On Tuesday, NFL.com's Albert Breer released his first mock draft of the offseason (of which I suppose there will be many) and had California wide receiver Keenan Allen going to the Dolphins with the No. 12 overall selection.

Today, ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper will conduct a conference call with media from around the country.
(AdamHBeasley On conference call with Mel Kiper, who in his first mock draft has the Dolphins taking WR Cordarrelle Patterson (Tennessee) 12th overall.)

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But ...

This draft is only part of a strategy I believe the Dolphins must use. I continue to advocate and indeed demand that the Dolphins be major players in free agency, particularly as it applies to the wide receiver position.

Draft Keenan Allen if you like, Jeff Ireland. Draft Jason Allen or Armando Allen for all I care. But when you get to draft day, you better have a playmaking wide receiver or two or three (three is best) that was signed via free agency on the roster already.

Why?

The Dolphins have sucked at drafting wide receivers under Bill Parcells/Jeff Ireland.

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And yet, not addressing the biggest position of need until the draft where I've already shown you this team apparently has trouble identifying talent, and furthermore doing it for a position that takes time to develop anyway, is a message that 2013 will likely be another year of waiting for better days. That is a loser approach. Not acceptable.

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It would be nice to land an immediate impact guy in free agency, but I want to build the receiving core through the draft.

Mando and so many others are obsessed with spending the 47 million we have. Doesn't work that way.

Couldn't disagree more.

It would be nice to land an immediate impact guy in free agency, but I want to build the receiving core through the draft.

Mando and so many others are obsessed with spending the 47 million we have. Doesn't work that way.

Salguero just posted something saying that the Steelers will let Wallace hit FA. I'll believe it when I see it, but if that is the case I expect Miami to make him a very high offer.

Actually, I believe it does work that way. It's my understanding that teams are to spend at least 95% of their cap in 2013. An amount under that 95% maybe rolled over to the following year. There is ambiguity in the agreement, but I would expect the Dolphins to spend at least 95% of the leagued agreed cap. So even after re-signing current players and future draft picks it appears we will have considerable $$ to spend in Free Agency.

Cash minimum and cap minimum are different.

I don't believe you have to spend 95% of the cap.

Why?

The Dolphins have sucked at drafting under Bill Parcells/Jeff Ireland.

There is no cash minimum or maximum.
There is a cap minimum and maximum.

We HAVE to spend money this offseason. (boo hoo)

I've never heard of a 95% cap minimum.

There was a cash minimum (not cap minimum) in 2011 because of the new CBA. But there were teams like Cincy who spent no where near last year's cap number. Same with Indy.

I'll look it up but I don't think there is a cap minimum even close to 95%.

all of the draft outlets and analysts have zeroed in on Cordarelle Patterson now for the Dolphins at 12. I know this guy's upside is huge, but is extremely raw. Therefore i do not see Ireland taking such an unrefined player that high.

I think you're on to something here. It is impossible to know how the draft shakes out until teams cut players and guys actually hit free agency but look at Ireland's past mistakes and hope he learns his lesson. While a better prospect, Patterson strikes me as a Clyde Gates type...explosive but raw. Rolling the dice on someone like that makes sense in the mid rounds but not with the 12th pick. Ireland knows he needs to hit on the drafted receiver..