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What should Dolphins do about Starks and Clay?

Discussion in 'Miami Dolphins Forum' started by Phins Up Wins Up, Mar 8, 2015.

  1. Phins Up Wins Up

    Phins Up Wins Up Banned

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    Letting Starks and Clay go would save the Dolphins $12 million in cap space.

    Starks is being paid $6 million cutting him would save $5 million from the cap. He won't be starting next year. It will be Suh and Mitchell. Decline in his game was evident over the course of the season and paying that much for him to come off the bench might be too much.

    Here are some links about Charles Clay. The Bills are expected to make him a "substantial offer" soon. Letting Clay walk away would save the team $7 million in cap space. They could go in the draft or go with Dion Sims at tight end next year.


    http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/...-clay-a-substantial-offer-20150308-story.html

    http://www.syracuse.com/buffalo-bil...harles_clay_danorris_searcy_jerry_hughes.html

    Saving $12 million in cap space could mean an upgrade at CB, G, and S that much easier. Free agents out there still are Patrick Robinson, Chris Culliver, Clint Boling, and Searcy. The question is how expendable are Clay and Starks given the amount of cap space that could be used to fill these positions of need? I think you let them both go. Maybe Starks will agree to restructure.
     
  2. PhinFan1968

    PhinFan1968 To 2020, and BEYOND! Club Member

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    If they wanna get paid, they'll be gone...particularly Clay. Hate to lose him, but he couldn't stay healthy enough to warrant breaking the bank.

    As for Starks, he declined it seemed to me this past year. If he'd take vet backup money and stay...sure. Suh would make him super expendable.
     
  3. Marino1384

    Marino1384 Member

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    Resign clay and drop starks.
     
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  4. Unlucky 13

    Unlucky 13 Team Raheem Club Member

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    I would assume that the team made a strong effort to resign Clay before they slapped him with the transition tag and weren't able to come to an agreement. Now, we see what other teams may offer to get him. I like Clay a lot, but he's not a big, special talent. He's a solid starter. If another team wants to pay him like he's a young Tony Gonzales or Jason Whitten, then we let them do it and move on.

    Starks isn't seemingly likely to take a pay cut and has obviously butted heads with the front office and coaching staff before. He'd have been gone last year had someone offered him a contract that he wanted. Assuming Odrick is gone, I think its very possible that they keep Starks for one more year, but personally I'd cut him and spend the 5 mil elsewhere.
     
  5. DolphinGreg

    DolphinGreg Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Starks I don't care much about at this point. His production is small potatoes and his cap hit should mirror that. If it can't, let him go.


    Clay for one needs to stay healthy. If he can do that this year and produce more TDs (and stop dropping the ball in those situations) I think we'll be handing him a fair amount of money next year. He could really thrive with Tannehill in this offense as a receiving TE.

    That said, if he continues to be injury-prone and fluctuates in his production week-to-week, he's not worth a long-term contract, not what others might give him.

    I like the transition tag on Clay. It seems quite sensible given his history.
     
    gunn34 likes this.
  6. Larryfinfan

    Larryfinfan 17-0...Priceless Club Member

    It'll save us that $12m in cap room, but what about the production ?? Mitchell is a castoff that fit well rotationally but can he be depended on as the starter?? Remember, Odrick is gone too, we/they don't know what they are doing with Jordan and really Sims ?? I don't think so...he did fine as the 2nd TE but I don't think any of us see him as a replacement for Clay's production...

    There are alot of holes to fill in here folks...how much is too much...and what can we get to replace that production from both of those guys, even if you pull Starks out (arguably our most productive DL) and plug in Suh...
     
    2socks likes this.
  7. gunn34

    gunn34 I miss Don & Dan

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    I would let both leave. Clay has a couple good games in two years. Not enough to keep at that salary. Starks playing time has dropped off lately and with Suh here, I think we balance out the money going into that position with something cheaper. I like the way Fede played on the line last year too.
     
  8. jw3102

    jw3102 season ticket holder

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    I like Clay, but not at $7 million a year or more. If the Bills are offering him a contract that will pay him this type of money, the Dolphins really aren't in a situation where they can overpay a player who has a history of missing games with injuries.

    I was a big fan of Starks in his first few years with the Dolphins. Unfortunately last year his play seemed to decline. I think having Suh next to him would take some of the pressure off Starks and he might be able to perform better than he did last season. Hopefully he will be open to restructuring his contract, but if he isn't, he will likely be cut in the next few weeks.

    Even with Suh, the Dolphins need to add a lot more talent on the roster before they will be a playoff team. The Lions had a better QB than the Dolphins and the best WR in the NFL. They had a lot of talent on their defense, including Suh and yet they never won a playoff game during Suh's five years in Detroit. In fact they had a sub 500 record over his time with the Lions.

    His signing is a great beginning to the off season but it won't mean anymore wins unless the Dolphins add quality starters at the major areas of need which still exist on offense and defense.
     
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  9. Pennington's Limp Arm

    Pennington's Limp Arm Well-Known Member

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    Cut Starks, the $5M in savings is better used at other positions.

    I trust Anthony Johnson and AJ Francis enough to spell Suh and Mitchell. Didn't Suh play 80% of defensive snaps last year anyway?
    Then start looking for a DT in the 4th round of the draft.

    I'm more inclined to keep Clay assuming the price is reasonable.
     
  10. cbrad

    cbrad .

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    You HAVE to cut Starks. Unlike Odrick or Clay, he's regressing. Not sure what they're waiting for but I fully expect them to cut him.
     
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  11. Hellion

    Hellion Crash Club Member

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    There was speculation that the Bills interest in Clay is to drive up the cost to Miami so they may have less to offer Suh, IF that is the case then you have to think with Revis on the market now Rex will want a shot at him. So dropping the bid for Clay is possible.
     
  12. Section126

    Section126 We are better than you. Luxury Box

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    No.
     
  13. GARDENHEAD

    GARDENHEAD Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Clay is not special. He's shown a lot of potential, but I'm not stretching an already thin salary cap situation for him.
     
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  14. EverFin

    EverFin Active Member

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    I think Clay is special but by far not consistent and healthy enough for such a high salary. I loved his best plays i.e. the play against Polamalu. But as much as I hate to lose him when another team offers that kind of contract to him we shouldn't overpay and go elsewhere and use the opportunity to get bigger/taller at TE.
     
  15. Jt0323

    Jt0323 Fins Up! Luxury Box

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    So did bills miss their window?
     
  16. 2socks

    2socks Rebuilding Since 1973

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    lol overpay is the new standard in south florida
     
  17. Phins Up Wins Up

    Phins Up Wins Up Banned

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  18. Piston Honda

    Piston Honda Well-Known Member

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    I wonder if Clay is getting multi year contract offers bc I can't see teams giving him much more than the 7 mil he's set to make here. If we're leery of a long term deal then it's probably health related, understandable but it begs the question why is Cameron a backup plan?
     
  19. Limbo

    Limbo Mad Stillz

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    Clay is tricky. The problem with him is that he's not special at the stuff a TE typically does. He's not effective in-line, he doesn't give you much boost in the run game, and he isn't a great seam threat. What he does do well is uncover quickly against LBs, RAC, and being that move mismatch piece where he's too big and strong for corners. He's a nice athlete at his size with some unique abilities. I just don't know how much this kind of untraditional TE is worth. He can definitely play ball.

    The other consideration here, imo, is that yes his production dipped due to his knee...but I think Jarvis Landry ate into it too. They're going to work similar areas of the field and they're good at similar routes. So maybe the stuff Clay brings to the table is already accounted for in Landry. I dunno.

    What I do know is that having this much turnover in one offseason is potentially trouble for Tannehill. And I do know that losing a late rounder who you found and developed would really suck.
     
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  20. Georgia Fin

    Georgia Fin Fin For Life

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    I like Clay a lot, but that is a lot of cash for him. If he was used more in this offense then maybe but he's pretty steep at 7M now. If Barfallo wants him, move on and don't overpay. I still think Lynch will be a pleasant surprise when he is healthy. Starks can go as well. We are looking at around 20M if Clay, Starks and Ellerbe are gone. We can do a lot with that kind of cash.
     

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