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Grading Dolphins Free Agency Day's 1-2

Discussion in 'Miami Dolphins Forum' started by Dorfdad, Mar 15, 2022.

  1. Dorfdad

    Dorfdad Well-Known Member

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    Quite a big list of free agents coming in the first two days of free-agency, and while we are probably not done I feel the biggest names for us are probably off the board for now. So I wanted to see what everyone's thoughts on the new guys and resigning has you thinking for year one of the new regime?

    Quick Recap: taken from NFL.com

    Im going to rate these on a scale of 1-10 10 Being Awesome and 1 being the Jets.

    • QB Teddy Bridgewater: Signing a one-year, $6.5 million fully guaranteed deal that's worth up to $10 million with incentives. (Tom Pelissero)
    • RB Chase Edmonds: Agreed to a two-year, $12.6 million contract that includes $6.1 million guaranteed. (Ian Rapoport)
    • WR Preston Williams: Re-signed on a one-year deal worth up to $1.99 million. (Tom Pelissero)
    • WR Cedrick Wilson: Signing a three-year, $22.8 million deal that includes $12.75 million fully guaranteed. (Mike Garafolo, Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport)
    • TE Mike Gesicki: Signed the franchise tag.
    • OG Connor Williams: Signing a two-year, $14 million deal that includes $7.5 million fully guaranteed. (Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport)
    • DE Emmanuel Ogbah: Re-signed on a four-year, $65.4 million deal that will pay him $32.7 million over the first two years. (Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero)
    • LB Duke Riley: Re-signing on a one-year, $3 million deal. (Cameron Wolfe)
    • LB Elandon Roberts: Re-signing on a one-year, $3.25 million deal. (Ian Rapoport)


    QB: 8/10 Teddy Bridgewater: Good leadership skillset and Im not scared stiff if we have to play 2-3 games without TUA.

    RB: 7/10 RB Chase Edmonds: undersized / underutilized IMHO in Arizonia. Not sure he can be a full 3 down back but I good receiver/Yards per carry Rotational Player. Would like to see a featured bruising back, but looks like we will platoon fast guys.

    WR: 6/10 Preston Williams: Resigned good price for someone who is situational #3

    WR: 8/10 Cedric Williams: Don't know a lot about him but his stats from last year and he looks like a young good WR with upside and a decent. Can he be a #2? Does this mean Parker is cut or demoted to #3??


    TE: 8/10 Mike Gesicki: RESIGNED Like this. I don't think we used him enough in Flores scheme. Lets get him the ball more.

    OG: 7/10 OG Connor Williams: Lots of potential young and ranked top 15 last year, but can count on about 1-2 Penalties per game. Could be a liability.

    DE 9/10 Emmanuel Ogbah: RESIGNED Earned his paycheck and glad we didn't let him walk away and need to fill a big hole!

    LB 6/10 Duke Riley: RESIGNED Nothing special but he has familiarity with the system and was decent hopefully can improve and adds stability. Didn't cost much so good IMHO. Nothing sexy.

    LB 6/10 Elandon Roberts: RESIGNED Nothing special but he has familiarity with the system and was decent hopefully can improve and adds stability. Didn't cost much so good IMHO. Nothing sexy.

    So I got a total of: 65/90 Possible Score. Not thrilled not unhappy seems we filled a few spots with Decent players and for slightly more money than I was expecting for some of these.

    My opinion is that None of these makes us instant contenders IMHO. It seems Griers idea is to find middle of the road talented but flawed guys and coach them up. If we have the coaches to get the most out of them than this will be a good collection of players, but until proven otherwise we have not been able to do that effectively.

    I don't think the idea is to load up on talent year 1 and see if we can get into the playoffs or run at a Super Bowl. I think this is more a foundation building year and see what happens for next year. Which kinda makes me sad we're going to rebuild so to speak and looking at 3/4 Year time frame again.

    Just my Take and I would like to hear yours?










     
  2. KeyFin

    KeyFin Well-Known Member

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    I have no problem with any of the home-grown talent we extended...that's what you are supposed to do so no complaints there. I also don't have a problem with what we paid our guys- each deal seemed fair or a little in the organization's favor.

    For the four new players:

    • QB Teddy Bridgewater: 10/10. Great veteran pickup that fits the same type of system as Tua and could actually be a viable starter. I still think we need to draft a prospect QB in the middle to late rounds, but I say that every year. Bridgewater is a homerun signing and I also hear that he was our 1st choice.
    • RB Chase Edmonds: 6/10. I watched some film and this kid clearly has wheels. It's hard to put a grade here without seeing scheme but I have a feeling that I'm grading this too low...we'll see.
    • WR Cedrick Wilson: 7/10. Think of this kid as another Kenny Stills type of signing. He's young, has great speed and not a lot of mileage on his legs. He's also coming off a standout year, which probably got him a million or two more than I would have offered. Not sure if he naturally fits as a #2 but Waddle didn't fit as a #1 and that was awesome to watch. Again, it comes down to scheme...this could be a 10/10 or a complete bust (depending on how we use him).
    • OG Connor Williams: 10/10 Probably the top guard in free agency and we got him on the cheap. Solid in run and pass protect, physically aggressive, etc. Great pickup for what could be a 5+ year starter. Like the others, he's also young and coming off a solid year. Don't sweat the penalties to much either- holding is not the end of the world. I'd rather see a hold than a QB getting leveled any day of the week. This kid is borderline elite.
    Overall, the four picks average out to an 8.9 by my grading...but that's not the whole story. We still need 1 or 2 additional linemen. We could use a blocking TE and a punter. I wouldn't cry over a tough MLB or a stud edge rusher either. So my final verdict is incomplete- we need to see the full picture after the draft and into training camp. But we did nail down four important pieces in the overall blueprint.
     
  3. mlb1399

    mlb1399 Well-Known Member

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    I’m coming around on Williams. Sounds like maybe he was benched because of penalties and then finished the season starting.

    Really was hoping we’d sign an OT which I think is a bigger need than anyone we’ve signed so far. The way I see it is Davis could be a serviceable G and I think Hunt could have a good season.
     
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  4. Puka-head

    Puka-head My2nd Fav team:___vs Jets Club Member

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    Slightly left of center
    Davis would be a serviceable Concierge at a Beachside swank hotel. He would excel at holding open doors for millionaires, he's got tons of experience.
     
  5. Vinny Fins

    Vinny Fins Feisty Brooklyn dolfan ️‍

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    We are gonna add at least one more OL and LB. Lets see who we get. Maybe even a tackle and a C and an LB.
     
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  6. Galant

    Galant Love - Unity - Sacrifice - Eternity

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    PFF seems to be more or less happy with the moves. Either average or above average grades for the contracts:

    "
    MIAMI DOLPHINS
    TE Mike Gesicki: One year, $10,931,000 (franchise tag)
    Gesicki fancies himself a “big slot” receiver, rarely lining up as a true in-line tight end and staying in to block. For this reason, a $10.931 million franchise tag at the tight end position is a huge bargain for the Dolphins.

    Gesicki's fit in new head coach Mike McDaniel's offense — an offense that relies on tight ends to move people in the run game — remains to be seen. It's almost certain that a grievance will be filed with the NFL league office over the franchise tag value, and in the meantime, the two sides will have to work out a multi-year deal that suits both parties. This negotiation won't be over any time soon.

    Grade: Above average

    RB Chase Edmonds: Two years, $12.6 million ($6.1 million guaranteed)
    Edmonds was one of the Cardinals running backs toward the top of this free agent class, and it looks as if he’ll be heading to South Beach rather than returning to the desert. His best role is as a change-of-pace back and receiving threat out of the backfield rather than a lead rusher. His 77.0 PFF receiving grade in 2020 was a top-10 mark among qualifying running backs. Edmonds’ success in zone rushing schemes in Arizona does lend itself favorably to new head coach Mike McDaniels' scheme in Miami, as well.

    This deal is roughly in line with the contract signed by former teammate Kenyan Drake last offseason on a per-year basis, but it’s easier for Miami to cut ties next offseason with less guaranteed money ($6.1 million) than Drake’s deal in Las Vegas.

    Grade: Average

    WR Cedrick Wilson: Three years, $22.8 million ($12.75 million guaranteed)
    Wilson ended up pricing himself out of Dallas even after the Cowboys agreed to trade wide receiver Amari Cooper to the Cleveland Browns, inking a solid multi-year contract coming off a career year. He represents a strong option in the slot for Miami and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa coming off a year in which he had more receptions and yards than his entire career prior to 2021.

    Wilson earned a 73.0 receiving grade and put up 1.74 yards per route run, no small feat with so many other quality receiving weapons in the fold.

    Grade: Average

    QB Teddy Bridgewater: One year, $6.5 million (up to $10 million with incentives)
    With quarterback dominos beginning to fall, Bridgewater landed in a backup role with the Dolphins following two “bridge” seasons as a starter in Carolina and Denver. But there is a potential path to a starting role with the Dolphins for Bridgewater if things go south with Tua Tagovailoa in his third season out of Alabama.

    Bridgewater projects as one of the better backup quarterbacks in the league. He fits the mold of a QB who isn’t going to lose your team many games, ranking in the 84th percentile of all qualifying quarterbacks at avoiding negative grades over the past three seasons. The flip side is that he won’t win too many games single-handedly, either, with a 7th percentile finish in positively graded throw rate. That’s an easier profile to accept from a quarterback coming off the bench than a starter.

    Grade: Above average

    WR Preston Williams: One year, Up to $1.99 million
    Williams showed some promise as an undrafted rookie out of Colorado State in 2019, but things have been downhill since then, with injuries keeping him off the field for the majority of his three seasons in the NFL. There isn’t much risk here for a potential No. 5 option in the passing game behind Jaylen Waddle, DeVante Parker, Mike Gesicki and free agent signing Cedrick Wilson who could contribute if he’s able to stay on the field in 2022.

    Grade: Average

    G Connor Williams: Two years, $14 million ($7.5 million fully guaranteed)
    Williams struggled a bit out of the gate in 2021, which led to him getting benched in Week 7, but he bounced back and earned a career-best 76.1 grade. Williams allowed just 13 quarterback pressures on the season after surrendering 30 pressures in 2020.

    The former second-round pick in 2018 will be just 25 years old for the duration of the 2022 season and could hit the market again before he turns 27. Given the Dolphins’ struggles in pass protection in recent years, Williams could resemble a great value addition at left guard in new head coach Mike McDaniels’ offense.

    Grade: Above average"

    https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-2022-nfl-free-agency-live-deal-grader#MIA


    Here at 2:35 some comments on Connor Williams:

     
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