Phins working on an extension for safety TJ McDonald

http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/armando-salguero/article170643137.html

Armando wrote:The Miami Dolphins have been so impressed by what they’ve seen from T.J. McDonald the past few months that they’re negotiating a contract extension with his agent to keep the safety in South Florida for several years, according to NFL sources.

McDonald, 26, signed a one-year, $1,344,445 contract with the Dolphins in late March that was basically a get-to-know-you deal for both sides.

For the Dolphins, they signed a player who was off the so-called free agent board for some teams because he needed to serve an NFL mandated eight-game suspension at the beginning of this season for violating the NFL Policy and Program for Substances of Abuse. That suspension begins next week.

I can't think of one good reason to sign McDonald to an extension before he plays a single game for the team. Makes no sense.

Funny how the Phins are bending over backwards to extend guys like Alonso and McDonald when there's no real reason to do so, yet they won't negotiate with Landry.

JMP wrote:http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/armando-salguero/article170643137.html

Armando wrote:The Miami Dolphins have been so impressed by what they’ve seen from T.J. McDonald the past few months that they’re negotiating a contract extension with his agent to keep the safety in South Florida for several years, according to NFL sources.

McDonald, 26, signed a one-year, $1,344,445 contract with the Dolphins in late March that was basically a get-to-know-you deal for both sides.

For the Dolphins, they signed a player who was off the so-called free agent board for some teams because he needed to serve an NFL mandated eight-game suspension at the beginning of this season for violating the NFL Policy and Program for Substances of Abuse. That suspension begins next week.

I can't think of one good reason to sign McDonald to an extension before he plays a single game for the team. Makes no sense.

Funny how the Phins are bending over backwards to extend guys like Alonso and McDonald when there's no real reason to do so, yet they won't negotiate with Landry.

By extending him now they get a bargain and the word is he's already a favorite among players and coaches. They can afford this. They can't afford what Landry will be asking. I don't think MacDonald will take the deal but I love the move.

McDonald is a strong safety that is strong against the run and weak against the pass, and he's one off-field mistake away from a season-long ban. We already have a strong safety...what we need is centerfielder-type free safety with range and coverage skills - and that's not McDonald, at all. McDonald reminds me of the 'square peg, round hole' approach that has plagued the Phins for far too many years.

Plus, we are supposedly developing a young DB (Maurice Smith) who has the skillset to play free safety. So why not let the season play out and see how McDonald does in his limited time and how Smith develops before we back the Brinks truck up for McDonald? There's a salary cap...you can't just keep throwing big money at veterans - you need younger, cheaper players to step up and take starting roles.

This extension makes zero sense to me...you reward a player that has yet to take a meangingful snap for you, who no other team wanted to touch, and who is currently suspended for 8 games? Completely asinine IMHO.

Whatever.

Can never have enough good defensive backs/safeties in NFL. We need depth. He would be the top backup to Jones if Jones goes down.

The problem is, you'll be paying big money to two strong safeties - and that still leaves a huge hole on the back-end of the defense against the pass. You're throwing money around, but you're not solving a problem.

4 years 24 million. Think he may take Jones spot

I don't see that. Jones has always been good and don't see him getting axed

Age difference and injuries

Jump and Carson maybe on to something. Two very similar players at safety signed long term. Is a trade coming?

If we were going to sign a one-dimensional veteran strong safety, I'd much rather have TJ Ward - who just signed with the Bucs.

And on another note, it's so frustrating to see this team continue to throw big $ at free agents because of draft failures. When you waste draft picks on non-NFL players like Cedric Thompson, Jordan Lucas and Thomas Duarte, you end up having to pay big-money to flawed veterans like TJ McDonald and Julius Thomas. And the circle continues.

Julius Thomas hasn't been good in a while and I don't consider Jones as a draft bust. TJ McDonald is definitely one dimensional and for the fact that he isnt a free safety is troubling. Miami already is having issue at LB so why not sign someone that can increase the LB position.

Trading away Jones so McDonald can replace him would be such a Finsy thing to do