The football minds of the Miami Dolphins are now focused on the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft which begins April 25th. The financial wizards are hard at work trying to figure the best way to keep the roster stacked while at the same time digging themselves out of cap debt. There’s ways of paying down that cap debt by paying money up front, turning salary into bonuses that are payable immediately, and that’s where Stephen Ross’s indomitable desire to win comes in handy. He will cooperate fully and would be willing to buy a championship if that were possible. That’s the good part. The other half of the equation is whether we have the right guy(s) making the personnel choices. GM Chris Grier is 67-64 over his 8 year career as GM with the Dolphins. That’s not awful by any stretch, but it’s pretty close to average. Compare him to Baltimore Ravens GM Eric DeCosta who is 56-27 over his 5 year career and it pales significantly. Compare him to Pittsburgh Steelers former GM Kevin Colbert (226-124), or even GM John Lynch (64-51), who is more of a contemporary to Grier, and he’s got some catching up to do. One important thing to point out with the Ravens and Steelers in particular is that both of those teams have had the same Head Coach for long periods of time. HC John Harbaugh has been with the Ravens for 16 years since 2008, and Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin for 17 years since 2007. Stability, something we’ve been looking to have here for a long time. Since Mike Tomlin has been pacing the sidelines in Pittsburgh, the Miami Dolphins have had 7 different Head Coaches. We all hope that HC Mike McDaniel will be here, and be successful for quite a long time.
Some of you wonder why I’m so dark lately. I’m sure all of you watched the Super Bowl, and if somehow you were too distracted or maybe too inebriated or both, the Kansas City Chiefs were fielding one of the youngest teams in the NFL with a roster age of 25 or 26, this after allowing one of their best offensive weapons go to the Miami Dolphins, in exchange for a fair amount of valuable picks. 5 in total, 2022 1st, 2nd and 4th RD and picks, and then in 2023 our 4th and 6th RD picks. So you look at the KC offense and you see WR Rashee Rice (meh), WR Justin Watson (meh), WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling (meh), WR Mecole Hardman (meh) and you think to yourself how did this offense win the Super Bowl? OK, RB Isiah Pacheco is solid, and of course the TE Travis Kelce is the best receiving TE in the sport. The most important thing is they have their QB. QB Patrick Mahomes is 74-22 (.770 winning %). He’s been winning since he started, winning since his best WR left, and hasn’t stopped. He doesn’t need people to make excuses for him, he just wins. Now some of you think our QB belongs in the conversation with Mahomes, that he’s on his way, and he “bites”. You talk about passing yards, breaking offensive records, but somehow are willing to look the other way when he disappears against better teams and cite a decimated defense as an excuse for the QB’s poor play against better teams. Patrick Mahomes doesn’t care who his receivers are, his defense, none of it. He just finds a way to win.
So now one of the biggest decisions both roster wise and monetarily come to a head. Do the Miami Dolphins buy into QB Tua Tagovailoa and pay him somewhere in the vicinity of $55M annually for 5-6 years? The Cincinnati Bengals gave QB Joe Burrow a 5 YR/$275M contract which is precisely $55M per. Well, some people compare Tua to Joe Burrow, but all I can do is laugh. Joe Burrow has been an All Pro QB, and is 5-2 in the playoffs, and took his team to the Super Bowl. On the other side of the ledger, The New York Giants gave QB Daniel Jones a 4 YR/$160M contract which is $40M annually. You know the Giants wish they hadn’t done that contract. Some say the Bengals wish the same with Burrow because he’s missed 12 games, 6 his rookie season in 2020, and then again 6 game this past season. He’s definitely an injury risk, but I’ll tell you one thing, that boy leaves it on the field every single game. There’s not one of you on this cherished blog that can say the same for QB Tua Tagovailoa. So we gleefully celebrate the fact that Tua played 17 regular season games and even 1 playoff game. I say, did he really? I know some of you think I hate Tua, but the truth is I don’t. I think Tua’s a great kid, I just don’t think in his current state, post concussion that he can lead us to a Super Bowl. I hate the situation we’re in, not the person himself. I do kind of hate the excuse makers, because I don’t really see what that accomplishes. I would like to be optimistic, but my perception of what happened this season was Mike McDaniel and Tua mutually agreed to be careful and keep him out of harms way. Some of us see passing records shattered, I see losses to every winning team with the exception of the Dallas Cowboys.
I’m not going to get deep into the draft yet, but it seems like everyone (and their mother) has us taking Oregon OC/OG Jackson Powers-Johnson at #21. I’d be quite happy with that, we could use an OC as a fixture for the next 5 years. LT?, LG?, C?, RG?, LT Austin Jackson. I’d love to be able to pencil in at least one more guy, so I’ll be giddy if we land JPJ. I also hope that somehow we manage to keep our own RG Robert Hunt, but it’s gonna take close to $12M per to keep our 27 YO powerhouse. I suppose if they do give Tua the big contract, then it’s much more likely we pay Hunt, and then we’ll have to see what they can do with DL Christian Wilkins. This is another thing that has me bitter. I know it hasn’t happened yet and we may still find a way to retain Wilkins, but I don’t like the body language so to speak. Wilkins leaves it all on the field every game, plays more snaps than most DL in the game. He’s EARNED A CONTRACT EXTENSION, not free agency! With our 2nd pick (#55), do we go with defense, either a pass rusher or CB? PFN’s (Pro Football Network) Tony Pauline was on the Joe Rose this morning and he reiterated some of the things that former DC Vic Fangio said about CB Cam Smith. Apparently, Smith has had, and continues to have attitude issues. Seems like drafting a CB isn’t a crazy idea. BTW, Tony Pauline really likes JPJ, he said he not only has an NFL body, he also has an NFL mind. I dig it!
GO DOLPHINS!!!
Finsmob Unleashed 
M13, not sure if they have done the weigh-ins yet but you know who I think might have the fastest OL 40?
The 6’6 335 to 350 pound JC Latham. Some say he can run sub 4.9.
And he’s projected to go way before we select @ R1P21. Hey, if he’s a ‘faller’, I’m buying!
There will probably be faster times but they’re not always top prospects.
Agreed, Tim. But should any of these top-tiered prospects on the O-Line break sub-5.0, there will be a frenzy to get them as early as possible.
Yes, I’m talking about the already currently projected 1st round O-Linemen.
MM wants Wilkins…
https://phinphanatic.com/posts/mike-mcdaniel-says-he-wants-christian-wilkins-and-tua-tagovailoa-back-01hqp486j59z
“Yeah, I hope so. Don’t you?!:
Of course he does. We all do. 🙂
^” lol
Pretty cool stuff.
From the histrionic department…lol…and Andy Reid:
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/columnist/bell/2024/02/27/andy-reid-chiefs-super-bowl-parade-shooting/72764923007/
I’m in the process of getting new monitor(s) for my home office with my new job. I’ve been considering getting the single, curved monitor vs dual monitors. Anyone using the big curved monitor? How do you like it?
Not a fan. Haven’t used one, but a friend had a TV like that. I don’t get it.
We have them at my office. We have them hooked up to laptops. Not sure what size but I like it.
I have 33-39 at home… with my work VPN i cannot access two screens , with the monitor, its big enough that opening multi windows on desktop everything is still legible, and almost as if using 2 screens
I use a 32″ curved monitor and love it. way better than two monitors.
I believe that is the size we have and, yeah, love it.
Daniel Jeremiah in his first mock had us taking WR Brian Thomas Jr from LSU. I would have liked the pick if we didn’t have other needs. He’s not the big burner everyone makes out to be at 4.47. He is a nice big target at 6’4 205. Just needs to become a more refined route runner. I don’t see us going WR at #21. Also, not sure how much of his success was due playing opposite of his teammate WR Malik Nabers who will be drafted top 10, maybe top 5. I think he is more boom or bust, depending on if he has the will/want to be coached up. Posting anyway.
“NFLPA president JC Tretter said Miami and Minnesota graded in a league of their own. Washington last again.”
Say what you will about Ross (and the lost picks really did hurt), but he has built a top notch working environment and spends a lot in an effort to win.
https://nflpa.com/miami-dolphins-report-card-2023
Disregard this. This was last year’s report card ranking the 2022 season.
https://nflpa.com/miami-dolphins-report-card-2024
Here is the 2023 season.
Our lowest grade in any category was a single A-, all other categories were A or A+
Running a good organization often leads to better results
It’s really good to hear this about the Dolphins
We have plenty to be upset about this offseason but the Dolphins organization is a world apart from coaches doing cocaine off a strippers ass
lol, talk about opposite ends of the spectrum…
Guys
The jests are officially willing to field trade offers for Zach Wilson
Post your proposed offer in reply below
Here is mine:
He would come dirt cheap, right at 1 mil as most all his money is in bonuses that go away or Jets are stuck with it. His salary wouldn’t even crack the top 51. I actually think he would do better in an offense like ours with the quick reads. He sucked most when he had to be back there for over 2.5 seconds. Jets will probably want too much for us to think about it.
Trade them Mike White for Wilson. I’d do it.
If I were GM or owner, you know the trade would have to have something to do with his mom. Just sayin’. lol
https://x.com/marcel_lj/status/1762908914830418306?s=46
Hmmmm
Kansas City Chiefs
ROSTER CUTS
WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling is being released, NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero reported.
Bucs charge non-starters with >4 years experience $1750 to opt out of having a roommate for road games.
Six teams had players say outside weight rooms were = to their teams’. One—the Patriots—said team weight room was worse.
Chargers charge players $75 for one child in gameday daycare, $50 for each additional child.
Dov Kleiman
@NFL_DovKleiman
𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚: #Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill is being sued for assault and negligence by a woman who claims she broke her leg when he charged at her during a backyard football drill, per
@DailyMail
Sophie Hall claims she managed to hold her own and knock him backward during football drills, which made him angry.
The hit by Hill knocked her to the ground and caused her to break her leg, per the lawsuit.
Not seeing this reported anywhere else though.
#Bears HC Matt Eberflus on what the most important quality for a QB is:
“4th quarter and end of the game situations. That’s the separator for me.”
————————
Hmmm. That is also why he wants to move on from Fields.
Ffffug!
IMO, if it is taking this long, he is trying to decide if he can eek through another season to make another 9.4 mil.
It’s a total of 14.4 if he doesn’t retire but he is already guaranteed 5 mil of that.
I would be ok with a 4 year deal for top end money for Tua.
I definitely see things very similar to the way Mike sees them in regards to Tua, but the fact is, Tua is our QB for at least the next couple of years. And truthfully, there is no FA QB I’d take over him. And we’re not going to have the draft capital to get a top of the draft QB for at least another year or two anyway.
I said going into the offseason, I’d like to see a 3 year extension for Tua at top 10 money, not top 5, but that probably isn’t realistic. 4 years at top 5 will work.
Of course, that is just a projection and may not resemble the actual deal that gets done in any way, lol.
I still have hope Tua can improve his game like he has every year. He needs to play better against the top teams.
I don’t really see him ever being a consistent elite tier one QB, but I hold out hope he can be a consistent really good tier two guy. You can win a SB with a tier two guy.
NFL players have voted on working conditions for teams, and the Miami Dolphins and Minnesota Vikings are in a “tier of their own.”
Conversely, the Washington Commanders, Kansas City Chiefs — who beat the Dolphins in the playoff last month and are fresh off a Super Bowl victory over the San Francisco 49ers — and Los Angeles Chargers have the three worst report cards.
I don’t get how we can have all these new pictures of landing on the moon. Stanley Kubrick has been dead for nearly 25 years.
LMAO!!
You just gave MikeE a headache
I would be fine with 4 years at 220 mil. WITH an out clause after 2025 so after 2 years they can move on if need be in 2026. ALSO, put the non-guaranteed money in as roster bonuses. That way, if we move on in 2026 the roster bonuses go away and have no dead money on that part. AND don’t put any stupid clause in there like they did with Armstead’s contract where if he is on the roster to start the 2025 season then a portion of his 2026 base salary becomes guaranteed. I hate that! You get extra dead cap by doing that if you want to move on.
Andrew Brandt
@AndrewBrandt
Putting a $255M NFL Salary Cap in perspective:
NFL teams receive an annual distribution check – for national media/sponsorship/licensing revenue – of roughly $400M.
Thus, before they even turn the lights on, NFL teams have almost $150M more in revenue than all their player costs.
——————
Damn!
Zach Kruse
@zachkruse2
Stumbled upon this on
@Stathead
Aaron Rodgers, 2010 (including playoffs):
19 games, 402 completions, 37 TD passes, 13 INTs
Jordan Love, 2023 (including playoffs):
19 games, 409 completions, 37 TD passes, 13 INTs
They are one of the few teams that draft quarterbacks really really well. And the historically piss off the quarterback on the roster by drafting his replacement early. Rogers sat behind love sat behind Rogers.
** sat behind Favre (goddamn, that is hard to type with AutoCorrect continually trying to change it.)
I knew what you meant. 🙂
I was at work all day and posted tweets here during breaks… didn’t really get a chance to go in-depth with some of my thoughts.
I think it’s a real bummer that Robert Hunt wants to test FA while having to wait on T-Stead’s retirement decision. We sure could use that lost 3rd round pick this year to draft another O-Lineman, right?
Gotta move on from that 3rd round pick. What’s done is done. Since Ross fucked up notice he’s not in the forefront anymore? That’s a good thing. Make sure the team has what they need and stay out of football negotiations.
While I really don’t mind rubbing sand in Steve Ross’ sunburn, I’m actually implying either a trade or a trade-down to regain that lost 3rd rounder… or better.
I don’t foresee a trade-down from R1P21 any longer… I believe there’s going to be a STUD sitting there for us.
I think it all depends on how we view this draft. Every year mocksters try to make a draft class better than it is for their business. Many times teams only have 1st round grades on 15 prospects.
Another thought from today’s news…
Our window is currently OPEN, being we’ve gone all-in. The only way to keep the current window open? Extend Tua to a cap-friendly contract in the here and now.
And as Cav Kong stated earlier, give us an out after two years if it isn’t working.
I’m not a capologist, but how do you give Tua a big contract extension that pays him less than the $23M he’s supposed to get paid in ’24, and also not pay him $55M next season, while also giving us an out in “26?
To be more specific, some of you here have mentioned savings of more than 1/2 of his $23M this season. So maybe $10-11M this season, and then what next season? Why would Tua or his agent accept that if we have an OUT in 2026? He’d be crazy!!!
Bonus money is the key. I think the first year of Mahomes contract was only a $2M cap hit.
No idea either but the way teams manipulate the cap is a thing.
It’s all about moving $$$ around. I’ll grant ya this: we’ll end up with a LOT of dead $$$ if it doesn’t work out. The Broncos are left holding the sack with Russell Wilson’s pending release.
I think that at the VERY least, we must re-sign Isaiah Wynn and pray T-Stead comes back.
We know that Eich can play Center, so we’d be left to find a replacement for Robert Hunt at RG should he test FA.
This is the BEST CASE scenario for our O-Line woes (prior to the Draft)… and yet we still know T-Stead will miss half the season.
We need to bring in as many competent OL regardless of what Armstead decides. Like we all know he always misses games anyway.
Mike E,
Bro, it’s ALL about keeping our window open, being we went ALL-IN. There’s no going back at this point and we’ve got to win or go home.
YES… if it fails, we’re going to be in cap hell for YEARS to come.
Won’t be in cap hell for years but we’ll be rebooting. We should enjoy that we’re trying to win now as opposed to rebuilding forever. Been there done that.
I think you guys are dreaming. I mean no offense, but if we’re going all in on Tua then we’re going all in. I don’t think any of this major savings are happening beyond this season. We’d have to pay him a shit ton of money in ’25 and beyond if somehow we’re going to pay him $10M this season. There won’t be an OUT either. If I’m Tua or his agent I’m not accepting an OUT. Either you want me or you don’t.
What am I dreaming about? I’m talking about only 2024. We’re trying to win now while we have some really good players. Doing it half ass now will blow up in our face.
Dreaming that we’re going to get Tua to sign a contract that pays him $10M this season and maybe $55M the following season and then we have an OUT clause. That’s not happening. He’ll be our QB till ’27 or ’28 for better or for worse, and we’ll be paying more than Patrick Mahomes and possible Joe Burrow while we’re at it.
Oh okay well that wasn’t me.
With the proposed contract above, the guaranteed money is 105 mil. So if we pay him 15 this year and 55 next year, we’d only owe another 30 in guarantees. Cut him after year two and you can spread the dead money over the next two years- say 15 mil each year.
Most big contracts, except for something stupid like Watson, usually have ‘outs’ in the final year or two. It doesn’t mean we’re free and clear, but it’s not prohibitive.
I think it more likely if we sign him to a 4 year contract, out out year will be year 4, not year 3.
Sorry, my numbers were wonky. It’d be another 35 in guarantees, and say 17.5 mil over the next two years.
Do y’all understand why we decided to go all-in when we did???
Steve Ross is going to be 84 years old in May. As much grief as I’ve given Ross over the years (much of it well deserved), he wants to go out as a WINNER. I will NEVER take that away from him, being he wants to bring us a Super Bowl championship for the first time since 1973.
We’re going to do whatever it takes to keep this window open for Ross to win a championship before he hangs it up… and I support as much.
I’m rooting for Steve Ross!!!
I also think the fact he probably only owns the team a few more years is a big factor in what we’re doing. There aren’t really any other moves we could be making that would give us a better chance to win in the next two or three years than what we’re doing.
I’ll talk more in the AM, nighty night!
Be well, my man! Tomorrow!
✌️
We’ve made the playoffs 4 times in the last 22 years. Lost in the wildcard round every time. But we’ve only been to the playoffs twice in a row once since 2001. That’s progress. 🤣
^
I’m audi as well. Peace, Cav Kong and Tim! Be well!
✌️
Leap Day…an extra day of work to get shit done…lol
Mary Lea Forsythe, of Sand Springs, OK, born 2-29-1924 is 100 years old today celebrating her 25th birthday! 🎂
Joe Rose and Omar discussing Tua and the salary right now on WQAM. WQAM put up a poll yesterday with 2 answers. Do we keep Tua on his 5th year contract for $23.1M or do we give him a big contract extension.
55% – Keep Tua on the 5th year contract
45% – Give Tua a big contract extension
It was pretty close overall.
Justin Herbert’s contract 5YR/$262M ($218M Guaranteed)
First 2 years of the contract
Year 1 – Counted only $8.5M against the cap
Year 2 – Counted only $19.35M against the cap.
________________________________
I guess I can live with something that looks like that. Once you get beyond year 2, you’re dead if the kid isn’t playing at a high level, and the dead cap hits will be brutal. Year 3 Dead Cap ($110M) – Year 4 Dead Cap ($72.8M)
________________________________
So it’s going to be interesting. I guess if we can keep Wilkins and Hunt, and maybe give us another few million to either re-sign Lamm or Wynn or pick up guys like them. I think we’re also going to need a CB. Cam Smith has to be a starter, and honestly, I can’t tolerate another season of Eli Apple playing lots of meaningful reps.
Next step is we MUST draft 2 starters in this ’24 draft. We need O-line for our 1st pick and then you can argue about DB or WR, because God forbid either Hill or Waddle or both aren’t 100%, there’s no depth to pick up the slack.
It would also be great to re-sign AVG, I have no idea what our defense is going to look like early on next year.
OL or D for sure
Guess which Poll answer I voted for. 😀
lol
I don’t feel exactly like this, but this nearly made me spit out my coffee . . .
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Yeah, but to be fair, look at what that QB did with his new team with a defense that gives up a lot of points and a coach who made some bad decisions. He went to the NFC championship game only to lose 34-31.
And that coach who “upgraded” lost to his old QB in the playoffs this year.
Mike E., if they give Tua a similar contract to what Herbert got, it won’t hurt us really down the road. The future cap wise is not bleak at all even though they went all in. We are just strapped now but not in the future even with a big Tua contract.
Per SPOTRAC, with the release of X and most likely release/retirement of Armstead next year (if not this year) with a projected cap of 273 mil we will have about 77 mil in cap space in 2025. That includes 15 mil and 13 mil fifth years options on Waddle and Phillips respectively. Give one or both an extension and we clear even more cap space for 2025.
If Tua’s hit in 2025 is only around 25 mil, it won’t much impact our cap as the release of X and a post 6/1 release next year on Armstead would just about cover that.
I hear you. Biggest issue after that is whether Tua can finally step up and play better against winning teams.
THAT is the big IF!
Also, if he decides to take off the bubble wrap, can he stay healthy?
BBM – The Rams thing with Sean McVay is funny two ways. Yes, he got Matt Stafford and won a Super Bowl, but you’re absolutely right, Jared Goff proved he’s no slouch either.
Yeah, but he just didn’t give Goff the chance to reach his ceiling. It’s different with Tua. Deep down, I feel he has reached his ceiling with only room for a little improvement here or there.
To give more prospective on our future cap, in 2026, SPOTRAC is projecting a 292 mil cap. Ramsey, X and Armstead will no longer be under contract in 2026. Tyreek Hill’s cap hit in 2026 is 52.6 mil. Hill will be released or retire as he said he would do after the 2025 season and that would clear 45 mil on him alone. Those savings I just mentioned gives us around 200 mil in cap to play with in 2026.
Yes, I know that # will go down as we sign, resign and extend players but that is what we have right now to play with in the future.
We could easily give both Tua and Wilkins those big contracts now with the larger hits coming in 2026 and beyond, like the contracts given to Herbert or Allen. Same with an extension of Waddle.
Ramsey will only be 31 in 2026. We could extend him past 2025 and clear more cap in 2025.
I also think we could have enough 2025 cap to let Phillips play on his 5th year option in 2025. Or, if he comes back sometime this season and balls out, give him an extension before the end of the season and clear more cap in 2025.
After Waddle and Phillips, we don’t have any draft picks to worry about big contracts until maybe Achane in 2026.
Mike, I’m with you 100% on Tua playing his 5th year. I really don’t get why we need that extra maybe 10 million this year. If we have the flexibility and ways to create space Grier keeps saying we have, then 10 mil shouldn’t break us. I’ve never bought that argument. But it appears to be a foregone conclusion we’re extending him. So my best case scenario is 4 years at most. 3 years would be even better, but not sure that is realistic.
If we don’t resign him and let him play on his option, then we will more than likely not be resigning Wilkins. That extra 10-12 mil or more would give us more flexibility to do it.
That’s the position we are in this year. As stated above, we will have plenty of cap in the future.
Yeah, I don’t buy that at all. There are always ways to create a little wiggle room and Grier has said a couple times he’s not worried about the cap because there are ways. I just don’t see one contract that saves 10 mil as the difference between signing Wilkins or not. You sign him to a 5- 6 year deal with signing bonus and make this years cap hit small and push the can down the road.
Because we have plenty of cap in the future
Let me put it this way. Either you bank on Tua this year or you bank on Wilkins this year, and you can bank on the other one next year. Well, only one of them is under contract right now this year.
You telling me on a 5 yr contract we can’t absorb that 10 mil over the next 5 years, it has to be in yr 1!? No way.
I guess you are right and I am kind of contradicting myself. I do believe though that Grier is not worried about the cap because he is banking on a new contract with Tua as one of the “ways”.
I didn’t mean to put an exclamation point on that last post. There wasn’t supposed to be that added emphasis. That was a posted from my phone, which rarely works out the way I intend, lol.
Kong – I truly appreciate you telling me this. I know you’re quite the level-headed ape, so hearing that we’re in agreement on Tua makes me feel a little more sane, because there’s a lot of pushback here on the other side.
I haven’t posted in a awhile, but I’ve been creeping, and I agree with a lot of what you’ve said.
The reality is he’s almost certainly getting extended this year regardless of what either of us think, so there’s that, lol.
The extra 10-12 mil obviously doesn’t hurt this year, I just don’t buy we’re extending him because we HAVE to for cap reasons.
I think what MF13 brought up last night is a major part of it, Ross wants to go all in for the next couple years before selling the team, and that means Tua is our QB for at least the next couple years because that is our best shot, so we’d have to extend him anyway.
And maybe McD and Grier really believe what they say about him and Tua will continue to prove his doubters wrong. I certainly hope so.
This IS what it boils down to.
It is a 2 year window before Hill retires after the 2025 season.
It’ll be interesting to see if he sticks to that timeline if he’s still producing.
We would not be strapping ourselves in the future either. Take Herberts contract for instance. It goes all the way through the 2029 season and all that money pushed to the back half of the contract. Say he develops DCS and Harbaugh wants to move on. They could do so after 2025 even though he is still owed 72 mil in guaranteed money. They could designate him a post 6/1 release in 2026 and still clear some cap even though there is 4 years left on his contract where the largest portions are owed.
Kong – I think a lot of the Tua contract is aesthetic too. It kind of looks like a vote of no confidence having Tua play on the 5th year, even if it’s the right thing to do.
That makes sense. It certainly would send a mixed message to say they want to see him play on his 5th yr while also saying how much they believe in him.
https://x.com/movethesticks/status/1763248639651053709?s=46
These aren’t great numbers for him
Maybe it pushes him down
I always thought he was going to be in our range at #21. Maybe into top of 2nd.
Dov Kleiman
@NFL_DovKleiman
𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴: The #Patriots plan is to draft a QB at No. 3 and sign a veteran, “potentially sit the rookie if need be,” per
@ByMarkDaniels
Mac Jones is likely gone.
—————-
I just hope they don’t get Jayden Daniels.
From the ‘this is weird’ category.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/report-jets-have-valid-belief-mecole-hardman-leaked-gameplans-vs-chiefs-eagles/ar-BB1j6VUv?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=437dd66c263e40a6b052722a6e741340&ei=14
This after Hardman sorta gave up that the Chiefs tampered with him while he was on the Jest- which he has since retracted.
The darling Chiefs will never get investigated for tampering
Yeah, they are the face of the league right now, and the Taylor Swift thing just makes them that much more in regards to revenue.
I can’t believe this is even in my vocabulary, but I really hope Kelce and Swift break up before next season 😭
Meanwhile we had two years of drafts heavily impacted for our indiscretions…
Rob Rang
@RobRang
·
Follow
The most gifted positional group of the 2024 NFL Draft is undoubtedly offensive tackle. At least FIVE OTs will be among the first 20 picks. Seven or eight will be drafted in the first round.
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It will get thin after that. If you want a good one, you will have to get him in the 1st round.
Holy crap! One of my fav DT’s in the draft Braden Fiske, FSU, 6’4 292 ran a 4.78 forty at the combine. He is a Zach Seiler 2.0. Not because he is white. lol He plays a similar game to Seiler. He had 16 sacks from the DT position over the last 3 seasons.
He also had the 3rd fastest split time at 1.68 sec
The only 2 to beat him in the split were smaller DE types.
He also had the best vertical and broad jump of all the DT’s.
My other fav DL did well also.
Byron Murphy II, 6’1, 297, 4.87 forty and 1.69 split. He will go late 1st to early 2nd.
Ruke Orhorhoro, 6’4 294, 4.89 forty and 1.67 split.
One guy I had been mocking to us as a NT did just okay. McKinley Jackson, 6’1.5 326, 5.26 forty and a 1.78 split.
I would have to say T’Vondre Sweat did well at 6’4.5 and a whopping weigh in at 366 pounds ran a 5.27 and a 1.80 split.
I hope Taylor Swift goes out with Tua
Piggy, Edge running now.
Chop Robinson improving his stock with a sick 4.49 forty, 34.5 vertical and tied for 1st in broad at 10’8.
I’ve been looking at Mohamad Kamara, 6’1 248 as an Edge pick in the 6th. I think he climbs draft boards with a 4.58 forty, 34.5 vert and 10’3 broad.
Chop taking top honors so far with a 1.54 split and Kamara 2nd with a 1.58 split.
Edge Jared Verse, FSU, 6’4 254 coming in with all very good #’s also, 4.59 forty, 1.6 split, 35 vertical and 10’7 broad. I think he goes top 15.
Edge Latu, 6’5 259 tested well in the running, 4.64 forty and 1.62 split, but not so much in testing for power with a 32 vertical and only a 9’8 broad. DT Fiske beat him in both those.
The 2 Alabama Edge players are apparently not testing, Turner (who could be the first Edge taken) and Braswell.
LB’s are next and last for today.
DB’s and TE’s are tomorrow.
I just read this from Hyde. I knew it was bad with the lost picks and the trades, but I didn’t realize it was historic.
“They already have the least draft capital over a three-year period in league history.”
Doesn’t surprise me. Doing mock drafts this year and the last couple years have been very frustrating to say the least.
lol, I’ve seen you going deep into the trade down well
We had some heavy drafts in recent years too.
Yeah, we parlayed the Tunsil trade into heavy drafts for like 3 or 4 years.
Six 1st round picks in three years; Wilkins in 2019, Tua, Jackson and Iggy in 2020 and Waddle and Phillips in 2021. Also landed Hunt and Holland in the 2nd along the way. Turned two 1st rounders into Hill and Chubb.
Iggy was the only bust.
Tunsil was the gift that kept giving
It is beyond comprehension to me that Danny Crossman is still our f^cking ST coordinator. I was so happy when the word came out we let him go…that was some real Lucy pulling the ball away sh!t.
I’m not sure if it’s all on him or the players. But what actually happened with that early report that we moved on from him?
I have no idea, it just seemed to go away, so I assume it was just bad reporting.
I don’t care if your whole ST unit is made up of scrubs, no team should give up two KO TDs every year with the way the kickoff rules are. And no team does, except for us. I think we’ve given up 5 in the last 3 years. And it seems we’ve been bottom of the league nearly every year since he took over in ’19. I miss Rizzi 😦
Sheesh, the Ravens only spent 18+ mil on their 7 defensive linemen next year. Wilkins will cost 1.5-2 times that all by himself.
lol, **last** year…not next year
I’m already tired of waiting for the next season to start, lol.
Not that it matters, but I agree with your assessment of Tua’s performance against the better teams. It’s been subpar and hopefully it’s the next step in his development.
I have no idea about the financial/business side or what’s best.
To Mike E.!!!
But he has played well against top defenses, go figure
Teams….Ravens, Eagles, Bills, Chiefs..top teams, no less. But, teams.
Tua needs to get better Rock…agree? Or, are you ok with where he’s at? I’m not. I can’t be any clearer.
Never mind, I see the Alabama Edge players tested with the LB group. Dallas Turner might have solidified himself as the top Edge at 6’3 247, 4.46 forty, 1.54 split, 40.5 vertical and 10.7 broad.
OLB Peyton Wilson 6’4 233 nailed it and improved his stock with a 4.43 forty (the fastest 40 out of all the front 7 players), 1.54 split (tied for fastest of front 7 players), 34.5 vertical and 9’11 broad. I like him. He just needs to get bigger and more physical. He’s not a thumper.
I’m just curious what folks think. If Tua repeats his performance from last year….big stats but shriveled sack in the big moments, do you still keep him in 2025?
They’re gonna have to after the contract they give him. I’m solidly in the wait it out and see after next year camp before they are committed for years. Hell, I want them to draft a QB. Lol
To answer your question, no. I am already looking for replacement. I have learned my lesson!
Knowing the folks on this blog, they’ll be a litany of excuses to be made. The O-line wasn’t good enough, we never got Tua a 3rd WR, never got hom a TE, running backs couldn’t run inside etc. etc. etc
Probably
If he’s under contract, it won’t prevent us from drafting a new QB
So my guess is Tua is the starting QB next year and in 2025
we can draft the guy who eventually replaces him within the next couple of years
Tua has been productive just not great
I don’t think we should part ways with productive to replace it with nonproductive – you need to have a guy in place to move on IMO
CavalierKong says:
February 29, 2024 at 6:57 pm
I’m already tired of waiting for the next season to start, lol.
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+10000000000000000000000000000000000
LOVE IT!!!
Gotta be a fan of Ted Lasso to understand!!!
Well done, Cav Kong! 😀
lol, I knew at least a couple of people would get the inside angle of this. Cheers 🙂
Randy says:
February 29, 2024 at 8:52 pm
I’m just curious what folks think. If Tua repeats his performance from last year….big stats but shriveled sack in the big moments, do you still keep him in 2025?
——————–
I think there’s probably no way Tua will repeat last year’s performance against elite opponents.
What are the chances our Offensive starters miss as many games as they had in ’23? My goodness, had our O-Line stayed healthy — along with Achane — Achane alone could have broken 2,000 yards rushing.
Tua throwing to a broken-down ‘Reek and Penguin when the games counted didn’t help either… along with the broken-down O-Line, MAKING it so that Tua had to get rid of the ball so early.
INJURIES!!! It’s not an excuse, it’s a REALITY.
It’s already very well documented that we had more injuries than any other team in the NFL in ’23. And I think if ya look back, we probably had more injuries in ’23 than nearly any team since the turn of the millennium.
Not even Patrick Mahomes could have won with what our ’23 team had to deal with.
I’ll say it again. The entire team wore down at the end of the season. I watched the games too. There was some subpar play across the board. Injuries played a major role in it.
M13,
I’ve just never been a big “injuries hurt us” guy. Teams have backups for a reason. Now, I certainly understand how injuries at key positions can be a major hurdle, but I guess I believe it’s up to the team to still figure out a way to win. It’s a circular discussion, but to me, you still play the game so injuries literally don’t matter. Nobody gets losses with asterisks. Nobody ever qualifies a win by saying the other team had a lot of injuries. What we hear is: “They’re still an NFL team. A win’s a win.” Only with loses do we bring up injuries. Lol
Tim,
If a team wears down at the end of the season that is on them. That should never happen with professionals. Guys are paid to be in shape and be prepared to play. I’m so tired of all these excuses.
Wore down meaning we took a lot of casualties. When you lose the amount of core players we did that were out or trying to stick it out, it’s just reality. If that doesn’t matter then we shouldn’t worry about FA or the draft because talent doesn’t matter and anyone can play.
Over the years that we’ve all blogged, when we would beat some good teams it was because the opponents were banged up, but that “excuse” isn’t allowed for the Dolphins. That has been a common mantra on our blogs and in the media. But when the Dolphins are banged up they choked. Sorry but it’s true. Lots of contradictions. 🤣
Randy,
My friend, we had some of our BACKUPS go out for the season though! We had to sign street-agents just to get through the roughest stretch (at the end) of our season, man.
We signed two edge guys and a LB just to play the Chiefs in the playoffs. I wonder how many people remember that and know who they were?
I know my guy BRUCE IRVIN was one of them! 🙂
I know you know. 🙂
Of current QBs…
Josh Allen: 0x passing yards leader, 0x PR leader, 0x CMP% leader
Justin Herbert: 0x passing yards leader, 0x PR leader, 0x CMP% leader
Dak Prescott: 0x passing yards leader, 0x PR leader, 0x CMP% leader
Matt Stafford: 0x passing yards leader, 0x PR leader, 0x CMP% leader
Kirk Cousins: 0x passing yards leader, 0x PR leader, 1x CMP% leader
Joe Burrow: 0x passing yards leader, 0x PR leader, 1x CMP% leader
Russell Wilson: 0x passing yards leader, 1x PR leader, 0x CMP% leader
Pat Mahomes: 1x passing yards leader, 0x PR leader, 0x CMP% leader
TUA: 1x passing yards leader, 1x PR leader, 0x CMP% leader
Tua was the #1 passer rating leader in ’22, despite his concussions
Tua was the #1 passing yards leader in ’23, despite others’ injuries
Tua IS one of the most accurate QBs in the NFL (CMP%)
I dunno… I think his needle is pointing HELLA north!!!
Tua has accomplished these feats by the age of 25.
All of those QB except for Herbert and Cousins have been to one or more SuperBowls. Cousins has won playoff games.
Tops in YPA too the last two seasons.
INDEED! Great point.
When people try to say he’s like Tannehill I have to laugh. Tannehill was never that high in any QB rankings.
Does anybody remember us waiting for Ryan Tannehill’s nuts to drop? And we waited, and waited, and waited (me too).
What Tua has already done by the young age of 25 years old should resonate positively with all. Tua’s not yet reached his ceiling (took Tanny a long time to reach his ceiling, right?), and he’s not the problem, IMO.
M13,
I was waiting for Tannehill to be traded. Lol
***
It’s not like Tua is a rookie. He’s been in the league for 4 years and came from a big time program. What exactly am I still waiting for? And you know I always give guys 2-3 years to show what they are.
***
And, everyone knows that if the team truly felt he was “the guy”, they’d have signed him long before now.
Tim,
It doesn’t matter because the games are still played. You’re still expected to find a way to win. A true champion overcomes.
***
Injuries are simply part of the game….like bad calls….and you still gotta find a way to win. It’s why you get 53 players.
And when the other team is better you lose. This idea that we suck because we can’t slay the dragon makes me laugh. The teams I root for are never the best. So I’m just used to it. Maybe someday. 😂
Yes, injuries are part of the game and for Mahomes (except in TB SB) and Allen it doesn’t seem to bother them much
When it’s 3rd and long you don’t feel comfortable against them
I’d love to have a QB like that
We have to go with what we have, as long as Ross still owns the team he’s going to ride it out
Today’s NFL is all about the QB that’s dangerous extending plays, then there’s Tua and Purdy trying old school QBing
Oilers couldn’t get past Steelers back in the 70s, so they fired Bum Phillips and took a step back for many years, on the flip side the Rams traded for Stafford, if you change your QB or coach for a better one you may get over the hump, if he’s worse you may take a dump
I’m all for trading Tua for Herbert, Jackson or any of these extenda play type of QBs, but until one becomes available Tua is my QB, and drafting one isn’t an viable option
Look at this BS
https://nypost.com/2024/02/29/sports/nfl-may-finally-eliminate-antiquated-chain-measurements/
Sure enough they’ll use it to remove the paper trail (evidence) of cheating, giving the darling teams another advantage
NEW BLOG UP!!!!
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