Last year this time, the Miami Dolphins did little to nothing in free agency. The IDC (Internet Dolphins Community) did golf claps and acted like this was smart business because you build through the draft, and the Dolphins didn’t need to add any veteran talent, and the fan base was happy to just continue to develop the talent they had.
Then the team started 1-7, and the IDC realized that approach was a total failure.
One year later, that approach is out the window, and the Dolphins are going to go on a big-time spending spree. It will be a year too late, but nonetheless, it is the right approach for them to take to have this franchise become relevant again.
IT DOESN’T MATTER HOW YOU ACQUIRE TALENT
You don’t get brownie points for acquiring them in the draft rather than getting them in free agency. The LA Rams are living proof of that.
Sure, in a perfect world, you have great draft after great draft after great draft and just have guys who come into the league and are instant contributors and big-time players in year one. That is unrealistic, though. You may have a great draft or even back-to-back great drafts. But even the best GMs strikeout eventually and miss on a few high picks. Depending solely on the draft will get you nowhere in this league. Don’t believe me, ask Brian Flores and his three years in Miami.
[pickup_prop id=”21489″]
SCARED MONEY DOESN’T MAKE MONEY
Fans and some media types these days like to spew corporate buzzwords and put a spin on everything. When a team is having a lousy season and losing games, they can’t just say; this team stinks. They have to spin the losing and say, “They are building a culture”Â
There are numerous other examples, but the worst one of these little catch-phrases by far comes during free agency time when people say a team shouldn’t sign or trade for such a player because “They are more than (insert a position) away from being good”Â
That may be the single dumbest statement any person can say. You want to tell me you don’t understand NFL football in 2022 without saying you don’t understand football in 2022, say, “They are more than (insert a position) away from being good.
By this logic, never sign anybody ever!
When Amari Cooper is linked to the Dolphins, I see endless people say Miami shouldn’t sign him because “The Dolphins are more than a Wide Reciever away from being good.”
When Leonard Fournette or Saquon Barkley is linked to the Dolphins, I see endless people say Miami shouldn’t get him because “The Dolphins are more than a Running Back away from being good.”
When Deshaun Watson was linked to Miami last season, I saw countless people say, “The Dolphins are more than a Quarterback away from being good.”
Let me break it down real simple for you folks, IT DOESN’T MATTER HOW YOU ACQUIRE TALENT! And if you are waiting for the perfect team to be built and then and only then go spend money in free agency, you will be waiting a long damn time.
This entire league is about adding as many talented players as possible and putting as many talented players on the field at once. To pass on a talented WR or a talented RB or a talented (insert any position) because you feel they will just be a star player on a bad roster is flat-out stupid. When a talented player is in front of you, and you can sign them or Trade for them, you jump at the opportunity. If you don’t, you will forever have a bad roster.
— DolphinsTalk.com (@DolphinsTalk) March 12, 2022
TIME TO MAKE IT RAIN AND GO SHOPPING
The Dolphins organization is in a tailspin right now. The General Manager is on the hot seat. The owner is under league investigation for the 2nd time. And the organization hasn’t won a playoff game in some 22 years.
With the Brian Flores lawsuit, the Miami Dolphins brand is damaged and is at maybe its lowest point ever. The league is going to most likely punish the Dolphins by either taking away high draft picks in 2023 or forcing Stephen Ross to sell the team. It’s time to change the perception and fix the damage that has been done to this brand. And how do you do that? WIN!
How do you win? You go add proven players with a track record who will produce for you on the field.
I know, I know, many of you are saying in the past we have gone out and “won free agency” and bought a bunch of high-priced free agents, and it didn’t work out then, so why would it work now.
Yep, we have tried that approach, and it did fail. But it only failed because we signed the wrong guys.Â
The Rams proved this past year if you go out and sign and trade for the right guys, you can win a Super Bowl. Tampa did it the year before. And the Broncos about six years back did it as well. And other teams who maybe didn’t win the Super Bowl also changed the trajectory of their franchise by going big in free agency and on the trade market and bringing in big-time talent.
The Dolphins have a nice young core. Jevon Holland, Jaylen Waddle, Jaelan Phillips, Christian Wilkins, I will even throw Robert Hunt in that group. They got a few guys entering their 2nd contracts like Mike Gesicki and Jerome Baker, as well. And a couple proven veterans like Xavien Howard and Byron Jones.
The Dolphins have something to build off of, but they need more. A LOT MORE! They aren’t even in the conversation with teams like the Bills, Chiefs, Chargers, Bengals, and Titans these days. Those organizations are in a different stratosphere than Miami right now. Organizations like the Ravens and Raiders are also ahead of Miami currently.
And there is only one way to get on those team’s level. Go buy some stars.
-
Get 2 to 3 NEW offensive linemen in Free Agency or via Trade.
-
Get at least one big-time starting wide receiver to put opposite Jaylen Waddle in Free Agency or via Trade.
-
Get at least one veteran-proven starting running back.
-
Re-sign Emmanuel Ogbah or go sign or Trade for a pass rusher.
-
And go get a linebacker as well.
[pickup_prop id=”21492″]
FREE AGENCY FRENZY
Do I expect Miami to add all of these things I listed above in free agency? OF COURSE NOT! That’s unrealistic, but they need to at least do half of that list before the draft in late April. Then do their best to clean up the rest of the list in the draft.
That is the blueprint to what they need to add to have this roster be competitive in 2022.
I know right now Miami is linked to a bunch of different players, and of course, half of it is bullshit, and the other half may have some legit merit to the rumors.
With that said, the Dolphins can’t sit on their hands and do nothing. They can’t just do a little. They need to go all-in over the next two weeks.
They say they are “all in” on Tua, then prove it! You buy or Trade for multiple new offensive linemen and build a rock-solid wall in front of him. Because if they don’t and are “hoping” Austin Jackson and Liam Eichenberg improve in 2022, they are setting themselves up for disaster.
Instead of “hoping” they can get a good running back in the draft in Rounds 3, 4, or 5 or later, go out spend some damn money, or Trade for a guy who has shown he is a legit running back and can give Tua and this offense the ground game it needs.
The NFL is a results-oriented business. Nobody cares what you did last year, let alone what you did yesterday. The Dolphins are sitting on a bunch of salary cap space, and they have a roster void of veterans and talent, especially on offense. Time to change all of that. It’s time to go out and sign some men! No more of this “the Dolphins don’t sign players over the age of 30″Â nonsense. Go sign some proven players and men!
If they don’t, it will be the Same Old Dolphins in 2022 that we have seen in the past 20 or so years. It’s time to swing for the fences and time to sign multiple big-name free agents this offseason!
If they don’t, then the 2022 season will be over before it even started.
EDITOR’SÂ NOTE: DOLPHINS TALK IS PARTNERING WITH OUR GOOD FRIENDS OVER AT PICKUP TO GIVE AWAYÂ VSIN SUBSCRIPTIONS TO 3 LUCKY WINNERS. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS MAKE YOUR PICK ON THE PICKUP PROP IN THIS ARTICLE AND FOLLOW THE STEPS TO VERIFY YOUR PICK FOR A CHANCE TO WIN.
[pickup_prop id=”21494″]
[pickup_prop id=”21490″]
Phins cannot draft offensive linemen. This has been proven on and on. So ? Sign them !! Use the cap space and $$$ to go and get three linemen. Two tackles and one center. Keep Robert Hunt at one guard and let all the others – Eichenberg, Dieter, Jackson, Mancz, etc, compete for the other guard spot, best man win. Use the draft for young legs, skilled position spots. One fast WR, finally one top RB (Hall, Walker, Spiller), one MLB to add to the middle in between Baker and Van Ginkel, and or Phillips when he is a linebacker. Sign up the ‘big uglies’ with experience and protect Tua, run block and fix this porous line that has been the top culprit in holding the team back from playoffs the last few years. Wake up Grier !
Finally someone making sense ! Great article,longtime Dolphin fan,1970, I remember the glory years,and am tired of ‘waiting until next year approach’, guess what people,ITS NEXT YEAR !
Time to go out and add some talent around Tua and see what the kid can do, stop downing him when he’s only had 1 healthy receiver,no running game,not much of an O-line, just stop it already ! Tannyhill started doing a lot better with talent surrounding him, time to see if Tua can be the future,but the time to know is NOW !
I want to see the kid succeed,but I want the Dolphins back to the mean,nasty,tough Dolphins, playing smart,not committing stupid penalties that kill drives, maybe some more ‘no names’people,but we know their names !
And get rid of that weak light Aqua and back to the dark,tough color Aqua,add the orange back,and our logo was fine,personally loved the old uni’s, but it was all just something to get people’s minds off the losing ! A ploy if you will, tired of the games, let’s go, stop waiting, add talent around what we have,and add some hard nose tough hitters who scare somebody !