Reports that Ryan Fitzpatrick signed a contract to be the Dolphins new quarterback took most by surprise.
Over the course of his career, Fitzpatrick has shown the ability to inflate and deflate his team. Fitzpatrick’s signing is a blessing or a curse to those who are hoping for a very down year in 2019… and the high draft pick earned from an abysmal record.
Depending on the plan Miami has in place to acquire their “real quarterback” and which ‘Fitzmagic’ shows up this year, this signing will be a good move…
… or a big loser.
‘Fitzmagic’ could make a Top 5 Pick in 2020 appear… or disappear
The question that everything revolves around: Will the Dolphins make their move in this year’s draft or the next to find their franchise quarterback?
Does Miami want to pick in the low teens in Round 1 back-to-back years?
The word on the street has been that the Phins are looking to next year’s Draft for their QB with a ‘tank’ coming this season. Miami’s tepid Free Agency seems to support this. But if not for ‘loose lips’ Adam Gase leaking the information drafting a QB, drafting a QB in this year would be the expectation.
Did Gase actually leak though? Or was this ‘leak’ an ‘Art of War’ subterfuge? Was 2019 the ‘Year of the Dolphins Quarterback’ all a long?
If it’s all about a Top 5 Pick in 2020 why sign a quality veteran QB?
Tyrod Taylor and Teddy Bridgewater were Miami’s first choices as the Phins signal caller. Like Fitzpatrick, both aren’t the best choices for a team looking to pick up the 1st Overall in 2020. All three QBs have enough talent to lead Miami to 5+ wins without having to be spectacular.
Worse veteran QB options were available and better for the ‘tank’.
Look at what Tannehill and Osweiler did in 2018 with a MASH unit and the 31st ranked defense. With good breaks on the field and in health and Miami could be on the outside looking in at a top pick. Yes, they could alway trade the farm to move up. But flopping hard with a rookie QB is better long-term than wasting multiple 1st Round picks to move up.
The NFL is designed for teams to be mediocre. Excellent seasons and total crap fests are the outliers.
So maybe the Dolphins have a plan to find their QB this year?
Given Fitzpatrick’s contract, which is likely the same offered to Bridgewater, neither player is viewed as more than a stopgap.
Fitzpatrick’s 2015 Season of 31 TDs to 15 picks shows what happens if he’s on for a whole season.
Fitzpatrick has played in systems that force him to carry the offensive load. Over the last four seasons, he has been Top 10 in deep drops. This type of system exasperates his flaws: big mistakes and inconsistency when shouldering too much of the load.
The new Dolphins system will be like the Patriot’s: Get the ball out quick, short drops, and running the football. All of this will serve Ryan Fitzpatrick well… and could put Miami behind the ‘8 Ball’ for one of the three top Qbs in 2020.
Blake Bortles would have been the perfect ‘Tanking” quarterback…
… so maybe we aren’t tanking at all. Maybe the Dolphins are targeting a QB in this year’s draft?
Now, I’m not saying Ryan Fitzpatrick is the QB of the future or he’s great… but the very design of this offense will give him a solid platform. Is this the best move to ‘tank’?
What I am saying is even though Brian Flores has a 5-year contract that’s guaranteed, there’s no way he wants to go into the 2021 Season without his ‘permanent’ signal caller on board. Neither do the Dolphins players or their fans… that’s for certain.
Will late picks bring in the QB of the future? They can… but the odds are low.
Maybe this group is slier than we think… or maybe they’re half-baked. It’s too early to tell. This ‘process’ is ALL about the draft. The quality of the rookies they pick will make or break this regime. The decision to acquire Fitzpatrick isn’t the best if they want a Top 5 pick in 2020. Maybe the new Dolphins QB of the future is closer than we think?
There’s more than one way to break an egg, for sure… but some are better and easier than others. What kind of cooks do we have in Miami? Six weeks from now we’ll have a pretty good idea. Go Phins!!!
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I think they could get a pass rushing LB to make up for the pressure. From my limited study of the Pats, they use power and stunts to generate pressure. Also, they are good run stoppers, so teams get off schedule and on 3rd and long they pin their ears back. I think just by scheme alone this defense will take a sizable step forward on D. There are so many variables at this point I can’t agree or disagree. If Fitz plays like 2015, they draft and coach well… why not. But that’s a lot of right moves to get to that point, David.
The Dolphins have a defense that will keep them in the cellar. The offense will not be explosive. A grind it out offense with a weak interior line. Not much hope there. Fitzpatrick’s ability to mentor a young QB is his biggest asset. Fitzpatrick has more travel time than Marco Polo. He gets hot and then tanks when he starts throwing picks. Having said that, I would love to see the Dolphins go 11-5 and make the playoffs. It would serve Ross right.
D, I think they will base every pick on value and then if the value is equal, then on need. I can see Davis going back to RT. If you study his two games there he did pretty well… think he might get a one year audition if the value at RT doesn’t fall to them. LG is my biggest concern this year. The Pats system inflates the Olines ability through scheme. We aren’t used to this. Our schemes have hindered us more than helped for years. I see Davis, Tunsil, and Kilgore being early starters with Asiata getting a chance at RG. I see them bringing in 3-4 Linemen through the draft and UDFAs. Generally, the Pats don’t draft any linemen, except the LT, earlier than the 3rd… with very few exceptions, so your thoughts match theirs. DE and DT/NT are priorities… But, Godchaux and Vincent are excellent, I was surprised that they kept Spence. Woodard will be a nice piece in this scheme… This will be a power and movement based scheme. Stunts and bullrush. It won’t demand a stud elite DE… though that would be nice. CB, QB, LG, C, RT, RT, RG, DE, DT, and LB are likely all candidates for picks and not in any order or Round. I could see DE or DT in the first based on a QB dropping… I could also see a trade back. It will be interesting. The way they draft will determine if they flop or fly.
“The Dolphins have a defense that will keep them in the cellar. ” Just my guess, Van… but scheme change alone will put this D at around 20th rank. The scheme more than personnel was the issue. Personnel was gas on the fire in my opinion. Studying the Pats D, we’ll see all three Safeties on the feild at once 50% of the time. Miami will get a CB pretty early and Howard will be resigned… just my guess. Pats rank 48% dime in 2017… data isn’t out for 2018, but I bet it’s close. The nickel was 35% or so… this will be a whole new D on scheme alone. Not saying great, but I better the run D gets to around 15th-20th and that alone will boost this D. “Fitzpatrick has more travel time than Marco Polo.” Great line. I think this will be a heavy run O with easy throws for Fitz. I can see him being much more steady this year than in previous ones.
Could be Andy… I wouldn’t discount it. That would take serious commitment to the plan and guts to wait that long. I think though that in 21 they’d be less likely to have a down year. That would be two drafts and plenty of teams fighting for the pick… and if they miss, then wait till 22? I’m not discounting it… but a Blake Bortles signing would have been bad enough with enough cover to make it not obvious that it’s a tank. Honestly, it’s all guesswork. Maybe they are just being patient and waiting till right one fall to them at some point.
Miami has enough talent to make a serious run for a home superbowl; provided they find a good DE to replace Cam Wake.
I think they could get a pass rushing LB to make up for the pressure. From my limited study of the Pats, they use power and stunts to generate pressure. Also, they are good run stoppers, so teams get off schedule and on 3rd and long they pin their ears back. I think just by scheme alone this defense will take a sizable step forward on D. There are so many variables at this point I can’t agree or disagree. If Fitz plays like 2015, they draft and coach well… why not. But that’s a lot of right moves to get to that point, David.
The Dolphins have a defense that will keep them in the cellar. The offense will not be explosive. A grind it out offense with a weak interior line. Not much hope there.
Fitzpatrick’s ability to mentor a young QB is his biggest asset.
Fitzpatrick has more travel time than Marco Polo. He gets hot and then tanks when he starts throwing picks.
Having said that, I would love to see the Dolphins go 11-5 and make the playoffs. It would serve Ross right.
I surely hope we do not draft a QB until like 4th rd. We need to draft DE first, DT second, best avail RT or G/C in the third.
D, I think they will base every pick on value and then if the value is equal, then on need. I can see Davis going back to RT. If you study his two games there he did pretty well… think he might get a one year audition if the value at RT doesn’t fall to them. LG is my biggest concern this year. The Pats system inflates the Olines ability through scheme. We aren’t used to this. Our schemes have hindered us more than helped for years. I see Davis, Tunsil, and Kilgore being early starters with Asiata getting a chance at RG. I see them bringing in 3-4 Linemen through the draft and UDFAs. Generally, the Pats don’t draft any linemen, except the LT, earlier than the 3rd… with very few exceptions, so your thoughts match theirs. DE and DT/NT are priorities… But, Godchaux and Vincent are excellent, I was surprised that they kept Spence. Woodard will be a nice piece in this scheme… This will be a power and movement based scheme. Stunts and bullrush. It won’t demand a stud elite DE… though that would be nice. CB, QB, LG, C, RT, RT, RG, DE, DT, and LB are likely all candidates for picks and not in any order or Round. I could see DE or DT in the first based on a QB dropping… I could also see a trade back. It will be interesting. The way they draft will determine if they flop or fly.
“The Dolphins have a defense that will keep them in the cellar. ” Just my guess, Van… but scheme change alone will put this D at around 20th rank. The scheme more than personnel was the issue. Personnel was gas on the fire in my opinion. Studying the Pats D, we’ll see all three Safeties on the feild at once 50% of the time. Miami will get a CB pretty early and Howard will be resigned… just my guess. Pats rank 48% dime in 2017… data isn’t out for 2018, but I bet it’s close. The nickel was 35% or so… this will be a whole new D on scheme alone. Not saying great, but I better the run D gets to around 15th-20th and that alone will boost this D.
“Fitzpatrick has more travel time than Marco Polo.” Great line.
I think this will be a heavy run O with easy throws for Fitz. I can see him being much more steady this year than in previous ones.
Maybe they are not looking at a QB in 19 or 20 and one in 21 (Lawrence – Clemson).
Could be Andy… I wouldn’t discount it. That would take serious commitment to the plan and guts to wait that long. I think though that in 21 they’d be less likely to have a down year. That would be two drafts and plenty of teams fighting for the pick… and if they miss, then wait till 22? I’m not discounting it… but a Blake Bortles signing would have been bad enough with enough cover to make it not obvious that it’s a tank. Honestly, it’s all guesswork. Maybe they are just being patient and waiting till right one fall to them at some point.