I dont mind upgrading every position, I mean obviously we need it being we are still not winning.

Only beef I have is who is the upgrade? I mean I am looking at mass production, 3 of our best players on offense are Bush, Hartline and Fasano. While I would not call Miller an upgrade over Bush yet, the potential is there from what we have seen.
Behind Fasano & Hartline is squat, and the attempts to "upgrade" those positions have been sad. So I do not see how letting them walk with the plan of finding a player in the draft (Egnew) or in FA (Johnson, Armstrong, Gafeny) because its obviously not so easy to just plug someone in.

Like I said, I am all for upgrading and getting better. But we should also be planning on winning more games this season, and letting your play-makers walk is not how I see that happening.

Let Bush and Long go, Smith seems to want too much money, but should be made an offer. Keep Clemmons, Hartline and Fasano.

And do something real in FA, no tire kicking, pay out and get someone. Personally I like Jennings, he has a past with Philbin which should help.
But then add size, get one of the 6'2" - 6'4" WR in the draft, someone that get win battles. Also dump Egnew and find another TE, its ok they made a bad pick lets not waste anymore time on him...

just my 2 cents.. dont have to agree ;-)

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There is absolutely no way the Dolphins will be letting any playmakers walk.

You have to have playmakers first to let them walk....

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lol well when I say playmakers I was referring to production

Im ok with rebuilding, let them all walk, keep clearing the cap and build a team.. I just dont know if they can do it in time. Its Miami, they have 3 years, we are heading into year 2 and if there is not at least 9 or 10 wins this year, hot seat time

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let them all walk , rebuild gutted roster ... we are close. Pretty contradicting opinions.

Thats the truth Finesse. It seems like this is been the topic of conversation for the last decade. I just want to see them draft 3 or 4 people that come in and contribute immediately. That would be progress to me. Especially with a roster full of so many holes. The first 4 rounds of this years draft should produce 3 to 4 starters.

I almost spit my drink out readying this. Playmaker & Fasano/Hartline are two things I've never thought I'd read. Just because a player is the best of a bad lot, does not mean he is good.

They both will make a play from time to time, but are not play makers

Just a few things..... Tony McDaniel will be an important re-sign.... he brings fresh consistency on the line rotation, especially if we are to keep the 4-3 format. There is NO ONE out there that would contribute as much for cheap....

Randy Starks will be an important re-sign as well. Wake-Starks-Soliai-Odrick (or a drafted replacement) is a fearsome 4some..... and the glue of our D. I can swallow the Wake-Soliai-Odrick-Draftee alignment but either way at least one of these two MUST be re-signed, if not both.

Hartline- love the production. Love the chemistry. But anything more than 4 million a year and you are not worth it!

Bush- it depends on the read of him. Sherman wanted him to learn the RB position first. If he is re-signed, it'll be because he is capable of learning both RB and WR..... if he is not, he won't resign. Bush's status will be based more on his value here, than his dollar value! Id be more than happy to resign Bush in the 6-7 million range if he can perform as Sproles does in NO, not as he performed for MIAMI in 2012.

Fasano- we need him too. Didnt drop a pass last year, 5 TDS, and the best blocking TE in the AFC East. If he walks, you are gambling on getting not 1, but 2 better TEs. The likeliness of getting one, i get it, 2 doubtful.

Sean Smith- let him walk unless he'll take a 3 million per year contract. Sorry, Marshall is better, and I have faith in Patterson. We can do better. Cover corners are great, but I want a ball hawk for the #1....... seriously, we have a tough front 7, that opens up opportunities in the secondary, only Jones seems capable of capitolizing on them.

Long- See ya! I'd rather the compensationary pick that we will recieve when you leave than your bloated salary. Again, SEE YA!

FA's I'd like to see acquired.... Jennings & Bowe. I would be more than happy to see 15-20 million invested in the WR position this year!!

Yep. He didn't allow a touchdown, let alone a single completion when he went on injured reserve.

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You want to pay him $6-7m a year based on what he has never done in 5+ years in the NFL????

Ok so play maker was not the correct word, and do not think I am insinuating we should break the bank to keep them.

But there should definately be a price for each of them. I do not understand how people are so quick to assume we can upgrade.
How I figure if we dump Hartline, and pick up Jennings we still need to add 2 early picks and hope one can make an impact this year. Howeve keeping him and getting Jennings would allow us some breathing room with a rook. Still draft early, but not as imprtant in round one.

As far as Fasano is concerned, since he is not up to par for some of you I would like to hear what the alternative is to letting him go, meaning who is our TE? Egnew?

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I don't want Hartline and Smith to walk, but if they end up commanding more than they are worth, then so be it. I would rather go out and spend more on Wallace and Jennings IF you were going to spend a bunch on receivers. I know Miami probably wont get both those guys, but this team does need as many "play makers" as possible.

I do expect a couple of marquee type free agents coming to Miami, so it will be fun to see who that ends up being.

Wonder if Jeff Ireland is looking at a guy like Dustin Keller for tight end. Curious if he is even on the radar at all.

I would hope so, at least if the plan is to upgrade positions. Keller would be an upgrade over Fasano. Just as Jennings an upgrade over Hartline.
But still need to add 2 more talented WR's, as well as depth, and also look to add depth at TE.

Hartline at the 4 mil range. Fasano at the 2 mil range and I say keep them. Could always bundle them in a draft trade in a year or two...

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in terms of smith and hartline, i would rather keep hartline because he has seemingly developed some rapport with Tannehill. Sometimes, chemistry takes some time with those two positions, and in reality it isn't even guaranteed. IMO, you can plug in a talented cornerback and he can just shut down his guy. Yea, there are calls that have to be communicated back and forth, but isn't it mostly the safeties doing that anyways. I dunno, considering Smith can't catch a ball to save his life, i just think we could find someone to match his production and not be devastated by his loss. However, of you give Ryan a whole new group of receivers, it is more of a gamble

Has this not happened yet because of this new coaching staff? If not, then why has Ireland waited this long to gut the roster?

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305sportsblog.blogspot.com

A bit of info on Sean Smith:

Sean Smith attended Blair High School in Pasadena, California, where he gained All-Conference, All-State, and All-American honors.

He led his team to its best record in 10 years as a senior. He rushed for over 1,500 yards, with 18 rushing touchdowns and also had 547 receiving yards and over 400 yards in kickoff returns that year.
College career

Sean Smith was redshirted for the 2005 season. During 2006, his redshirt freshman year, he played as a wide receiver for the first eleven games before moving to cornerback.

What is perplexing is his INABILITY to get interceptions and hang on to the ball and coming up a running back/wide receiver into college.

This guy has all the tools you want and built just like the Seattle corners, big and athletic.

What the heck? Why in the world is he not playing more consistent and especially make more game changing plays or better yet ANY game changing plays?

I'd say the most significant thing here is that Ireland seems to be talking a lot more then normal. Its not even the offseason yet. Must be feeling the pressure

Time to Walk the Walk, Mr. I

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being a good corner is all about being instinctful. When to break on a ball, when to turn around and find the ball.....we don't have guys with good instincts.

The Miami Herald's "sense" is that the Dolphins will pursue free agent Mike Wallace, with free agent Greg Jennings "also in the mix."
Jennings' relationship with coach Joe Philbin has made him a frequent target of Dolphins rumors, but it's Wallace who's one of the league's fastest players and entering his prime. However, Wallace should command a much larger commitment, both in years and dollars. That might not be a problem for Miami, as a "close associate" of owner Stephen Ross tells the Herald he's prepared to "spend a lot of money."

I think a lot of fans will be disappointed at how inactive we'll be come free agency.

I think we'll sign someone, maybe even a big name... but we might be limited to only a few signings... instead focusing on the draft to fill the roster.

I'm ok with that... and I think some here need to start seriously considering that this may be the direction...

I don't see anybody around here suggesting the Dolphins are going to be major players in free agency, but they will be a major player for one of the big free agent names.

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Really? Because I see a lot of "we need to signs" linked to multiple free agents in the same breath lol.

Just saying, I don't think we'll be a big player in Free Agency.

Mike Wallace, Dwayne Bowe and Greg Jennings.

Who else?



Nobody else is saying we will either. But people do expect at least one big name. But that doesn't qualify as being a big player in free agency. What the Eagles and Jets have done in recent years qualify as being big players in free agency.

Signing one wide receiver to a big contract doesn't.

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Mainly Keller and Cook Jr.

Big expectations to sign on free agent WR's and TE's. I'd personally be shocked if we sign on a TE other than Fasano... then again this new regime has no real ties to him. Really not a huge fan of Keller, would much rather see Cook if we bring on a tight end at all.

Wide Receiver wise I just can't help but think it's gonna be Jennings all the way. All the ties to our coaching staff and now his very public "do you remember me Joe" comments seem to be pointing that way.

I'm honestly much more excited for the draft than free agency... with all the picks we have this year we should be able to really build upon our core guys.

Those names barely get mentioned and when they do its almost as an afterthought.

Most people would be thrilled if the Dolphins signed one of the big three wideouts.

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we only need a top WR in free agency and possibly another starter (maybe a corner or Off. Tackle) and maybe a couple lower priced backups. I'd say that's a pretty normal looking free agency agenda for any team. We will continue to build through drafting.

Part of it is people are bored out of their skulls.

The other part is that the skill positions take a while to develop with drafted guys so if Miami is going for the immediate results they do so in free agency. Miami has the resources to sign 2 or 3 top free agents. I don't think signing say Jennings and Keller, or Wallace and Cook is a stretch at all. Just depends on how much Miami is willing to outbid competitors.

Its going to be harder to hang on to guys like Hartline, Smith and Long than people seem to realize. Worse players have received big deals in FA. If those guys leave you have to replace them somehow.

Just wait until teams start cutting larger contracts. The speculation discussions will really heat up.

Well that's the brilliance of individual thought processes isn't it? We see things differently.

Well, you mentioned that there are links all over the forums of people wanting to sign multiple free agents and you said people need to change their mindset and be prepared for this team to address needs through the draft.

All you have to do is look back to the last 5-7 pages and the few threads about free agents typically focus on Wallace or Jennings, with a sprinkling of Bowe here and there.

The majority of threads seem to focus on draft prospects.

That's the beauty of the forums. Everything is archived so if someone revises history, we can reference the facts if necessary.

And once those facts are viewed, we can see there is no "seeing things differently". There are facts and there are misperceptions.

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-Rotoworld

I agree, this team seriously lacks playmakers, especially in the defensive secondary and at widereceiver. While Hartline, Bess, and Jones are keepers. Clemons, Smith, Marshall, and the rest of our entire receiver corps are suspect.