In the past week, Omar and a few others have started to take a "enjoy it for now" attitude towards the team, because they say that we'll be in a tight spot in 2015. I just don't see it. Tannehill, regardless of whether we pick up the option or not, is not going to be all that expensive until 2016. Lamar Miller will be back on the final year of his rookie deal. Wallace is actually 5 million cheaper next season than he is this one.
The team can make handful of cuts that also free up a large amount of cap space pretty easily.
Cutting Ellerbe saves 5.65 mil and leaves 4.2 mil in dead money.
Cutting Finnegan saves 5.475 mil and leaves 1.0 in dead money.
Cutting Gibson saves 3.26 mil and leaves 1.0 mil in dead money.
Cuting Fields saves 3.11 mil and leaves 1.0 mil in dead money.
Cutting Shelly Smith saves 2.75 mil and leaves 0.25 mil in dead money.
Cutting Garner saves 1.65 mil and leaves 0.167 mil dead money.
Add that up with the existing 0.280 in dead money we'll have leaves a gain of 21.895 mil in cap space, and 7.96 mil in dead money.
So, a net of about 16 million in usable cap space, plus what we roll over from this season.
The only big free agents are Clay and Odrick.
Yes, we may not be able to go hog wild in free agency, but can anyone tell me why this is going to be a big problem?
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Really don't understand it either.. maybe he means the 2016 offseason where we'll have Tannehill, Pouncey, Lamar Miller and Olivier Vernon among the FA's.. If Tannehill keeps playing at a high level there's a chance they sign his 5th year option though. Even then, I don't see it as that big an issue, especially if Hickey keeps up the good work with the drafts and quality FA signings.
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Here are the 2015 Free Agents, by the way, per Spotrac:
[TABLE="class: teamTable, width: 100%"]
[TR]
[TD="class: player even"]Matt Moore[/TD]
[TD="class: center even, align: center"]QB[/TD]
[TD="class: center even, align: center"]UFA[/TD]
[TD="class: center even, align: center"]MIA[/TD]
[TD="class: center even, align: center"]TBD[/TD]
[TD="class: center even, align: center"]30[/TD]
[TD="class: center even, align: center"]7[/TD]
[TD="class: even, align: right"]$5,500,000[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: player odd"]Louis Delmas[/TD]
[TD="class: center odd, align: center"]S[/TD]
[TD="class: center odd, align: center"]UFA[/TD]
[TD="class: center odd, align: center"]MIA[/TD]
[TD="class: center odd, align: center"]TBD[/TD]
[TD="class: center odd, align: center"]27[/TD]
[TD="class: center odd, align: center"]5[/TD]
[TD="class: odd, align: right"]$3,500,000[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: player even"]Knowshon Moreno[/TD]
[TD="class: center even, align: center"]RB[/TD]
[TD="class: center even, align: center"]UFA[/TD]
[TD="class: center even, align: center"]MIA[/TD]
[TD="class: center even, align: center"]TBD[/TD]
[TD="class: center even, align: center"]27[/TD]
[TD="class: center even, align: center"]5[/TD]
[TD="class: even, align: right"]$3,000,000[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: player odd"]Jared Odrick[/TD]
[TD="class: center odd, align: center"]DT[/TD]
[TD="class: center odd, align: center"]UFA[/TD]
[TD="class: center odd, align: center"]MIA[/TD]
[TD="class: center odd, align: center"]TBD[/TD]
[TD="class: center odd, align: center"]26[/TD]
[TD="class: center odd, align: center"]4[/TD]
[TD="class: odd, align: right"]$2,779,548[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: player even"]Daryn Colledge[/TD]
[TD="class: center even, align: center"]G[/TD]
[TD="class: center even, align: center"]UFA[/TD]
[TD="class: center even, align: center"]MIA[/TD]
[TD="class: center even, align: center"]TBD[/TD]
[TD="class: center even, align: center"]32[/TD]
[TD="class: center even, align: center"]8[/TD]
[TD="class: even, align: right"]$2,275,000[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: player odd"]Samson Satele[/TD]
[TD="class: center odd, align: center"]C[/TD]
[TD="class: center odd, align: center"]UFA[/TD]
[TD="class: center odd, align: center"]MIA[/TD]
[TD="class: center odd, align: center"]TBD[/TD]
[TD="class: center odd, align: center"]29[/TD]
[TD="class: center odd, align: center"]7[/TD]
[TD="class: odd, align: right"]$1,859,375[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: player even"]Charles Clay[/TD]
[TD="class: center even, align: center"]TE[/TD]
[TD="class: center even, align: center"]UFA[/TD]
[TD="class: center even, align: center"]MIA[/TD]
[TD="class: center even, align: center"]TBD[/TD]
[TD="class: center even, align: center"]25[/TD]
[TD="class: center even, align: center"]3[/TD]
[TD="class: even, align: right"]$1,459,000[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: player odd"]Jimmy Wilson[/TD]
[TD="class: center odd, align: center"]S[/TD]
[TD="class: center odd, align: center"]UFA[/TD]
[TD="class: center odd, align: center"]MIA[/TD]
[TD="class: center odd, align: center"]TBD[/TD]
[TD="class: center odd, align: center"]28[/TD]
[TD="class: center odd, align: center"]3[/TD]
[TD="class: odd, align: right"]$1,442,475[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: player even"]Jason Trusnik[/TD]
[TD="class: center even, align: center"]ILB[/TD]
[TD="class: center even, align: center"]UFA[/TD]
[TD="class: center even, align: center"]MIA[/TD]
[TD="class: center even, align: center"]TBD[/TD]
[TD="class: center even, align: center"]30[/TD]
[TD="class: center even, align: center"]7[/TD]
[TD="class: even, align: right"]$1,071,668[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: player odd"]Jason Fox[/TD]
[TD="class: center odd, align: center"]RT[/TD]
[TD="class: center odd, align: center"]UFA[/TD]
[TD="class: center odd, align: center"]MIA[/TD]
[TD="class: center odd, align: center"]TBD[/TD]
[TD="class: center odd, align: center"]26[/TD]
[TD="class: center odd, align: center"]4[/TD]
[TD="class: odd, align: right"]$635,000[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: player even"]Kelvin Sheppard[/TD]
[TD="class: center even, align: center"]ILB[/TD]
[TD="class: center even, align: center"]UFA[/TD]
[TD="class: center even, align: center"]MIA[/TD]
[TD="class: center even, align: center"]TBD[/TD]
[TD="class: center even, align: center"]26[/TD]
[TD="class: center even, align: center"]3[/TD]
[TD="class: even, align: right"]$607,059[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: player odd"]Derrick Shelby[/TD]
[TD="class: center odd, align: center"]DE[/TD]
[TD="class: center odd, align: center"]RFA[/TD]
[TD="class: center odd, align: center"]MIA[/TD]
[TD="class: center odd, align: center"]TBD[/TD]
[TD="class: center odd, align: center"]25[/TD]
[TD="class: center odd, align: center"]2[/TD]
[TD="class: odd, align: right"]$573,334[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: player even"]Jonathan Freeny[/TD]
[TD="class: center even, align: center"]OLB[/TD]
[TD="class: center even, align: center"]RFA[/TD]
[TD="class: center even, align: center"]MIA[/TD]
[TD="class: center even, align: center"]TBD[/TD]
[TD="class: center even, align: center"]25[/TD]
[TD="class: center even, align: center"]3[/TD]
[TD="class: even, align: right"]$570,000[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: player odd"]Daniel Thomas[/TD]
[TD="class: center odd, align: center"]RB[/TD]
[TD="class: center odd, align: center"]UFA[/TD]
[TD="class: center odd, align: center"]MIA[/TD]
[TD="class: center odd, align: center"]TBD[/TD]
[TD="class: center odd, align: center"]27[/TD]
[TD="class: center odd, align: center"]3[/TD]
[TD="class: odd, align: right"]$569,118[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: player even"]Michael Thomas[/TD]
[TD="class: center even, align: center"]S[/TD]
[TD="class: center even, align: center"]ERFA[/TD]
[TD="class: center even, align: center"]MIA[/TD]
[TD="class: center even, align: center"]TBD[/TD]
[TD="class: center even, align: center"]25[/TD]
[TD="class: center even, align: center"]1[/TD]
[TD="class: even, align: right"]$495,000[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: player odd"]Damien Williams[/TD]
[TD="class: center odd, align: center"]RB[/TD]
[TD="class: center odd, align: center"]ERFA[/TD]
[TD="class: center odd, align: center"]MIA[/TD]
[TD="class: center odd, align: center"]TBD[/TD]
[TD="class: center odd, align: center"]22[/TD]
[TD="class: center odd, align: center"][/TD]
[TD="class: odd, align: right"]$420,000[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: player even"]Jerome Messam[/TD]
[TD="class: center even, align: center"]RB[/TD]
[TD="class: center even, align: center"]RFA[/TD]
[TD="class: center even, align: center"]MIA[/TD]
[TD="class: center even, align: center"]TBD[/TD]
[TD="class: center even, align: center"]29[/TD]
[TD="class: center even, align: center"][/TD]
[TD="class: even, align: right"]$0[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]Larry Little, RickyNeverInhaled, Springveldt and 1 other person like this. -
If Tannehill keeps playing like he is, it's going to cost a metric ****ton to sign him.
Odrick and Clay won't be cheap either. -
You can't keep everyone, of course. I'd like Delmas back, but at a reasonable price. Other than Odrick and Clay, most of the rest are "just a guy".
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Yes, but not in 2015.
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Hartline saves 7.5 million and hes a goner at that rate. I wouldnt mind him restructuring for 3.5 mil and having him stay but no way hes here at 7.5 mil
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True but I think you have to start to make plans for it.
Also, doesn't Albert's number jump up next year by around $6M?
I don't think we are in that bad a shape for next year but we will probably try and carry over a chunk to pay Tannehill in 2016. -
vt_dolfan Season Ticket Holder Club Member
But we dont have to sign him in 2015.
We are going to be fine, I just wish I understood the cap well enough to explain why. CK was mentioning the reasons awhile ago, maybe he or someone else who does understand cap can explain it better.
Teams basically have ways now to do what they need to do to sign their players, thats the jist of it.
I think when people like Omar say things like this, its to get debate and dialogue going back and forth...notice how he ends with "Enjoy this year"... -
Albert does. His cap number for the remainder of his contract is about 10 mil. He and Wallace kind of cancel one another out next year, one up one down.
Before the 2016 season, we also don't have as many commitments as we will next year, and other players like Wheeler, Hartline and Misi can be let go, if deemed necessary. I also expect Cam Wake to be renegotiated down from his 9.8 mil cap number for that year. If he falls off a cliff, he could also be cut without a big penalty at that point. Wallace could also be let go at that point with a managable cap hit.
Long and short, the money will be there for RT if he proves worthy, and Miller won't break the bank, as RBs aren't getting big paydays unless they're the eilte of the elite.Ohio Fanatic likes this. -
The cap problem is very very real. Cut's will have to be made.
Cutting Hartline may indeed be a sound move but it will carry a dead money wallop.
Cutting a healthy Gibson might not be a good idea unless you are clearing that cap to go after an elite free agent who is a bona fide game changer.
IMO, trading Pouncey would be a great move. It would clear over 7 mil; no dead money, and get us a high pick.
Make no mistake, Odrick and Clay are getting long term contracts with serious guaranteed money; somewhere. I would rather trade Starks for a pick and save 5 mil in cap than let Odrick walk.
It will be interesting to see what happens, but yes, there is going to be a significant personnel change in 2015 -
Hartline has no dead cap, he can be cut to save his full 7.5 mil. No way pouncey gets traded. We finally have some talent and are starting to play well at oline and you think itd be a good idea to get rid of our one good young interior lineman? No way hes a top 5 center and plays well at guard. If anything i think our first round pick should be a guard with pouncey,albert,juwaun and we should be good for the next 4 years until we have to replace albert.Da 'Fins likes this.
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Also I have no doubt guys like Miller and Vernon want to stay in Miami. They will get fair paydays based on performance but you have to think we will be their first, second and third choice if we aren't lowballing them.
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If that's true then hartline is SO cut. I mean, is there really an argument to keep him? Even at his best, which he isn't playing at that level now a days, he isnt worth that.
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Clay's a TE, and he's not been THAT productive. I love him and don't want to lose him, but hes not on Gronk, Graham, Vernon Davis level. He won't demand a fortune. Oddrick has huge question marks too, hes never been an every down DT.GARDENHEAD likes this.
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This year Odrick is an every down DT.
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Yeah, Clay is a nice player, but he's not even a Pro-Bowler. Ordick will be expensive, but not horribly so.
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Fins are playing well, there's plenty of losers out there looking for the downside of everything. It makes them feel better about themselves to rain on parades, bandaging their battered egos.... Bolstering their low self esteem. Omar is LbsFinest FYI.
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vt_dolfan Season Ticket Holder Club Member
Ill let Ck go through the explanation exactly.. But we arent in nearly the dire straights being made out. There are decisions that need to be made... But one thing not being talked about is the fact Miami will be rolling over what they didn't spend this season. We also don't know what the cap will actually be next season.
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jboogie The sky is NOT falling!
You know what feels really good right now? Knowing of we trade Pouncy for cap space or personality reasons I totally trust Hickey to find us high caliber talent for the Oline via free agency or the draft.
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The problem isn't what those players are worth to the market as a whole. The problem is what they're worth to one crazy buyer. I call it the "eBay Theory." So much stuff goes for so much more than it's worth because even though 99% of the world sees it for what it is, one guy is willing to overpay. Unfortunately, that guy was often Ireland.
Our DL depth allows good players to look great. A rotation guy coming in fresh-legged gets to go one-on-one vs. an exhausted opponent who can't get help because Wake's on the other side. Someone will overpay for one of the guys we want to keep. My guess is Vernon, who wants to stay in Miami but will get a monster offer in some city like Indy or Washington that needs to play fast-forward catch-up on defense. We've seen a lot of our guys go on to be overpaid, middling guys (e.g., Ogunleye [who was never worth what they paid], Soliai, Kendall Langford, even late-career JT). -
Odrick has played 78% of the snaps on the defensive line. The only person who has played more is OV at 79%. The bigger implication is Miami's DT depth won't be destroyed in 2016 when Starks is 32 as well as a free agent and Odrick is on some other team. He needs to be brought back.
Unless Miami goes after Ndamukong Suh of course -
WOW!!! Are you serious? I mean really. No wonder his coverage of the Fins sucks..cause he is too busy in the forums to give an honest Pro Dolphins coverage on our team..always negative..well for the most part.
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Is he really? You'd think he could put more quality stuff out if he's hanging around these forums...
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I agree with you on that. He should write better articles than he does..especially from a fan's perspective.
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Da 'Fins Season Ticket Holder Staff Member Club Member
There are six starters on that list of UFAs (if one includes Moreno).
I'd like to keep the other 5 - including Satele - he has done a fine job at C and allowed us to shore up the OG spot with Pouncey. Keep the OL together.
I would also want to keep Gibson. More reliable and tougher over the middle than Hartline.
Definitely cut Hartline. I think we have some budding talent at WR and can add another much cheaper. Hartline has been playing poorly this year, imo.
We should be able to land another RB (free agency or draft). I am personally done with Ellerbe and Wheeler but Wheeler offers near zero savings if cut next year.
Finnegan, though he has been pretty good, has a big cap savings ($5M or so) and may not make it to next year (but who do we replace him with as a bonafide starter?).
Right now, the numbers I saw, the cap is expected to hit $140. And the Dolphins are at that number according to this site - don't know how accurate this is:
http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/miami-dolphins/cap/2015/
If they cut Hartline, Ellerbe, and Finnegan (based on the site's numbers) they would be about $17 M under. I'd hate to see us cut Gibson or Starks. But, re-do a couple of deals and they should get to $20 M under. I'd prefer them to re-do Finnegan and keep him. Even if they like the younger guys, I think Finnegan has been a reliable professional CB (unlike the Nolan Carroll period).
If they can have a good draft and re-sign a few of the current starters - they should be able to keep the core of the team together from this year - which, if we continue to play well, will be a great boost for next year.
Edit:
I forgot about "Cap Rollover" - According to the above site, we are roughly $9 M under the cap for 2014 which would mean we could add that to the numbers above. If we took the same actions, that would put us $26 M under (with restructuring could probably get to $30 M under). -
Everywhere Ive seen, Hartline would come with a bunch of dead money. Gibson very little. I also love having Hartline on the team, and he has good chemistry with RT.
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Da 'Fins Season Ticket Holder Staff Member Club Member
This year that is the case (2014) but 2015 is different:
Hartline Cap
It shows him as a big dead hit in 2013 and 14, but no dead cap it in the years following. -
Hartline is toast, same with Ellerbe and Wheeler. Gibson I could see out the door because of the presence of Landry and Matthews
I think they re-sign Odrick, Clay, and extend Vernon now. Guys Like Delmas I think we can get back for close to the same rate and that wouldn't be a bad thing on a 3 yr deal. Finnegan is another guy who I think you restructure his deal and extend him by a year or two. I'd like to keep the secondary together as they seem to really play well but also Taylor and Davis continue to learn behind these guys.
Lets remember the cap is also going to take a nice jump from the new DirectTV deal. I'm not worried about the cap. -
I think the Dolphins are fairly convinced that they can cut Brian Hartline and Brandon Gibson, have Jarvis Landry and Rishard Matthews step into their places respectively, and be alright at the wide receiver position.
They probably think, and they're not really wrong, that Mike Wallace is the guy with rare ability that does certain things to the defensive coverage, and that the rest of the receivers are just guys. And so, if they're just guys, why pay two of them $9 million to be just guys?
Dannell Ellerbe is gone.
Brandon Fields could be cut as he's due $3.5 million, isn't playing near that worth right now, and the bottom line is you could go out there and pick yourself up a punter for a third of the price and he'll probably play almost as well as Fields. It's not a scarce position. When Kluwe got locked out of the league he was still punting the football really well. There are punters out there.
Philip Wheeler may actually be a difficult decision, believe it or not. It won't be because they'd only save $200k of 2015 salary cap space. In today's salary cap environment that's not as much of a consideration as you'd think. Rather it's because he's only due $3.0 million in cash flow for 2015, and the way he's playing right now he MAY actually be worth that. Even if he sits on the bench a little more than he once did, you could almost justify that price. But he could be gone anyway just because they'd like to get guys like Chris McCain and Jordie Tripp on the field more, rightfully so.
I think the decision to cut a Cortland Finnegan has to be made simultaneously with a decision to add someone that you're genuinely excited about lining up opposite of a Brent Grimes. We're talking like a Chris Harris of Denver who may escape the Broncos simply because they're cash-strapped. Believe it or not, the market on him may not be as wild as some project because ultimately he's a 5'9" corner with 4.48 speed and NFL teams don't simply forget that stuff just because once you got into the league you played well and earned some high PFF grades. Just ask Alterraun Verner. But I believe Harris likely fits Kevin Coyle's defensive style (provided Coyle sticks around).
I don't see any reason to cut Nate Garner. He's a valuable player that can back up any of the five positions on the line.
And I'd have to be convinced to dump Shelley Smith as well. Daryn Colledge will have his contract expire and he should not be asked back. So why not have Billy Turner play RG and Shelley Smith play LG?
Either way the NFLPA data suggests that Miami can carry over upwards of $13.8 million in cap space from 2014 to 2015. So they'll have that in addition to whatever cap savings they get from cuts.dolfan32323, Da 'Fins, Rocket2981 and 2 others like this.