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[Update: 6:54 P.M.] The official team website reports that the team has released TE Randy McMichael and QB Joey Harrington. By cutting these two players, the team avoided paying them $4 million in roster bonuses. Also, the team hosted K Jay Feeley on a free agent visit today. [End Update]
According to the Sun-Sentinel, two sources have said that Miami will release TE Randy McMichael today. The team would have had to pay McMichael a $3 million roster bonus if he was still on the team next week. The team had placed McMichael on the trading block expecting a third-round pick in return but apparently could not find any takers.
This move surprises me to some extent. I trust that the front office looked into every opportunity, but I really thought that if Randy were to leave then the team would be able to get some value in return for him. It's unfortunate that Miami could not find any trade partner willing to give up a pick for him, even if that pick wasn't a third-rounder.
Even though Miami just signed TE David Martin, I have a hard time seeing him as a full-fledged starter. I would expect them to look at more options as the offseason progresses.
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Ouch. This one really hurts for me. Wes Welker was officially traded to New England today for their second-round pick (60th overall) and seventh-round pick. From any other team this would represent great value for a player who was an undrafted free agent. But since Wes is shipping off to a division rival, the deal is soured a bit. Miami still got great value and I think it was the right thing to do, but I will be sorry to see Wes go.
Since this trade was conducted without New England signing Welker to a restricted free agent offer sheet, they will most likely avoid paying him as much as was previously speculated. Terms of the new deal have not been released, but it was believed that New England was ready to sign him to an offer sheet close to $6 million a year.
I want to wish Wes the best of luck (except when he plays the Dolphins!) in his future. He was the kind of player every coach would love to have, and the toughness and heart he showed while in the aqua-and-orange will not soon be forgotten. Thanks, Wes.
I was going to write this article on the first day of free agency, when most fans were foaming at the mouth and ready to crucify Miami's front office for its lack of action. However, I decided to let the weekend pass, not only to let the situation play itself out more fully, but also to allow most enraged fans to gain a larger perspective free from knee-jerk reactions.
To all true fans of the Miami Dolphins, please, get a glass of water and take a chill pill. Contrary to what some people believe, the front office is not clueless as to how to conduct their jobs simply because they didn't sign a free agent immediately, let alone the two or three high-end talents that some were expecting. In fact, in this shallow market, I would argue that Mueller and Cameron know a lot more about how to construct a winning team than most of those teams who jumped right into free agency and subsequently threw record amounts of cash at players who, on the whole, are unproven.
Yes, Nate Clements is an impact player and as close to a shutdown corner as was available - but the 49ers handed him the largest contract in NFL history for a defensive player. There are several cornerbacks, let alone the broader category of defensive players, who are better than Clements. There's no doubt he will make San Fransisco better, but how much will his salary hamper them down the road? Will they end up losing a rising young talent because of the financial restrictions of such a large contract? While that is unknown, such a huge contract only makes it more likely. Deals like Clements' were the rule, not the exception, as free agency got under way. Derrick Dockery signing with the Bills for $49 million over 7 years? Thats equivalent to the deal that Steve Hutchinson got from Minnesota last year. The only difference between the two players: how about four Pro Bowl selections for Hutchinson and zero for Dockery. Eric Steinbach signing with the Browns for $49.5 million? These deals are unprecedented, and what's more...they are for offensive guards! Don't get me wrong, I fully believe that the offensive line is the most important unit on the entire team, but with contracts being thrown around like those, one would think it was the only unit on the team. These 7 year, $49 million contracts seem like the norm, with Leonard Davis signing with the Cowboys at just such an asking price. Can someone tell me what Davis has done in his career (aside from being selected with the second overall pick in the draft) that would warrant such riches being thrown his way? Some people believe he still has potential despite the disappointing start to his career, but is fading potential really worth one of the largest contracts ever given to an offensive lineman? Surprisingly, even a fiscally shrewd team like the Patriots who get more bang for their buck than any team in recent memory, are reportedly ready to sign our very own Wes Welker to a deal that would pay him an average of $5.5 million per year!
Alas, all these monstrous contracts do is raise questions. Only after a couple of seasons will teams be able to look back and say, "Was it worth it for us to devote so much money to a single player?" Fortunately, one doesn't have to wait for the current crop of free agent millionaires to prove or disprove their worth. We just have to look at past free agent signings. When is the last time a franchise-type player was available in free agency (and by franchise player, I mean someone who may actually be deserving of such a high contract)? The simple answer is that teams just don't let those players hit the market. And if franchise players never hit the market, then where do they come from? That's right - the NFL Draft. Free-agents can certainly help teams, but a team cannot be built around them. The talent that is cultivated from the draft is what eventually becomes the core foundation of a team.
It might make sense for a team that has a realistic chance of contending for a championship to add a high-priced free agent in their 30s in an attempt to get over the top, but the only way that team reached its contender status in the first place was by building a solid foundation of players brought up through its own organization. The Miami Dolphins should not realistically be considered contenders this season. We have more needs than one player can fill.
So, why are most fans proclaiming Mueller and Cameron as imbeciles for their inaction? I think it's because most casual fans or ones who can't grasp a rebuilding project, simply want that one player who will create buzz and excitement due to the name on his jersey. The value of most players in free agency is so inflated that fans are tricked into thinking that one high-priced guy is enough to change all the losing and disappointment. How did Lavar Arrington and Edgerrin James work out for their teams last year? They may be good players, but not good enough to change things on their own.
Essentially, I hope that true Dolphins fans will relax and give the front office a chance to build the team from the ground up. Obviously, the team's approach in the recent past has not worked. Now the team is trying another direction and they shouldn't be berated for it. This is called learning from mistakes. And who knows, with a good draft, Miami could always surprise. That's the great thing about the NFL - on any given Sunday...
Miami's first free agent signing of the offseason is TE David Martin. Martin was a sixth-round draft pick of the Green Bay Packers in 2001. He played his first six seasons in Green Bay. He measures 6'4", 265 pounds and is generally thought of as a good receiving tight end, although injuries have hampered him throughout the years. Last year, he played in eleven games (four starts) catching 21 passes for 198 yards and 2 touchdowns.
It's possible that the signing of Martin could be insurance in the event that Miami trades TE Randy McMichael.
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Miami is likely to offer a contract to WR Kelley Washington as early as Monday.
While Miami has yet to make its first free agent signing, the front office is making it clear that the team will certainly be undergoing an extreme makeover. Thus far, the front office has been content to shed expensive and under-achieving players while not making the mistake of overpaying for mediocre talent in free agency.
Along the offensive line the team has either cut ties with or not re-signed LG Jeno James, LT Damion McIntosh, RG Seth McKinney, G Bennie Anderson, G Kendyl Jacox, and G Toniu Fonoti.
On the defensive line, the team cut ties with DE Kevin Carter and DT Kevin Vickerson, and it has not re-signed DE David Bowens, DT Keith Traylor, or DT Jeff Zgonina. The clearly apparent youth-movement continued along the defensive line when the team traded DT Dan Wilkinson to the Denver Broncos for their 6th-round pick (183rd overall) in April's Draft. I think it's great that the front office was able to get some value for a player that the team was likely to cut. Rebuilding must be conducted through the draft, so this is a good sign that the team is making every effort to stockpile some draft picks.
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Miami is trying to acquire another draft pick by placing TE Randy McMichael on the trading block. Miami is asking for a third-round pick in return. While McMichael is the most prolific TE in Miami history, I think it would be a good move to trade him for a third-round pick. He's a good pass-catching TE, but he just seems to disappear at the most important times and he drops an inordinate amount of passes. Add to that the fact that he is sub-par in the blocking department, and it would seem that getting a first-day pick would be a smart move. Cam Cameron uses the TE heavily in his offenses, so if he deems that McMichael is not able to fulfill that role then I trust his decision.
All this being said, Miami would be losing one of its few offensive leaders. Yet, I think McMichael's leadership role says a bit more about the rest of the offense than about Randy. Generally, the QB is expected to be the leader of the offense or maybe a star RB or WR. In a few cases, a guy like Tony Gonzalez is able to step into a leadership role, but Randy is no T-Gon. Unfortunately, with the revolving door at QB, a young RB, and a quiet WR in Chambers, Randy was probably the only one willing to be a leader. That must change. Regardless of whether the team parts ways with Randy, this offense needs a true leader - a guy who doesn't disappear in tight spots and who can influence everyone else on the field.
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As a Dolphins fan who lives in New England, this next piece of news is extremely disheartening to me. According to ESPN, the Patriots plan to sign WR Wes Welker to a restricted free agent offer sheet. Once New England makes their offer, Miami will have seven days to match it. If Miami matches the offer sheet, they will pay Welker according to the terms that New England negotiated with him. If they choose not to match the offer, Miami will receive the Patriots' second-round pick in the 2007 draft.
I am a huge fan of Wes. Aside from lacking great physical size, he has everything you could ask for in a team player. He plays with heart on every single down, he has unparalleled toughness, and his versatility is tremendous. Seeing him leave to any team would be disheartening, but realistically a second-round pick is probably more helpful to the team. The fact that it's the Pats who may be getting him is the worst of all situations. They already have two first-round picks, so losing a second-round pick will not hurt them that much. Also, they will be taking away one of Miami's better players, which is addition-by-addition as well as addition-by-subtraction from a division rival. I've seen enough Pats games to know that Welker is exactly the kind of player that would thrive in New England. He's not flashy, but he gets the job done. While not gladly, I would accept a second-round pick from any other team in return for Welker. That second-rounder just doesn't seem to be worth as much when it's coming from the Pats.
And if possibly getting Welker wasn't enough, the Pats also signed RB Sammy Morris. Hopefully, Ricky Williams will be reinstated and able to back-up Ronnie Brown.
[Updated - 1:05 A.M. 03/03]
Well, now that free agency has officially begun, the news is pouring in fast. Let's look at the latest news concerning the Dolphins. Keep checking back for new updates.
Roster Moves
- Starting LG Jeno James was released. Damion McIntosh and Kendyl Jacox were allowed to become free agents.
- The team declined to tender DT Kevin Vickerson a contract as an exclusive rights free agent.
- QB Shane Matthews, who signed with the team last year after Daunte Culpepper was placed on IR, has retired.
- The official team site has reported that P Donnie Jones was tendered at his original draft status, which was as a 7th rounder. The team also tendered long snapper John Denney and FB Kyle Eckel, who were both exclusive rights players.
Free Agent Targets
- LB Joey Porter's agent said that the Dolphins have expressed interest in signing the former Steelers' linebacker. Porter would be a huge upgrade over Donnie Spragan. Spragan showed an inability to effectively rush the QB, whereas Porter has recorded 60 sacks in his 8 seasons in Pittsburgh.
- WR Kelley Washington will have a free agent visit with the team today.
- According to his agent, Miami has expressed some interest in C Cory Withrow. Withrow played under Cam Cameron in San Diego.
- The agent for G Kris Dielman said that his client probably won't end up in Miami. Given the huge contracts already signed by guards (Eric Steinbach - 7 years, $49.5 million; Derrick Dockery - 7 years, $49 million), Miami likely can't afford the price-tag of Dielman.
- Miami has spoken to the agent for OLB Tully Banta-Cain. GM Randy Mueller has already stated that he is looking for a pass-rushing OLB, and he could do worse than TBC. While nothing more than average in run-support, Banta-Cain showed his ability to pressure the QB this year in New England.
Sources: Sun-Sentinel, Miami Herald, Palm Beach Post
With free agency only hours away, here are some updates concerning Miami's players:
- If unable to re-sign LB Donnie Spragan, Miami is expected to pursue Minnesota OLB Napoleon Harris.
- RG/C Seth McKinney and G Bennie Anderson were released today. Their release saved $5.3 million of cap room. WR Eric Kimble was also waived.
- Joey Harrington will be released sometime today unless the team is able to trade him.
- DE Kevin Carter was unable to reach an agreement with the team on a restructured contract and will be released Friday morning.
- Both Cleo Lemon and Wes Welker's agents said they expect Miami to tender them offers. Lemon will likely receive a second-round tender.
- LT Damion McIntosh, LG Kendyl Jacox, DT Keith Traylor, DE David Bowens, S Travares TIllman, DT Jeff Zgonina, and RB Sammy Morris are all expected to become free agents.
Look for Miami to pursue some of these players once free agency begins:
Offensive Guard - Kris Dielman, Eric Steinbach, Derrick Dockery, Cooper Carlisle
Offensive Tackle - Leonard Davis, Tony Pashos, Jon Stinchcomb
Fullback - Ovie Mughelli
Outside Linebacker - Napoleon Harris, Tully Banta-Cain, Cato June, Carlos Polk
Sources: Sun-Sentinel, Miami Herald (1) and (2), ESPN
