Highest paid RT in the league? For a rebuilding team? No thanks. I'd like to say we can just model the Patriots OL success, but we dont have their OL coach. This is the type of move that can be painful, but you gotta be really wary of bad contracts.
Good pass. He is decent but he is not worth that kind of money. We do have a huge whole at RT now though. I'm looking at Cody ford or Jonah Williams in the draft.
James was a solid but unspectacular player for us. My view is that if you are paying a player the most money or amongst the most money for their position, then their on field play needs to match that pay day (ie pro bowl/all pro), and although James was solid, he was never elite. So at the price he's signed for with Denver I'm glad he's gone and we didn't pay him that much money. We can replace him through the draft or even slot Jesse Davis in there.
This time last year, the Dolphins took on JuWuan James' 5th year option. They should have extended him. This isn't about dodging a bullet. This is about not even getting shot at in the first place. http://dailydolphin.blog.palmbeachp...the-miami-dolphins-brought-jawuan-james-back/ He wanted to be back with the Dolphins. They should have given him a multi-year deal. But whatever, carry on spending first round picks on players and then not extending them. We can always spend more on an upgrade, or more picks on positions we've already filled.
What are the chances that he would have taken a team friendly deal at that point though, particularly with his agent likely telling him what he would be worth in FA? I would have liked them to try but if he had his mind set on a particular figure, he might not have settled (particularly as we were a dumpster fire last year)
We can talk all we want about not extending or retaining former first round picks, and I get that. I really do. However, that’s a two way street. Both sides have to want that, and until this organization is able to put it together and prove they’re going in the right direction for a long period of time why would any former first round talent want to extend their deal and stay here? Guys want to win, and get paid. So yeah, we can complain about losing talent all we want, but they have to want to be here and until we build something worthy of staying for, why would anyone want to stay, or come for that matter. Players clearly know this is a “tank job” coming up and a massive rebuild.
What makes it clear that 1. This is a tank job and 2. That the players know it? Because we didnt resign an above average RT for 13 mil a year? It is ridiculous to pay a RT that. You can pay guys less than half that and not miss a beat.
I completely agree. We basically just gave the Broncos a 1st round draft pick for free, just because we're nice guys. Now we have to go tackle early in the draft...plus go guard, guard, center in the draft as well.
But if we had extended him last year how many threads would there have been about “another Tannenbaum overpaying for average players” threads would we have endured.
Possibly, but I can't help what other people may say. The offense relies on quality linemen to do anything- it's definitely not luxury items.
Everyone is freaking out, but this is just the beginning. It's going to get really, really bad before it gets better guys. Don't get too invested in anyone on the current roster; otherwise this season will give you a heart attack. We all need to start treating this team like George RR Martin is in charge.
No one is realizing this yet. The owner and head coach have both expressed the possibility of a 2-4 win season. Ross said he will do whatever it takes to turn this around including going 3-13/4-12. Flores said there is going to be a lot of pain. Everyone is in denial. Wait until they see what the roster looks like in September.
Honestly it's hard to pencil in anything until the draft is done a d QB is a bit settled (either we get one or we dont). Ths likelihood of being under .500 is extremely high. We won't be challenging for anything.
I don’t think anyone is in denial. Personally, I would rather have the 3rd round comp pick than overpay for James this year. We need all the picks we can get in case we need to trade up next year.
I hate seeing young talent leave, but paying James like the top RT in the league is bad business. Locking him up for 8mil/yr would have been fine a year ago, but they waited too long once again. This all goes back to the coaching and front office churn, but as was mentioned New England gets by with no name guys on the OL, so maybe we can duplicate some of that in Miami. On the plus side (long term I guess), a top 3 pick just got that much closer to reality.
I agree James, was a solid player for us, but not worth that kind of money. I hope we continue to "think" before offer these crazy contracts.
They should have extended his contract over a year ago. No he's not a great RT and he Broncos paid way too much, but the guy is no bum either. Now we have 4 holes to fill on the offensive line instead of just 3. I'm really tired of drafting guys high in the draft and not resigning them.
Who is the last high pick that we drafted and didnt resign that we should have? You wanted Jarvis for 17 mil a year? You just said Broncos paid way too much. So you couldnt have wanted James at that contract. Vernon was completely overpaid and shipped out of his new team already because he under performed that contract. We offered all 3 of those guys contracts to resign, but they had unreal offers else where. The idea that these players are willing to sign the year before their free agency to extremely reduced rates is a fallacy.
FWIW I dont think it's so much signing them at a reduced rate early. It's more like tryng to extend a guy before the market sets itself the next year, so in other words at this years rates. Some positions fluctuate year to year and some just seem to inflate steadily so it can sometimes benefit the player. I agree 100% though we have been trying to get fair deals and you cant force a guy to sign.