all-out. And after biting the bullet for just one season they got right back to the playoffs--and were a play away from defeating everybody's new flavor of the month the Lions. Anybody actually think this team under Grier could do the same?

HalCHorn wrote:Van Ginkel and Hunt, on the other hand, will have state income tax to deal with, and I'm not sure I'd want to go to Minnesota for any amount of $$$ myself.  I know that almost no agent considers the state income tax issue while shopping a client (and why should they, doesn't really affect the agent) but if I were a player I damn well would.

You and I both know that income tax is actually the LEAST of the reasons why it's just flat out dumb for players (or anyone else for that matter) to voluntarily move to certain states...

The defensive system is changing considerably, though, and that's something to take into account.

It appears to be changing to "Talent??? We don't need no stinkin' talent!" Apparently Weaver doesn't think having an edge rusher is important

With the dust clearing, I don't have a problem with Miami's go for it attitude the past year.  If AVG, Phillips, Chubb, Howard, Williams etc don't all get hurt at once, it might have had a shot to work.  They did and it didn't.  Now...time to start building again through the draft, and hope that we don't have a full fledged rebuild.  IMO we will unless we get 4 or 5 immediately productive players next month.

I mean, they did have their best point differential in almost 40 years and tied their best win total this century. But now they've got the worst of all worlds--a rebuild situation with a QB on a ginormous deal. Or so we think. Tua's not actually been re-signed yet, probably because his agent wants Mahomes-level money. And even 5 productive players won't be nearly enough, a new hole on top of all the other ones is being created every few minutes right now.

Fortunately, AVG was not the only available edge rusher this offseason, and I'm pretty sure the Dolphins will add other edge rushers between now and September. LOL

HalCHorn wrote:Wilkins at least got his $$$ with a team in Nevada, so he won't have state income tax to deal with.  Hey, good at him.  I'm OK with Miami losing him at that price.

Van Ginkel and Hunt, on the other hand, will have state income tax to deal with, and I'm not sure I'd want to go to Minnesota for any amount of $$$ myself.  I know that almost no agent considers the state income tax issue while shopping a client (and why should they, doesn't really affect the agent) but if I were a player I damn well would.

The defensive system is changing considerably, though, and that's something to take into account.

With the dust clearing, I don't have a problem with Miami's go for it attitude the past year.  If AVG, Phillips, Chubb, Howard, Williams etc don't all get hurt at once, it might have had a shot to work.  They did and it didn't.  Now...time to start building again through the draft, and hope that we don't have a full fledged rebuild.  IMO we will unless we get 4 or 5 immediately productive players next month.  

Great post, Hal.

I for one am looking forward to seeing how the defense unfolds. I'm sick and tired of watching this defense disappear when we need them most. Hopefully Weaver and a new defensive philosophy, along with new players, will make a huge difference. There's a lot of time between now and September - should be a very interesting offseason!

Umix10 wrote:I dont see it happening.  Which is puzzling that they would restructure Terron Armstead but let Homegrown guys walk.  Knowing full well that the injuries to Phillips and Chubb are setting us back at the very least till Dec.

The dream for "THIS" team is over.  What we thought was savy moves are now biting us in the ass.  We have no shot.  We went all in last year.  It wouldn't have mattered one bit if we won a superbowl or not because this cap situation was eventually gonna happen.

There was no way out of this.  We had too many people at one time on expiring contracts and it just so happened that they deserved those paydays.  We were never ever ever in a position to keep them all.

We have no idea what the team is going to look like. When the dust settles I actually expect our defense to be better, with Weaver on board and a new focus on being multiple and tough. The last few seasons this D has been a very predictable paper tiger - I am looking forward to Weaver making it into a real tiger!

RB Devin Singletary to the Giants.

S Xavier McKinney to the Pack on an insane 4 year, $68 million deal.

RB Gus Edwards to the Chargers.

S Geno Stone to the Bengals.

Pats are cutting DeVante Parker.

Can someone drive by the facility and make sure the open sign is lit and that there are people working cuz it seems like no body there.

Unless the Camp Fodder division is seperate from the big contracts division.........

Gink and Wilkins were favorites of mine. Weaver has other plans . Hunts contract is ridiculous. But we are bereft of talent for sure now.

Umix10 wrote:Can someone drive by the facility and make sure the open sign is lit and that there are people working cuz it seems like no body there.

Unless the Camp Fodder division is seperate from the big contracts division.........

61finfan wrote:Gink and Wilkins were favorites of mine. Weaver has other plans . Hunts contract is ridiculous. But we are bereft of talent for sure now.

The sky has fallen so low I can reach up and touch it at this point. The last time I saw the inside of a cloud, I was in an airplane.

March 11, 2024 is officially the day the Dolphins died. Never before have I witnessed such colossal carnage and devastating destruction This is "tornado strikes a town directly" level stuff.

finfanatic wrote:And don't forget I wanted the Phins to get OG Trey Smith when he came out in 2021. That was the draft with the infamous trade of a 2nd and 3rd to move up 8 spots to get Eichenberg trade.

Heck, I would have used the 3rd rounder on Smith instead of taking TE Hunter Long!!!

The Phins did not have a 4th, 5th, or 6th rounder that year. Trey Smith went # 226 overall in the bottom of the 6th to the Chiefs and Grier and Co. took Larnel Coleman OT at #231 overall in the top of the 7th!!

I doubt Grier would have drafted Smith anyway, but...

Sometimes it is not the moves you DO make that get you canned, it is the moves you DO NOT Make that are so costly.

Of course, I readily admit that all these decisions are very easy to evaluate with the benefit of hindsight!

Had to move up to get a 4th round pick high in the second round. That's so Grier

This one's for Merc. Panthers get a 2nd and a 5th from the Giants after franchising Burns.

https://www.profootballrumors.com/2024/03/panthers-to-send-olb-brian-burns-to-giants

NOBODY here can convince me Grier's 2nd and 5th round picks in this draft will be half as good as Burns. Combined.

Don't worry guys, everything will be okay now that JORDYN BROOKS is here to save the day!

https://www.profootballrumors.com/2024/03/dolphins-to-sign-lb-jordyn-brooks

Jordyn Brooks is heading to Miami. The former Seahawks linebacker is signing with the Dolphins, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Brooks is signing a three-year deal worth $30MM.

SO...let me get this straight: 2 years $20 mil was too much for AVG but 3 years $30 mil is perfectly fine for someone else at a time when this team has the league's wost cap situation?!?!

Forehead, meet desk. Desk, forehead.

Love today's signings!

The LB corp is about 10 times better with Anthony Walker and Jordyn Brooks on board. Brooks is a young rising star - big, tough, fast, incredible range...this is the ILB we've been asking for. Walker is a versatile backer that is great in coverage.

Aaron Brewer at center is a great scheme fit. He's small, but that doesn't matter in this offense - what does is that he's arguably the most athletic, mobile center in football. Our run game is going to jump to a whole new level with this dude. He did struggle - a lot - in pass pro this past season, but keep in mind that their QBs were a rookie and a gimpy Tannehill. The Dolphins offense is about movement just as much as it is power, and that is where Brewer will excel.

So, free agency hasn't officially started yet and we've already filled three big needs: C, TE and LB. Off to a good start with the new additions!

JMP wrote:Love today's signings!  

The LB corp is about 10 times better with Anthony Walker and Jordyn Brooks on board.  Brooks is a young rising star - big, tough, fast, incredible range...this is the ILB we've been asking for.  Walker is a versatile backer that is great in coverage.

I'd never even heard of Walker, and the fact he missed all of last season due to injury is probably why. Grier does it again!  

I'd rather have seen them draft JPJ at 21 than sign mediocre at best journeyman Brewer. Ugh...

But yeah, the defensive signings so far have Weaver's fingerprints all over them. He'd better know what he's doing...

Walker started 12 games last season. He was really good with the Colts a few years back.

And Brewer has been with one tram his entire career...he's not a journeyman.

JMP wrote:Walker started 12 games last season. He was really good with the Colts a few years back.

Tha's what I get for letting some random Youtube commenter convince me he missed all of last season Still never heard of him before, though.

And Brewer has been with one tram his entire career...he's not a journeyman.

In this context journeyman means mediocre at best. Which is what Brewer has been. Certainly nothing to get excited about and no better than anyone else this O-line's trotted out the last few years with the exception of Armstead, pre 2023 Jackson and maybe Hunt. I'm not even sure he's better than Eich TBH. If he was all that, why'd the Titans let him walk and sign someone else?

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BrewAa01.htm

Andre James would've been acceptable to me, and AV says he's better than Brewer. Might as well trade for Dylan Parham too, if they want shrimpy interior O-linemen, he's probably better as well.

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/J/JameAn01.htm

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/P/ParhDy00.htm

DolFan 316 wrote:Still never heard of him before, though.

I know him more from his Colts days, but I do recall seeing him last season a couple of times.

DolFan 316 wrote:In this context journeyman means mediocre at best. Which is what Brewer has been.

I believe Brewer was one of the highest-rated run blockers this season. Pass blocking was...pretty awful. But again, I think he's a natural fit for McD's scheme.

So...they signed a center who sucks at pass pro for the QB the're still trying to give a huge deal to because...???

If signing Smith doesn't rule out Bowers according to you then Brewer should definitely not rule out JPJ or Van Pran.

At this point it's time to offer Tua up for draft picks. We need another rebuild. See what we can get for Tua and Tyreek. Move on from these two because Tua won't last behind what's left and Tyreek is one bad headline away from being out of the NFL.

DolFan 316 wrote:So...they signed a center who sucks at pass pro for the QB the're still trying to give a huge deal to because...???

If signing Smith doesn't rule out Bowers according to you then Brewer should definitely not rule out JPJ or Van Pran.

Brewer will be better at pass pro in this scheme. The Titans were a strange mix of power and zone, while the Phins are primarily zone with tons of movement. Brewer is a much better fit here.

Bowers will never fall to the Phins, but yes, he'd still be in play. If JPJ or Van Pran have the versatility to also play guard, I think they could also still be in play - although I don't think JPJ will be available. Brewer has played guard as well.

Bottom line - adding both Smith and Brewer gives us draft flexibility. We no longer have to draft TE and C. That's a good thing...the Phins don't need to reach for need and can stick to their board.

CarsonChris wrote:At this point it's time to offer Tua up for draft picks. We need another rebuild. See what we can get for Tua and Tyreek. Move on from these two because Tua won't last behind what's left and Tyreek is one bad headline away from being out of the NFL.

Or, we can keep the two best players on offense and continue to build around them.

Lots of NFL action last night and this morning:

The Jets signed Tyrod Taylor to backup Aaron Rodgers. Smart move to add an injury-prone old QB to backup an injury-prone old QB.

The Jets are also signing 49ers DT Javon Kinlaw and Ravens OG John Simpson.

The Vikings are adding Sam Darnold and Aaron Jones.

Titans signing former Chargers LB Kenneth Murray.

The Commanders are signing Chiefs OG Nick Allegretti, who was real high on my want list.

The Panthers continue to overpay guards, adding Damien Lewis on a big contract to pair with Robert Hunt.

DolFan 316 wrote:So...they signed a center who sucks at pass pro for the QB the're still trying to give a huge deal to because...???

If signing Smith doesn't rule out Bowers according to you then Brewer should definitely not rule out JPJ or Van Pran.

I think Grier is just covering his bases here and maybe he will go Oline in the first. If they rate JPJ over Fautanu or some other Olienman, so be it.

My feeling is and has been that Grier is going to sign free agents and set up to draft a CB in the first, because...



Though the fact they gave this guy three years is sort of indicative. I know I read the Titan fans are REJOICING that Brewer is gone. That is never a good sign IMO.

I saw a guy on the Orlando Sentinel call this "Black Monday" for the Phins. Another reporter is saying paraphrased "The bills for the short-sighted trading picks for players and paying whopping contracts to them has come due!"

Yes, it was bad. Is it as bad as we think? Only time will tell, but leaving the rebuild up to Grier, who is six years into his three year Rebuild plan, and hasn't fielded a team that has even sniffed a playoff win yet, would seem to be counter-indicated IMHO.

But Ross gonna Ross.