That we would agressively sign players that would make our offense more dynamic. Or did you expect the same old hold on to our purse strings routine? Finally we are making moves to catch the Cheatroits. I only wish we could of done years earlier when our team had Marino at the helm. Anyway this is a refreshing break from just trying to be a little better than mediocre or just down right sorry like in 2007. Philbin has come to town, and now we have a legit chance to be a very good team.

I expected the spending on offense.

Did not expect the moves at LB.

And Dude...Philbin isn't behind this.

He has input and Ireland tries to fill his needs. But these moves are all Ireland.

Amazing how nobody ever wants to give him anything but blame.

Funny how his progression pattern was
Similar to a lot our opinions!

Wallace, Cook, Keller, etc,

The Lb's and Gibson were surprises

Long is interesting. How much room is left?

Could bess and carpenter go?

If you go in with a lot of holes filled
That somewhat hides your draft needs or desires

I wouldn't be surprised if we try to trade Bess for a 5th or a 6th, I think he's worth more, but with his contract up next year without striking a new deal with him I cant see a team giving up anything more.

Besides that, I would take an expired can of sardines for Bess if it kept him off the Pats/Jets/Bills.

I'm going to assume that Bess's days here could be numbered. Dolphanmark mentioned in another thread that nobody here should be surprised if he's replaced and he explained why. I think the signing of Gibson solidifies Mark's theory. I'd be sad to see Bess go...dude has played his heart out for this team.

And yes indeed - Ireland is on a run. This is his contract year, so he'd better not be stingy with the money. I'm pretty pleased with all these FA signings, I just hope he can nail some gems in the draft. I'm guessing the money pot will be empty by the time the final roster is set after the draft & preseason.

Bess to AZ. They need someone with Fitz

The Receiving Corps are looking great, running game is a question mark and I am still concerned about the O. Line. Maybe it will be filled out by the draft. The secondary still looks bad right now, but there are tons of corners on the market. D.Line could use some upgrading. Overall I am pleased at this leap of faith, and it could finally turn this team into a winner.

jlyell13 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Bess to AZ. They need someone with Fitz


that was actually the first team that came to my mind as well.

To answer the question, I totally expected it.

Shopping in the free agency trash can instead of building through the draft

Chyren Mike Wallace, and Dustin Keller are not trash why must you say things that undermine this teams efforts. Neither is Gibson or the 2 linebackers can't you just for once not be negative. The draft is a crap shoot you never know what kind of player you're going to get coming out of college. At least these players have a track record, and have upgraded our roster. Try and look at the positive. This team barring catastrophic injuries is going to challenge the Cheatriots for the division title, and is that not quite refreshing?

toko34 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> running
> game is a question mark and I am still concerned
> about the O. Line.


Exactly....if we can fix these two problems and also fix the cb position we might have a chance of making the playoffs this year.

We need to hit on at least 4 players in the draft that are good for depth.....I mean players that can play.....with maybe an OT starter. and also cb starter.


Lets see...


1. We signed a couple of talented receivers.

2. We signed a better threat than fasano at the TEnd position

3. We signed a couple of starting LBs.


Draft...in this order of need...


1. CB OL or patterson...Might have the best receiving corps in nfl with
patterson.

2. OL

3. RB............Still dont know if miller is the one.

4. CB

5. OL

6. WR....Got zach in the 6th.....you never know..roll the dice.

7. CB.




I mean if OL and cb is the weakest position......then get a few of them in the draft and we will surely hit on a couple of them.


We even got more than 7 picks so its all good.

Its been an exciting offseason so far...

we have gotten some talent and upgraded the wr Lb and te position with youth.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/16/2013 05:06AM by samsam3738.

We might get the best Tend available in the first round too...

I cant wait till the draft.

We haven't been this aggressive in free agency in a long time.
We haven't been able to. We normally pick through the scraps

We also now have the ability to continue to build through the draft.
With the extra picks, we have the ability to continue to be aggressive and add the right kind of talent.

got 3 picks in the first 2 rounds....I say we go OL and cb..........with best player available.


Unless patterson falls to 12. or maybe keenan allen.

Dear Mr. Truth,

I do declare in my most humble opinion gear I believe you're overstating your case just a wankel or so. The amount of signings we're undertaking this offseason is certifiably on the VERY AGGRESSIVE side of the ledger. Furthermore -- what seems a bit troubling are the future ramifications -- vis–à–vis huge amounts of CAP crap floating downstream into villages we will inhabit in short order. Know what I mean?

Once again, the perennial N F L footie ball powerhouses use the draft as their dominant engine and supplement sparingly at the golden fleece pump called "free agency." And you and me know anything called "free" is a total scam!

Just saying...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/16/2013 06:23AM by BigNastyFish.

Mike Wallace
Brandon Gibson
Dustin Keller
Dannell Ellerbe
Philip Wheeler

Matt Moore
Brian Hartline
Chris Clemons


We have been aggressive...but, these moves certainly do not have to be cap killers for the future if we continue to draft well.

I don't have it in front of me but the CAP crap for the signings next year is like 57million or something even north of that. So we're talking really BIG BUCKS.

I have to assume Ireland and Co. have a plan of action to address that so maybe he is a football GM savant or maybe he's a tad free agent crazy?

Time will surely tell. But for now -- nothing is proven. So, based on overall history, maintaining a healthy dose of skepticism is advisable if you're a Miami Dolphin fan.

I do not believe that we signed all of these quality players without keeping in mind the salary cap implications. Quite frankly it is Ireland's job to manage both. We still have enough cap space left in which to fill out our remaining vacancies on our roster. No team with a under paid roster except on a few occasions have ever tasted championship glory. It goes with the territory. In order to be the best, one must spend freely, and wisely.

BigNastyFish Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I don't have it in front of me but the CAP crap
> for the signings next year is like 57million or
> something even north of that. So we're talking
> really BIG BUCKS.
>
> I have to assume Ireland and Co. have a plan of
> action to address that so maybe he is a football
> GM savant or maybe he's a tad free agent crazy?
>
> Time will surely tell. But for now -- nothing is
> proven. So, based on overall history, maintaining
> a healthy dose of skepticism is advisable if
> you're a Miami Dolphin fan.

Ireland knows he needs a good year this year. If he gets it, he gets a contract extension. If not, he gets fired. Either way, next year only matters to him if this year is a success. So my concern is he really doesn't care about the cap implications of next season, just this year. Some mighty big cap figures next year tied up in Wallace and the 2 LBs we signed.

________________________________________________________
The beatings will continue until morale improves.

I get up in the morning, do a little running around, come back and read "THE Truth"'s response that I "don't get it," got ready to respond but thankfully I wait to read down and see that BNF has put THE Truth righteously and rightfully back in the cage where he belongs with such precision.

BigNastyFish Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Dear Mr. Truth,
>
> I do declare in my most humble opinion gear I
> believe you're overstating your case just a wankel
> or so. The amount of signings we're undertaking
> this offseason is certifiably on the VERY
> AGGRESSIVE side of the ledger. Furthermore -- what
> seems a bit troubling are the future ramifications
> -- vis–à–vis huge amounts of CAP crap
> floating downstream into villages we will inhabit
> in short order. Know what I mean?
>
> Once again, the perennial N F L footie ball
> powerhouses use the draft as their dominant engine
> and supplement sparingly at the golden fleece pump
> called "free agency." And you and me know anything
> called "free" is a total scam!
>
> Just saying...

Which deals that we've signed cripple us cap-wise down the road?

Wallace?

OK, but that was the most necessary of all of them.

The rest are just using the resources available to (as quickly as possible) bring in guys that fit the systems we installed this year.

Again, it would be stupid to not use the cap room we have.

Most of those contracts are 2-4 year deals.

They will be coming off the books when the core players we drafted last year, this year and next year are looking to get paid.


Good teams use ALL their resources...Free agency, the draft and trades to build their rosters.

Yes relying on free agency every year is a bad way to go.

You have to draft well to have cheap production to balance your scales and if you don't you end up like washington, throwing huge money at the shiniest new toy on the market every year.

We haven't done that and we aren't doing that.

In the Shula days, we picked up key free agents and made key trades but the overwhelming, more than 90% of our great players we got from the draft.

Last year should have taught us with both Brandon Marshall and Chad Johnson, that even the best laid and most talented of free agent picks can backfire.

Sure the draft is a gamble but can one say that free agency is any less of a gamble?

Players get big headed like Brandon Marshall, get in trouble like Chad O., or even get injured before we can see what they can do for us on the field like Cam Newton.

But with a college pick, we get to groom him. Observe him in his formative years. Let him grow up with our young QB instead of having an as_hole like Brandon demanding to get the ball on every down.

But I don't blame Ireland for not having confidence in his own draft picks. He trades down to the bottom of the barrel and is frustrated that those picks don't end up panning out. In fact, he has so little confidence in them that he only plays them in preseason.

And his signature high pick is Daniel Thomas. Well, that's not fair but I'm in no mood to be fair to him.

BigNastyFish Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Mr. Berk wrote:
>
> Ireland knows he needs a good year this year. If
> he gets it, he gets a contract extension. If not,
> he gets fired. Either way, next year only matters
> to him if this year is a success. So my concern is
> he really doesn't care about the cap implications
> of next season, just this year. Some mighty big
> cap figures next year tied up in Wallace and the 2
> LBs we signed.
>
> This is precisely the point IMO -- specifically in
> relation to the dynamics driving this process. I
> think we were all prepared for this year to be
> "phase II" of the Philbin implementation (with
> notable progress) as opposed to what seems more
> like Ireland's huge roll of the $$$ dice -- which
> is either "super aggressive" or somewhat cloaked
> in "desperation" -- or a combination of the two.





That's fits the narrative. But its not the case.

He traded two old LB's he (or the new GM) would have dumped next year for two younger more athletic ones AND saved money.

He spent big on Wallace...but that was more out of necessity than panic. We needed a #1 WR in the worst way.

Beyond that what moves did he over pay for? Which indicate "panic" or desperation?

Once again Mr. Truth,

The "strategy is sound" will be proven through the results and CANNOT be determined in the definitive way you seem to be suggesting at this POINT in time.

And furthermore, I think we're all a bit surprised by the highly aggressive free agency spending spree -- regardless of the results -- which are FAR from conclusive at this point in time.

But like I said in prior post -- historically this PROCESS we're employing has NOT proven to be the silk road leading to the promised land.

Of course that fact does not preclude the possibility -- it just suggests building a championship team this way is unlikely.

Ireland overpaid for Wallace.... Wallace has never been ranked in the top ten of WR power rankings even after his best season... He has had 2 good years and 2 avg years... We paid him top 3 power rankings money.... TO me it is obvious we overpaid for a guy that had 2 good season, yet never ranked in top ten power rankings for his position... What other proof do you want? Do you want to bet some coin that Wallace doesnt finish next year in the top 3 power rankings for WR...

WHeeler and Ebberly, to early to tell how that is going to workout.. Hartline and Moore deals were strong, so was the Keller move, if he can stay healthy....
The last 2 season, 2 teams stepped up and spent alot of money like us in March, last year it was the Buffalo Bills, the year before it was Philly... Offseason champs often turn into season chumps... I pray to the football gods this is not the case, but I am hardly ready to pin a medal on our GM at this point... And anyone who doesnt think we overpaid for Wallace is in denial...

-----------------------------------------------------------------
All things are subject to interpretation whichever interpretation prevails at a given time is a function of power and not truth.
Nietzsche