Let's hear it , let's have 'em.
I'll start...
DT Ndamukong Suh - 6 year 114 Million
The Biggest, baddest free agent on the market and still in his prime. Our run defense was embarrassing down the stretch, this signing fixes that. He eats up interior lineman and makes our edge rushers even more dangerous. This is going to make our pass defense that much better. He is noted for his work ethic and is an upstanding citizen off the field.
This is still football. If you can intimidate your opponent even slightly, you can gain an edge.... Suh is an intimidating man.
We get our true game changer on defense. Offensive lines are going to be kept up at night game planning for this guy.
Awesome franchise changing pick up and he comes with a clean injury history. Only reason he doesn't get the A+ is because we paid full market value and the league will be quick to suspend him for even border line offenses due to past history.
Grade A
TE Jordan Cameron - (reportedly!) 2 years 15M
That Huge target this team has been lacking. The Red Zone offense is going to benefit from his addition. Creates some very troubling mismatches for the defense and can be lined up all over the field. I mean at 6'5 250lbs, he has wideout speed and possesses agility that is rare in any player, forget a monster like him. No way linebackers can cover him and he is a physical mismatch for any DB if he is lined up outside.
He also had a never ending string of terrible QB's throwing him the ball in Cleveland, so his numbers aren't even scraping the surface of what he is capable of IMO.
This signing is a bold move. No playing it safe here, this is a homerun swing on a top end talent. But everything stated above goes away in a hurry if he isn't on the field. The brass is comfortable accepting his concussion history if it means a chance at that ceiling, but there is a degree of risk. It will be interesting to see how the contract is structured. Could change the grade slightly.
Like Suh he is still a young guy in his prime.
Grade B+
(I really wanted to give an A here, but can't get past that nervous feeling I'm getting due to the head injuries )
CB - Brice McCain - 2 years 5.5M
Replaces Jimmy Wilson and has had some success playing the slot, but can also play outside. He lacks the height that most people on here want, but does have some feistiness in him and apparently CAN tackle. This is obviously a depth move and not intended to be the impact signing of Suh or Cameron. Nobody is expecting him to start outside opposite Grimes, but hey his price tag is low and he is experienced. Looks like he has had some inconsistencies from year to year, but Pittsburgh fans seemed upset to be losing him, so that is encouraging. He also brings top end speed.
I think he'll be a nice upgrade.
Grade B
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Suh..nothing but an A+
Jordan..A...young stud tight end, athletic mismatch at 250 lbs..beautifully coordinated..elite at his position...
mccain..Relative to contract size..b+...very fast corner, can move in the slot with great lateral quickness and explosion...hands are suspect.
Ross and Hickeybaum are changing the culture.Phins_Fan_87, dolfan22, the 23rd and 2 others like this. -
MrClean Inglourious Basterd Club Member
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Free agency has definitely been an A so far...I wish we could have signed Orlando Franklin, he got around $7.5 mil/year, I'd rather give him that than Charles Clay. We still have gaping holes at guard and safety but so far all 3 signings have been excellent moves.
Pennington's Limp Arm, dolfan22 and cbrad like this. -
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We cut or have yet to re-sign Hartline, Clay, Gibson, Colledge, Smith. Cameron is the only replacement so far. On D Wheeler, Trusnik, Finnegan, Wilson, Delmas, Freeney, Starks, Odrick are gone, replaced by McCain and Suh. Pretty much speaks for itself.
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And dont forget Tannebaum who is also a new addition to the team .A preliminary A.
djphinfan, Pennington's Limp Arm, dolfan22 and 1 other person like this. -
excellent signings... the draft for Miami suddenly appears very differently to me. no problems with a first round ILB to play behind Suh. maybe, a guard & a power back for short-yardage. still think we need a defensive coordinator. like Hickeys as GM, but Philbin has a lot to prove my book. could they be grooming Lazar for a shot at head-coach? anyway you look at it, the season seems to be shaping up nicely...
Pennington's Limp Arm likes this. -
It's gonna be hard to hate on what we have done. Well, unless your Heath Evans. Really hard to say the team is not better after these pickups.
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mlb1399 likes this.
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I think all around you have to give it an A. We addressed two major areas of need: run defense and red zone scoring as well as add a pay for play contract at a strong position of need. While I don't love the big contract deals in FA I understand why they did it. We may have just made our front 7 one of the best in the NFL. If true, then it was worth every penny.
now we can focus on OG, S, WR, RB and CB in the draft. If either Davis or Taylor develop and step up, we could be set there.Pennington's Limp Arm likes this. -
All 'A' grades, because all three players are worth the contracts they were given, and all three will be contributors at important positions.
dolfan22 likes this. -
I have loved every name I've heard. I'm thrilled that this team has added the league's premier DT, an experience receiving TE and a fiesty CB with 4.33 speed.
All that looks fantastic to me on paper. The only downsides are that Suh cost a fortune and Cameron wasn't cheap either, particularly given his injury concerns. When you add in that the CB we signed is really a Nickel guy, we're not there yet. It's not like we've somehow worked magic in free agency. The team basically did what any team would do given $135M. ;)
But, Suh could help turn this defense around, Cameron could be perfect for us and McCain, while being just a nickel guy, is a very good nickel guy and a huge improvement over what we had.
So far, I'd give our offseason free agent signings a B+. I just can't give the A when the team spent $135M. You'd better have gotten something special for that price!the 23rd likes this. -
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Overall grade is an A- IMO.
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dolfan22 Season Ticket Holder Club Member
Regarding McCain , how has he or will he contribute on special teams?
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To put that in perspective the only player in Dolphin history with 4 or more first team all-pros is Zach Thomas.
That is it.
We just signed a player who is in a category that is in a great category. In fact, he is still young and if he keeps it up he will get multiple all-pros as a Miami Dolphins.
If he keeps up his current pace, Miami just signed a hall of fame player.
EDIT: Who is only available because the Lions have both Stafford AND Calvin Johnson on huge contracts.ToddPhin likes this. -
Not only have the players we've added been good pickups, but the players jettisoned were good salary cap moves as well.
Pennington's Limp Arm likes this. -
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Pennington's Limp Arm likes this.
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Super aggressive and went out and got exactly what he wanted. Heck he even got himself a guy who everyone was saying already signed with another team.
Buffalo thought they could put the screws to us with Clay negotiations, but he leveraged us into a much stronger position.
I like how he came in with a new perspective and no loyalties to the old regime that was stuck in mediocrity.... Allowing him to rid the team of a bunch of players/contracts that needed to go. Then he starts renegotiations with other contracts that weren't ideal. It's been an inspiring offseason so far IMO. Unfortunately he didn't swing a big enough sword to get rid of some of the coaching staff, so he doesn't quite get that A+. -
I like what I've seen so far. If you put enough talent on the team, not even Philbin can screw it up.
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Over paid for a player that will be declining in two years. Over paid for a TE that can't stay healthy. Lost odrick and will probably lose clay. I'd rather have odrick for the much cheaper contract and resign clay any day of the week.
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I think I have a man crush on Dennis Hickey tbh. He is kicking Ireland's *** in managing this team thus far. I can't wait to see his draft. I'm actually getting really excited for the 15/16 Dolphins even with the lame duck coach we retained.
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A picture is worth a thousand words.
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I'll like even them better if they have an amazing draft.
Amazing draft+Amazing FA is the Dolphins almost guaranteed to be in the playoffs *knock on wood if you ask me (on paper.) -
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