Well he's staying its clear...2013 is that year for him though. ALL Dolphins fans should expect the playoffs in 2013. Anything less is a total failure. Make the playoffs in 2013, I'm fine with Ireland staying. Miss out on them again, which would mean another non-winning season, and he better be gone. Big, important offseason for us.

Looks like the Jets and Bills are on the way down (well, the Bills to stay down), we have got to capitalize on it.

 

Huge offseason for this franchise.
Im very nervous its being run by Ireland, but hopefully he proves me wrong.

 

Sounds like a lot of opinion to be honest.

 

This is such a soul-suckingly stupid point of view.

 

He either comes through or will rightly be fired. That's how it should be. Our CB position is a dumpster fire in addition to our other obvious needs.

 

Of Reggie Bush:

...

 

I may be in the minority here but I'm not all worried about that position. I like Smith and Carrol. With Patterson added into the mix, It's been upgraded. Maybe another corner in FA but I'm not all worried.

 

And yet, two of the most immediate contract decisions Ireland must make are both about linemen: Jake Long and Randy Starks.

Agreed. Armando is very good at phrasing his opinion in a way that makes it seem like an exclusive inside report. In a way, it actually is an inside report, but I don't think we want to know too much about the interior of Armando's backside…

 

I trust his sources more than any other local reporter .He has been around much longer and he has contacts within the org .Not only the coaching staff which is rotated cyclically but with the team bureaucracy .

I am afraid we are going to get more of the same with Ireland sticking around .

 

technically, all you need is a couple of teams to start dominating more in the AFC and a 9-7 winning record misses the playoffs. but, I see what you're saying. if we don't make the playoffs next year then it's a big disappointment. with 5 of the top 100 picks and good FA money, there's no reason to not get a couple of good playmakers on offense that will help us win those close games. and I disagree with the other poster. marshall and patterson are good enough to make the team, but we clearly need a good corner. Smith can't be our top corner, he at least needs to be a 1A.

 

Whores?

 

Kinda figured before the SF game that if Martin played well Long was gone. Id be stunned if he stays at this point. Martin has been pretty good vs the Jags and Jills. Still needs to get stronger but he can play LT for this team at a fraction of what long would cost and still be above average as hes been the last 2 games. Ill miss Jake because hes a trooper. Or maybe we do something crazy like pay him 7-8M a year to be the games best RT. Less pass blocking could prolong his playing career and help that troublesome shoulder. Just sayin. Hopefully Armando's correct and this team is looking for playmakers.

 

If you trust his sources then why do you see it as much of the same?

If his sources are correct and the focus is going to be going after a high volume of playmakers, that is pretty far off of the course, but IMO is a very good thing. Enough of spending big time resources on the trenches and start going for edge rushers who can help to negate elite passing games or a ballhawking safety that can turn the tide of a game with a big pick. And guys who can catch the ball and make something happen. The dolphins haven't made those types of players a priority in Ireland's time here. If that will now be the focus this offseason (as it should be), there could be very good things ahead for this team.

 

1) Too early to say Martin would be a good LT, but at least it's credible to discuss it.
2) Glad to hear the franchise is developing Ryan without annointing him 'The Chosen One' prematurely.
3) If Bush thinks Ireland honestly believes Miller is better than him, I think Bush has enough pride to tell IReland to **** himself and sign elsewhere.

Finally... Jeff Ireland having a lot of important draft picks and money that are critical to the club :

[video=youtube;kxfcwPDkf0w]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxfcwPDkf0w[/video]

 

Agree across the board. Final chance for Ireland's groceries to turn into a nice meal we can eat without vomiting.

 

Lamar Miller may not have learned the playbook as fast as this coaching staff wanted, but when he's been given the opportunity, he has definitely flashed ability. Lamar had three games this season where he got 9+ carries in a game. In those three games, he carried the ball 29 times for 186 yards and a touchdown. That is a 6.41 yards per rush average.

 

Because Miller is very good. I'm not about to debate that, since I happen to agree with it.

However, I think it'll prick Reggie Bush's ego.

By the way, both of these 'leaks' would benefit the Dolphins in negotiations with Long and Bush. Not a coincidence, perhaps.

 

I stand by, Ross needs to have a conversation with Philbin. If he's willing to bet his job with Ireland as his GM then so be it. Because he too could very well be on the hot-seat next year if expectations are not met.

 

What an immense talent Miller is. That speed, elusiveness, POWER and physicality, vision, and most impressively to me, his balance is incredible.

[video=youtube;Zheo__712gI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zheo__712gI[/video]

 

I'd let Long and Starks go and plug in Martin, Odrick, and Vernon. I'd offer Bush a contract consistent with the role he had in New Orleans, and if he balks, I'd use Marcus Thigpen in that role.

IMO it's time to start getting the bang for the buck we can from guys like Martin, Odrick, Vernon, Miller, and Thigpen. I don't think the fall-off from Long, Starks, and Bush is enough to warrant the price tag for those players. Save the money and spend it elsewhere.

The main player to re-sign immediately is Hartline. He's your #2/possession receiver for the next half-dozen years, and that's someone we can't replace with someone else on the roster. I would also re-sign Sean Smith for the same reason.

 

This is what makes Ireland so hard to evaluate...
This article if true, says a lot of good thing and bad things. I'm hugely in favor of building a team through the draft, and using FA to supplement it. I'm not in favor of developing players we drafted, and then letting them walk, because we don't want to pay them. You can't sustain a team that way.

Take Long for instance. No, I'm not happy we might have to pay this guy 10 million plus next year, but let's not let him walk, if he can play (And hopefully somebody on the medical staff can evaluate him, and make sure he's not in decline.) We drafted him, we thought he was worth it, and except for this season, he has been. Left tackles don't grow on trees, and we'll never get to see how good Tannehill is, if we can't protect him. Now I understand, if he and most importantly, the coaching staff has a feeling Martin can play left tackle, for a cheaper price, but then, we have a hole at right tackle. And I'm worried about the OL's depth, anyway.

I'm fine with trading CB Davis, if he was a bust, but I'm not going to forget we doubled down that year for him and Smith, and could lose both. The draft is pretty useless, if you let the players walk after the rookie contract.

Bush on the other hand is a tuffer call. we traded for him, and just like a guy named Ronnie Brown, we didn't use him enough, get him the touches he needed, and don't really know what he could do for us. Sure, go ahead and lowball him, because I think Miller might really be an upgrade, but I still think its a mistake to lose him now, when he could he be so much more. I'd much rather have him and Miller, than Miller and Thomas in my backfield.

Yes, we have lots of draft picks, and if used right, we could be a contender next year, but not if, Ireland/Miami can't identify the core players to keep, and end up drafting to replace them.


I'm a little worried, that instead of building a team, we're just going to keep rebuilding what we have and not finish it.

 

If Bush is willing to sign the same two year contract....then yes. Otherwise I go find another RB to pair with Miller.

Pains me to say it....but if this team stays away from high priced contracts and maybe does two mid range contracts for WR/CB....there is an opportunity to collect some comp picks. A mid level WR and a mid level CB signing could offset Hartline/Smith going elsewhere.

That means third round future comp picks for letting Starks go (Odrick takes over) and Long go (Martin takes over). Those two picks would definitely have me considering. Or maybe franchise and see if someone would drop a low one or high two on Long. Really helps when you have guys who are ready to step in.

 

All depends on what Hartline is asking for. I would like to draft one if those DEs in the first and have Vernon be the rotational guy. Some good pass rushers in the first this year. Then go WR double dip in 2/3.

 

You and I would disagree, then. Franchise Long for a year, if we think he'll be healthy. Resign Starks. He's a force on a the DL, and we never know what injuris we might suffer. vernon is going to be OLB.

Bush, I agree we could go either way, but the guy is too dynamic of a player to lose, if we could sign him for say 5 or 6 million. We just need to use him more, and especially in the passing game.

Hartline? Ehh...if we can sign him cheaply, then yes, but we still need two starting WR's and a tightend, irreguardless.

Sean Smith? Let him go if we can't sign him cheaply, and go after a Two corners in FA.

 

"FlASH...Lamar Miller...Here's the thing with this dude..He's not just fast, he's fast while he's processing where to go..His vision and speed are cohesive, he just doesn't slow down when he cuts and knives his way thru the holes and traffic, keeps a nice low center of gravity....after the play,I laughed and said to my iphone, that was cool"

Somethin from camp I wrote on Miller..not sure how good he can be, but there is something special about the connection from his mind to his feet.

 

Patterson?

 

when do you address guard and CB's? FS? TE?

 

Patterson flashed really well I thought, McCann did not.

 

I dont thinK McCann played badly. He got beat a couple times but he was at least in position to make the play.

 

Ok but now you've just eaten up $18-20 million in cap space on 2 guys. To franchise Long would cost 20% more then his current cap hit from this year. Thus, his franchise tag would be $15,365,952. Even if you backload Starks contract your probably looking at a first year $3 million cap hit on a contract that could average $7-8 million a year. For 2 guys who have a 2nd rounder and a 1st rounder waiting in the wings behind them and have the value to net us even more high picks whether from franchise/trade of Long or a possible comp pick of Starks for the following draft.

Plus you gotta possibly re-sign Bush/Hartline/Smith and find a new backup QB for Tanny if your not trusting Devlin to be that #2. Not to mention 1 year left on Soliai's deal I do believe.

Personally I feel we won't lose much by letting Starks (future rotation of Soliai/Odrick/Rhandall) or Long go. At worse you have to bring in some competition for Garner at RT in case he gets injured in camp again. I also feel we could make do without Smith/Hartline since were trying to re-fashion our WR/DB's. Without Smith we would still have Marshall as one of the starters when he comes back..and that Browns guy we picked up seems a very solid slot option. We would still have the youngsters fight it out with a mid round draft pick (3rd/4th) and maybe we can find a FA signing better then Smith.

Now if Hartline won't sign cheap enough....I'm comfortable letting him go and picking up another guy while still dropping a couple high picks on WR.

 

We have a crap load of picks including 5 in the top 100. We could easily go DE/WR/TE/WR/FS or CB before we even hit the 4th round. Hell if we franchise/trade Long that would add another high pick.

I honestly don't want to see a huge investment in the OL...we've done enough of that. Bring in low cost veteran option, or scrap heap guys (hell NE made good use of Donald Thomas...why can't we be that kind of team?) or develop 5th/6th rounders at guard.

So here are my re-sign guys. Bush at no more then $5 million/year on a short term deal, Hartline for Bess type money and get on signing Soliai longterm. He's our beast in the middle.

 

Camp fodder imo.

 

Yup..let him compete but don't assume he earns any spot yet. As for possible Smith replacements we could look at guys who could make FA beyond Brent Grimes such as Detroit's Chris Houston...maybe even Buffalo's Leodis McKelvin or my favorite under the radar guy....Jaguars Derek Cox who has 11 Int's in his rookie contract. Jaguars would be dumb to let him go....but it is the Jaguars. If we were to make 1 big splash in FA...it'd be him.

 

"I've got picks and money" Muahahaha

http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/12/24/3155085/armando-salguero-after-elimination.html#storylink=cpy

 

Merge!

 

smh...

 

IMO letting Long walk is absurd. The guy was stellar his first, what, 4 years. Pro Bowl. 4 straight years. He's a beast. His problem this year was trying to over compensate for speedy ends. His line coach should've corrected that. Jake needs to stop extending and reaching for blocks and keep his feet square and underneath him. Very correctable.
Reggie didn't have the holes that would let him get into the second level. Our run blocking was terrible. Get Reggie into open space and he's deadly. Keep him and use him right. We have other backs that can pound the middle.
Sean Smith will continue to get better. If I remember correctly it took Surtain a few years to be legitimately be called good.
We certainly need CBs, WRs, Safties, another pass rushing beast on the end and a beast LB.
I've seen the Dolphins at 10-5 or 11-6 and still not make the playoffs. Do we still fire the entire coaching staff and GM? Hell no. This year we could've been an easy 10-5. A few missed FGs that are made, a couple of less INTs and a couple of turnovers that go our way and we are in the playoffs. This team is good. A couple of pieces and we are contenders for a Super Bowl. Period. Don't start changing everything now. We are finally getting things right.

 

You're not suggesting we let Smith walk because of Patterson, are you?