Dolphins release, free agency and trades news

Back after 30 day recovery from the super bowl. I'm worried about stills becoming another mike Wallace after getting the mega deal, I would go after some guards and maybe a Lb in F/a and resign branch if the money is right and than chill till the draft.

finskev wrote:Back after 30 day recovery from the super bowl. I'm worried about stills becoming another mike Wallace after getting the mega deal, I would go after some guards and maybe a Lb in F/a and resign branch if the money is right and than chill till the draft.

I've heard Stills has really grown up and is very well liked by the organization. I'm not worried about him becoming Wallace. I agree though, spend the money on guards and LB's. I'd also go after Hankins DT from the Giants. I don't trust Phillips and Suh cannot keep playing so many snaps.

I'd also go after Hankins DT from the Giants. I don't trust Phillips and Suh cannot keep playing so many snaps.

I've got a real hankering for Hankins! See what I did there?

On twitter just today, word on the street is that his game tape shows he played better than Dontari Poe last season. Not a big name, but a good player.

I don't want linebackers, and I don't want guards (not in FA anyways). Give me DE, DT, hell I even want a Safety/CB before I want linebackers.

Just because previous regimes failed to get players at value at those positions doesn't mean overpaying is the answer. Pay for the trench guys, and guys that can affect the passing game.

the Phins keep putting out the word that they will not be big splash players in FA. that doesn't mean they won't spend a lot of FA money, it just mean they won't spend it on one player - but rather lesser amounts on a lot of mid-level talent. and the reason for this apparent change in philosophy...

Well, for one, the Dolphins run defense -- which the investment in Suh was supposed to address -- got worse.

The run defense allowed 121.1 yards per game and was ranked No. 24 in 2014 before Suh arrived. It deteriorated to 126.3 rush yards allowed per game and 28th in the NFL in 2015, and last year was an unacceptable 140.4 rush yards allowed per game and 30th in the NFL.

Now, that is not solely Suh’s fault. Indeed, he seemed to be doing his part to avert the crisis on most game days. But the idea of paying (overpaying?) one individual to address a community problem clearly is misguided.

The idea has sprung as many leaks as the Miami run defense.

Maybe, just maybe, signing three solid players instead of one star to address as big a problem as run defense would have been the wiser approach. We’ll never know. But obviously the Dolphins think so because they are changing course on their 2015 approach.

And this: While the Dolphins expended enormous resources to put Suh on their line and wreak havoc on the rest of the NFL, it was common that he did not factor in the outcome of games. Indeed, there were multiple games where the opposition used minimum salary, or low salary, or even rookie undrafted free agents to double team Suh and practically erase him from plays, series, and even games.

So Miami’s huge investment was negated by a team dedicating much fewer resources at the point of attack to do so.

http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/armando-salguero/article136967123.html

I read that and it's a good piece.

By and large, the point is - why are you paying for blue chip free agent superstars when your roster top to bottom is way sub-par? Without depth, and acceptable talent across the board your premier players are too easily neutralized.

Better to shore up at several places, bring the average talent level up, and then your star players can actually be effective.

I absolutely agree with not going crazy with FA $ to individual players - that's what I've been saying for years. And as I've said elsewhere it's easier this offseason because there really aren't any Suh-level free agents. But the Phins are reportedly offering Stills $10 million, may be paying Thomas $7 million, and are possibly interested in Hightower...so I'm not sure the days of throwing $ around are really over. We'll see...

But the Phins are reportedly offering Stills $10 million, may be paying Thomas $7 million, and are possibly interested in Hightower...so I'm not sure the days of throwing $ around are really over. We'll see...

Definitely will be interesting. I am very much against signing Hightower, especially at the contract level I believe he will get ($10 million a year is not hard to imagine).

Not to split hairs, but for the sake of debate I will add these points.

Keeping Stills is a situation where I am willing to see the team overpay a bit. Not by a lot, but if it's a couple million or so whatever. Retaining your own talent is sometimes the best free agent move. Clearly, last year we did not believe it was wise, and seeing what Miller and Vernon got, it became even more clear why they left. But, if we are really happy with a player, they have a big role on our team, and they are NOT going to totally "break the bank", it's a good move to retain the player. Of course there is a limit that the team will not exceed in their attempts to keep Stills. Also, keep in mind the figures we see are mostly fake money. Only the guaranteed money will likely ever see the player bank account. So a ten million a year deal over 4 years may really turn out to be 16 or 18 million total, the rest being salary cap savings if the player is ever cut.

Julius Thomas was acquired via trade. We knew the cost up front because it'a an existing contract. A restructure with a tweak to guaranteed money is easy to forecast because the player always wants more guaranteed money. The team looked at the money, looked at the player and how he would fit in our offense, and made the decision to go get him. His experience with Gase removed the guess work. Again, a very different scenario than say, a TE from another team who we have never worked with, and needing to outbid every other interested party to get him.

So, I consider Stills and Thomas to be very much different scenarios than the high-priced FA acquisition. Best example I can think of was Mike Wallace. Did not really work out for us well, statistics aside. Suh is another example, that one seems to be working out fine because he is playing at a pro bowl level. And I'm hoping we don't see Hightower signed as a Fin with a huge FA contract. That would go 100% against what we are hearing out of the front office this year.

I can see what you're saying, but at the end of the day we're still talking about big money for two players that have been less than stellar...Stills wore out his welcome with the Saints and has been inconsistent with the Dolphins (and he's a #3 receiver in this offense), and Thomas was basically the invisible man of the Jags' offense. So we're spending a lot of money on players that, frankly, aren't worth the dollar amounts we're talking about. Sure, there are good reasons why both fit in with the Phins, but we're talking about a #3 receiver and a TE that missed 7 games last season and averaged under 10 yards a catch the past two seasons. I get why the Phins would want these players, but at some point you have to consider whether the cost is worth what you're getting.

Yes, free agency is about overpaying players - but again, do we really need a #3 receiver making over $10 million a year?

do we really need a #3 receiver making over $10 million a year?

Really, we don't.

I may have overshot on my hypothetical amount. If the contract is on that level it's possible he will be signing on with another team.

white1 wrote:

do we really need a #3 receiver making over $10 million a year?

Really, we don't.  

I may have overshot on my hypothetical amount.  If the contract is on that level it's possible he will be signing on with another team.

The thing with Stills is, on Miami barring injuries he'll be #3 or 4 on the team in targets...with Landry and Parker ahead of him and maybe Thomas too. It just doesn't makes sense to give a guy like that a huge contract. He is certainly a valuable part of the offense, but he's not the main part. Another team may see Stills as a #2 or maybe even #1, and is more likely to pay him accordingly.

BTW, Armando is saying that the Phins are offering Stills $8 or 9 million a year...I doubt he'd accept that.

IMO, I believe that he won't either but who knows.

Just read that they working on a long term deal for Alonso

The thing with Stills is, on Miami barring injuries he'll be #3 or 4 on the team in targets...with Landry and Parker ahead of him and maybe Thomas too.

He'll be number three at worse, most likely the second most targeted and here's why:
- Thomas is a great mismatch in the red zone, and a great seam threat. The threat may very well outweigh the return of actually targeting him, and the redzone attempts can't be too lopsided or teams will simply scheme to take it away. While effective and adding a needed element to the Fins offense, I don't think he'll impact the targets for Stills much more than Sims did.
- Thomas won't play all 16 games, because he never has. So his impact to Stills targets will count for only part of the season.
- Parker is still a huge question mark, and while the team INTENDS to use him more there is no telling if he will actually perform, or regress to his immature self again. If he is unable to deliver, Stills will swoop in to take the opportunity of more targets, and Parker could be marginalized. I don't care where he was drafted, and I know Gase doesn't either. If you don't perform, you lose playing time, targets, and eventually your job.

white1 wrote:

The thing with Stills is, on Miami barring injuries he'll be #3 or 4 on the team in targets...with Landry and Parker ahead of him and maybe Thomas too.

He'll be number three at worse, most likely the second most targeted and here's why:
- Thomas is a great mismatch in the red zone, and a great seam threat.  The threat may very well outweigh the return of actually targeting him, and the redzone attempts can't be too lopsided or teams will simply scheme to take it away.  While effective and adding a needed element to the Fins offense, I don't think he'll impact the targets for Stills much more than Sims did.
- Thomas won't play all 16 games, because he never has.  So his impact to Stills targets will count for only part of the season.
- Parker is still a huge question mark, and while the team INTENDS to use him more there is no telling if he will actually perform, or regress to his immature self again.  If he is unable to deliver, Stills will swoop in to take the opportunity of more targets, and Parker could be marginalized.  I don't care where he was drafted, and I know Gase doesn't either.  If you don't perform, you lose playing time, targets, and eventually your job.

Disagree. Sims only had 35 targets in 2016. Thomas will at least double that, IMO. And he's going to run more routes than Sims, who often stayed in to block, did. Thomas will absolutely take targets from Stills...it's not even a question. As for Parker, he had more targets than Stills last season (granted, only 6 more - but still more) so it's reasonable to assume that he will again. I don't see the Phins walking away from Parker yet - unless Carroo somehow steps up. So as I see it, Stills - at best - will be #3 in targets again. And I just don't think it's smart to pay $8-10 million a year, at least, for your #3 targeted receiver.

You're right that Thomas will probably miss some games - but there's really no way to accurately predict that. But I do know that he's going to take targets away from all the WRs when he does play.

Damn, LG Ronald Leary signed with the Broncos. I was hoping the Phins would make a play for him.

I not sure if the Fins are still looking for players in FA. it crazy how slow Miami is moving in the FA this year

Just read that Anthony Fasano is back in Miami as well.

rightchea wrote:Just read that Anthony Fasano is back in Miami as well.

That's a solid move. Sims to the Bears.

rightchea wrote:Just read that Anthony Fasano is back in Miami as well.

Wow, didn't see that coming. Decent signing, but I would have preferred a younger player. I always liked Fasano - great run blocker and decent hands.

Dion Sims is close to becoming a Bear.

S Johnathan Cyprien signed with the Titans. He was one of my top free agent wants for the Phins.

Guards Zeitler and Warford are both off the market. Not sure if the Phins are targeting anyone, but the free agent guard list is getting very thin...

And Rashad gets a 5 year extension.

Disappointed we lost Sims, but I admit that Fasano is a better run blocker.

Our one young prospect at the position right now is Gray, it's his job to lose in the future as Fasano and Thomas are both getting old fast. Step up and earn it!

white1 wrote:Disappointed we lost Sims, but I admit that Fasano is a better run blocker.  

Our one young prospect at the position right now is Gray, it's his job to lose in the future as Fasano and Thomas are both getting old fast. Step up and earn it!

Sims is the better all around player at this stage of their careers, but I'm sure Fasano is much cheaper and he is the better blocker for sure. We just need Thomas to stay healthy...Fasano doesn't offer much in the passing game anymore and I don't see Gray as a starter.