The Dolphins are rebuilding but will they admit it?

There is one word that owners around the NFL hate to use in front of their fanbase: Rebuilding.

The word means forget about this year. The word means that whatever we've been doing wasn't right and we need to start over. The word is synonymous with, we're falling off the NFL map for a year or two.

Oh, and the word is a great way to not sell tickets.

And so it will be interesting to see if Dolphins owner Stephen Ross utters the word today when he meets with media at lunch time because, let's be real folks, the Miami Dolphins are in full on rebuild mode now.

That's how it looks when you're trading Brandon Marshall and not signing either an equally talented or equally experienced replacement. The Dolphins will replace Marshall with a draft pick. You know how often rookie wide receiver make a big difference for their new teams? Do the homework. It is rare.

That's how it looks when you cut Yeremiah Bell, who was probably declining and too expensive but was also the glue in the deep secondary. The Dolphins may re-sign Bell or they may not. Either way, it is not a difference making move. Bell has so far garnered little attention in free agency so there's the idea other teams don't think tons about him so far. And if Miami goes in another direction, the likely way to address it is in the latter (cheaper) parts of free agency or, again, the draft. Rebuilding.

Once the Dolphins failed to land Peyton Manning and he picked Denver, the Dolphins didn't deem Matt Flynn worthy of big money and I was told by a Dolphins source that Alex Smith priced himself out of their market. So the Dolphins are going with a QB competition between Matt Moore and David Garrard. The Dolphins will also probably draft a quarterback.

Let's see ... Miami's grand promise of finally finding a franchise quarterback is headed unquestionably down the path of having two veterans who have never been franchise QBs and probably a rookie to develop. The two veterans are signed for only one year each. One.

Tell me that doesn't feel like you're rebuilding. Anyone with eyes sees it.

The Dolphins haven't been big spenders in free agency. They are ramping up bigtime for the draft. And I'm hearing more and more whispers from organization sources that you'll not be hearing talk of displacing the Patriots in 2012 because, well, they're as finished a product as you can have in the NFL.

And the Dolphins are a start up production.

Rebuild!

I have a hard time believing if Peyton Manning had come to the team the Dolphins would have been in this mode. They would have been led by a 36-year-old QB that needed talented added quickly for a run that will last a relatively short period of time.

But once Manning eliminated the Dolphins, the Dolphins apparently eliminated the idea of really and truly competing for a title in 2012. Their moves are making that plain. They're planning for a title run in two or three years more than they are this year.

They are rebuilding. The only question now is whether Ross will admit as much today.

 

Comments

[Clue]

Parcells will make Mark Ingram a star, and regulate Brees to pass the ball 15 x a game.

[Mark in Toronto]

Wes Welker was traded to the Pats

[Mad Englishman]

Loads of people wanted a new qb this off-season with extra supporting staff - isn't that rebuilding !!

If FO identify a qb of the future then draft him. if use 8th pick then so what- it isn't a reach if he is unlikely to be around in the 2nd round.

I would still prefer to trade down if possible and select bpa DE , WR with first two picks then qb or another wr.

At end of the day I don't give a t*ss if we had Ronald McDonald at qb if we won the superbowl.

[Ohio Dolfan]

Thanks YG...........

Did you vote!?!?!?!?

----> DolphinTalk.wordpress.com

[Jebediah]

Home you're right about some things, but come on man Tebow sucks the big one. That would have been the biggest mistake of them all if Ross signed him. If the Dolphins are really going to go into rebuild mode let's do it right and get the first or second pick in next year's draft. No more 7-9 BS.

[Home on the Herald]

Mark u ever heard of FA Ron Woodson?

Rod Woodson was a mainstay in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ secondary for a decade before joining the Baltimore Ravens in 1998 after a dispute with Steelers’ management. Woodson fit in perfectly with the Ravens already impressive defense.

To say Woodson was a smart FA signing would be an understatement. In four seasons with Baltimore he recorded 307 tackles and 20 interceptions.

[Mark in Toronto]

Hey, Craig Cap, Fritz Shurmur is dead. Hard to take some of you seriously when you don't know who the coaches are.

And a general note on the blog, hard to take some of you seriously on how to run a football team when you can't spell simple words correctly. I don't mean typos, I mean having no clue how to spell. (nudge nudge, YG)

[Home on the Herald]

Mark u ever heard of FA Deon Sanders?

Deion Sanders won a Super Bowl with the San Francisco 49ers in 1994 and decided to leave town in the aftermath. The winners of the “Deion Sweepstakes” were the Dallas Cowboys – to the tune of $35 million. Sanders proved to be worth the cost in every way imaginable.

In five years with the ‘Boys, Sanders had 159 tackles, 14 interceptions and scored a touchdown four times while returning punts. Add to that four Pro Bowls and three All-Pro nominations and Sanders proved why he deserved the nickname “Prime Time.”

Sanders’ most important contribution to Dallas was of course his huge role in the Cowboys’ Super Bowl XXX victory. His combination of offense and defense proved to be critical when it mattered most for the Cowboys.

[Kris]

Mark...

Those teams drafted QBs that fell to them....you can also add...the pack woudn't have Aaron Rodgers....

They didn't reach....they took the best QB available...@ the right place....Flacco was drafted 18th by the Ravens....and Freeman 17th.....they didn't sell the farm to get them...and they didn't reach into the top 10 for slightly above average QBs....and trust me...both are just slightly above average.....

one last thing....while i am OK with you comparing bthe futile bucs...to the hapless FINS.....the Ravens and Dolphins are barely in the same hemisphere...there really is no comparison between the two organizations @ all...not @ this time.....

Mark....I understand the importance of good QB play....you have seen my post...I just don't think we will get it out of this draft...

[Yesterday's Gone]

Ohio dolfan,

Went to your site. But to register it wont let use my screen name here. I created one one but Ive forgotten it already. LOL

That's why I usually dont go to new sites because sometimes it isnt worth the hassle to even register. I spent 20 minutes trying to put in a screen name that the system would even accept. Time wasted because I dont even remember what it is now. LOL

[Mark in Toronto]

Home, Rod Woodson was a game changer now? Talk about a reach. If you talk about that 2000 Ravens team, he wouldn't be one of the first 5 guys named for sure. He was a good player by the time he got to Baltimore surely, but he was more of a supporting class player.

You can keep digging thorugh the vaults of free agency though, feel free.

[Home on the Herald]

Mark your comment the FAs make no signiifcant impact is ludicrous.
Home says teams can indeed make significant improvement getting the right playa(s) in FA

Mark U ever heard of FA Rod Smith?

Rod Smith is the type of receiver every quarterback wants: Sure hands, explosive, virtually unstoppable in all aspects of the game. He also led a controversy- free career and was known to be a true professional. The fact the Broncos landed him 1995 is something that changed the NFL forever.

Rod played for the Broncos for 12 seasons piling up 11,389 yards receiving and 68 touchdowns. He was the favorite target of quarterback John Elway, and the duo combined to win back to back championships in Super Bowl XXXII and XXXIII.

Smith had eight seasons of at least 1,000 yards receiving, and he racked up 152 yards and a touchdown in Super Bowl XXXIII. Smith is the perfect example of how one small free agent acquisition can change the course of NFL history forever.

[Yesterday's Gone]

Home,

If you noticed, those teams signed the calibre fa's you mentioned to put them "over the top". It wasnt a strategy to build those teams.

FYI, Tim Tebow doesnt put any team "over the top" by any stretch of the imagination. Neither by trde, nor by fa. Tebow is a "nice little move" at best. LOL

[Kris]

Jeremy @ 1:03....thanks...and accepted.....

[Home on the Herald]

Mark how bout FA John Randle

Another playa the Dolphins were looking at but did not sign in FA

much to their regret!

John Randle didn’t stand a chance in the NFL, at least according to most. Who could blame the majority? Randle measured in at 6’1” tall and 287lbs at the defensive tackle position, a position best known for 300+ pound behemoths that stuffed the run with ease.

But Randle changed the game once given the opportunity by Minnesota in 1990. He was signed for the free agent minimum and made the most of it. In 11 seasons with the Vikings, Randle established himself as the most feared pass-rusher in the NFL on his way to accumulating 114 sacks. He made the Pro Bowl seven times while in Minnesota, and was selected to the All Pro team six times.

Randle was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010. He is the perfect example of the proverbial “diamond in the rough” that so many teams search desperately for in free agency. His career is indicative of just how vital the free agency period can truly be.

[We Have Draft Picks]

Coples is still a slight reach at #8. If using the #8 Kuechley solves the most problems, especially with the $11 million an underachieving Dansby will get this year.

But Coples does make more sense than reaching for a qb(Tannehill). If we suck as expected, we'll be in position to draft outright or trade up for one of the top 2 qb's in 2013. So why reach for Tannehill now?

YG,

I think the pick will be Coples. Let someone else reach on Tannehill who is clearly not the BPA at 8 or even 15. Kuechley seems to be the full package BUT I disagree that Dansby has underperformed. In fact he's the one player that hasn't disappointment in each of the last two year. Dansby is an excellent player BUT for a team that's not even close to competing his salary is disproportionately too high as is Jake Long's. Too many other needs to address to tie up that kind of money for two players right now.

[Mark in Toronto]

Kris, both Baltimore and Tampa Bay reached. And if this day and age of the importance of QB play (now more than ever), and the new CBA and rookie wages, you may be waiting for a generation for a QB to fall.

The Dolphins may or may not take Tannehill at 8, I don't know. But if they do, I will certainly applaud the move.

And after the top 6 players or so, all the players have question marks. Coples is lazy, Ingram is short, Reiff may make a better guard than tackle, etc. All these guys contain a certain gamble factor. So if you are going to gamble, why not gamble on the player that may have the most significant impact to your franchise?

[Ohio Dolfan]

Sorry to hear YG, nobody else seemed to have that issue.

Wordpress is actually pretty easy compared to other blog engines.

Thanks for the effort anyway

[Clue]

YG, I didnt create a user name in Ohio dolfan blog and you I'm able to posts under Clue.

[Kris]

Craig @ 1:03....precisely...and we can't do it for the sake of doing it....it will hurt us in the long run...

[RoadRage]

I would've been the guy leading the rebuild charge if we would have fired Ireland and traded for RG3. But we did neither! Another 3 years of inferior football.

[cosmodo]

I'm livid like everyone else. When I think of 'rebuilding' I just want to punch a donkey in the face. But when cooled down, I understand that it's a logical step to move over to a west coast model. But you have to start with ridding Ireland! Even if we forget about his past record, he comes from the Parcellian model - not WC. How can we trust him to bring in the right guys for an offense that requires specific skills set when for years he can't get the OLine right? Come on Ross, the mass has spoken, get rid of Ireland. That one act alone would be the best win of the new season.

[Home on the Herald]

Mark once again u r wrong
Home is certainly right. U just need to get the right players in FA

eh hem Mr Ireland!

Like Peyton Manning or Tim Tebow :)

[Ohio Dolfan]

Yea I didn't think you needed to "create a username" or register or anything

Maybe YG meant Texas website?

Anyway.....sorry for all this talk about it on here...back to the convo about the phins!!!!

[Mark in Toronto]

Hahaha, John Randle and Rod Smith were rookie free agents, hardly the kind of players were you mortgage your cap space to until they prove themselves.

Home, clearly you lack the ability to comprehend so I will try this again.

Free agency is meant to sign complimentary and role players, not to build your team around.

You can go on posting for the next 13 hours straight now listing complimentary players and role players and rookie free agents to try to prove your point.

By the way, credit is due where credit is due and Deion was a third example of a star free agent paying off. Good one.

[Home on the Herald]

Another great FA signing

James Harrison played for the Pittsburgh Steelers twice. The first go-round in Pittsburgh resulted in him being cut. After stints in Baltimore and with the Rhein Fire, Harrison once again landed in Pittsburgh, and this time it was for good.

Harrison played himself into a starting role quickly and hasn’t looked back. To date he has 58 sacks and 542 overall tackles. He is known for his physicality and hard hits, and is easily one of the most feared players in the league.

Harrison is one of the greatest signings ever because he was a main cog in two Super Bowl victories for the Steelers in Super Bowl XL and XLIII. In XLIII Harrison returned an interception 100 yards for a touchdown, good for the longest play in Super Bowl history. Not bad for a free agent who had trouble making practice squads early in his career.

[We Have Draft Picks]

FYI, Tim Tebow doesnt put any team "over the top" by any stretch of the imagination. Neither by trde, nor by fa. Tebow is a "nice little move" at best. LOL

YG,

Maybe if the Jets had a great defense & a stud RB but that's not the case. The Jets defense has regressed & Shonne Green is an okay back at best.

IMO--The Jets have the best CB in football, a very good ILB in David Harris, a good NT in Pouha but after that I'm not impressed. Cromarite, Calvin Pace, & Bart Scott are all overrated & overpaid.

[Dolfan Rick]

YG,

I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree lol.

Dansby is a top LBer in the league. I'm not sure why everyone is on him all of a sudden.

Burnett looked solid after a slow start and now there is talk of moving Misi inside.

I just don't see where middle lber is a position of need.

I'm for a trade down and getting an extra pick and the DE Merculis at the bottom of rd 1.

[Home on the Herald]

Rich Gannon!

Excellent FA signing for Da Raiders

Only his former coach "Chuckie" could coach up his players to stop him as The Bus won the SB

but another great FA signing, Mark !

Rich Gannon had a relatively lackluster 11 year career before joining the Oakland Raiders as a free agent in 1999. The deal cost Oakland $16 million over four years. Gannon proceeded to thrive in the west coast offense the Raiders used and led the team to a Super Bowl appearance.

In six years with Oakland Gannon threw for 17,585 yards and 114 touchdowns. In 2002 Gannon had the best year of his career throwing for 4,689 yards and 26 touchdowns. His performance that year earned him the NFL MVP Award.

Gannon led the Raiders to Super Bowl XXXVII. Forget for a moment that he threw five interceptions in the loss. If it weren’t for him, the team wouldn’t have sniffed the big game. So while he played horribly, the fact they were there makes Gannon one of the better free agent pick-ups of all time.

[B33RCA53]

Luke Kuechly FTW

[Home on the Herald]

FA signing grocery boy to Super Bowl MVP

In God Home Trusts!

Kurt Warner went from bagging groceries while playing in the Arena Football League to orchestrating “The Greatest Show on Turf” with the St. Louis Rams. The Rams picked up Warner in 1998 as a backup, but Warner was thrust into the starting role after Trent Green tore his ACL in a preseason game.

Warner played five seasons in St. Louis as the starting quarterback, and it was a magical ride. Warner threw for 14,447 yards and 102 touchdowns while leading the team to Super Bowl XXXIV where he was named the Super Bowl MVP.

Warner’s rag-to-riches story is a familiar one, and it yet again shows how important each and every free agent signing can be. Warner could have been picked up by any team as a backup and never given the opportunity to start. Instead, circumstance and free agency allowed Warner and the Rams to win a championship.

[B33RCA53]

Parcells interim Saints coach?

[B33RCA53]

11Mil for the same production we got out of Burnett for 5 mil a year

[Ohio Dolfan]

I don't see Parcells coaching again

He's getting paid to sit and do nothing

[Home on the Herald]

Another pass rusher signed in FA to the Bucs

Simeon Rice is one of the best all-time pass-rushers in NFL history, and he made that known during his tenure with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After playing five seasons with Arizona, Rice signed with the Buccaneers in 2001 for five years and $34 million.

Rice’s stay in Tampa Bay lasted six years, and it was a productive stay. Rice terrorized opposing quarterbacks around the league while racking up 69.5 sacks and being a main cog in the Buccaneers’ Super Bowl run in 2002. Super Bowl XXXVII saw Rice record two sacks while leading the team to victory.

Rice was a big name when he hit the free agent market, and rightfully so. Tampa Bay paid the price and got exactly what they paid for. Sometimes a huge investment in free agency pays off, and in this scenario it couldn’t have played out any better.

[B33RCA53]

Dansby SOLB Burnett WOLB Kuechly MLB

[Home on the Herald]

Another example of a great FA signing to the O-line

Kevin Mawae was a big addition to the New York Jets offensive line after the team experienced several abysmal years of production in that area. Mawae signed a five year, $16.8 contract, the highest for a center ever at the time. Prior to joining the Jets, Mawae spent four seasons with the Seattle Seahawks where he was an emerging star.

Mawae was an instant upgrade for the Jets, and allowed the team to have one of the most brutal running games for years. Mawae’s line paved the way for fellow list-mate Curtis Martin. His first season in New York saw the Jets average 357 yards a game, something that became a regular thing for Mawae and the line.

The Jets were smart to pick up a player like Mawae. He was not only an amazing player, but a durable one at that. He started an astounding 177 straight games in his career while being one of the most feared offensive linemen in the league.

[Home on the Herald]

Mark
Another great FA and on the cheap

In five seasons with the New York Jets, James Farrior was labeled a bust and allowed to walk in free agency. Big mistake. Farrior joined the Steelers in 2002 on a three year, $5.4 million deal and became one of the most productive, albeit quietest, linebackers in all of football.

In 10 years, Farrior has recorded 742 tackles and led the Steelers consistently elite linebacking corps. Playing middle linebacker for the Steelers is something that is typically highly scrutinized, but Farrior took it in stride and made it look easy.

Farrior was also a member of two Pittsburgh Super Bowl victories, one in Super Bowl XL with six tackles, and another in Super Bowl XLIII with eight tackles. Calling the plays for a decade in Pittsburgh while being a great leader makes Farrior one of the better free agent acquisitions of all time.

[Ohio Dolfan]

Gotta Run.

If you get a chance check out the new site. Maybe I'll get Armando to visit since he's my idol? :)

----> DolphinTalk.wordpress.com

[Home on the Herald]

NFL Network now showing Tebow beating the AFC Steelers in the Playoffs

something GM Jeffrey Ireland's QB Pat White certainly could not even come close to doing in regular season

TIM TEBOW best red zone QB in the 2012 NFL

[ismael]

whta a shame!! i´m tired that we´ve rebuilding the last 12 years!! Matt Moore always had decent games but he isn´t the answer that´s why he is not the Panters QB.. David Garrard he had some good seasons with Jacksonville but he isn´t the answer that´s why he was released by the Jaguars... As i can understand to rebuild a Pro-franchise you need to draft good players and SPEND MONEY signging some super stars to help that rookies... so where is Peyton Manning, Mario Williams or Brandon Marshall?? i´m sick and tired to see how our rivals teams sign great players and we sign the NFL´S GARBAGE!!! how our rivals draft some Tom Brady, Ryan Mallet, Matthew Stafford, Andrew Luck, RG3 and we draft some Pat White, Pat Devlin, Marcus Vick, Ginn jr. or some other No talent but "cheap" rookies!!! If Stephen Ross buy a franchise he needs to know that he needs to SPEND MONEY, the NFL franchise are to the people who have the money to make them succesfully and who love the FOOTBALL!!! not for Scruge or miserable people who don´t knows how to spend smart money...

[Home on the Herald]

JEF FIRELAND 3/29/12 Protest March

[Mark in Toronto]

Fine, Simeon Rice is four, I give your four great big ticket free agents in 20 years.

Now stop mentioning complimentary players like Farrior or unrestircted free agents like Smith or James Harrison. To bring them up only proves that you don't understand the point.

Gannon won zilch...

Now please continue, I find this entertaining ...

Or is Google out of options???

[Home on the Herald]

Home is Right, Mark

Now go back to betting your Canadian doughnuts! lol

[inimounts]

I love how we think free agency is the answer, when we have the worst gm in history in charge. I love how the draft is the answer, when we can't draft in any round EVER, not to mention that out of all the players we are supposedly going to think about drafting, not one is a playmaker, so we will be 'starting to rebuild in 2013' also, just like the last ten years,
And for every player u are all grabbing out of free agency, there are ten that don't work out, and Ireland signed nine of them.

[Home on the Herald]

Those from Home's archives and u sir are not too bright

U work 7 months a year to pat Canadian taxes

Not smart enuf to move south when the ground freezes and know nothing about NFL FAs

So go back to watching the CFL

lol

[Home on the Herald]

Farrior was the QB of the Steelers defense making all the defensive calls

Home would hardly call that a complimentary playa

but pastie white Mark how can Home expect a Canadian office boy to understand American football?

lol

[Home on the Herald]

Jets have made better decisions in FA than the Dolphins and Jets have won four playoff games and been to the AFC title game twice in 3 yrs

and now Tebow in the WildCat & Spread w Sparano = doomsday for the low stank fish team

FIRELAND 3.29.12 Protest

[Phins78]

"Home, If you noticed, those teams signed the calibre fa's you mentioned to put them "over the top". It wasnt a strategy to build those teams."

THANK YOU!!!! My goodness it's great to see that some people get it.

[Clue]

Home has got to be the fastest typer of all time, in order to get all his posts back to back, anyone else notice this?

[Home on the Herald]

Saints signed FA QB Drew Brees and built a team around him

Then won the Super Bowl

PERIOD

[Phins78]

Ohio I don't know what happened with YG. I went to your site and signed in , and it took me all of 30 seconds. Not sure , sounds like he might have been at the wrong site? YG did you actually go to the site? There is no sign in process. You write your name in and post just like here. If you want your name in blue post your website. It's incredibly easy.

[Home on the Herald]

Denver beating Steelers in the 3rd Q

20 - 13

WR Decker out w a knee injury

Tebow perfect throw draws a pass interference

Tebow runs for 8 Yds & 1st down

Tebow then runs 11 Yds & st down

Tebow throws 7 YDs sideline throw 1st down

Another great throw

[Phins78]

And then they were 7-9 last year after losing a bunch of key contributing players that they could no longer afford due to signing free agents to over priced contracts.

And now you think the team is better because they brought in a back up QB who will not only crush the confidence of the starting QB but is also the worst rated passer in the league?

What are you hanging your hat on? The 4th quarter come backs? HE CREATED THE NEED FOR THE COMEBACK BECAUSE HE DIDN'T SHOW UP UNTIL THE 4TH QUARTER OF MOST IF NOT ALL OF THOSE GAMES!!!! You are clueless.

[Home on the Herald]

Tebow scrambles about to be sacked

gets away throws off back foot perfect to Royal for a 1st but offensive Pass Interference

[Jebediah]

Mostly good examples Home. You lose a lot of credibility in general with your Tebow worship though. The man is a terrible QB.

[Phins78]

"Saints signed FA QB Drew Brees and built a team around him

Then won the Super Bowl

PERIOD"

Fantastic point. WTF does this have to do with anything that is being discussed?

[Home on the Herald]

Tebow Wins with a losing 1-4 team, one good Wr and an average RB

Tebow embarrassed the Dolphins his very first game against them setting an NFL record for 15 points score in less then 3 minutes

Tebow Wins

Fish Suck
PERIOD

[Home on the Herald]

Too bad the Denver defense sucked in the Steelers game and Tebow beat the Steelers

How come the Dolphins cannot beat the Steelers?

Go Tebow!

[Phins78]

Another great throw?! YES, it was a great throw, one of the 15 great throws he made all of last year.

BWAAHAHAHAHAHAHA Yeah, even a blind squirrel finds a chestnut once in a while. Fabulous argument to prove Tebow is a piece of garbage as a QB.