That about sums it up for me. Sorry Randy, you weren't as valuable to us as you thought, we have players just as capable as you on the roster under contract, Starks chose to play hardball for the long term deal (and I cant blame him for trying to secure his future) but I like the team's message here... You aren't more valuable than the team. Get in here and work, or the guys we have will try and take your place.

 

At 9 mil a year, he's certainly more valuable than almost anyone else.

I'm not sure franchising a guy is a great way to humble him.

 

He held out and then has missed time due to injury while we have another player who can hold his own there.

Take some responsibility there Starks and stuff it.

 

I like Starks, but I've been assuming that when the Soliai/Starks decision came up, it was always going to be Soliai unless Starks came at a bargain. I just see him as more easily replaceable. IMO the team is far better off having one immovable object type in their rotation. I thought that when Ngata went down in the SB it was a huge factor in SF's comeback. I just think those guys a harder to find. So Starks was going to sign at a bargain or be franchised and then replaced. I didn't see any other way to play this from the Dolphins POV.

 

I think they should have made an attempt to trade Starks in this off-season. He's asking for, and will probably continue to ask for more money than he's worth and he is replaceable.

 

maybe they still trade him before the season starts.

 

If I were a GM I wouldn't have traded for him unless it was just a steal. I think we would have had to basically give him away. My guess is that they tried to trade him and found nothing but bargain shoppers. I don't think there was any other way to play this. I think the best play was simply to pay him for the year and have faith in the replacement you drafted.

 

Get a TE for him.

 

Hard to see Stephen Ross being pleased with paying Randy Starks $8.5M at this point.

 

The optics of it look bad. But I would personally want to see the season ending snap counts before I make it a positive or a negative.

 

I'm not a fan of disrespecting your players and making Miami a place where guys just don't want to play. I hope this will work itself out, Starks can play football.

 

Sorry, I should have clarified, I was referencing what some of the posters hardball solutions for Starks speaking out would be.

I agree with your assessment, we have 3 awesome DT's for 2 Spots...it is a nice problem to have. You'll probably see Starks / Soliai start the Cleveland game, and a rotation to keep everyone fresh.

Like you said, everyone will get plenty of reps, but if Starks wants to start, let him start. You can rotate his salary out and let him run FA in the offseason. Nobody will be unhappy with Odrick / Soliai tandem next season.

 

It really doesn't matter who starts..like you said there will plenty of reps for all. If Starks wants to start, let him start. This is preseason - let the tenure guy have his due. Starks is a beast also.

 

Ok....which one is it.....do we overpay players......or do we disrespect our guys.......can't be both. It has nothing to do with respect....it's business.

 

It's a fine line indeed and a tough line to walk. You get no arguement here.

 

Still wish we would have re-signed Reggie Bush and let Starks walk. Reggie pumped excitement to this team and fan base. A face a franchise could hang its hat on for a while. I don't necessarily need to hear about the negative runs he had, but if you insist have at it. The guy meant more to this team than he is given credit for imo. We could have gotten so much more out of him too.

 

I was torn on Bush. I agree that he brought some other things to the team. But I was/am still optimistic that we can get about the same and potentially more from Miller.

 

Miller will be fine. I like him too. My opinion of it being a mistake of letting Bush is a separate issue. Would have loved seeing Reggie and Miller in the backfield together as a formation. Would have loved to see Bush returning punts here knowing that we have Miller for depth. I think Reggie's receiving skills will be sorely missed. I think Ireland made a big mistake letting him walk.

 

There's some things that I'll miss from Bush and I would like our backfield better if we had Miller, Bush and Thomas. (although I might bemoan the lack of a power back). But I can't say I agree that it was a big mistake to let him walk. I'm not even ready to say it was a mistake at all. If Miller is the player I think he is and Gray or Gilleslee can fill the power back niche, then I don't believe it was a mistake.

 

That had to be Philbin's call. I think he has gotten rid of every single player who was part of the "Leadership" pact that questioned him last season as we witnessed on HK. Also, Bush was not the same player after the knee injury as he was before and I think they were concerned about his durability. Be better to compare him and Miller at the end of the season, or at least after midway...

 

The best player who's been there all offseason should start. Odrick should be rewarded for his dedication and performance. He's been fantastic. Starks has the right to sit out optional practices, but the Dolphins have the right to reward the guy who was there.

 

I was never a fan of letting Bush go. Wish him well in Detroit.


As for Starks... I can't help by hate this situation. Dolphin fans have some of the shortest memories of any NFL fan base. He received the franchise tag for a reason. He's been a force on the inside since we signed him.

Starks is more valuable than Soliai, who's a two down lineman in a passing league. Yet we're going to end up keeping him and getting rid of Starks. It's ridiculous.

 

If this is all true, then you have to consider that they're grossly overpaying Starks. He's being paid as one of the top-5 DTs in the league, but he's third best on the team?

 

I'm sure they did try, but think about it...All Starks has to do during the offseason (as it appears he did) is just wait it out. The onus was on Ireland to either pay his price (money/years) or tag him. The decision was to tag him. At that point, no one will want to trade with him given what he's making on the tag...Sure, he could have done a sign and trade with a new contract, but was anyone really going to pay him at least $8.9M even for this year ?? He's a very good player, but he's replaceable. I think they see Odrick as his replacement anyway...

Either way, I don't see a chance anyone trades for him, unless they can work a swap of tagged guys with someone, but is there anyone that fits a need for us ?? EDIT: Thank you CK...I think you mentioned that somewhere along the line..)

 

Stark made a mistake. He should have taken Miami's offer. He is going to be lucky to get a contract better than 1 year $5 million next season. Unless he has a monster year where he is in the running for defensive MVP, the market is not going to be there for him.

 

I'm a bit surprised too, because Soliai could likely name his price on the open market for a 3-4 NT...he's just a shade behind the Wilfork/Ngata level and in that system is not only good now, but likely to continue to get better....

I'm not as high on Starks as you are, however, in Coyle's D, he's a better fit than Soliai. The combination of Starks and Odrick will be good for what Coyle wants to do...

I think the only remorse of those we let go I have is Long, but Long didn't want to be here, he made that pretty clear...

 

Agree....particularly at 30 years old (next offseason...)

 

He is being overpaid. That's a fact. Just about every franchised player is. That's what it took to keep him and have a dynamic 3 man rotation though. Starks is still one of the better DTs in the NFL, but I think it speaks to the talent level of Soliai and Odrick that he finds himself behind them on the depth chart.

 

Still, he's getting so punished and abused by the Fins...to the tune of $8.9M....I wish they'd punish me for that amount ??

 

Someone ... anyone ... please, please, please disrespect me with $9M? Please? :lol:

 

I know someone that knows Starks, and while I don't have a lot of information on him I do know that he's a family man. I'm sure this was part of his decision to attempt to lock up his future, but I do not know why he would not settle... besides the fact that settling sucks.

 

Oh, poor guy... stuck with damn near $9M. Hold on while I go get him a box of tissues...

 

I think you're missing the point. A one year deal doesn't offer job security in an industry which destroys players physically. Look at Dustin Keller. Took a one year "prove it" deal with hopes that a strong season would up his value next season. Guy's career is probably over. And even if it isn't, I doubt he'll ever be the same. It's a tough business and I understand his frustration. Hopefully he has a great season and we'll see about next year.

 

I could see a week 8 trade. Maybe to the CowGirls as they are running the Tampa Two and don't have that playmaker at DT.

For a 4th?