 The Miami Dolphins had a busy day on Friday as they released two of their wide receivers - Brian Hartline and Brandon Gibson. Hartline was scheduled to make $7.35 million in 2015 and based off his performance last season in Bill Lazor's offense, it seemed inevitable that his release would only be a matter of time. By releasing Gibson, the Dolphins will incur $1 million dollars in dead money but will save $3.26 million. He was entering the last year of his contract this season.
“We want to thank Brian and Brandon for their contributions to the organization,” said Miami Dolphins General Manager Dennis Hickey. “We wish them the best going forward.” After catching over 1,000 yards in both 2012 and 2013 in Mike Sherman's offense, Hartline only had 474 receiving yards in 2014. Hartline was the definition of a possession receiver - catching many passes but always struggling to find the end zone. In fact, he only has 12 touchdowns in his six years with the Dolphins. Since the cut was made before the new league year begins on March 10, the Dolphins cannot designate this as a post-June 1 cut. Instead, they will incur a cap hit of $4.2 million this season and will save $3.2 million of his $7.4 million dollar salary. After this season, his salary will no longer be on the books. Gibson came to the Dolphins 2013 to play the slot receiver position but has battled injuries in the past two years. In 2013, he played in seven games and had 30 receptions for 326 yards. In 2014, he played in 14 games and had 51 receptions for 295 yards. His role greatly diminished when Jarvis Landry became the primary slot receiver just a few games into the season. What's next for the wide receiver corps? Jarvis Landry is a lock to stay and Rishard Matthews will most likely be back with the team. Matt Hazel was on the practice squad last year and will compete for a position on the unit this coming summer. The big question is Mike Wallace and whether or not he will be back with the team. It is widely expected that he will not return either but things can change as Dennis Hickey prefers that the team keeps him while Joe Philbin doesn't want him any longer. Mike Tannebaum will have the final say on this matter but it's not known which way he is leaning. We'll see where they go from here and whether or not they will target a wide receiver in free agency or the draft. This story was written by Matthew Cannata. Follow him on Twitter: @PhinManiacs  The Miami Dolphins have released another wide receiver after releasing Brian Hartline this morning. That receiver is Brandon Gibson, who was released on Friday afternoon.
Gibson came to the Dolphins 2013 to play the slot receiver position but has battled injuries in the past two years. In 2013, he played in seven games and had 30 receptions for 326 yards. In 2014, he played in 14 games and had 51 receptions for 295 yards. His role greatly diminished when Jarvis Landry became the primary slot receiver just a few games into the season. By releasing Gibson, the Dolphins will incur $1 million dollars in dead money but will save $3.26 million. He was entering the last year of his contract this season. What's next for the wide receiver corps? Jarvis Landry is a lock to stay and Rishard Matthews will most likely be back with the team. Matt Hazel was on the practice squad last year and will compete for a position on the unit this coming summer. The big question is Mike Wallace and whether or not he will be back with the team. It is widely expected that he will not return either but things can change as Dennis Hickey prefers that the team keeps him while Joe Philbin doesn't want him any longer. Mike Tannebaum will have the final say on this matter but it's not known which way he is leaning. We'll see where they go from here and whether or not they will target a wide receiver in free agency or the draft. This story was written by Matthew Cannata. Follow him on Twitter: @PhinManiacs  This week on the PhinManiacs Podcast, we kick things off by talking about Mike Wallace and all of the rumors associated with him over the past several days. Is he going to re-structure his contract, get traded, get released or stay with the team in 2015? No one knows but we give our thoughts on the matter and talk about the direction that we think the Miami Dolphins should go in.
We also continue our free agency plan for the roster and we focus in on the linebacker, cornerback and safety positions. Should the Dolphins look to upgrade in these areas and if so, who is out there that can come and make an immediate impact? Listen to all of this and more on this week's podcast! > Click here to download this week's PhinManiacs.com Podcast!  The Miami Dolphins have released wide receiver Brian Hartline. This news comes courtesy of Drew Rosenhaus, Hartline's agent. Hartline was scheduled to make $7.35 million in 2015 and based off his performance last season in Bill Lazor's offense, it seemed inevitable that his release would only be a matter of time.
After catching over 1,000 yards in both 2012 and 2013 in Mike Sherman's offense, Hartline only had 474 receiving yards in 2014. Hartline was the definition of a possession receiver - catching many passes but always struggling to find the end zone. In fact, he only has 12 touchdowns in his six years with the Dolphins. Since the cut was made before the new league year begins on March 10, the Dolphins cannot designate this as a post-June 1 cut. Instead, they will incur a cap hit of $4.2 million this season and will save $3.2 million of his $7.4 million dollar salary. After this season, his salary will no longer be on the books. It is not known if this will play a factor into whether the Dolphins keep Mike Wallace. It has been reported within inner circles that the future of Hartline and Brandon Gibson would depend on what happened with Wallace. Wallace has refused to re-structure his contract so the Dolphins may end up keeping him, but that isn't known at this time. This story was written by Matthew Cannata. Follow him on Twitter: @PhinManiacs 
Ever since Ryan Tannehill was drafted by the Miami Dolphins, there has been a lot of talk about whether or not he is the future of the franchise. Three years into his NFL career, there are still questions from some in regards to whether or not he is the future of the franchise. While many media pundits have gone on record as saying that Tannehill is one of the better quarterbacks in the league, there are many Dolphins fans and yes, even beat writers, who don't believe that Tannehill could be the answer to the team's long search for a franchise quarterback.
Count Jason Taylor as one of the people who believe that Tannehill is the answer. At his charity golf tournament last week, Taylor was asked about Tannehill and what he thought his future held. “I like a lot of things about the team. I love the quarterback," Taylor told the Miami Herald. "There’s not a whole lot of guys in this league I would take over Tannehill. I’m very confident you can win with Ryan Tannehill. You can definitely win a championship with him.” In addition to his remarks about Tannehill, Taylor also commented to the Miami Herald on the locker room dynamics both on and off the field and said that sometimes, you need guys who are on the edge. “Some guys want everyone to fall in line and hold hands and walk in a straight line. I like guys that can be disruptive on the field. Sometimes you are going to have personalities that come along with that. Often times those guys that have a little edge to them are great for the team. They push each other, keep the waters going. Calm water isn’t always great. You don’t need turds but you need guys that can ruffle feathers a little bit.” Those are some interesting comments from Taylor. He has coached with the team during training camp in the past but says he doesn't want to get into coaching full time. It is believed that Taylor doesn't fully buy into what Philbin is building in Miami and hasn't always hid his concerns in the past. We'll see if Mike Tannebaum's presence in Miami will help change things this off-season both on and off the field. This story was written by Matthew Cannata. Follow him on Twitter: @PhinManiacs  The following mock draft was completed by Ryan Thyer (@bignoahd05) and Chad Ronnebaum (@Gofins4SB). Ryan made all the odd numbered picks, and Chad made all the even numbered picks (Chad was especially excited to make all the picks for the Jets and Patriots).
We need to preface this mock draft by noting that free agency will play a big role in what picks are made in the real draft. We will have another draft once free agency has a chance to settle in, as team needs will change dramatically for some teams. We can also expect some trades during the actual NFL draft, especially since we feel there are several spots in the top 10 where trades make sense if one of the two top quarterbacks starts to fall. So with that in mind, here is our first 2015 NFL Mock Draft. 1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jameis Winston – QB Florida State Tampa needs a quarterback and now they will cross their fingers and hope he stays out of trouble. 2. Tennessee Titans: Marcus Mariota – QB Oregon With this pick, the Titans signal the end of Zach Metternberger’s brief time as quarterback. 3. Jacksonville Jaguars: Leonard Williams – DE USC The Jaguars were elated to see the Titans take Mariota and they add a good piece to a young defense. 4. Oakland Raiders: Amari Cooper – WR Alabama The Raiders have their quarterback and it's time to start adding some weapons. 5. Washington Redskins: Randy Gregory – OLB Nebraska The Redskins need to put pressure on the quarterback, and they hope Gregory is the answer. 6. New York Jets: DeVante Parker – WR Louisville A weapon on the outside, but the Jets still have no quarterback to throw to him. 7. Chicago Bears: Danny Shelton – DT Washington Shelton is a good start to shoring up the run defense. 8. Atlanta Falcons: Dante Fowler – DE Florida Another team that is in dire need of a pass rush adds a young rusher. 9. New York Giants: Brandon Scherff – OT Iowa Needs work in the pass game, but instantly makes the run game stronger. 10. St. Louis Rams: Ereck Flowers – OT Miami Jeff Fisher wants to run the ball, and building the offensive line is key. 11. Minnesota Vikings: Kevin White – WR West Virginia Teddy Bridgewater and Minnesota’s offense need playmakers – White and Charles Johnson help him. Greg Jennings and Cordaralle Patterson do not. 12. Cleveland Browns: La’el Collins – OT LSU Looking to improve line play, the Browns select a big tackle to help the ground game. 13. New Orleans Saints: Bud Dupree – DE/OLB Kentucky Another team in need of a pass rush, and they go with this Dupree over the other obvious need at DB. 14. Miami Dolphins: Trae Waynes – CB Michigan State A piece for the secondary – Waynes is good in man to man coverage but also has the tools to learn zone coverage. 15. San Francisco 49ers: Shane Ray – DE/OLB Missouri Maybe not a huge need for the Niners, but they are quick to jump on a player that was projected to go higher – someone quick to help pressure Russell Wilson helps the defense. 16. Houston Texans: Melvin Gordon – RB Wisconsin Arian Foster has missed games and is getting older, and the Texans find his replacement. 17. San Diego Chargers: DJ Humphries – OT Florida Build the line or get a cornerback? The Chargers build the line with a big physical tackle. 18. Kansas City Chiefs: Andrus Peat – OT Stanford Looking to help protect Alex Smith and get more yards for Jamaal Charles, the Chiefs pass up obvious need at WR and go with big tackle. 19. Cleveland Browns: Dorial Green-Beckham – WR Missouri With Josh Gordon gone for the year, the Browns replace one talented and troubled wide receiver with another. 20. Philadelphia Eagles: Vic Beasley – DE/OLB Clemson With current questions with their own pass rushers, the Eagles grab a guy who is quick off the edge and someone who can make an immediate impact. 21. Cincinnati Bengals: Landon Collins – S Alabama A disciplined safety that should start right away. 22. Pittsburgh Steelers: Jalen Collins – DB LSU Pittsburgh would have loved to get Landon Collins here, but will be happy with a cornerback in Jalen Collins. 23. Detroit Lions: Malcolm Brown - DT Texas This pick will 100% depend on what happens with Ndamukong Suh. If Suh, stays this would be a defensive back. 24. Arizona Cardinals: Erick Kendricks – LB UCLA Can start right away on the inside as he's great in pass coverage. The Cardinals were not good against tight ends in 2014. 25. Carolina Panthers: TJ Clemmings – OT Pittsburgh A physical presence on the line is needed to help the run game. 26. Baltimore Ravens: Breshad Perriman – WR UCF Steve Smith is not getting younger and Torrey Smith may be gone. Help is needed at the wide receiver position. 27. Dallas Cowboys: Marcus Peters – DB Washington Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne are not getting it done in Dallas. Peters is extremely talented, but will character issues hold him back? The Cowboys are used to handling tough personalities so they should be able to handle him too. 28. Denver Broncos: Shaq Thompson – LB Washington Not really sure he has one spot to play but Demarcus Ware is not getting any younger. Can they groom Thompson for his spot? Thompson is a hybrid type player and can model his career after Von Miller. Imagine two of them in Denver? 29. Indianapolis Colts: Todd Gurley – RB Georgia How good could Andrew Luck really be if teams were scared of the Colts running game? Gurley needs to improve as a pass catcher to be a three down back. 30. Green Bay Packers: Jordan Phillips – DT Oklahoma Wih the ability to take on two blockers at a time, he should help the rush defense. 31. Seattle Seahawks: Maxx Williams – TE Minnesota With almost no production, and no threat from the TE position, the Seahawks can open up space for receivers with this pick. 32. New England Patriots: Carl Davis – DT Iowa The Patriots use the last pick of the first round to draft the eventual replacement of Vince Wilfork in the middle of the defensive line. This was compiled by Ryan Thyer and Chad Ronnebaum. Follow them on Twitter: @BigNoahD05 and @GoFins4SB 
As we pass through the winter lull after the Super Bowl, we are starting to see the first activity of the 2015 season, beginning with the arrival of the scouting combine. This event attracts the decision-makers of NFL teams as they look to evaluate the raw talent of hopeful prospects in the upcoming draft. Aside from watching aspiring young players, this event also brings those decision-makers together with player agents. And any time player agents are involved, you get lots of information - some of which is true and some that can only be described as a smokescreen.
A common theme you will see in news reports this time of year is when an NFL team announces that they want to re-sign one of their own free agents. What this typically translates to is, the team wants the player back on their team, but they are not in a position to meet the player’s perceived salary demands. So they intend to allow the player to test the free agent market. In these cases, you can often sense the frustration from the team’s front office. For example, Steve Bisciotti , the owner of the Ravens, made a point this past week of stating that he felt Mike Wallace’s contract was not good deal. Did he say this because he has something against Mike Wallace or the Dolphins organization? I don’t believe so. What he’s saying is that he does not like the fact that Wallace’s contract raised the value, and thus the salary demands, of a player like Torrey Smith. His intent is to label the Wallace deal as preposterously high in an attempt to temper the market and lower Smiths’ asking price. In fact, it wouldn’t surprise me if Smith’s agent brought up the Wallace deal to use as a comparison for his client, and lit the fire under Bisciotti. The reality is the Ravens, a veteran playoff team, have a huge contract in place for quarterback Joe Flacco. Because Flacco’s contract ties up so much of their salary cap, the Ravens don’t have the freedom to match the offers from other teams to all their pending free agents. This is frustrating to the Ravens, who don’t want to lose multiple pieces of their team. I can see the point of the team. In their opinion, Smith was not a great of wide receiver when he entered the league. The Ravens have developed him over the last several years, and he is now a solid wide receiver that is a threat across a wide range of routes. He really came into his own this past season, and I am sure the Ravens don’t want to lose him just as he’s becoming a prized starting wide receiver for their team. On the player’s side of the equation, Smith has not yet ‘made bank.’ In today’s NFL, rookie salaries are capped, so a player doesn’t make a ton of money under that first contract. In particular, players selected after the first round in the draft are not highly paid relative to other players in the league. So you can’t blame a guy for wanting to set himself up for life, especially in a job where he can get hurt on one play and lose the ability to earn money. Miami faces a similar quagmire with Charles Clay. They have to be careful with their cap space, but they have made it clear that they want to keep Clay. Much like Smith, Clay was not a great player when he entered the league and really only had one solid year in 2013 (he was hurt a large part of the 2014 season). Under his rookie contract, Clay has been paid peanuts relative to other NFL players, and there are probably several teams with cap space that can pay him well. Such is the nature of salary cap. And you know what? It is worth it to the sport. The competitive balance in the NFL is amazing. Every season, every team has a realistic chance to compete. It is a far cry from the unbalance you see in professional baseball and basketball. But as a fan, this creates a lot of frustration in the off-season. As you watch your team each year, you start to like the players that you see develop. Charles Clay went from a guy I was not sure had the size to play tight end in this league to “Big Play Clay” and a fan favorite. There is something special about watching the drafted players on your team develop into stars. You make them your own as you cheer for them. Many times the fans, the team, and the player all want things to stay put, but it is just not realistic. Fans and coaches alike hate to see “their” guys leave in free agency. The NFL does make an attempt to help prevent this from happening by having a franchise tag. However, in recent years this has turned into a negative tool for teams to use as leverage on a player, and I don’t think it serves its intended purpose. With all this in mind, I want to throw an idea out there which I feel has some merit. My suggestion would be to give teams a “cap discount” to sign a player that was originally acquired by that team. The player could be acquired through a traditional route like drafting Clay, or through a nontraditional route like signing Cameron Wake as a free agent. The point being that the team that signed the player to their first contract is eligible for a cap discount on a new contract extension so long as the player remains on their team. Of course the NFL would need some accounting experts to come up with an ideal number to keep the mix of competitive balance in place. But this has the built in luxury of improving player loyalty to teams. As an example, let’s say we used a discount number like 15%. Using Clay as our example, let’s say he has two equal offers of $5 million per year, one from the Dolphins, the other from the Broncos. If Miami signs Clay, their cap hit would be discounted since they were the team that signed him to his first contract. In other words, the Broncos would have a $5 million cap hit, while the Dolphins would only have a $4.25 million count against their cap. The idea is to create an advantage and incentive for both the team and the player to stay together. Of course if the player wants out, he would sign with another team regardless, barring the team using the uber-restrictive franchise tag. This cap discount should have some appeal no matter who you root for. It would help the Ravens keep Smith, it would help the Cowboys keep Dez Bryant, and the Dolphins keep Clay. Of course, teams with a lot of cap space can and will still offer massive deals to get a player they want (“A fool and his money are quickly parted”). But in situations where a team and player are trying to make it work, it gives the team that expended considerable time and effort developing the player a better chance of keeping “their” player. And it also helps the team keep a player that the fans have grown to love. So what do you think? I am interested in hearing what people have to say about this idea. Post your comments below or let me know on Twitter @GoFins4SB! This column was written by Chad Ronnebaum. Follow him on Twitter: @GoFins4SB  Now that we've analyzed the surprisingly small tight end spot, we're going to do a complete turn-around and look at the biggest position on the roster, the offensive line. Oh the tales that can be told about this unit, and very few of them are actually good ones. The Miami Dolphins offensive line has been a struggling lot even before Ryan Tannehill came in and became the starting quarterback, which is a serious problem no matter what the circumstances. But are there bright spots on this unit? I believe so, things aren't all bad when it comes to this unit. Let's analyze the players currently on here and see if we can't spot some of them. This column will focus on the tackles. Branden Albert Ok so this one's a gimme, I'll admit that. There's no doubt in my mind that the best player on this unit is left tackle Branden Albert, who came in and immediately brought stability to a position that had been previously held by a constantly-injured Jake Long, a hot-button topic in Jonathan Martin, and a possibly out of shape and definitely old Bryant McKinnie. So with that in mind, I find no need to dwell on this for too long. Albert will be on this team and he should be on this team. I find it absolutely asinine that certain individuals are discussing already moving on from Albert because he's too expensive and we have Ja'Wuan James (whom we will get to momentarily). There are plenty of statistics that speak to exactly how much of an impact Branden Albert had on the team while he was playing, and even if we could consider cutting him, doing so now would create over $15,000,000 in dead money and only $5,000,000 in cap space. Not very practical. Let's get into those numbers I spoke of shall we? Thanks to some solid finds by Ian Wharton (@NFLFilmStudy) of the Bleacher Report, we have the differences in Pass Blocking Efficiency according to Pro Football Focus from while Albert was playing, and after he went down for the year. The numbers are quite telling.  This is a chart that shows the team's pass-blocking efficiency before Albert went down for the year. As you can see, the pass-blocking efficiency for the team was 12th in the league at the time with an 81.7 rating, which is a major upgrade when comparing it to last year's numbers. Albert's individual ratings are also quite impressive, as he managed to put together an overall blocking rating of 17.5, with 12.6 of that coming from pass-blocking alone. His run-blocking was actually pretty solid as well, as he put up a rating of 6.3. His only negatives came in screen blocking with -0.5 and penalties with -0.9. All things considered, that's forgivable.  If you ask me, that's a thing of beauty. Albert's contributions were immediately recognizable and even the most casual of fans could see the improvement in the whole line without much analysis at all. Finally, quarterback Ryan Tannehill had someone he could really trust to defend his blindside, and could focus on growing into a new offense that he was still trying to figure out. Unfortunately, it was not meant to be, and Albert went down when the team needed him most, against a Detroit Lions team that had one of the greatest defensive lines in the NFL, anchored by arguably the best defensive tackle in football, Ndamukong Suh.  In the games that came after Albert's disappearance, the pass-blocking efficiency plummeted all the way down to the point where the team was the absolute worst in the league in that category. Ja'Wuan James had been forced to go to left tackle, and Dallas Thomas took over at right tackle. Need I say more?
The point that's being made here is quite simple. Despite Albert's $10,725,000 cap hit for the upcoming season, his production is worth every penny. His absence was felt not just on the field, but off the field as well, as the offensive line was once again lacking in much-needed leadership that Mike Pouncey couldn't provide on his own. As I've stated several times, true leadership and mentorship are not easy to find. Guys like Daryn Colledge may be veterans, but they can't offer that veteran leadership that Albert does, and he can't teach the way Albert does either. I am firmly convinced that Albert's tutelage played a big part in rookie Ja'Wuan James being as NFL ready as he was once the season came around, and I get the feeling that if Albert hadn't pushed James as hard as he did, James's performance at left tackle would have been even more abysmal than it was. Albert is worth the money, and he needs to stay for as long as he can keep producing at the top of the league level that he's produced at in the past. Ja'Wuan James This young man out of Tennessee was a surprise pick to a large majority of Dolphins fans, and he was one of the few first round picks that did not get an opportunity to up to the stage and take a picture with his new uniform and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, why is that? He wasn't invited, that's why. No one expected James to go in the first round, and why would they? James was a small school right tackle that very few media pundits ever saw coming. But apparently, General Manager Dennis Hickey knew talent when he saw it, as James came in from day one and immediately solidified the right tackle position in a way that hadn't been done since Vernon Carey, who was the Dolphins first-round pick of 2004. The names that came after Carey? Marc Colombo, Jonathan Martin, Tyson Clabo, and a little bit of Nate Garner thrown in for good measure. The names alone say it all. Colombo was a failed former Cowboys experiment, Jonathan Martin was...Jonathan Martin, and Tyson Clabo was a revolving door who eventually got benched and promptly placed back into the starting lineup when Martin went AWOL during the bullying scandal that sent Richie Incognito out of Miami. So while the drafting of James led to a certain amount of skepticism, we were all pleasantly surprised to find that James was able to hold his own once the games got started, managing to hold back some of the best pass-rushers in the NFL, like Mario Williams. The numbers for James aren't nearly as complimentary as I am, Pro Football Focus has his overall blocking rating during his time at right tackle at -5.4, and at times it seemed that his run blocking was actually better than his pass blocking, which makes no sense since James is primarily a pass blocking right tackle. I would submit however that these numbers are likely skewed due to the overall failure of the offensive line over the course of the season. Albert's numbers may be great, but he is still only one man. When your teammates on the interior consist of the likes of Daryn Colledge, Samson Satele and Dallas Thomas/Shelley Smith, the line is bound to have its struggles. It got worse when James moved to left tackle after Albert's injury. By this time, Mike Pouncey had returned to the lineup, but he was now playing at right guard, which he hadn't played since his college days. Pouncey struggled to succeed at his old college position, and the interior of the line remained average at best, putting more pressure on James to succeed at a position that he had never played in his entire career. There's no doubt in my mind that under Albert's tutelage, James will continues to develop into possibly one of the NFL's best right tackles, and he may even learn to become a great left tackle in time. He needs to stay, he will stay, and if the team is willing to pay him when the time comes, James will be an excellent investment for the future. Jason Fox He's not a star, he's not someone who should necessarily be starting for someone's team, but he does have what it takes to be a reliable backup. Why the team insisted on keeping Dallas Thomas above him on the depth chart is something I will likely never understand. This past season, Fox only counted for $635,000 against the cap, so the money shouldn't be a huge issue even if he gets brought back. The problem is how reliable is he? A former Miami Hurricane and fourth round draft pick of the Detroit Lions in 2010, Fox was being sold to the public as someone who could be trained by the starting left tackle for the Lions at the time, Jeff Backus. Unfortunately, injuries kept Fox down throughout his tenure as a Detroit Lion, and they eventually moved on because he simply couldn't stay healthy. Fox latched on with the Dolphins on a one-year deal, and several people felt that Fox could potentially compete for the starting right tackle spot on the team. The issue with Fox was never a lack of talent, it was his health, and for the most part, Fox was relatively healthy through the year for the Dolphins. It might be because he didn't get to see the field that often, an unjustified action in my opinion, but that's water under the bridge now. When you think of veteran backups, you automatically think he's already too old to be brought back, but surprisingly, Fox is only just now entering his prime years, as he's currently 26 years old (he'll be 27 on May 2nd), and his value as a quality backup should not be overlooked. He can play both tackle positions if the situation calls for it, and while he'll never be a star, he is more than capable of holding down the fort until a team's starter comes back to health. If I'm the Dolphins, I find a way to retain him, and the reason for this is coming next. Nate Garner While listed on the Dolphins roster as a guard, Garner is technically the Dolphins swiss-army knife on the offensive line, at least as far as backups are concerned. He's been quite serviceable ever since the Dolphins picked him up. Garner was a former seventh round draft pick of the New York Jets back in 2008, but he never got the chance to play for them, and the Dolphins scooped him up soon after. Garner is valuable because of his versatility, having the ability to play every position on the offensive line, center included, and unlike Dallas Thomas, he can actually do well enough to warrant getting to stay there until the starter returns. As a starter, Garner is underwhelming to say the least, but as a backup, solid. Unfortunately, Garner seems to be made of glass these days, as injuries of all kinds have kept him from making a significant impact for too long. He only played in five games sparingly this past season, with his newest issue being migraines. He's had shoulder injuries, knee injuries, ribs, neck, you name it, but he's always managed to fight through it. Migraines on the other hand are scary, because that could be a sign of something much worse. Garner just turned 30 and he's guaranteed $1,625,000, and he counts as a $1,816,668 against the cap this upcoming season. There's speculation out that he may retire due to his migraines, and if he does so, he'll count for $166,668 in dead money, so he'd be a little over a million dollars in cap savings. If he's healthy, Garner is a valuable asset...but for the sake of the team, not to mention Garner himself, I think it'd be best for the Dolphins to move on, and possibly for Garner to retire if there's a worse underlying reason for his migraines. The next column will focus on the offensive guards on the team as well as the centers. The tackle position is pretty good assuming we keep Fox on the team, but the loss of Garner would be cause to look around the league for a little more depth, because you never want to have a bad lineman on the team going out and trying to be good...I'll get more into that next time. This column was written by Luis Sung. Follow him on Twitter: @FLSportDebater  The Miami Dolphins are currently working on their own free agents before dipping into the open market on March 10 and Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald provided some updates for us on Tuesday evening.
This story was written by Matthew Cannata. Follow him on Twitter: @PhinManiacs  With free agency less than two weeks away, rumors are flying everywhere and leaks are starting to come out as well. According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, the Dolphins plan to make inside linebacker David Harris of the New York Jets one of their primary targets when the official signing period opens on March 10.
Earlier his off-season, I wrote a column about several options that would be an upgrade over Koa Misi at the inside linebacker position. Harris was one of those players. He will be 31 when the season begins so he only has a few good years left and already could be on the decline. However, he could be a good stop-gap for two years or so until the Dolphins find a stud in the draft. The devil will be in the details - how much money will he get and how long will the contract be? The problem the Dolphins face is there aren't a ton of good inside linebacker prospects in the draft and they want to move Misi back to the outside if possible. In addition, the free agent market for inside linebacker is incredibly thin, as I also mentioned in that column. If the Dolphins cannot land Harris, they plan to target Mason Foster of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, according to Jackson. Foster will be 26 when the 2015 season begins and hasn't exactly wrecked havoc in Tampa Bay. He had an overall PFF grade of -5.5 this past season with a -5.7 run defense grade and a -2.7 pass coverage grade. I don't see how he would be an upgrade over Misi so hopefully this is just one of those rumors flying around at this time. Also according to Jackson, Philip Wheeler and Dannell Ellebere haven't been notified in what direction the team plans to go in but it's expected that Ellerbe will be cut with a strong possibility that Wheeler sees the door as well. In addition to those two, the Dolphins will not be re-signing Jason Trusnik and have already informed him of such. More and more rumors will continue to pop up over the next week and a half so it's important to keep things in perspective and realize the time of the year we are in right now. For now, take this report as is along with the facts and details. We'll wait it out and see what the Dolphins do when the free agency period begins. This story was written by Matthew Cannata. Follow him on Twitter: @PhinManiacs  The Miami Dolphins will head into free agency in just a few short weeks looking to upgrade the safety position. Evaluating safety play is much harder than many of the other positions on the field because of just how much they are responsible for. In addition, they are so far back that it's hard to accurately gauge whether or not they were the primary man responsible on a play. That's why we've employed the help of Pro Football Focus to help with our analysis. Using their grades along with my own formulas to calculate various skill-sets on the field, I’ve come up with seven players in free agency who I believe would be upgrades over Louis Delmas. Before we continue and start getting locked into whether or not the Dolphins should target a FS or SS, it's important to note that Jones has played both throughout his career and appears to be comfortable in either. Therefore, if the Dolphins were to sign anyone below, Jones can simply switch to the other side if the free agent is locked into one position. In addition, you see many more safeties these days able to be flexible and rotate in and out of each spot throughout the game. That's why I'm not going to get locked into to who is who and what is what. Since there are so many numbers that go into this analysis, it’s best to simply show you charts with a preface about what all the numbers mean. We are all familiar with the overall and pass/run coverage grades that Pro Football Focus provides. We also looked at the average of the two coverage grades because I am looking at players who are well rounded in all areas of the game. The higher all of those grades are, the better it is. You’ll also see NFL rating, which is the standard rating for passes into the player’s coverage was 96.5. The lower that number is, the better it is so keep that in mind reading the remainder of the article. We are going to look at run stop percentage. That is the percentage of a player's run defense snaps where he was responsible for a stop. You’ll see two of these grades on the chart – one that’s an overall look and one that looks at the stop percentage when that safety was within at least eight yards of the line of scrimmage. The higher the percentage, the better it is.   The players that are listed above are those who I believe would be an upgrade over Delmas, with Devin McCourty being the best option. If the Dolphins can't land any of these guys, it would be best to bring back Delmas if doctor's feel comfortable with his long history of injuries. My rankings didn't take each individual chart into consideration. Instead, it was an overall look at both charts combined. There are two exceptions though. Delmas is listed up top so we can easily compare him to the others since he is the one we are looking to upgrade. The other exception are the names on the bottom highlighted in blue. That's because they played a much lower amount of snaps (the number in parenthesis by their name) than the others not highlighted in blue. It's hard to get a good reading on them but they've done well enough in their limited time that they are worth looking at as someone who may be ready for a full-time role. The overall and coverage PFF grades are what they are. You can see that McCourty is great all across the board while the rest of the players have a mix of negative and positive grades. There were many players I left off the list but that's because one of their grades was poor enough that their positive grade didn't do enough to offset it. That's why you won't see a guy like Antrell Rolle listed here. He's someone who has been talked about by numerous Dolphins fans but in reality, he is on the decline and is only a stop-gap at this time. Speaking of stop-gaps, Mike Adams who is listed second, would be an option for the team if they wanted to go in that direction and get someone who can still play at a high level. He's 34 years-old but as you can see, he still has what it takes to make an impact on the playing field. He would be a good option for a year or two. One of the most important things for me was the player's NFL rating. Remember that I said the lower it is, the better it is. You'll see that reflected above in the rankings. If a safety can't stop their primary responsibility from catching a pass, it's not a good thing. You can see that Delmas' rating was significantly higher, although one may argue that this number is inflated due to his lower amount of snaps. With that said, I do believe that his number still would've been the highest even if he got to 1,050 snaps, which is what Dwight Lowery had, the lowest on the list for full-time players. The overall run stop percentage wasn't a huge factor for me as there are a lot of variables that go into it. However, the run stop percentage within eight yards of the line of scrimmage was an attractive number as that gives us an idea as to whether or not the player can be tough up front when going up against the biggest players on the offensive side of the ball. One player that sticks out is Da'Norris Searcy with a whopping 13.3%. Again, he had a low number of snaps but a number like that makes you go back to the tape to get another look at the player. In the second chart, we start with tackle efficiency, which is the total number of attempted tackles a safety made per each missed tackle in that particular coverage - either pass or run. The higher that number is, the better it is. Then, you’ll see the average, which helps me the find the players who are the most well-rounded. Coverage snaps per target are the amount of times a safety is the primary man in coverage relative to how many times his receiver is targeted. Yards per coverage snap is the amount of yards a safety allows while in primary coverage relative to how many snaps he is in coverage. Of course, the lower that number is, the better. Coverage snaps per reception are the amount of times a safety is the primary man in coverage relative to how many receptions he allows. Again, the lower that number is, the better. Then, the percentage of receptions allowed is my calculation that correlates the number of snaps they were in primary coverage against the number of receptions they allowed. As with the others, the lower that number is, the better. In this chart, I took a primary look at the average efficiency because it helped me get a good look at how well-rounded that player was. We can see that McCourty, Adams and Searcy dominated this area with average efficiency grades in the double digits. With the exception of Danieal Manning, everyone had a better average grade than Delmas.
I took a bigger look at the percentage of receptions allowed. Although that number could be skewed if the player wasn't in as many primary coverage snaps as others, it gives us a nice foundation to work from. Again, you see that Delmas has the second highest percentage at 72%. Searcy sticks out once again with a low 47%. Of course, with a higher number of snaps, that percentage would go up but it would still likely be in the range what everyone has listed. You can see that the others are all comparable to each other. From there, I then looked at yards allowed per coverage snap. Of course, we wanted to see a low number here. Lowery sticks out with a whopping 1.11 yards per coverage snap. While this may not seem like a lot, you realize it's a lot when you look at the other players. McCourty leads the way here by far but again, Searcy sticks out like a sore thumb with only 0.23 yards allowed per coverage snap. Injury History It's important to know the history of each player, especially if the Dolphins are going to give one of these guys a multi-year contract. We know about Delmas, who has a long history. He was on injured reserve a little more than halfway through the 2014 season and was banged up in all of 2013 with a knee injury. He missed time in 2012 due to his knee and has battled ankle, foot and groin injuries dating back to 2009. McCourty has battled shoulder injuries throughout his career but hasn't missed a game since Week 17 of the 2013 season. Adams has been playing since 2005 and has only missed a few games due to injuries. He's been pretty durable over that time and hasn't missed a game since 2010. Lewis has battled a wide variety of injuries over the years - hamstring, shoulder and ankle - but hasn't missed many games because of it and hasn't missed a game since 2012. Finally, to cap off our full-time players, Lowery has battled many injuries over his career, including a concussion that landed him on injured reserve for the 2013 season. He did play in 16 games in 2014 though. Moving onto our rotational players, Searcy hasn't had many injuries. He's dealt with ankle and hand problems but those are your normal bumps and bruises. He hasn't missed a game due to injury since 2012. Darian Stewart has battled hamstring, knee and thigh injuries and has missed a few games over his career. However, he played in every game in 2014. Manning has the longest list of injuries, including a broken fibula that knocked him out for the 2013 season. He also missed several games in 2011 due to an ankle injury. In regards to the players who will actually hit the market, it seems that everyone with the exception of McCourty and Lewis will get there. The others are expected to test the market and see what kind of money and long-term security they can bring in for themselves and their families. Final Rankings With all of this in mind, it's time to give you my final rankings and tell you who I'd rather see the Dolphins instead of bringing Delmas back. Going from my top preference to the last guy before the Dolphins should bring back Delmas is as follows: McCourty, Searcy, Stewart, Lewis, Adams, Manning and Lowery. This column was written by Matthew Cannata. Follow him on Twitter: @PhinManiacs  With free agency less than two weeks away, many teams and agents have begun posturing to get the biggest edge on their side of negotiations. This includes asking players to re-structure contracts, extending deals and also throwing out all sorts of rumors to gain leverage. Here are the latest pieces of information from around the NFL:
The Miami Dolphins announced the creation of the Samsung Business Preview Center in Sun Life Stadium. The innovative and interactive venue highlights the latest in digital stadium technology and is utilized by the organization to guide current and prospective Season Ticket Members and prospective clients through a conceptualized modernized stadium experience, its various seating options and venue changes.
“The Samsung Business Preview Center is the best showcase of what our fans will experience on game days,” said Dolphins President & CEO Tom Garfinkel. “Stephen Ross made a promise to bring a global entertainment destination to Miami and this space displays his commitment to improving the stadium with the latest in fan amenities and advanced technology.” “Samsung is delighted to bring its innovative, world-leading portfolio of technology and solutions to the Miami Dolphins and their fans,” said Samsung Business Vice President and General Manager of Enterprise Sales David Lowe. “We see sports and technology as a dynamic fit, and the Samsung products will showcase more exciting viewing and audio experiences for Dolphin fans in a modernized stadium.” The 4,800-square-foot, cutting edge preview center is an interactive space featuring a welcome lounge, theatre room with renderings of the 2016 finished product, a 1:200 detailed architectural stadium model and leading Samsung products and solutions including UHD 85 inch large format displays, as well as 75, 65 and 55 inch Full HD displays. Samsung Business also installed laptops, printers and monitors, all connected via the Samsung wireless network for enterprises. Additionally, the space features six sales rooms where fans can choose seats through a virtual 3D rendering powered by IOMEDIA. The preview center also features examples of the actual seats in the stadium created through a new partnership with American Seating. About Samsung Business As a global leader in enterprise mobility and information technology, Samsung Business provides a diverse portfolio of enterprise technologies from smartphones to wearables, tablets, digital displays, hospitality TVs, printers and medical diagnostic equipment. We are committed to putting the business customer at the core of everything we do by delivering comprehensive products, solutions and services across diverse industries including retail, healthcare, hospitality, education and government. Samsung Business is committed to helping customers realize the promise of a digital business. For more information, please visit samsung.com/business, call 1-866-SAM-4BIZ or follow Samsung Business via Twitter: @SamsungBizUS The NFL Combine is winding down and as I mentioned in my news and rumors post from last week, a flurry of activity takes place during the week between front offices and agents for hundreds of players throughout the league. Here are the latest news and rumors coming out of Indianapolis, Indiana.
This story was written by Matthew Cannata. Follow him on Twitter: @PhinManiacs   We are excited to announce that we have expanded our Podcast to a live format, where we take you through slides, data, analysis and much more right on your screen! If you prefer the other way with just audio, don't be alarmed as we will have both options for you on a weekly basis!
This week on PhinManiacs Live, we create an off-season plan for the offensive guard, center, defensive end and special teams positions. Free Agency is just a few short weeks away so we dive in and look at players that may make sense. At offensive guard, Billy Turner is penciled in to be one of the starting guards but how about the other side? There are a few players in free agency worth looking at and we break it down. At the center position, Mike Pouncey and the Dolphins are reportedly working on a long-term deal but is he worth it? Is there someone out there right now who might be better? Defensive End is a position of strength on the team but will that stop them from trying to find some players in free agency? We analyze and talk about it, including Dion Jordan's potential move to linebacker. Finally, on special teams, Caleb Sturgis has struggled the past two seasons and Brandon Fields is coming off a down year. Do either of them need to be replaced? Is anyone out there in free agency that is better? Tune in and find out what we think and form your own opinions based of our analysis and break-down of each position! > Click here to listen to the audio version of PhinManiacs Live! > Click here to watch PhinManiacs Live on YouTube! Please note that because this was our first time doing type of show, we experienced some technical difficulties and there is a 28-minute period where there are no slides but only audio. That is from approximately the 12:00 minute mark to the 40:00 minute mark. As just mentioned though, you will still hear all of the audio just fine. 
With the NFL Combine taking place this week, it signals the unofficial start of free agency as general managers, coaches and other front office personnel will begin talking with agents of players. Whether it's about re-structuring a contract, getting a wink-nod deal in place for free agency or even breaking the news that a player will be cut, it's all business over the next several days. With that in mind, here are the latest rumblings from around the NFL.
This story was written by Matthew Cannata. Follow him on Twitter: @PhinManiacs This week, I would like to step away from fantasy football for a moment and look at something I have been thinking about in the NFL. Let’s take a look at a couple of past trades that have happened in the NFL. 2000 – Cowboys give up two first round picks for Joey Galloway. 2008 – Cowboys give up first, third, six, and seventh round picks for Roy Williams. 2011 – Falcons give up two firsts, a second, and two fourth round picks for Julio Jones. 2012 – Redskins give up three first round picks and a second round pick for RG3. These trades got me thinking - what players in today’s NFL would be worth giving up two first round picks? Obviously this is a loaded question (and COMPLETELY hypothetical in this context), as most teams would give up two first round picks without hesitation for an Aaron Rodgers or an Andrew Luck. But let’s take the quarterbacks out of this conversation, as we all know what an elite quarterback can do for a team, and I would imagine that a quarterback-hungry team would give up considerably more for an elite QB. You will also not see any running backs here. The value of the running back position has really dropped in recent years as teams have found value at that position in all rounds of the draft. So, with that in mind, what players out there are worth two first round picks? The answer to this question obviously has a couple caveats. First you would have to consider the age and health of the player that you are trading for - an older and/or oft-injured player is not worth the risk. Then you have to consider where the picks are - two picks at the end of the first round are a completely different story than two picks in the top ten. You also have to consider how many other holes you need to fill on your team - if you are half an offense and defense away from true Super Bowl contention, then trading multiple picks is not going to get you there. Other than the QB, I cannot think that there is a player that the Jaguars, Redskins, or Jets would give up two first round picks to get, as those teams all have multiple holes to fill before they are true Super Bowl contenders. But what about teams like Seattle, Dallas, Indianapolis, or even New England? Would any of those teams give up two first round picks to get them over the edge or keep them in contention? I would venture to say that right now Seattle would lean towards giving up two first round picks for a Dez Bryant or Antonio Brown, and Dallas and Indianapolis would love to add a Justin Houston or JJ Watt off the edge to help their defense. For the sake of argument, we will assume that your team is only a player or two away from making a legitimate Super Bowl run, and will assume that you can take on any contract that you trade for. Assuming you have a quarterback that is capable of leading you to a Super Bowl, as an NFL general manager, would you give up two first round picks for one player? Not all first round picks will pan out and turn into NFL stars - or even starters - for their respective teams. The value of first round picks is that they are under team control, and can be more affordable than filling gaps in free agency. Team control in today’s NFL, along with a good cap number, is worth its weight in gold. For me to give up two first round picks, I need a player that will change the way that I coach, that will enable me to change my entire offensive or defensive philosophy. I need a player that makes everyone around them better, and will make the other team also change their game plan. I need a game changer not only on the field, but in weekly game planning as well. This list is nothing more than my opinion, and the great thing about an exercise like this is that everyone’s opinion will be different. Some will say that they would definitely trade for these players, and others would NEVER trade two first round picks. So here are a few players that I feel are game changers, and in the right (hypothetical) situation, players that I could see giving up two first round picks for if it allowed my team to go to the Super Bowl. JJ Watt: You could make an argument that most teams, whether in Super Bowl or contention or not, would give up two first round picks for JJ Watt right now. Watt is a defensive game changer that changes not only the defense you run, but makes teams change what they do on offense to account for him. Watt is the total package, and is also a highly valuable brand name in his own right that allows a team to market him off the field. Of all the players on this list, he is probably the easiest one for me to see being traded for two first round picks. Dez Bryant or Antonio Brown: In past years, I would put Calvin Johnson on this list, but age and injuries would not allow me to give up two first round picks for him anymore. This is where Bryant and Brown step in. In a passing league, these two are game changers. They MUST be accounted for on every down, and from every spot on the field. They open up the field for other receivers and help the running game. They are true weapons with the ball, change the offense that they are in, and make defensive coordinators plan accordingly. Both of these players have the ability to make an average offense instantly become above average. They are truly impactful. Richard Sherman: At a premium position, Sherman is a premium commodity. As with Calvin Johnson, Darrelle Revis would have would have been here for me in the past, but I personally do not feel like he is still worthy of this list. Sherman is a shut-down corner, and allows a defensive coordinator to lock down one half of the field. All season long, the best quarterbacks in the league avoided him. He changes what teams do on offense, allows a defense to play more aggressively knowing that they do not have to account for the person that he has in coverage. He is young, brash, intelligent, and turning into a player that knows how to market himself, making him even more valuable. Justin Houston: Once again, the current NFL is a passing league. How do you stop the great passing offenses in New England, Green Bay, and Indianapolis? You get after the quarterback, put pressure on them and force them to make quicker decisions - something that Giants have done twice in the Super Bowl to Tom Brady, I might add! Justin Houston fills that role for a defense. Houston forces an offense to keep a tight end in, or to use a running back to help slow him down, taking one more player out of a potential downfield play. He forces an offense to account for him, and allows a defense to shore up holes in the secondary with quicker pressure up front. Pass rushers, and impactful pass rushers are game changers on both sides on the ball. A couple of other players that I considered: Luke Kuechly: A true quarterback of a defense, that is constantly around the ball and always making plays. But is a middle linebacker impactful enough for two first round picks? His play says he is, but I am just not sure with the linebacker position. Ndamukong Suh: With no doubt, Suh is a game changer. A force on the defensive line who requires double teaming, he is a huge impact player that needs to be game planned by opposing teams. My question for him though is the behavior - are the incidents on the field worth the risk of the picks? Tyron Smith: One of the elite defensive linemen in the league that can make a difference in both the pass and run game. But is an offensive lineman worthy of two first round picks? I tend to lean towards yes for someone like Smith, but just couldn’t add him to list him in the first list yet. This column was written by Ryan Thyer. Follow him on Twitter: @BigNoahD05   Miami Dolphins general manager Dennis Hickey spoke at the NFL Combine on Tuesday afternoon and didn't reveal much about the team's plans over the next several weeks, which was to be expected. Here is everything that he had to say:
One position of need this off-season for the Miami Dolphins is cornerback. The team already has a couple of unproven players at corner in Will Davis and Jamar Taylor, but I’m not completely sold on either player, as Davis is coming back from a knee injury, and Taylor also has durability issues. The Dolphins could use their 14th overall pick on Michigan State cornerback Trae Waynes, but I think the Dolphins will be better off if they address the cornerback position through free agency.
I think the Dolphins should target 49ers free agent CB Chris Culliver, and let me tell you why. First of all, Texans free agent CB Kareem Jackson is not going to be available. I always thought the Texans would resign him, and according to a report from ProFootballTalk (PFT), Jackson is optimistic a deal will get done in Houston. Jackson was quoted as saying, “Everything sounds good as far… they say they want to get something done before free agency actually starts.” The other notable free agent cornerbacks are either too old (Rasheen Mathis is 35, Brandon Flowers is 29) or too short (Sterling Moore is 5’10”). On the other hand, Culliver is 6’0”, 200lbs and is only 27 years old. He has size and speed, logging a 4.4 in the 40 before becoming the 49ers third round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. He played at South Carolina in the SEC, which has produced some good DBs in the past. ProFootball Focus (PFF) ranked Culliver as the 14th overall CB last season, and 6th overall in coverage. He logged four interceptions last season, and he can also return kicks. He came back from a knee injury that sidelined him the entire 2013 season, but bounced back and had a nice season in 2014. Kind of reminds you of a certain Dolphins Pro-Bowl corner, doesn’t he? Culliver’s then head coach Jim Harbaugh was directly asked about Culliver the day after the team’s win against the Giants last season, in which Culliver logged a 4th quarter interception, and he responded, “A very talented individual. He's playing his best football right now. It's great to see that in his execution, in his effort, in his talent. I just love the competitive nature that he plays with. He competes like a maniac. And he's doing it in a physical way. That's important to our football team - to be physical. And to do that from the corner position is really good.” Culliver does come with some off the field issues, most notably some homophobic comments he made during Super Bowl XLVII media day. He may not be a choir boy, but you can’t win in the NFL with a bunch of choir boys. Off field issues aside, The Dolphins have to consider that Culliver is young, tall, has a knack for finding the ball, and he is a proven veteran player still in his prime. The 49ers have some other promising DBs on the roster, and likely will not resign him. The Dolphins went into last season with six cornerbacks on the active roster. That obviously wasn’t enough once injuries caused members of the secondary to start dropping like flies. By the end of the season starting nickel corner Jimmy Wilson was playing nickel corner and safety on non-nickel downs. Adding Culliver will allow Wilson to permanently move to safety (I agree with Armando Salguero's comments regarding Wilson at safety), and let Taylor and Davis compete for the nickel spot. The move would also allow the team to use their first round pick on a wide receiver, guard, or inside linebacker. This column was written by Carlos Hernandez. Follow him on Twitter: @LosDez  Heading into the 2015 season, the Miami Dolphins only need to fill one position on the offensive line. With Branden Albert set to come back, Mike Pouncey moving back to center, Ja’Wuan James ready to take back the right tackle position and Billy Turner penciled in as one of the starting guards, they will only need to find the other guard to play on the line.
The Dolphins can address this position in three ways – free agency, draft or keep Shelley Smith and make him a starter. Unfortunately, the free agent class is extremely weak and Smith isn’t very good. While the Dolphins can spend a mid-round pick on a guard, they have a lot of other needs and they may find themselves on the outside looking in if they don’t pounce quickly enough on day two or three. Using grades from Pro Football Focus (PFF) and information from other sources, I compiled a list of free agent guards who I believe would be an upgrade over Smith. If you’re asking why I’m not mentioning Daryn Colledge, it’s because that he was very underwhelming during the 2014 season. In addition, he will be 33 when the season begins and is at best, a backup on the line. Besides all of that, he has been considering retirement since the season ended against the New York Jets. If the Dolphins bring back Colledge to start on the line, it’s going to be a long season for Ryan Tannehill and others in the backfield when plays are run towards his side of the line. I used three grades from PFF – Pass Blocking Efficiency (PBE), overall pass blocking grade and overall run blocking grade. Pass Blocking Efficiency is a weighted formula that combines sacks, hits and hurries relative to how many snaps and offensive guard stays in pass protection. The other two are self-explanatory. To get an idea of what our baseline is, let’s take a quick look at Smith from the 2014 season. His PBE was 96.2%, his overall pass blocking grade was -3.2 and his overall run blocking grade was -6.9. He’ll be 28-years-old when the season begins. Smith didn’t play in a ton of snaps last season – 367 to be exact. This is because of injuries and the fact that Colledge received more snaps than him as the season went on. Although he was in a rotation with him, he got the minority of snaps when that happened. We can look back on 2013 but he only played in 371 snaps because of the same reasons when he was with the St. Louis Rams. With all this in mind, it’s easy to see why it’s tough to rely on Smith and he should only be considered a back-up on the offensive line. Now that we have that information, let’s look at the four guards in free agency I would feel comfortable. My rankings for them, in order are Orlando Franklin, Mike Iupati, Clint Boling and Rob Sims. Please note that this is an extremely weak free agent class so there aren't a ton of good options out there that will provide long-term stability. Orlando Franklin Orlando Franklin will be 27-years-old when the 2015 season begins. He was drafted in the second round out of Miami of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos and has been with the team ever since. After playing right tackle for three seasons, he was moved to guard in 2014 and quickly became one of the top guards in the league. This is because he struggled being by himself in pass protection, although he was still a good player when it came to run blocking. In his new position at left guard, he had a PBE grade of 98.6%. His pass-blocking grade is 9.0 and his run blocking grade is 9.8. As you can see, he is clearly the best offensive guard that will hit the free agent market in just under a month. However, he will likely command a sizeable contract on the market and the guard position is one of the easiest to find in the draft. Will the Dolphins want to spend big money on another offensive lineman? Remember that they just signed Albert to a mega-deal last offseason and are set to extend Pouncey. While Franklin would instantly solidify the line and give the team one of the best offensive lines throughout the league, he might be just too pricey for them to sign. Mike Iupati Mike Iupati will be 28-years-old when the 2015 season begins. He was drafted out of Idaho in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers and has been with the team ever since. Iupati has been a force since day one and has made the Pro Bowl the last three seasons. According to the Sacramento Bee, it is not expected that the 49ers will attempt to re-sign him, which means he will hit the market and will likely get the biggest contract of all the free agent guards. This is because he is relatively injury free, only missing five games in the past five seasons. Looking deeper, he hasn't missed a game in the past three seasons. In addition to that, his run blocking grade is off the charts with a whopping 18.5. However, he can be a liability in the passing game as his PBE is 95.1% and his overall pass blocking grade is -7.5. There is no doubt that Iupati is a good player but only for certain teams. Those teams are the ones who rely heavily on the run. The Dolphins are not one of those teams so I would expect them not to pursue him. However, he's still one of the best options on the market - just not the best overall option. Clint Boling Clint Boling will be 26-years-old when the 2015 season begins. He was drafted in the fourth round of the 2011 draft by the Cincinnati Bengals and has been with the team ever since. His injury status has been up and down in his four years in the NFL. While he only missed four regular season games in 2013, it was because he was placed on injured reserve because of his knee. With that said, he didn't miss a single game in 2014. Boling has a PBE of 96.8% with an overall pass blocking grade of -4.5 and an overall run blocking grade of 7.9. As you can see, his strength is the run game with mixed results in the passing game. Boling and the Bengals are trying to work out a deal for him to stay but if he hits the market, the Dolphins may be interested in pursuing his services. Rob Sims Rob Sims will be 31-years-old when the 2015 season begins. He was drafted out of Ohio State in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks. In 2010, he signed with the Detroit Lions and has been with the team ever since. Sims hasn't missed a game since 2009 so his durability is still there. The only question is his age and whether or not he can continue to hold up for a few more seasons. Based on his steady, but slow, downward spiral over the past several years, it appears his best days are behind him. In 2014, Sims had a PBE of 96.1. His overall pass blocking grade was 8.0 and his overall run blocking grade was -2.6. Of course, he isn't perfect when it comes to the running game but you'll be hard pressed to find many players in the NFL these days that are perfect in all phases of their specific position. As of now, the Lions are not expected to re-sign Sims so he will hit the open market. If the Dolphins want a stop-gap for a year or two while they wait to groom a draft pick, Sims could be their guy as he likely won't command a ton of money on the market due to his age. Conclusion While there are other players out there such as James Carpenter, Paul Fanaika, Vladimir Ducasse and more, I felt that they are much too weak in at least one phase of the game. Their strength in the other phase either wasn’t strong enough or wasn’t enough for me to offset their weakness. As far as my rankings go, it’s important to note that I think there’s a big drop-off between Franklin and Iupati, despite them being ranked number one and two, respectively. Sims is a stop-gap option and should only be looked at if all other options, including the draft, have been exhausted. It’s no secret the Dolphins will need to be creative when working with their salary cap this off-season. However, we all know that games are won in the trenches. Therefore, I would love to see the Dolphins go all-in on Franklin and solidify the offensive line once and for all. If they don’t sign Franklin, I would hope they would then look to the draft but wouldn’t be upset if they signed one of the other guys mentioned above. This column was written by Matthew Cannata. Follow him on Twitter: @PhinManiacs  The Miami Dolphins will have a tough decision to make at the tight end position because Charles Clay is set to hit the free agent market on March 10. Clay, who battled injuries last season, had a down year in production. He had 58 receptions for 605 yards and 3 touchdowns. In 2013, he had 69 receptions for 759 yards and 6 touchdowns. While the numbers don't seem too far off, anyone who watched the team both years saw how different Clay was in Bill Lazor's offense. With that said, a new system means time is needed to adjust on both ends. Lazor even admitted this when he said towards the end of the season that he was learning what they have in Clay and how he creates mismatches all over the field when used the right way. That's why the Dolphins would like to bring back Clay despite his slight drop-off in stats this past season. They are also excited about the possibility of him and Dion Sims forming one of the more formidable tight end combinations in the league. On Monday evening, we asked our followers on Twitter what they would do if they were the general manager. Here's what some of them had to say.
As you can see, those who responded were all for bringing Clay. Put me in that boat as well. The free agent class of tight ends isn't the strongest and the draft class is extremely weak. Let Clay come back from his injuries and with another year in Lazor's system, he should revert back to the form we saw in 2013, if not even better.
This story was written by Matthew Cannata. Follow him on Twitter: @PhinManiacs  There has been a lot of discussion about what really happened when Mike Wallace ended the 2014 season sitting on the Miami Dolphins bench. The prevailing thought was that Wallace either took himself out of the game, or he refused to do something that was asked of him. Wallace himself claims he was benched. At this point the argument really doesn’t matter to me. What does matter is what is going to happen in 2015. I have noticed that a lot of draft prognosticators already have Miami picking a WR in the first round. This would suggest that Miami is going to be moving in a different direction with their WR corps, and of course that is a distinct possibility. However, as of this writing, wide receiver is not a position of need in Miami. Wallace, Jarvis Landry, Brian Hartline, and Brandon Gibson form a talented WR corps, and clearly do not represent a weakness on this roster. Wallace is the #1 WR of this group and the only one capable of beating almost any defensive back one on one, especially on deep routes.
After giving this a lot of thought, I actually think the real issue is different than what most people think. In this article I wanted to present another viewpoint on Mike Wallace. First, I want to review Wallace’s reported contract. He was given a five year, $60 million contract in 2013. Of that $60 million, the numbers that matter are an $11 million signing bonus and $30 million guaranteed ($27 million is fully guaranteed and $3 million is guaranteed for injury only). In the NFL a signing bonus can be pro-rated over the duration of the contract, but is paid to a player upfront. So in 2013, when Wallace signed his deal, he was given a check for $11 million. He was then paid an additional $1 million in salary for 2013, then $15 million in salary last season. To put that together, in 2013 and 2014 Wallace has been paid $27 million of his guaranteed money. His reported final $3 million will become guaranteed on March 14th of this year. What has been widely reported in the media is the Miami Dolphin salary cap situation. This is because Miami pro-rated Wallace’s signing bonus over the full five years of his contact. Thus they have only counted 2/5 of the original $11 million payment against their cap. There are many questions specific to when Wallace is cut (if he indeed is cut), and how that would affect the portion of his contract that would count against the cap. Those numbers can be confusing to follow. However, I want to not worry about the Dolphins cap situation with Wallace because, well, I don’t feel that is Wallace’s issue. You see, after March 14th Wallace will no longer have ANY guaranteed money due to be paid to him. And I think this is a VERY significant point in what happened in that final game. Going back to that game, it was a divisional game against the Jets, and both teams had already been eliminated from the playoffs. In fact, looking towards the 2015 season, both teams actually stood to benefit from losing the game. Wallace entered that game knowing that when the final gun sounded, he would have been paid almost all of his guaranteed money. So if you think about it, what was the most important thing to him in this game? While it would not be bad for him to score 2-3 touchdowns and gain 150-200 yards and reach some personal goals, was he really looking for bragging rights or to look good on paper? I don’t think so. The fact is, it was already being widely reported prior to that game that Wallace was overpaid. When the first half ended, Wallace already had an idea that he was in jeopardy of losing his job in 2015 because a lot of people think he is drastically overpaid for his production. In that last game of the season, it was pretty clear that he was not going to have a statistical game or season to support the remainder of his large (non-guaranteed) contract. At this point in time, if you are Mike Wallace you have to start thinking of the outcome if you get a major injury. You have only half of one game left to a season in which it is realistically impossible to make a huge change to your season stats. If you do something like say tear your ACL, you are effectively hurt for a large chunk of 2015 with only $3 million left to collect. Now I ask you, was Mike Wallace a pouty baby, or was he really smart and was thinking ahead since this game was meaningless? I know as a fan it is easy to say, “Well, that is very selfish of him.” But is it really? Put yourself in his position. You want Miami to win, you want to do well, and you want to live up to your contract. However, at this point none of that is possible. Miami is already out of the playoffs, and you do not have enough playing time left to justify your production against a $12 million dollar salary cap hit in 2015. What is the point of putting yourself on the line? Pride? Yes, in theory pride in the game is noble, but I wonder how many of you would put pride ahead of the ability to earn a lot more money? Interestingly, a week after PhinManiacs.com reported that Dennis Hickey met personally with Wallace, reports were leaked that there has been talk of restructuring Wallace’s contract. Of course most people are viewing this as Wallace acted like a baby, the team felt he is way overpaid, and that he should take a pay cut. However, this is not my take on the situation. I think Mike Wallace wants to earn a significant part of his remaining multi-million dollar contract, but the way Miami currently schemes their offense, he is not going to get enough production to justify earning that amount. Furthermore, he knows he has to put his body on the line and be a workout machine to be considered elite. That is hard to do when you know if you get severely hurt, you will not be able to earn the same amount of money. So I suspect Wallace told Hickey that he would be happy to return to Miami and give it his all, but he wanted Miami to guarantee him a large amount of his remaining money. Otherwise he would rather be traded to a team where he feels he had a better chance to score more touchdowns and justify his current contract. After thinking about this, I can’t say I fault him for wanting that. Now what does this all mean going forward? Well, it means Mike Wallace and the Miami Dolphins have a chance to all be happy again if they can agree on updated contract arrangement. Wallace may very well back off of his yearly demand and be willing to play for a bit less, provided it is guaranteed. Say something along the lines of $8 million per year over the next three years with at least $16 million guaranteed. Mike Wallace gets the guarantee he wants, and Miami gets some cap relief in the process. Furthermore, this means Miami does not HAVE to use a high draft pick to replace a very talented player. Instead they could draft a player in an area where they lack talent, and look to improve the overall team. This improves the chances for Miami to play in a meaningful game late in the season, which is ultimately what I think Mike Wallace really wants. This column was written by Chad Ronnebaum. Follow him on Twitter: @GoFins4SB  Jarvis Landry, the Miami Dolphins' second round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, isn't one to shy away from hard work. In fact, star receiver Odell Beckham Jr. of the New York Giants has said time and time again that his success can be directly linked to the way that Landry pushed him in college at LSU.
This past season, Landry found success in the slot, catching 84 passes for 758 yards and 5 touchdowns. He was targeted 111 times and averaged 9 yards per reception. In 2015, Landry is looking to capitalize on that and do even better but doesn't want to necessarily accomplish that in the slot. Instead, he wants to play on the outside. That's why he's been working hard this offseason. According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, Landry has been training with Beckham at a facility in Arizona. His main priority is improving his explosiveness. “I had to beg him to take time off,” said his agent, Demarius Bilbo. “He wants to show people he’s an outside receiver, not just a slot receiver.” The Dolphins are expected to re-vamp their wide receiver unit this off-season and if they feel comfortable allowing Landry to play on the outside, it might help solve a big piece of the puzzle moving forward. This story was written by Matthew Cannata. Follow him on Twitter: @PhinManiacs  Having a stout defense that can close out games is paramount in the NFL - especially in December. But the Miami Dolphins offense needs to be able to convert on third downs, and score touchdowns instead of field goals. A lot was made of the Dolphins defensive collapse late in games this season. The Green Bay and Detroit games are the two that stick out in people’s minds because of the way they ended. But the two games that really mattered, the two that demonstrate a total team failure? The Ravens game early in December, and the last game of the season against the Jets.
Heading into week 14 last season, the Dolphins were 7-5 and controlled their own destiny. A win at home against the Ravens and they were pretty much guaranteed a playoff berth for the first time in 6 years. By this time in the season the Dolphins secondary had been decimated by injuries - specifically at the cornerback position. Joe Flacco abused backup cornerback RJ Stanford in that game. The defense was able to hold the Ravens to 14 points through three quarters, but the Dolphins offense was only able to muster 13 points for the game. An inefficient 40% on third down and a 4.8 yards per pass attempt probably had a lot to do with it (the Dolphins third down conversion percentage for the year ended up being 40%). The offense’s inability to sustain drives put a noticeable strain on the defense, and after Cam Wake’s strip-sack-fumble was overturned to an incomplete pass, the game was over. If you remember, this was also the game where head coach Joe Philbin and DT Jared Odrick were caught on camera yelling at each other. The last game of the season against the Jets did not have playoff implications. The Dolphins were trying to finish the season on a two game win streak after defeating the Minnesota Vikings the week before, and were playing for pride. By week 17 the Dolphins had lost another member of their secondary for the year (Louis Delmas), and were working with backup safety Jordan Kovacs on nickel downs. The defense allowed the Jets to put up 37 points, but somehow the game was tied heading into the 4th quarter. In the end, the Dolphins offense allowed 7 sacks for 51 yards, and was a disappointing 30% on third down. This was the game that Mike Wallace allegedly took himself out of, and was benched in the second half. But can we really place the team’s late game collapses completely on the defense? There is plenty of blame to go around. Omar Kelly from the Sun-Sentinel reported that, “(Brent) Grimes and (Jared) Ordrick both acknowledged the Dolphins’ coaches have to do a better job making sure the players have some gas left in the tank in December.” Grimes went on to say, “I don’t want to make excuses. We just played bad. A lot of things didn’t go right. People started getting hurt. We were stretched out thin.” He said, “Our linebackers were hurt and banged up all year. What it really comes down is we were playing through that all year and towards the end we just flamed out. Maybe we ran out of gas.” Despite its flaws, the Dolphins defense is still pretty good. Dolphins.com lead writer Alain Poupart (@apoupartFins) went inside the numbers to show how good the Dolphins defense still is (Inside the Numbers: 2014 Miami Dolphins Defense). According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Wake was the number one rated defensive end and went to his fourth Pro Bowl this year (and third straight overall). He was joined by defensive teammate Grimes who went to the Pro Bowl for the third time (second straight overall). He was also tied for third in the league in interceptions with five. Safety Reshad Jones was the third best safety according to Pro Football Focus and would have made his first Pro Bowl appearance if not for being suspended for the first four games due to testing positive for PEDs. And the Dolphins break-out player of the year Jelani Jenkins was rated in the top ten amongst outside linebackers in every Pro Football Focus Signature Stat category (Pass Rush Productivity, Run Stop %, Tackling Efficiency, and Coverage). Injuries are part of the game. Everybody knows that. The players are obviously responsible for taking care of their own bodies but it’s on the coaching and training staff to keep the players in good condition to minimize the amount of injuries. If the players have a problem with the schedule they need to speak up and the coaches need to listen. It is incumbent upon management to draft enough players to provide quality depth at key positions. The Dolphins just didn’t have enough quality depth to make up for all the injuries - especially at the cornerback position. The front office will be looking to correct this issue during the off-season. Football truly is the ultimate team game. From the front office to the ball boy, and if one person doesn’t do their job right the whole organization suffers the consequences. This column was written by Carlos Hernandez. Follow him on Twitter: @LosDez  It is no secret that the Miami Dolphins need a big, powerful running back behind Lamar Miller to offer a change of pace during games and also to get the tough yards when it matters the most. Unfortunately, there were too many times during the 2014 season where the Dolphins couldn't convert in short yardage situations because they weren't able to pound the rock through the offensive line. While the Dolphins did have Knowshon Moreno, it's important to note that he only played in three games before getting injured against the Green Bay Packers. The Dolphins will likely move on from Moreno, who signed a one-year deal last season. His injury history is just too risky for the Dolphins to rely on and instead, they will either shift their focus to free agency or the draft. There are several options available in free agency such as Frank Gore, Mark Ingram, Roy Helu and other powerful backs. However, there is also a lot of great talent in the upcoming draft. On Sunday afternoon, we asked our Twitter followers what the Dolphins should do to address the situation. Here are some of the responses we received.
In addition to the Dolphins front office, it appears that fans have moved on from Moreno as well. It will be interesting to see what the Dolphins do with this situation. I personally love Frank Gore not only because of his ability to get the tough yards, but also because of the much needed leadership he will bring to the Dolphins on and off the field. If they don't go after Gore or another powerful back in free agency, watch out for David Cobb or someone similar in the middle rounds of the draft.
This story was written by Matthew Cannata. Follow him on Twitter: @PhinManiacs |
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