Well we are one week into the free agency period of the off season in the NFL and teams are spending and spending on players. The Miami Dolphins are staying behind and watching everything play out as teams over pay for players, which was expected. The Dolphins have taken a different approach this off season as general manager Chris Grier tries to rebuild this team and get their salary cap in order. In the process the team lost Ja’Wuan James, Cameron Wake, and Frank Gore because the team either didn’t want to pay or wanted to move in another direction.
Grier’s financial plan was tested when the team looked at quarterback Teddy Bridgewater last week. At first, it looked like Bridgewater was going to resign with the Saints, but before the official signing period could begin the Dolphins put a full court press and met with him. The Dolphins tried to sell Bridgewater on the team and everything as well as the chance to play in his hometown. In the end, Bridgewater decided to resign with the Saints rather than compete for the starting job with his hometown team.
The problem I have with the Bridgewater situation is turned down the Dolphins offer because they didn’t offer “life changing money”. The Dolphins before meeting with Bridgewater were offering a 2-year $10 million deal, but then after meeting with them the Dolphins were unwilling to go any higher and he declined. If Bridgewater wants to go back to the Saints and back up Drew Brees with the chance to succeed him one day that’s fine, but don’t tell me you chose not to come because the Dolphins didn’t offer life changing money. It frustrates me as a fan that players get so greedy and feel financially entitled. It’s a privilege to play in the NFL or any other professional sport and only a small percentage of people have the skills to have the opportunity to play for a short time while us fans struggle to make ends meet and make a living. A 2-year $10 million contract would be life changing for me. Plus, what has Bridgewater done to deserve a contract of say $10 million plus a season? I get it’s the market for a starting quarterback, but Bridgewater hasn’t played any meaningful snaps in an NFL game in 3 years since tearing his knee in training camp. This was a chance to start for his hometown team and if he did well could potentially get another contract in the next 2 years.
Grier showed great discipline in trying to make a deal and didn’t budge. Too many times over the years I’ve seen the Dolphins give big contracts to players in free agency where they were bidding against themselves and no one else. So why should Grier give hom a bigger deal when no one else is? It would have been very easy for Grier to cave in and give Bridgewater what he wants since they didn’t have a quarterback on their roster they wanted, but he stuck to his guns and didn’t cave I have to admire him for that. Teams spend money out the wazoo when free agency starts every year and it was great to see Grier stand his ground and show some patience that this is a long off season and games aren’t won the first few days of free agency.
Excellent article, best i’ve read in a while.
Correct, we’re living in a era of I deserve it now.
I still don’t get it, with all the articles with speculations of Miami having to pick up one of the three top College QB in the draf or needing to. I watched plenty of tape of Ryan Finley and havent read or seen anything about the Dolphins picking him.
Remember a lot of great QBs (Brady) was picked in the late rounds. Not all 1st rounders pan out, like Parker. I think the new Miami staff understands this.