Fins Quick To Tag Landry… Now What?

Landry playing under the Franchise Tag will be too costly for a broke Phins team… A long term deal is key

Landry receiving the tag puts the ball in his court

Just about everything is dependent on what Landry wants at this point

That was fast! Jarvis Landry was given the non-exclusive tag Franchise Tag yesterday, the very first day that it could be applied.

Talk about pulling the trigger quick.

No drama, no intrigue… just bamm, here you go.

Okay, cool. Now what’s the game plan for the follow through?

Let’s not forget though, there could be plenty of drama right around the road:

1. Miami can rescind the tag at any time before Landry signs it–say if a long-term deal can’t be worked out.
2. Landry might not sign the offer in protest… although highly unlikely.
3. There could be a trade at some point. It’s non-exclusive so he can seek out a deal elsewhere, after the combine. But however a trade occurs, Landry would have to sign the tender first.

All of this is an unknown. It’s sure fun to shoot the breeze about… but it’s just guesses.

What isn’t a guess is that the Phins are broke.

Miami is at $8,293,035 in cap space. But with the tag, which will cost roughly $16 million, Phins are at about negative $8 million with 44 players on the roster–plus Landry.

If Landry plays under the tag the bookie management software services believe it will be a tough pill to swallow. Now if he signs a long term deal, not so much, as they can structure it where the big hit comes next season.

In 2019 the Dolphins will be at around $55 million under the cap… Minus Landry’s deal, rookies, and Free Agents… it’s still a good place to be at. And that’s not including the fact that Miami will have leverage to get out of some bad contracts–if they want–and be in the black: Suh, Kiko, and Branch.

If they can get Landry’s salary out of 2018 and into 2019, they’ll be good to go

Still, this puts the leverage in Landry’s corner. He doesn’t have to agree to a long-term deal. He can just play for $16 mill guaranteed and then hit Free Agency next year. Fins won’t tag him again, it would cost them a pay increase of 20% over that $16 mill… nearing $20 mill is too nuts for even the Mike Tannenbaum.

So Miami must cut Ja’Wuan James and Julius Thomas just to get out of the hole and have enough to sign their rookies. Near $16 mill in relief and no gravy whatsoever. Yikes!

This will also make the cutting of Lawrence Timmons and the extra $5.5 million a must for Free Agents signings. Again, no gravy. But not only won’t they be able to go big for a top players (no Norwell), but they’ll need more cuts than just Timmons contract to fill up the roster and cover other costs.

Kiko Alonso and Andre Branch can’t be cut as their dead money hit would cost Miami more than keeping them ($3.4 mill and $1.9 mill, respectively).

Ryan Tannehill isn’t getting cut either, so forget about that idea

Despite a load of talk bout it, Suh can’t be cut as it would only save $3.9 Million and there’d be a huge hole at DT.

The only place left to clear out a substantial amount of cash would be the release of Cameron Wake ($8.1 mill), Mike Pouncey ($7 mill), and Ted Larsen ($1.1 mill). But for a team with so little leadership, the release of Wake or Pouncey will be felt. Larsen… hasta la vista, baby.

One of these two ‘long timers’ will likely need to be cut to cover extra FA’s and / or UDFA’s, or in case of injury, and for injury settlements…

…that is IF Landry and the Phins DON’T come to a long-term deal or he is traded.

The last ditch option would be restructure Suh and Tannehill’s contracts. But I’m tired of this regime sacrificing the future because they aren’t fiscally responsible. It’s exactly how they got in this predicament. Yet, if this regime is looking to save their butts and say ‘screw you’ to the Dolphins future, look for them to go right ahead and restructure away. Tannebaum loves to wheel and deal.

The consequence of the Phins delay to sign Landry long term means Miami can have all the plans in the world at this point, but it will be up to Landry to okay them. Maybe Tannenbaum has a master plan and a few aces up his sleeve? He’d better, because if this Landry thing goes sideways, or if he even just plays under the $16 mill tag, it will the Dolphins left holding the bag. Still, I’m glad Landry isn’t heading into Free Agency… so there’s hope this will work out for the best. Go Fins!!!