1. This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn More.

The truth about free agency....

Discussion in 'Miami Dolphins Forum' started by CANEPHINS, Mar 23, 2012.

  1. CANEPHINS

    CANEPHINS No Tats & Dreads Allowed

    2,593
    2,335
    113
    Jan 4, 2009
    Savannah, GA
    Everyone knows you build a team through the draft. People think that if you spend and horde during free agency you will accomplish the same task.

    The purpose of free agency isn't to build, but rather it is to compliment or fill a gap.

    The question with Miami is was this team rebuilding or needing some pieces to compliment or fill in a gap.

    I would say at the end of last season we very much could have been in the latter part of that statement. We were just a couple of pieces away from being maybe right there in the hunt. A splash at QB and then a few pieces here or there between the draft and FA...it might have come together nicely.

    Instead, things got blown up going in...and during...free agency to the point that we now might have more holes than we had going in to free agency. So much so to the point that are we now rebuilding?

    Not often you see a team go into FA needing a few pieces and come out needing more, but here we stand with that problem. We had a #1 WR and a starting S in Bell. Now we head into the draft needing to fill positions that weren't a priority to fill before FA. It is possible that Bell gets re-signed for less money, but nothing is a given right now.

    So while we did fill some gaps in during FA (which filled the purpose of FA), did we set ourselves up for a tougher draft in the process? Even if the plan all along was to draft Tannehill, there is still no promise that he will be there at 8.

    The argument that this offense doesn't require a #1 WR doesn't hold water. Especially when GB had Greg Jennings and Jordy Nelson, who is proving to show that he is every bit a top flight WR.
     
    pumpdogs likes this.
  2. Static XIII

    Static XIII New Member

    240
    80
    0
    Dec 10, 2008
    We don't do either.
     
  3. CANEPHINS

    CANEPHINS No Tats & Dreads Allowed

    2,593
    2,335
    113
    Jan 4, 2009
    Savannah, GA
    LOL....yeah, I thought that as well.
     
  4. thisperishedmin

    thisperishedmin Well-Known Member

    2,404
    509
    113
    Aug 17, 2011
    While I realize that Jennings and Nelson are both quite good...I dont see them as dominant WRs. Its not like we need a Fitzgerald and a Megatron for this to work. I wouldn't say that comparable talent is out of our reach at this point....getting it is a different question. Maybe I just havent watched them enough but I dont think either of those guys is someone who succeeds in spite of their QB or fellow recievers...I still see them as very much system guys.

    Am I alone and/or crazy in that viewpoint?
     
    sws84 and smahtaz like this.
  5. Dol-Fan Dupree

    Dol-Fan Dupree Tank? Who is Tank? I am Guy Incognito.

    40,533
    33,035
    113
    Dec 11, 2007
    I agree.
     
  6. djphinfan

    djphinfan Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    111,651
    67,546
    113
    Dec 20, 2007
    I believe that when a new coach takes over a program, we must let his vision make certain decisions while capping our expectations in the process, releasing a malcontent wide receiver, not signing a QB that he was extremely familiar with, letting go of some older vets to implement youth alongside his message is all part of the that mindset, I mean adapting your scheme to inherited players only goes so far..

    The 30 year old Karlos Dansby is now our oldest player on defense, he needs to step up his game in the leadership dept, I know he has the capabilities of being a great leader, he's just got to understand that its a fulltime job...I love youth, and our defense last year, as good as we like to claim that it is, couldn't get the job done in crucial situations, players like JT, Bell, and Will, were not making game changing plays, so whatta you do?, you go with youth, and a new dynamic of leadership.

    Question...Was Bill Parcells in the office when Marshall got his 50 million dollar contract.??
     
    The_Dark_Knight likes this.
  7. djphinfan

    djphinfan Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    111,651
    67,546
    113
    Dec 20, 2007
    I disagree Dup..
     
  8. Killer Bees

    Killer Bees Bringin' the Ruckus

    3,187
    1,030
    113
    Aug 14, 2011
    Yeah I don't consider Jennings an ELITE receiver, and Nelson will be nothing more than a good #2 receiver. They are products of the system and Elite QB play.
     
    sws84 likes this.
  9. djphinfan

    djphinfan Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    111,651
    67,546
    113
    Dec 20, 2007
    I got Jennings as a top 10 wideout, and Nelson as the top 2nd receiver in the game..
     
  10. djphinfan

    djphinfan Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    111,651
    67,546
    113
    Dec 20, 2007
    I don't believe Marshall dictated coverage as much as folks think, don't think he could get deep on corners, and I think they knew it.
     
    jdang307 and Fin-Omenal like this.
  11. ToddsPhins

    ToddsPhins Banned

    29,125
    7,721
    0
    Mar 15, 2009
    What do you call Richard Marshall?...... Since when did 1+1-1=O ???? :lol:
    And the extra 2 3rd round draft picks? Isn't that 2 more opportunities to add players?
    And Marshall's huge contract? Does that stay with us or can we use a portion of that somewhere else, somewhere that we feel might be less controversial or distracting with the team?


    How about a head coach? Those don't matter I take it?
    I guess the subtraction of a 3 consecutive losing season HC and addition of the promising mastermind of one of the NFL's top offenses from one of best organizations in the league doesn't count as a "splash" or potentially filling a major hole? :unsure:


    I had no idea a WR has a bigger impact on winning than a HC. Hmph. I learn sump'n new every day I guess. Thank you.
     
  12. Killer Bees

    Killer Bees Bringin' the Ruckus

    3,187
    1,030
    113
    Aug 14, 2011
    Yeah, that's not elite.
     
  13. djphinfan

    djphinfan Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    111,651
    67,546
    113
    Dec 20, 2007
    My point was, he's damn close IMO, and Nelson is an absolute stud of a talent.. As a combo, I think they are elite., which imo,is top 5.
     
  14. Alex44

    Alex44 Boshosaurus Rex

    20,810
    8,965
    0
    Jan 7, 2008
    Hollywood, Florida
    He did, and I can tell you there is nothing like a birds eye view from near the top of the stadium to determine that. He most certainly did dictate coverages, and I'd even say more than some people would think.
     
  15. Larryfinfan

    Larryfinfan 17-0...Priceless Club Member

    I disagree to an extent. FA should be used, as you said to complement and fill in gaps rather than to build a team, however, it can also be used to add that one guy or two that you might need to either get you to the next level or for a guy that just isn't there to develop. We have been in that situation. Let's not forget that this team was bereft of talent in January 2008 and Parcells/Irish had to use FA to build the team. In 2009 they added Dansby, a guy that we didn't have to develop on the roster. In 2010, they added Burnett, a guy we didn't have on the roster. For example, after dumping Marshall, it would have been perfectly acceptable to add a Manningham, Lloyd, Wayne, etc to at least put something back that we no longer had.

    I just am not convinced that there is one hard and fast rule with FA... If we'd have added Manning, would that have been a good pickup in FA ?? Most would say yes...pending how he holds up with his injury...

    As to Jennings and Nelson, both very good WRs, but at best #2's in any other system than what they are in. It's the chicken/egg thing...did the system/QB make the WRs as good as they seem to be or are they truly #1 type WRs...I don't think either are...neither is Driver for that matter. Not that they haven't been successful, but whether they have been successful because of the system or because of their talent ?? I guess what I'm saying is that I don't think those GB wr's would be thought of as highly had they spent their careers in other systems...
     
  16. Even if Marshall does face a suspension I think the Dolphins would of been better off keeping him at least 1 more season.

    I like Bell but he is slowing down. I think asking him to take a pay cut is fair and its also fair for him and the team to explore the options available through FA.

    Philbin IMO the jury is still out on. We been through this scenerio before and it has not turned out well. It might be different this time but I will wait before I jump on his bandwagon. Saban came in with his pedigree and failed. Cameron came from a high powered offense and he supposedly knew how to groom a QB. Even Sporano had decent credentials coming in the door. None of them worked out. Hopefully it will be different this time around. Time will tell.
     
  17. Alex44

    Alex44 Boshosaurus Rex

    20,810
    8,965
    0
    Jan 7, 2008
    Hollywood, Florida
    I definitely think their system and QB play have helped them out a lot, but to an extent I also feel there is very little "faking it" at receiver. You can either get open using your route running and athletic abilities or you can't. If you can't no system or QB can help you. They obviously can very successfully.
     
  18. Larryfinfan

    Larryfinfan 17-0...Priceless Club Member

    That is probably true, the issue with Marshall wasn't necessarily always his on the field play. Sometimes it was an issue as he had a tendency to get moody if he weren't being targeted like he thought he should be. Sometimes he was simply lazy and took plays off. The biggest problem was that his numbers, his production didn't match the talent he had. He couldn't always stay focused (thus the number of drops, miss-run routes, etc) throughout games. Under-achieving talent is about as frustrating a feeling as a coach/team/fan can have...That's what Marshall represented for us too much of the time...
     
  19. Fin-Omenal

    Fin-Omenal Initiated

    36,936
    10,264
    0
    Mar 25, 2008
    Thee...Ohio State University
    You have to draft well if your plan is to build through the draft.
     
  20. Fin D

    Fin D Sigh

    72,252
    43,684
    113
    Nov 27, 2007
    I'm curious how people would grade last year's draft.
     
  21. MonstBlitz

    MonstBlitz Nobody's Fart Catcher

    21,176
    10,130
    113
    Jan 14, 2008
    Hornell, NY
    Jeff Ireland doesn't fill needs during FA. He creates more with an amazing arrogance that he can fill them all during the draft.
     
  22. Alex44

    Alex44 Boshosaurus Rex

    20,810
    8,965
    0
    Jan 7, 2008
    Hollywood, Florida
    We filled our FS spot and from the visits we are conducting it seems as if we would like to fill our RG spot as well.
     
    BlameItOnTheHenne and Fin D like this.
  23. Fin D

    Fin D Sigh

    72,252
    43,684
    113
    Nov 27, 2007
    You realize that your accusation essentially impossible?
     
    ToddsPhins likes this.
  24. VanDolPhan

    VanDolPhan Club member Club Member

    13,057
    8,875
    113
    Nov 26, 2007
    Hamilton, Ontario Canada
    Fans like to assume that their GM is always the worse GM out there. Miami is up against the cap and still bringing in visits like Jake Scott.

    Minny on the otherhand is doing jack squat in FA and is sitting on over $20 million in cap room. So are a half dozen other teams just as bad as Miami. At least Miami has spent large in the past and is up against the cap as good excuses.
     
    ToddsPhins likes this.
  25. Onehondo

    Onehondo Senior Member Club Member

    2,671
    879
    113
    Dec 20, 2007
    Chesapeake, Virginia
    You build through the draft and supplement through free agency, not build through free agency and supplement with the draft. The good teams are adept at doing this. The teams that struggle with this concept tend to struggle with their development. There are exceptions to this as New England has been about 50/50%. Teams that build through the draft tend to need free agency less and less.
     
  26. Bulldog

    Bulldog New Member

    978
    149
    0
    Mar 13, 2012
    And provably false.
     
  27. jeremy2020

    jeremy2020 Active Member

    117
    64
    28
    Sep 8, 2010
    Someone should tell the Patriots that they should getting Free Agents.
     
  28. ToddsPhins

    ToddsPhins Banned

    29,125
    7,721
    0
    Mar 15, 2009
    Exactly. Cincy had like $40.0M in cap space and their only notable signing is Benjarvis IIRC. If Brandon Marshall had to go he had to go. The absolute LAST reason we cut him is b/c we have a cheap owner. Ross is more of a spendthrift than tightwad.

    So outside of Brandon and understandably cutting an expensive 34 year old SS, I'd say our ACTUAL free agency would be a success if we land Scott after having already boosted the defense's future with Richard Marshall & the re signing of Soliai while also adding some decent depth guys.

    Bell won't play to a hundred, so at some point that transition to a new player has to be made. If kept Bell and he hypothetically hits the wall in week 3, then we're either stuck with playing him the rest of the year and getting inferior results or we transition to the potential SS of the future (Clemons or Jones) while paying Bell millions to sit the bench and be a role player.

    1. The addition of Richard Marshall plus the subtraction of Bell is still a "+" for our secondary IMO, especially if Clemons or Jones steps up now that the game should be slowing down for them. It's a definite long term plus. Hating on Ireland for this is just hating to hate.

    2. An addition of Scott to our line makes the offense better and helps Philbin better transition his desired offense.

    3. The addition of Philbin & 2 third rounders plus the subtraction of Brandon Marshall is an overall "+" for our offense and team IMO. So again, IMO hating on Ireland for this is either microcosmic thinking or just hating to hate rather than taking a step back and looking at the big picture.
     
  29. ToddsPhins

    ToddsPhins Banned

    29,125
    7,721
    0
    Mar 15, 2009
    Our #1 goal in FA this year should be to NOT do anything that might financially hinder our ability to re-sign our OWN guys in 2013.

    Going nuts in FA by throwing big money contracts at players (and thus obligating yourself to them in the future thanks to guaranteed money & cap hit involved) is a terribly bad & irresponsible idea the year before a lot of players have expiring contracts. If we need some financial wiggle room next year to re-sign key players, then we need to be as pragmatic and methodical about EVERY player we sign this year.

    Anyone who complains about us not adding big names this year or not "making a splash" has put little thought into how it might affect our future cap and the impact it might have on re-signing Long, Bush, Starks, Moore, McDaniel, Fasano, Smith, Wake, Hartline, Fields, or Clemons.


    If anything, fans should be thankful we have a GM that proactively recognizes this and is great with numbers in this regard rather than an impulsive loose cannon.


    Seriously, does everyone turn off the "salary cap" option in Madden Franchise mode? :lol:
     

Share This Page