Next Stop Top 5 Pick?
Miami Dolphins News fans were very excited before the season started. It finally looked like this team was equipped with the talent to make a playoff run. Even many of the “experts” had Miami making the playoffs, and even possibly giving the Patriots a legit test for the AFC East crown. However, fast forward to the beginning of December, and the Dolphins are playing some of the worst football this franchise has seen since the Cam Cameron debacle – Quite the departure from the original expectations.
The Dolphins stand at 4-7 and have a chance to actually finish with the worst record in the league. They currently have the 7th worst record in the league, and the way that they have been playing, the best sportsbooks in the world are going to have them as an underdog each of their last 5 games. Due to this state of losing, it’s appearing more and more likely that there is going to be a new head coach, and an entire new staff. This has a started hope for losing in order to get a high draft pick among some fans.
I am not advocating tanking the rest of the season for a better draft pick. However, from a fan’s standpoint, higher drafts picks offer a better chance at acquiring good players. These interests are far different for players and coaches who must win for job security and for subsequent regimes needing tape to evaluate players. BUT, I do clearly remember when the Dolphins were in the lead for Andrew Luck, and as fans cheered, “Suck For Luck”, Miami pulled out some “unexpected” wins, and as a result Tannehill was drafted. This isn’t a knock on Tannehill, but even among Tannehill supporters, which QB would you honestly rather have, Luck or Tannehill?
In all likelihood, the Dolphins aren’t going to tank the rest of the season – an with Lazor gone I’d like to see what they can do unbridled. Most likely they will win a few of their remaining games, and as a result Miami will be stuck with another middle of the road draft pick. In reality though, the Dolphins have many holes, too many to fix in one draft. So regardless if the Dolphins have a top 5 pick or not, one player is not going to change the fortunes of this franchise.
Unfortunately, the Dolphins troubles goes beyond what pick they may or maynot get. It starts at the very top of the organization. So until Ross gets better instincts about who he hires, this trend will continue. Sadly, From the outside, it seems Ross is more worried about building a state of the art stadium, instead of building a state of the art team. If this team played even close to the Patriots level, then the stadium could be a decrepit sand lot and still be sold out each and every week. Fans want to see a team that wins and gives the hope that they can win championships. On the list of priorities, Fans have a vague care at how how comfortable the seats are. I’d spend 3 hours sitting on a splintered bench, if the Miami were a winning organization.
The Dolphins need to change the culture of this team, however that’s easier said than done. After a revolving door of head coaches and QB’s since the era of Dan Marino and Don Shula, this organization has been stuck in a 20 year rut. With this season as the AFC East whipping boy, the light at the end of the tunnel “appears” dim. Maybe there is another hidden gem 6th round QB in the next draft, or maybe they can be the home of a head coach that resurrects his career, or stumbles upon the next Bill Belichick head coach? If they can’t open one or more of these doors this offseason, then Miami could be looking at mediocrity for the foreseeable future.
Oh, let me take that back, Laudry is every bit the part and a few more players like that and then we will be on our way (while replacing Tannehill). Then again, how long did it take Laundry to get on the field??? Way to long due to the inept staff!!!
Totally agree Ralph about Tannebaum, and I too believe that we would be better off riding ourselves of Tannebaum. As far as this years picks…
1) Jury is still out on Parker and I do believe the best is ahead for him
2) I believe that this giant will fit the part down the road
3) I believe that Stills was obtained because of the old staff didn’t realize what they had in Matthews
** Bottom line this current management (Tannebaum) and the one before that, and the one before that has not at least by accident drafted a difference maker from the start on either side of the ball. That is a franchise destroyer.
Tannebaum should be fired just for giving Tannehill a HUGE contract when they could have had him for the entire year for NOTHING and then make a decision. Not to mention not addressing the guard situation, and without at least courting Even Mathis. Again, inept, and Tannebaum is still here. This staff had better try and keep their own = Matthews, OV, Miller in that order.
If Tannebaum is still with the organization they will not draft potential pro players
Instead they will draft goodie 2 shoes who will not make off the field headlines but cannot make the pro bowl because he (they) is/are just not that good
Hell Tannebaum is a cancer to the team being able to attract a real coach – who wants to report to a moron who will restrict your decisions and saddle you with mediocre to bad players
Who would want him as his boss
No – a good coach will not take the job with Ross and Tannebaum running the show
They just want a yes man as coach
But if Tannebaum is gone, then Hickey will get to select the draft picks unbridled by a moron of a boss trying to approve each selection and telling him who to draft
Hickey knows how to pick winners but this last draft he was overridden by Tannebaum and look at who we got
1 st round a receiver we now can see is a bit below average in this league
2nd round a defensive lineman who also like the first round pick is not a starter
3rd round through a trade Stills Who is another receiver who is not a starter just average to mediocre receiver
4rd also traded away
Rest of the draft – no pro bowlers and some mediocre starters only because there is no real linebackers or corners on our team to start
Only good pick out of that draft was Ayaji
And they lucked out he was still available
No fullback drafted to help protect our QB and bolster running game knowing we had the most porous offensive line in the league allowing the most sacks of a QB the previous 2 years
Is this football savy ??
No sir – you cannot have confidence that we will pick any starters much less pro bowlers if Tannebaum is involved – he just makes bad decisions and has bad player judgement
Imagine refusing to even call Mathis agent for 3 months when we needed Mathis desperately
Imagine giving Tannehill a new contract as expensive as a top 10 QB in the league when he still had a year to go in his rookie contract
Imagine signing a free agent receiver for 3 million a year who in 11 games has only caught 2 short passes but refusing to sign Mathis for 2 million
Imagine trying to get rid of Mathews for a 6th round pick prior to the first game (our second best receiver)
No sir – we definitely have a traitor to the team as its chief decision maker
We are indeed doomed to failure until we change our decision makers
Freak, I drank the Kool-Ade, only because I am a optimist. You have made some valid points, but that in no way confirms that you know football. I’m sure you do. How can you predict poor selections for next years draft when you don’t even know whom will be doing the selecting or where that selection will be? I hope they lose out and end up w one of the top 3 picks. I’ll give it to you that if it is the current head of football operations making the moves, I wouldn’t be too confident.
For me, I’m looking to trade Tannehill (very possible w his contract) for a first or second round pick. Picking one of the top 3 QBs (Goff, Cal., Lynch, Memp., Connor Cook, Mich.St.). If not, there are 2 can’t miss shut down corners that I would interested in or one of the top LBers.
That talk is for another day. It starts w the owner, whom is more interested in kissing the leagues a** to host a Super Bowl. He is more interested in hosting one, rather than playing in one. And that my friends is where the problem starts and finishes. I liked what Hickey did in his one year putting the team together, don’t understand the Tannebaum move??? They need to focus on resigning their own home grown players, especially Matthews. I also wouldn’t be opposed to keeping Campbell as long as there are some other staff changes.
I for one never drank that kool-aid that this was “the year…”. Got plenty of incoming from it too. But I do know football obviously, as I am here to edumacate ya’ll.
Fins picking in top 5 will make no difference given the morons selecting players. See past picks including last year who has been a bust so far, WR in 1st round with broken foot?!? AYFKM??? Kid cant stay healthy nor get on field, nor open. May I remind you of Dion-the-bust-Jordan?
Whateverrrr. Fins cant make a smart selection as we can all see by the evidence on the field. This is a losing franchise because the owner and management is incompetent.
Only way this MIGHT change is if they give the next HC personnel decision making rather than relying on Tannenbust.
Prediction, this year Ive downgraded Fins from 8-8/7-9 to a 5-12 team.
Next year….more of the same. Bank on it.