The scrappers. That’s pretty much what we had left at the end of the season and much to their credit, they held their own pretty well. Guys like Nik Needham, Ken Webster, Ryan Lewis and a cast off like Jomal Wiltz. Xavien Howard was already on IR as was Bobby McCain, yet the secondary wasn’t a glaring weakness. Xavien Howard’s availability is still up in the air despite the charges being dropped. His physical health is also in question with his twice injured knee. I’m not even going to construct a depth chart because so much is up in the air. I suppose I could pencil in Xavien Howard at LCB if he’s healthy and there are no ramifications of the domestic battery situation December 30th 2019. I’m expecting us to be active in both FA and the draft shoring up this secondary. You can never have too many good cornerbacks,
In free agency, the first guy that jumps out at me is former Bills and eagles CB Ronald Darby. He just turned 26, and while not an INT machine, he’s a solid cover corner and a scrapper as well. Trae Waynes formerly of the Minnesota Vikings will just be turning 28 and while he’s not a guy who snares a lot of INT’s, he’s also a pretty good cover corner. Artie Burns former Pittsburgh Steeler will yet to be 25 and while still a little raw with his skills, he’s been a starter and may still have potential. Eli Apple and Vernon Hargreaves were top prospects that fizzled out in their 1st stints in the NFL but might me worth a shot. Bashaud Breeland who has been on 3 teams is only 28 and has been a successful starter.
In the draft there are a few top shelf CB’s available and with 3 first RD picks and 2 second RD picks we will have a shot at a few of them. Jeff Okudah from Ohio St. seems to be the unanimous top prospect. It really varies after Okudah with C.J. Henderson, Treyvon Diggs and Kristian Fulton jumbled in many different orders. This may seem strange but what we did last year with Nik Needham, Ryan Lewis, Ken Webster etc. etc., I’m thinking we may not choose to use one of our high picks on a CB. If we do, it’s probably for a couple of reasons, one being they feel Howard can’t be relied upon. I think we may let the best CB’s fall where they may while we shore up the O-line and pass rush and possibly RB and then look in the 2nd and 3rd at other positions. We’ll see! The combine begins later this week so the fun begins as speculation runs rampant! Enjoy!
GO DOLPHINS!!
#staythecourse
Finsmob Unleashed 
Thanks Randy – I guess it’s like asking me (the curmudgeon) if I like puppies. lol
I was about to say, “what sort of wizardry is this”
Sorry was in reply to BBM mock.
Were ya?
The top 5 he picked were unreal, and likely impossible.
Interesting if true.
https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2020/03/02/report-panthers-shopping-trai-turner/
Not sure it’s safe to be on here today. Mike, did you wash your hands🤔
Doctors are saying wash your hands every time you do something, like sneeze, cough, before touching your face, and all the regular times you did before.
Mike only washes one hand. THE hand.
🖐
My expectation for FA is to go after mid range talent, not high end guys. With that said, I don’t expect we’ll be big players on day 1. Let it cool off a bit first.
Not sure what they’re going to do to get to the league min cap though. Also not sure if rolling money over counts as spending it. I’d assume they’d want to roll over as much as possible.
We could make the playoffs this year, but I don’t expect the FA signings to be done to make them, just to build.
My take on FA
I think we go after guys that fit into the scheme and attitude of what Flores is trying to do.
I’m not sure the “Grade” or money is factor than that!
That’s why I am not into the draft like normal. I just don’t know which way Flores will jump?
I also think the film & interviews held more sway than the “Underwear Olympics”
Just my 2 pennies
Steve – I washed my hands about a week ago or so, should be good to go!
Miami is going to have to make a couple bigger signings or a whole lot of small-to-medium ones.
MIAMI DOLPHINS CAP TOTALS
Adjusted Salary Cap
$220,380,540
Active Contracts:
$125,794,906
Dead Cap:
$10,708,110
2019 Rollover:
$21,380,540
Total (All):
$136,503,016
Total (Top 51):
$126,648,016
Est. Cap Space (All):
$83,877,524
Est. Cap Space (Top 51):
$93,732,524
I think FA OL are generally easier to grade and more likely to succeed than FA DE.
i hope tua goes to washington, at that point we may trade back and acquire future consideration.
Washington taking Tua could be the best thing for Miami.
will jax franchise yannick?
marcell darius would be a great addition.
Isn’t Darius kind of old for their model?
Phelon – If you’re going to go big in FA you do it either to protect the QB or to get the QB. Ngakoue is a guy that gets to the QB.
I wouldn’t be disappointed if they traded for Ngakoue and I think Jax will tag him and trade him. Although they could let him walk for the comp pick, i don’t know if they have another player worth franchising. He will cost in picks though.
If we trade for him then we think he’s worth it compared to what we can get in the draft. If it’s just one of the later of the 2 picks I’m good, I wouldn’t give up the #5 pick. It would be better if it was a 2nd RD pick. Neither team really has any leverage until other teams get involved, and they certainly will. If the price gets too steep I’d bail.
I haven’t seen one doctor on tv say anything about washing your hands after rolling around in the mud
So I’m good to go
Plus you don’t have hands to wash! Winner, winner, chicken dinner!
I haven’t heard of any pigs getting it, so…
Not like it’s swine flu.
Mike E. says:
March 3, 2020 at 10:03 am
Steve – I washed my hands about a week ago or so, should be good to go!
I’m afraid to ask what warranted that washing, so I won’t.
LOL
“Est. Cap Space (Top 51): $93,732,524”
Phelon: I know we got a historic amount of picks, but our FAs that will be coming in may be just as important , or maybe close, to setting up the team. And hell yeah I’m seeing just getting a bunch of starters without busting the bank for any of them…. even if funny to think $10 mil per year for a player is a bargain.
And it’s not like some of the contracts they already have won’t be cut. For instance, I think there’s a good chance Jones is gone.
Don’t think we’ll climb too much more, but might squeak out one more starter btwn Jones and Wilson. But even if not, then so be it. And we could explode it with back loaded contracts if we wanted to….but if anything think they may be front loaded. That’s money in the bank down the road and we ain’t there yet.
Mike – Ngakoue is certainly a good player. But at an average of 9-ish sacks per year, is he elite? Maybe? Definitely had a good year last year. Then again he was also playing for free agency. It always worries me when a player’s stats spike in the last year of their contract. I don’t think I would give up a 1st for him if I was GM. But then, there is a reason that I am not a GM!
Last year wasn’t even his best season. Guy has played at least 75% of the snaps the last 3 years. He’s pretty consistent. He’s not elite, but he’s not too far off either.
See…there’s another reason I’m not a GM. Still don’t think I would go more than a 2nd.
None of us are GM’s, we just play one on this blog . . . I think that is kind of a license you get as a fan of a team.
Playing GM is what the offseason is all about. 🙂
Jax is looking at a back of the round 3rd round pick MAX as a comp pick AFTER this season. I say we offer them our 3rd round pick THIS season before the draft for him.
His sacks last year came as follows; 2 vs Car, 2 vs NYJ, 1 vs Ind, 1 vs Tenn & 2 against Oak
beyond the sacks the guy had 6 Ints last season as well. 8 sacks 6 ints is a pretty ok stat line.
1 INT. 2 in his entire career. Are you talking about Ngakoue?
He does have 14 FF’s in 4 years which is pretty damn good
I think he had 6 forced fumbles not INT
This team needs some veteran players in the locker room to help teach the influx of young talent how to be pros. I look for them to try to sign some FAs who also bring that component. We’re going to be a very young team. It could all go wrong if there isn’t a solid veteran presence in the locker room. Coaches can only do so much.
Might be some of those, but am guessing the main stress in FA will be younger guys who can build towards the window.
There are already are some and I agree they’ll add more.
Yannick Ngakoue stats – pretty impressive in 4 years.
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/N/NgakYa00.htm
The guys makes impact plays – game changing plays. He’s better than Trey Flowers who I liked last year and he signed 5 years $90M. Yannick will cost more but it always goes up. I will have know problem signing him. He’s more OLB size at 6-2 245 as opposed to Flowers who is more DE size at 6-2 270. I think Yannick also works better for how we’re playing defense.
When you add a player like Yannick Ngakoue to a defense along with Biegel, Van Ginkel, Charlton etc. with Baker, McMillan, Eguavoen as your space LBs – thinking some of these young guys will get even better, it’s pretty good on the edge and in the back end of the front 7. Godchaux and Wilkins seem to be long term investments as interior DL.
Have to be careful with Yanny as he can leave those other players vulnerable in the run game. He’s definitely a good pass rusher, but I’m not sure he fits what Flores wants.
You don’t sign him for run defense. Look at his numbers as an impact player.
Tim,
I’m not saying he doesn’t make impact plays, but I don’t think he’s the type of edge that Flores is going for. I think someone like E. Ogbah who can set the edge and rush would be a more likely target. I also don’t know if Yanny personality wise will be a fit w/ Flores.
Mike E: Thanks for the nice words RE: Pasquale Fragnito. Both he and his son were the true definition of hard core Dolphin fans. It was an honor to sit in the same stadium with all my die hard buddies who made Sundays so special in my life.
—————–
Mike, I asked 3 bigtime Dolphin fans at the place where I work the following question: “Would you trade all 3 of our first round picks this year to the Bengals and move up to the #1 spot to take Joe Burrow?” All 3 of them, without hesitation, said “Yes!” I get the impression that many on this board would NOT do that deal.
Your thoughts??
Thanks in advance to anyone who replies.
Gotta walk the dog and get my beauty rest. Y’all have a great evening.
OD,
I’d hate it, but I would. He’s one of the best QB prospects in the past two decades. I watched him all year long and his decision making was superb. He never panicked like Herbert, or tried to do too much like Love. Guy put up historic numbers and their defense rode his arm for most of the year. If there was one primary reason the 2019 Tigers went undefeated and clearly won the national championship, it’s Joe Burrow. Guys like him are why QBs make too damn much money.
Like New Age said, I would hate it, but yes I would trade all three for him. Then use FA to build an OL. He not only has the physical and mental tools, he would bring a little personality to a team that has been bland since Marino retired.
OD — hope you caught my respect to Pasquale and James as well. Best folks you could ask for.
https://dolphinswire.usatoday.com/2020/03/04/latest-hurdle-for-dolphins-qb-tua-tagovailoa-looms-large-next-monday/
Damn USA Today. That is a bit of a presumptuous headline isn’t it?
Rock – I am still not convinced that Miami is not content with Rosen as the QB of the future.
OD – I would really hate trading that much draft capital. I know a bunch of people here love Burrow, and his spin on his entire college career is that all his hard work has finally paid off that it all came together. Sometimes you get leery when a player who is going to be a free agent has a great year in his final year of his contract, you could say the same for Burrow. What I would say is how many times has a team traded up using multiple picks for a QB and it’s worked out well for them? I can’t think of one instance. In that regard, I say build the team, find a QB you don’t have to trade the draft for and keep building around that.
I thought OD was a DIE-hard fan!
Didn’t you get the hoax pandemic memo? I’m certain you got the hoax immigration invasion memo. The immigration hoax was feared by the blog.
Invasion hoax. Sorry, misspoke
I did hear about the “Hoax”!
But I also heard it live. Not from a snippet or sound bite or pundit!
It TRULY does make a difference! 😉
I guess the snippet about 12 dead in Washington state from Corona virus a hoax?
More dead than the immigration invasion by women and children.
Hmmmm.
Look out…Krishna is back and looking for a fight!
hello my marine brother, can you imagine the explosion of liberal heads when 45 is re-elected?
Not looking for a fight, just pointing out how people see things so differently/blindly.
Then, they start judging if it doesn’t agree with their viewpoint even though view point is contradictory to their own views.
Fearing an invasion of women and children, yet shrugging and laughing at a deadly virus that has already killed more than the dreaded invasion is laughable to me.
Does that mean I’m looking for a fight? Perhaps to Marines?
If we were to sign Yannick Ngakoue, my pick at #5 is Derrick Brown.
DT Khalil Davis is a freak athlete! He ran the fastest 40 time ever for any DL over 300 pounds. At 6’1″ 308 pounds Davis ran a 4.75 40 and also put up the 2nd most bench reps at 32. He had 44 tackles and 8 sacks last year for Nebraska.
Neville Gallimore who I like also ran a freakish 4.79 40 at 6’2″ 304 pounds.
I have selected Khalil Davis quite a few times in my mocks in the 6th round as a sleeper but he opened the eyes of many at the combine. Him and his brother. He played next to his brother Carlos Davis at Nebraska who is also in the draft. At 6’2″ 313, Carlos ran a 4.82 40 and put up 27 reps on the bench.
Combine nuggets DL/LB.
https://thedraftnetwork.com/articles/defensive-line-linebacker-nfl-combine-reactions-2020
Free agent CB Byron Jones.
https://thedraftnetwork.com/articles/byron-jones-free-agent-team-fits-miami-dolphins-indianapolis-colts-philadelphia-eagles
dbolt, just wondering why Flores would not be looking for an edge guy like Yannick Ngakoue?
A guy who averages just under 10 sacks per season, gets a lot of pressures on the QB and in the backfield, has 14FF, 3FR (1 TD), 2INT (1 TD) and 9PD in 4 seasons. That’s very productive.
I get not wanting to pay a guy like that a huge contract and would prefer to find cheaper options who can produce close to that even as a committee, but that’s the only reason I see us not being interested in him.
Sorry for the delay….I just don’t think schematically he fits as Flores wants his DE’s to be equally effective as a run defender and pass rusher. I also think personality wise Flores probably wouldn’t care for him. I could be 💯 off on this, but I just don’t think he fits what Flores wants.
I think he’ll be more of a rush OLB for us. So many defenses play hybrid stuff as we did, but our base concept is transforming into a 3-4, not a 4-3. I don’t remember seeing us play 4-3 one time. Other than goal line it was no more than 3 down lineman and hybrids moving around.
What I mean about that is finding solid interior DL so the quick guys can feast – Godchaux and Wilkins fit that role. We need more quick/powerful guys on the edges. Baker, McMillan and Eguavoen are pretty good inside and sideline to sideline.
I think you’re more likely to see a ShaqLawson, Emmanuel Ogbah, or maybe even a Vic Beasley in FA.
I didn’t even realize Tunsil was going into FA this year. Just read that he’s fired his agent and is looking for $20 mil per year. Makes those two firsts all the sweeter. Heck — we could get him back if willing to pay the price….. and that would be funny as anything
His league leading false starts is not worth that money. He’s a very good young LT, he’s not elite.
He has the Texans over a barrel. They can’t afford to just let him walk. So they either pay him or tag him. If they tag him, they might be able to justify letting him walk next year if his play drops, or if he puts up top 5 OT numbers, then they give him his long term contract. Or maybe they see him developing into a top 5 tackle and they decide to pay him this year.
If they let him walk, they should just fire their GM now, lol. All IMO of course.
LOL
OD, so sorry to hear about the Fragnito men, such a shame. I’ve met them a couple of times as well. RIP Dolphans!
Luckily for you OD you have this group, despite only once a year, to pick up the mantle in being your “new boys”.
Welcome back
Thanks
you in Montana?
So many things I want to respond to but first I want to say,
STOP winding the extension cord around your shoulder and elbow, just stop you’re better than that.
LOL
YOU TELL THEM! Twisty ass cord, grumble grumble grumble….
I knew you would understand
I’d pay the freight to go and get Burrow. He has everything we haven’t had since Marino retired.
You wanna build a team then get an elite QB and quit acting like all things are equal. You see it time and time again, get the right QB and poof you’re a playoff team. See Mahomes.
Great to read you again Son.
I read a NFL exec called Love a “poor man’s Mahomes.”
I think Mahomes was a poor man’s Mahomes during the draft he was in.
He went in the 2nd round, right? Maybe we should go for that type of player @ QB.
He was a first rounder but I agree he did go a bit un-hyped. I do like Love and I also like Herbert but Burrow hits the ground running, whereas Fitz holds down the fort for most of next year with Love or Herbert.
My bad. At the last minute KC traded up and took him 10th.
We could do that for Love.
I didn’t watch the combine for the first time in years. I don’t have NFL Network. I cut the cord and use Hulu Live, Prime, Netflix and a couple of other apps but Hulu doesn’t have NFLN, I miss it badly.
Fubo has it and I did a trial on it to see one of our games, or maybe it was the first Saturday of the playoffs, but it sucked besides having NFLN.
Mahomes threw the ball 60MPH.
Herbert threw it that fast at the combine.
Only one faster was Eason @ 62.
Sonny!
Thanks bud, I know its been a long time and I’m not mad or anything. My problem is I can’t log in on my phone. New phones coming soon however.
Herbert had a great combine. He changed my mind about drafting him.
I think he’ll be better in the NFL with the talent level of the receivers he’ll have. He’s big and strong. I see more accurate Josh Allen morphing into a polished Drew Bledsoe type.
Once the league year starts it’s going to be crazy. All I expect is the unexpected. These guys have a plan to go with picks and money to spend, every deal is on the table. Trades, signings, salary dumps it should be wild.
son of a son of a shula says:
March 4, 2020 at 8:37 pm
I knew you would understand
reply
you should be able to hold one end and drop it from the roof and have the entire roll spool out without a clusterfuck.
Yes. I don’t go on roofs to often but nonetheless yes it should fall gracefully to the ground. I have an electric blower and because I wind my cord properly I can plug it in and then throw the entire cord, which lays out perfectly, to the furthest end of my sidewalk and begin.
BBMike, thanks for all the info you’ve been sharing, opened my eyes to a lot of players.
Herbert is working out at one of those training facilities catered to pre-draft athletes and his instructor/coach is none other than John Beck.
https://dolphinswire.usatoday.com/2020/03/02/justin-herberts-personal-qb-coach-a-familiar-face-for-dolphins-fans/
6-6 235-240 with dominant physical skills vs. 6-1 210 and average yet moral intangibles are two different things. One we already know failed.
It’s not official yet but you can pretty much rest assured that you won’t have to listen to Liz Warren yelling at and lecturing you anymore. And all the hand movement, swinging and waving and flailing.
My wife thought she was wacky, too.
Hope you’re doing alright Krish
I thought she was a tough cookie going up against Wall Street.
I’m just people watching no politics involved.
Fair enough. She does have that frenetic wild emotive affect.
I know people are locked in on Bengals taking Burrow at 1, and I think that’s most likely to happen, BUT imo it’s not the best decision for them to do that. If you look at their team, yeah Dalton isn’t an elite QB and burrow likely is an upgrade in time, BUT they have a win now team, with a vet QB. They have a great running attack, the have great receivers. They have a weak D with decent parts, and a somewhat weak OL. If they focused on getting a guy like Young or Simmons and put some OL around Dalton, they could likely be competitive faster. If they go with a new QB by the time he gets his feet, a lot of the pieces around him will hit FA. I’m really not sure if QB is their best option at 1, but it likely will be no matter what.
I don’t think they want Dalton anymore and there is no reason to pass on Burrow.
Only thing you can do is dangle picks and hope they bite. At five, if we made a deal, they could possibly get Simmons or Brown or Okudah. Then take a QB at 18 or even move up, everything we’ve been talking about for us. I think it’s a tough sell simply because you get Burrow so why trade out.
LMFAO at Son people watching Warren. Good thing you used people for her seeing she’s been multiple different individuals on her campaign trail….Trail of Beers.
Son – Home in Virginia at the moment. Key West next week.
Sorry you’ll have such a tough next week try to stay strong
Lol…It’s work!
Work!!!
That’s when you drink the most!
Also Sling has NFLN.
Really
I wonder why I thought they didn’t. Is it pretty much just like Hulu?
Yeah. Pretty good line up. I was able to watch games on Fox, ESPN and NFLN during the season, but not CBS.
CBS you can get over the air so that’s not a deal breaker for me and I only watch CBS for sports anyway. I’ll look into it and probably switch so I’ll have NFLN for the draft, I couldn’t stand watching it on ESPN.
I bet Sling doesn’t have a must have channel my wife has to have I bet that’s why I didn’t get it. I’m starting to remember now.
Lol. Has Food Network, so mine is good.
Son, totally agree. Warren is like that unhappy teacher that made your day miserable until you didn’t have her anymore. STFU!!!! LOL
LOL, she’s my 4th grade teacher except that one had a beehive doo
Regardless of what you believe in politically, if a presidential candidate doesn’t have a positive message, and just rails on you and complains, it’s not going to work.
She kept pens, pencils and paper in there for the entire class
Chalk board Erasers
The mimeograph machine was housed in that thing
Yeah I said mimeograph
Gradebook
Pencil sharpener
Krishna I’l post this and it’s done!
The board doesn’t want to get political so we’ve kept it out!
My wife who is more Democratic than I’ll ever be thinks Elizabeth Warren looks like Pinocchio.
i’ve got sling, its great!
The ownership of the Bengals could care less about “winning” all they want is the profit, that’s why most players want to avoid that team. if they draft burrow they will save $$ on his rookie deal.
________________________________________________
D says:
March 4, 2020 at 9:48 pm
I know people are locked in on Bengals taking Burrow at 1, and I think that’s most likely to happen, BUT imo it’s not the best decision for them to do that. If you look at their team, yeah Dalton isn’t an elite QB and burrow likely is an upgrade in time, BUT they have a win now team, with a vet QB. They have a great running attack, the have great receivers. They have a weak D with decent parts, and a somewhat weak OL. If they focused on getting a guy like Young or Simmons and put some OL around Dalton, they could likely be competitive faster. If they go with a new QB by the time he gets his feet, a lot of the pieces around him will hit FA. I’m really not sure if QB is their best option at 1, but it likely will be no matter what.
herbert is tannehill 2
no way you pay the freight on burrow
trade back draft jordan love
NEW BLOG UP!!!
Yet, you bring it up, then “it’s done.” Then, you don’t even get my point. I’ll try again.
Personally, I think it’s laughable (read SMH) at the fear and horror of “thousands of women and children in a caravan invading our country and half this blog with their hair on fire about it that killed NOONE” vs “14 dead (and growing) because of a flu invasion that the same half on this blog scoffed and laughed about.”
Not a political comment at all; it’s a social, human comment. And, it’s now an economic/actually global economic comment. I don’t really care if you are liberal or conservative.
Just think talking out of both sides of one’s mouth and following sheepishly and blindly a proven liar could be detrimental to your health.
Lol….can it be “done” now? Or, is it only done when you say it’s done?
I’m actually looking forward to booking a flight to China. LOL. I would think flights would be cheap!