The Dolphins have 27 players whose contracts are up this year and Miami, at the moment, is $40M over the cap. Here, IMO, are the players who should be resigned:

WR Braxton Berrios

OL Kendall Lamm

DL Christian Wilkins

DL Raekwon Davis

LB Andrew Van Ginkel

CB Nik Needham

Some of the above can go either way, but my number one signee is Wilkins.

captkoi Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The Dolphins have 27 players whose contracts are
> up this year and Miami, at the moment, is $40M
> over the cap. Here, IMO, are the players who
> should be resigned:
>
> WR Braxton Berrios
>
> OL Kendall Lamm
>
> DL Christian Wilkins
>
> DL Raekwon Davis
>
> LB Andrew Van Ginkel
>
> CB Nik Needham
>
> Some of the above can go either way, but my number
> one signee is Wilkins.


Absolutely agree.

GO DOLPHINS!!!!

Those that are allowed to walk will have to be replaced and we don't have all our picks in the upcoming draft, (no 3rd or 4th). The team was built to "win now" and we came up short. It will be an interesting off-season. Why does Grier still have a job, he's failed miserably.

Hooligan2 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Those that are allowed to walk will have to be
> replaced and we don't have all our picks in the
> upcoming draft, (no 3rd or 4th). The team was
> built to "win now" and we came up short. It will
> be an interesting off-season. Why does Grier still
> have a job, he's failed miserably.


Failed? Really? Listen to yourselves.
I admit the flame out in December was extremely frustrating. That Monday night against the Titans I almost destroyed my 75" TV.

But Greer put together the most exciting Dolphins team in decades. The injuries were not his fault. He gave McDaniels the tools to succeed. Shit happened.
Now we might get another run with some clever money management and luck.

To say he failed miserably is just neither fair or correct. The Jets GM? That MFer Fer is the definition of failure.

The outcome sucked. But had we won and moved on Greer would be a hero. He has been making moves until the last game trying to make up for injuries. His 1st round picks have been outstanding except for Oline.far from perfect, but failure!? That's unfair.

GO DOLPHINS!!!!

I'd say that I agree Grier has done well in bringing talent (via draft & FA) and managing the cap to the extent possible for such a collection of talent. Not perfect, and no one is, but fairly well. I'd certainly put him in the upper 1/2 of GMs league-wide. You gotta have a decent amount of legit talent to compete for SB's, and we have real talent.

Injuries ravaged this team, and, as we all know, not all injuries have the same impact. In our case, legit elite/real potential for elite in 2023 injury impacts:
- Ramsey (thank God he came back)
- Phillips
- Chubb (late in the season, but really needed him then)
- Holland (even when he dressed, he wasn't often himself)
- Armstead (love the talent - this one Grier knew the injury history. For me, still worth having on the team, but the talent came with real risk)
- Howard - he barely makes the "real potential for elite" list cuz he hasn't really shown it in 2 yrs now...but his injury(s) were impactful
- Williams - when he went down, he was PFF #1 center, I believe
- Waddle
- RB unit - maybe no individual elite, but the unit performed really well when healthy

Add to that folks that i don't think make the "elite/near" cut, but are valuable:
- Hunt
- AVG

Some of it's just bad injury luck. I'd be looking at every injury prevention possibility out there going forward.

I'd say that, besides injury, the reasons we didn't fulfill the potential our talent afforded:
- coaching
- QB rising to the occasion in crucial times
For both of those, I've expressed concerns but also believe there's real room for improvement and cause to believe they will continue to improve.

While assembling significant legit talent throughout the roster is nothing to be sneezed at, I think his fate will be tied to coach & QB and remains to be seen as it's still work in progress.

Bad injury luck is part of the game. The Jest had bad injury luck. If Rogers doesn't go down on the 3rd play of the season we may not have swept the Jest. Injuries was our excuse last season too. If your team is built properly you have depth to carry you through the injuries. Grier does not get a pass, both him and McD were convinced that we were set at oline, that's on record.
Nothing we can do except watch how things unfold going forward. I'm not very optimistic about next season. We're 5 years into a complete rebuild and we can't win a playoff game? Over 40% of the league makes it into the playoffs every year so, that's not really a big deal. We currently have the longest drought in the NFL for not winning a playoff game. The Texans were able to rise from the ashes, as were the Lions. The Packers lost a HOF level QB and didn't miss a beat, and then there's the Dolphins, perpetual underachievers.

I hear ya, and you may be right about the impact of Rodgers on our sweeping them. We beat them pretty soundly both games, but you never know in any individual game. In my opinion, the cumulative effect of our injuries was greater than the Jets losing Rodgers as an individual player...but I could be wrong.

The Lions are actually decent examples of the impact injuries have. When I look at the Lions lineup for the playoff game - and I don't know their roster well - everywhere there's a key contributor, I see that they're still starting. Especially on the offensive side where it might be that all 11 starters are the same as projected day 1. I don't know their defensive side as well, but where we lost our top 3 edge players, they sport Aiden Hutchinson.

If I remember correctly, last year's SB contestants were the top 2 healthiest teams of 2022 (I believe I read that...or at least 2 of the healthiest for that season). I think injury luck is one of the most critical elements of a team succeeding or not.

Regarding the OL, Armstead was a known risk...and I think Lamm played admirably in his place when needed. Hunt & Williams both played all 17 last year and for most of their careers, actually. I don't put their injuries in the 'you shoulda known' category.

All good points.

But the team played well, receiving Yds , Running Yds, we had 3 players at the top recieving, running, and Passing.

I know that doesn't mean squat when they flame out in December, but it's hardly a complete failure by the GM. If anything McDaniels owns the failure. The GM drafted well. Achane was an outstanding pick in the 3rd round. McDaniels keeps throwing screens . NFL teams defended it easily as the season progressed.

Really shit play calling, injuries are on the coaching staff not Greer.

GO DOLPHINS!!!!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/19/2024 12:11PM by TreasurecoastPhinsfan.

Hooligan2 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Those that are allowed to walk will have to be
> replaced and we don't have all our picks in the
> upcoming draft, (no 3rd or 4th). The team was
> built to "win now" and we came up short. It will
> be an interesting off-season. Why does Grier still
> have a job, he's failed miserably.


Not sure about this one. Give or take some disappointments, this is the better if not the best I have seen in a long while. I was actually excited to watch the games.

Grier never took building an oline seriously. He always tried to get by with late round picks, cheap FAs or injury prone FAs.

He's had 5 years and failed to build a good oline. He can't draft them worth a shit and the one he finally hits on...Hunt? He's willing to let him walk.

Sorry, every gm hits on some picks but Grier is definitely more miss than hit. His signature hire, Flores, wanted to do things his way and Grier stabbed him in the back. It's coming soon for Fangio as well. He wasn't happy with some of the personnel decisions and will lose a power struggle to Teflon Grier.

You can't continually miss on picks like Cam Smith and Channing Tindall...his top 2 picks the past 2 years, who were healthy scratches all year.

It starts in the trenches and until that braindead simp figures it out we'll continue to be soft against good competition.

Wow. OK So Greer has to Pick all winners. Then he has to personally train them, get them conditioned for the season , then he has to call all the plays both on offense and Defense.

Damn. Who was JJs GM in the 90s? The Pats GM the last two decades? All this time we are searching for QBs and head coaches I guess all we needed was a new GM to win a Superbowl. Belichick didnt do shit either . What was the name of that other guy.......SHULA! Who was his GM in 72,73..........

Do they have a draft for GM's? Maybe they should becuase we need to rank the best ones available , get him/her , and we are off to the races.

GO DOLPHINS!!!!

That's not what I said but his track record speaks for itself. He was supposed to be the architect of the rebuild. He has done a piss poor job with the oline and until that's corrected, we're going to be having this same discussion next offseason after we get bounced early.

Grier had full control. 5 years in we can't beat a good team, the oline gets manhandled, and we're 40mm over the cap.

His nonchanlance about the oline the past offseason spoke volumes. Look at the olines of the teams still playing. Night and day. Can't expect your QB to get rid of it in 2.5 seconds every pass play.

Fair points. I don't think anyone screamed Oline Oline! more then me everytime we announced a new free agency signing. That stated the group played pretty well the first half of the season. The running game especially but alot of that was due to FB Alex Ingold.
The zoline needs to be revamped , but it's not the reason we flamed out in December. Injuries to key defensive players as well as Offensive lineman did us in.

This salary cap is a tricky thing I never fully understood.I wont pretend to know how we get out from a 40+ million deficit and still retain our stars.

Tyrek Hill was let go for a reason. $$$$$$. The Chiefs still beat us. Twice. Hes great but is the juice worth the squeeze? That's where Our Admin has to sit down and decide who to keep and who to let go.

The Trenches. Guys like Wilkins win Championships. We need to find a simular guy for Center.

GO DOLPHINS!!!!

TreasurecoastPhinsfan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Fair points. I don't think anyone screamed Oline
> Oline! more then me everytime we announced a new
> free agency signing. That stated the group played
> pretty well the first half of the season. The
> running game especially but alot of that was due
> to FB Alex Ingold.
> The zoline needs to be revamped , but it's not the
> reason we flamed out in December. Injuries to key
> defensive players as well as Offensive lineman did
> us in.
>
> This salary cap is a tricky thing I never fully
> understood.I wont pretend to know how we get out
> from a 40+ million deficit and still retain our
> stars.
>
> Tyrek Hill was let go for a reason. $$$$$$. The
> Chiefs still beat us. Twice. Hes great but is the
> juice worth the squeeze? That's where Our Admin
> has to sit down and decide who to keep and who to
> let go.
>
> The Trenches. Guys like Wilkins win Championships.
> We need to find a simular guy for Center.

******************************

Hill isn't going anywhere - no organization will pay what Miami is presently paying him.

OLine played well this season. Butch Berry did an excellent job building an effective squad for each game this season. I questioned if he was the man for the job when he was hired and he proved me wrong.

We were (in nfl):
#1 in total offense
#1 in passing yards
#1 QB - Tua
#1 WR - Wilson
#6 in rushing
#2 in receiving yards
#5 in sacks allowed
#10 RB Mostert

That's because of the oline not the fullback (no disrespect to Ingold).

Im still not for making the signing of Tua for big bucks a priority this offseason. I have calmed my criticisms of him after considering qbs like Goff, Mayfield and Allan. They have been in the league longer than Tua and are just beginning to have playoff success.

Offseason we should make the Oline the priority. Resign Hunt, Lamm and Wynn. Sign Cushenberry (Center DEN) in free agency. On defense Van Ginkle and Davis would be my priority.

Wilkens is gone (I hope). Resign Davis he is solid in the middle and would be cheaper than signing Wilkens. Signing him would result in keeping 2/3 of our Dline intact. Draft a DL3 (Taylor) or an edge rusher in the first round. Wilkens in my opinion is a player like Bryan Cox/Mike Pouncey (more energy than brains). As I said back in the Pouncey/Incognito days, you do not win championships with guys like that.

I would cut Ogbah, Baker, White and Long (I think that would give us around 32mil to help resign guys like Hunt, Van Ginkle etc.

Grier is the best thing that's happened to the Phins in years. I do not agree with all he does but we have been on the upswing since he has been our GM. This offseason is going to be a tough one but I trust Grier rather than some new guy to keep this team moving in the right direction.

Wilkins is the best player , pound for pound on the Dolphins. I rate him above Ramsey and Hill because he's never missed a start or a snap for that matter. He IS the anchor , the most important person on the defense. He's reliable and always in when we have a big play on defense. He wins games. Miami has to resign him or I will then abandon Greer and join those who want him gone.

GO DOLPHINS!!!!

Mizzou15 wrote

We were (in nfl):
#1 in total offense
#1 in passing yards
#1 QB - Tua
#1 WR - Wilson
#6 in rushing
#2 in receiving yards
#5 in sacks allowed
#10 RB Mostert

That's against the dregs of the NFL. Let's compare how they did once they started playing against play-off caliber talent.


The Dolphins, according to the numbers, barely qualify as a playoff team.

Here are the numbers during their seven games against playoff opponents:

Miami went 1-6 (.143 winning percentage) against teams that made the playoffs this season;

The Dolphins scored 113 points while allowing 223 (-110 point differential);

Miami averaged 16 points per game while their opponents averaged 32.

Miami was the worst of the teams that made the play-offs. The regular season was a mirage if your goal is to make it to the SB.

Where do we go from here?

TreasurecoastPhinsfan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Wilkins is the best player , pound for pound on
> the Dolphins. I rate him above Ramsey and Hill
> because he's never missed a start or a snap for
> that matter. He IS the anchor , the most important
> person on the defense. He's reliable and always in
> when we have a big play on defense. He wins
> games. Miami has to resign him or I will then
> abandon Greer and join those who want him gone.

Absolutely, Wilkins was a 1st round pick. Who are we going to replace him with if we let him walk? Let Fangio decide, not a bean counter.

Miami was amongst the worst of the playoff teams, I agree. I earlier posted how we won against weak team. This year we beat them and did not play down to their level. Prior seasons we played shell games w/ the oline and sucked, this year we won with the cards we played on the oline. I did not expect us to go to the super bowl this year. I expected us to go 13-3 against a weak schedule and win 1 playoff game. We fell short but this team is not bad. We are not better than KC BUF and the Ravens but we are not bad.

In our 7 losses Wilkins had 2 sacks. That's 2 sacks in 7 games. One against TN the weakest team we lost to and 1 in the season finale against BUF where everyone was pumped up.

The playoff loss to KC Wilkins had 0 sacks and 0 solo tackles.

I hope we let him walk. I'm not drinking the Kool Aid on this guy. I'm too damn old and have seen too much. He is not expendable.

Most of the time Wilkins is drawing double coverage. Football is a game involving balance, 11 players against 11 players. If you are drawing double coverage then you are doing your job very well, it opens up a lane for somebody else to get to the QB. If you can draw triple coverage, then you are killing it even if you never get close to the QB. If Wilkins walks then you will have to replace him with limited resources. As I said before, let Fangio call it.

Hooligan2 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Most of the time Wilkins is drawing double
> coverage. Football is a game involving balance, 11
> players against 11 players. If you are drawing
> double coverage then you are doing your job very
> well, it opens up a lane for somebody else to get
> to the QB. If you can draw triple coverage, then
> you are killing it even if you never get close to
> the QB. If Wilkins walks then you will have to
> replace him with limited resources. As I said
> before, let Fangio call it.


Good post.

Van Ginkel was the person who took advantage of Wilkins getting double teamed. I was really surprised Van Ginkel was on this team 5 yrs! That's because the first 2 yrs he was depth. When Wilkins was drafted we started noticing him.we can't let either go.

GO DOLPHINS!!!!

Nope, watch some KC film, he gets double teamed when the edge rusher comes up & plays off his left shoulder. Wilkens moves further inside & faces the guard/center. I see that, its understandable.

When he goes 1 on 1 w/ the OT the tackle won the most battles (my recollection). One play the tackle popped out on the edge rusher and the guard held Wilkens up 1 on 1. It was a good play by the guard.