Ireland is in bargain mode, did we do enough in FA already?

Good post. I'd like to see an OL and DE signed for depth.

 

Melton was given the franchise tag, I think.

 

I stopped reading at the first sentence, because I don't understand the gripe at all.

We made the biggest splash in FA this year, and because we aren't making the same giant moves 11 days in, means its ok to ***** about the same old same old?

 

Fact is, FA does NOT end tomorrow, so none of us can really tell if we're "happy with what they accomplished"...

I'm pretty sure that Ross, Ireland, Philbin and co. would say that they aren't satisfied yet with FA since it's not complete. I think most of us feel the same way...

Yeah, I like the things they've done so far, but I still think that OT and CB and potentially DE need to be addressed before we get to the draft. They seem to be doing those things, or at least looking into those things as we speak...

Why don't we let things ride a bit longer before we complain/worry ??

 

You are correct, I did get defensive. My bad. I read your first post incorrectly. I apologize.

 

They consider the draft process and free agency together as the player acquisition period. Maybe they won't do anything until after, or during, the draft.

 

I'm pretty happy with what they have done, CB is a huge concern for me and I would not be surprised to see a trade up for a CB or OT. Either to the top of the 1st rd or back into the 1st. It is my very humble opinion we have set ourselves up very well to do almost anything in this years draft.

 

I don't think Miami has done enough, however I do think they are doing a good job. FA is not over, I would rather answer this question at the end of July.

 

Big missed opportunity if tackle and cornerback is a glaring need heading into the draft with how flooded the FA market was at those positions.

 

Agreed. The Corner market was especially deep and cheap; hopefully there's something coming soon.

I wouldn't feel great about the draft if it were tomorrow; we would have to pick a few specific needs (T, CB, RB, maybe DE) pretty early to go into the season with sound starters at all positions. Started the off-season with holes at WR, CB, T, DE, and TE. We've addressed one of those, maybe 2 if you count renting Keller. I like the guys we've added for the most part, but one more signing at CB would really help. Free Agency is a chance to fill/plug holes and set yourself up to draft with freedom, pick talent over need. If the draft were tomorrow, I don't think we'd have much freedom or flexibility.

 

With teams being able to roll cap over to the next season... not really.

 

I think the price and value of corners has come down due to the shift in the game. With the rules and offensive schemes, even the best corners are getting beat. As well, with three playing most of the time, you simply cannot pay heavy at all three spots. If you pay a Revis $13M, teams will just avoid him and throw all day on the slot corner playing on the minimum.

I think you now need three "solid" corners, good cover safeties and two excellent pass rushers. If we're playing primarily a zone, I'm not sure you take zone corners at pick 12 in the draft or pay heavy in free agency.

 

we have a lot of draft picks to use. I'm hesitant to sign middle-tier starters right now if they end up getting cut in training camp when they hopefully get displaced by the rookies.

 

I'm a little worried. I think people are underestimating how important the decisions regarding our 2013 OT's will be, like i said before, it could make or break our season. if we cant pass protect on an offense that will be heavily pass oriented, adding Wallace, Gibson and Keller really wont matter. We should have signed Vollmer the second Jake Long signed with STL, strengthen your team while weakening a division rival. They're both injury prone but Vollmer has been more consistent the last couple of years, he's cheaper, and he's played both tackle spots.

And we have nothing at corner right now. I'm not trying to rely on 2 rookies like back in 09. It's funny how we were all fine with letting Sean Smith walk because the FA corner market was so stacked. well we're 11 days in and we haven't signed one damn corner. Now they are all gone.

Then there's DE, Michael Bennett signed for 1 year, 5 mil with a team that already had Avril, Clemons, and Bruce Irvin...reports said we only offered him 4.5 mil...? Less competition for him here, had we offered him bit more he likely would've signed. Ireland can give Wallace 12 mil/yr but 5 mil is too much for a 27 y.o. DE that can rush the passer and stop the run? Makes no sense to me.

Now I'm not saying we should've filled every hole in FA, we obviously still have the draft next month, but to leave all 3 of these deficiencies unaddressed up to this point when the FA market has dried up is definitely troubling, we're talking about DE, CB, and OT here, these aren't just minor components, these are 3 of the 5 most critical positions on the field.

 

In the interview with Ireland and Ross, Ireland made a comment about not being finished and continuing to build the team through the draft and other player aquisition times (I'm paraphrasing). I think he was refering to after cut downs when you can pick up some quality cap-casuality vets. I could defintely see us waiting until then to add a blocking TE or a back-up RB.

 

i agree, although i'm gettting a little itchy lately, no need to be make conclusions yet

 

I don't want to make a big deal of anything. But these are my thoughts.

1. They signed Mike Wallace for money I wouldn't have given. I made that clear a long time before there were believable reports that Miami really was after him and for the longest time I flatly disregarded those reports, so if someone wants to sit here and say I only don't like spending that much for Wallace because Miami actually did it then all the power to you but you're wrong. It's just not something I would've done. He'll be a valuable addition but I think the money is going to bite us down the road.

2. They inserted a lot of risk at the LB position particularly with the Dansby for Ellerbe swap. Ellerbe is a nice player. I think they paid too much for him relative to his experience level. The Wheeler for Burnett swap I could get on with but doing that AND also doing this Ellerbe for Dansby swap is a big risk. These are not guys you know, that have been playing in your system. The rules about return on investment in free agency therefore apply. So I'm cautiously optimistic like everyone but also pretty wary.

3. Brian Hartline for $6 million a year was too much but I can understand why they did it. They fear the return on investment for free agency that I talked about. He's the devil they know and he actually pairs really well with Mike Wallace. So I can dig it. But the priority has to be on replacing Davone Bess with someone much more athletic and much more capable of producing big plays. Hence all the Tavon Austin talk. He's on my list. I'm not opposed at all.

4. But then why sign Brandon Gibson with $4 million guaranteed? While Davone Bess is on the roster, all this is, is a development clogger. Not a fan.

5. I like the Keller signing particularly at the price they paid. I didn't think I was going to because I thought he'd get more money and on a longer term contract. He's not the seam threat people think. But he is going to work the same side as Mike Wallace and catch passes underneath once Wallace clears the area. Sanchez was late and inaccurate on those throws in particular and I don't think Tannehill will be. Having him here gives Egnew a chance to still try and make good. Even so, every attempt should've been made to get Martellus Bennett.

6. Allowing Jake Long to walk was a mistake, IMO. There's no other way to put this. I like the contract the Rams got him on. I'd have done that. The Dolphins could lessen this mistake by signing a Sebastian Vollmer but I don't think that's going to happen. I don't like what they're doing here so far, at all.

7. Nervous about the corner position. This talk of Miami not needing valuable corner investments because of their zone scheme is as nonsensical as last year's talk about Miami not needing valuable receiver investments because of Philbin's scheme. Fast forward a year and Miami is shelling out $100 million in contracts at the receiver position and may still use a #12 overall pick on it aside, so obviously all that talk was a bunch of horse sh-t. I feel like once we fast forward a year from now we could be looking at the same thing with the corner position. Hopefully they stem that by grabbing a Brent Grimes, and hopefully his Achilles turns out fine. Or hopefully they make an RFA offer on Sam Shields but that seems doubtful. Hopefully they make smart investments in the position in the Draft.

8. I don't like one bit punting the free safety position by buying one more year with Chris Clemons. I think we got away with some things in 2012 with him not being challenged as much as he could've been. But that card could turn up at any time, and it'll be costly when it does.

9. Grabbing Matt Moore for $4 million a year isn't what I would've done. It's not a big deal but it's not what I would have done.

10. God help this defensive end position opposite Cameron Wake if they punt on the pass rush specialists still available and then they try and go cheap on it in the Draft.

 

if Martin doesn't improve significantly this season you're gonna be missing Long just as much as Tannehill will.

 

Antwan Barnes' contract with the Jets is for 3 years and $4 million by the way. Keep that in mind as you see the Dolphins offer $5 million to guys who have been less efficient pass rushers over the last 5 years.

And Barnes is a native Miamian. He wants to be here.

 

What the Seahawks have done regarding upgrading their Cornerbacks with the type, size, athletic ability and measurables are the new blueprint for defending the pass orientated NFL Offenses. The TE position has changed last few yrs and the Hawks are setting the new template at Cornerback imo. Seattle went out of the box to the norm. I don't think we need to use the 1st pick on CB.

 

I hated the Hartline signing at first, warmed up to it a bit now that I've seen how it's structured, but honestly wouldn't you rather have let him walk, signed Gibson, and then forwarded the money we saved towards a Derek Cox, Greg Toler or Chris Houston? or even a Michael Bennett. and then just draft Patterson.

seeing as how Long and Vollmer are repped by the same agency, we should've had a plan B deal in place with Vollmer if/when Long chose to leave.

completely agree, all these corners were out there and we couldn't even sign one? and we let Sean Smith walk.

yea I really don't get it, Ireland's throwing money everywhere but when it comes to the most critical pieces on the field, pass rusher, corner, and OT, all of sudden he's as cheap as can be.

 

If ppl are complaining about our FA up to now then they are nitpicking. We had more holes than a colander going into Free Agency. Now we've got a few holes and FA hasn't finished. I'm hoping we reach the point when Draft day arrives we actually pick the BPA and not need.

 

Report: Dolphins have “jumped into” Dumervil discussions | ProFootballTalk (via http://ble.ac/teamstream-) http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...lphins-have-jumped-into-dumervil-discussions/

Perhaps irish isn't really done yet padre...

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EJ Biggers signed for dirt cheap *smh*

 

I can almost be ok with Martin at LT in 2013 but we need an entire Right side of our offensive line. We currently do not have anyone on this team I would trust at RG or RT and that includes Yeatman. Yeatman is a project, plain and simple. There is no reason for me to believe after he was inactive for a lot of games last year he will magically be a starter this year.

We need a RG RT a d lineman to compliment Wake and a good corner. Do not care how we get them. The priority is the RG and RT. If we do not replace Jerry and our RT losing Jake Long is going to make us look like even bigger dam Yahooo's and Ross does not want that, not at all.

 

LOL, all a player needs is two teams interested in his services for the player to get PAID. Now 4 teams ? Denver is going to win out but it is going to cost them major jack to keep this guy. If Denver does not keep him, now with 4 teams in the hunt, its going to cost major jack to any team that wants him. I like the guy but no way we should drop the mother load on him. I can see Ireland foregoing signing anyone else until Dumervil decides. By that time, Winston and Volmer will be signed and we will have nobody, NADA. Or if we get Dumervil the bank will be almost empty for the rest of FA.

 

I find a lot of players just think they are worth more then they are. Look at Osi as a prime example. Can't defend the run...is nothing more then a nickel/dime pass rusher now and he wants over $5 million a year? Good luck with that.

 

After his contract debacle earlier I'm sure he wants the $$$ too.

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Can't say I blame him but when a player has 2 teams with serious interest, he gets paid. 4 teams with serious interest ? = stupid funny money.

 

Not always. Just because four teams are interested doesnt mean they are all bidding each other up. Most teams not run by (RIP) Al Davis or Dan Snyder don't throw insane numbers at big names.

That said Im sure he gets a healthy deal.