Tannenbaum: ‘Culture Change’ Starts With You
Positive ‘culture change’ MUST start with fiscal responsibility
I’m a hardcore believer that culture matters… Miami must change its M.O.O.
At 4:00 p.m. today the fireworks began to go off with Free Agency in full bloom. So far, the Miami Dolphins have been very active. The level of success to all these moves, despite the ballyhoo, is unknown at this time. But don’t worry, the truth will be revealed in the form of wins or losses soon enough… and the bragging will commence forthwith to some fans glee.
I believe wholeheartedly in culture. Anyone who has had to lead a group of people or been part of a locker room knows the pain of being stuck in ‘bad culture’. No doubt, despite what many writers say, culture has a very tangible effect on a football team’s wins and losses. So when it came down the pipe that the Miami Dolphins were making big changes and choosing culture first, I was all hands on deck.
Good culture must be implemented in totality. The right culture in the NFL must start with the wallet and then work its way down.
A quick recap, the Dolphins have:
- Traded for Robert Quinn giving up 2 picks and getting 1 in return
- Traded Jarvis Landry getting 2 picks, one mid-round and one late
- Signed WR Albert Wilson for 3yrs $24 million
- Signed WR Danny Amendola for 2yrs $12 million with 8.25 in guarantees
- Resigned Walt Aikens
- Decided to keep Ja’Wuan James with his 5th Year $9.3 million option
- Restructured Reshad Jones contract freeing up $6.6 million in 2018
- Restructured Ryan Tannehill’s contract
- Retained Jake Brendel
- Retained Mike Hull
- Released Ndamukong Suh
- Retained Jordan Lucas
- Released Julius Thomas
So far, some moves have been excellent, but some have been…
The biggest head-scratcher up until this point is Danny Amendola. I’m fine with the player, but the locked-in money is quite large.
I can see both the positives and the pitfalls… but I’m a bit leery about giving huge guaranteed money to a 33 yr old. The same can be said for the restructuring of Jones’ contract.
Wasn’t the reason for letting go of Suh and Landry to begin a course on fiscal responsibility?
Pushing more dead-cap space into the future isn’t the type of culture I was hoping for. Yes, the CAP is highly flexible and GM’s can bend it like Silly Puddy, but there are limits. This lock-down of tomorrow will force Jones to play through the 2020 season when he’ll be 32. It’s the 2nd most palatable restructure that Miami could have made as it does free up $6.6 million while guaranteeing $4 million… So it’s a win of sorts. But I was hoping for tighter fiscal responsibility with this ‘new culture’.
And then Tannenbaum decided to restructure Ryan Tannehill’s contract shortly after FA began. Tannehill is receiving a $16.7M signing bonus… that’s a lot of money locking up the future. This move I get the most, but again, you’re tying money into the future on sizeable question marks. I like Thill, but he’s a QB who’s coming off two ACL tears and hasn’t played in a year and a half. This isn’t a slam dunk… yet, I get this one the most.
Good culture frees up the future CAP as well as building a quality locker room
I just don’t like tying down the future with older players, and Amendola is the riskier and less palatable of the two. No doubt this receiver group is young and Amendola will certainly be an upgrade in skill, professionalism, and culture. Amendola is a brilliant route runner who has been marinated in precision and professionalism. So I can see that his teaching and leadership adds massive value. But he was given a very large sum of guaranteed money for those intangibles wrapped in a fragile body. If he collects splinters on the bench he can’t help the culture. This certainly won’t be a high % bet with the best football betting software. But I guess luck favors the bold… so I’ll ride with it–for now.
Chris Grier has my confidence, and Adam Gase does too… although it took a bit of a hit in 2017. Mike Tannenbaum is my biggest concern. He loves to spend. For him, the future is always there to be peddled for the benefit of the present. I bought into his spending model in the 2017 offseason with his high guarantees for a lower overall contract. But watching Jones, Kiko, and Branch underperform has left a bitter taste in my mouth.
It’s still very early, and now with Suh cut, Free Agency underway, and the draft around the corner, the tale is young. But 2019 and beyond will come for this franchise, regardless of who’s in charge… So please Mike Tannenbaum spend Ross’ money like you’ll be here to deal with the consequences. Go Fins!!!
ESPN reporting that Mike Pouncey has asked Miami for his release and the Dolphins will grant it:
http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/22775721/mike-pouncey-asks-miami-dolphins-release
Yup! Working on the article now…THANKS Brandon. I like it for several reasons. What about you? What’s your take?
I’m good with it. He was a menace at full health but with his salary and injury history it seems like the right time to part ways.
I’m hoping this doesn’t mean we are going to burn an early pick on the OL. I don’t know how everyone else feels but I’m tired of watching the Phins using early picks on the OL. Our track record isn’t good and with all the early round picks we spent on the OL in the past years we’re always complaining about how bad our OL is.
At this range, I’d take Nelson with a smile. Mostly, Miami has picked underachievers, busts, or reached too far on their OL picks in every rd. If all those 1st and 2nd performed as expected, being a Phin Fan would be loads of fun. But they haven’t. I like the current line up with Sitton and Kilgore… I do hope they draft Vea at #11 and convert to a hybrid D… or I’d go with as Steve–and now Dunner– preach… a trade back. Vea, James, Nelson and maybe… MAYBE a QB at #11 would be good picks. Maybe Edmunds and Smith too, but they are a little soft to my tastes… although I do like Edmunds better. Not saying those are holes in 1’s… but just my take. If none of them are the picks, then I too am praying for a trade back. I like Rudolph, White, or Lauletta in the later rounds. To have #11 miss on a QB would be a major setback…
Nailed it!!!
Lets not forget TE, 2nd or 3rd round range, much, much needed. A Quick TE would look interesting along with the pieces,,,,,,, and-and oh yea Parker. Nothing is holding him back this year, but, Parker.
Refreshed!!!!!!!!!!!
Sitton would be really nice should he sign tomorrow (today). The way this line finished up last season, along with the addition of Sitton at LG and how Drake was rolling towards the end, we could have a descent running game. Not to mention the speed added to our WRing core and with a hopeful top TE via the draft, all could equal a much more diverse offense, much harder to defend.
I too thought Jones was meh, I did think he got rolling a little bit a couple games after McDonald came back, reason for optimism there.
I’m starting to feel a trade back for an extra 2 and/or 3. If we come away w one of the top 5 LBers and one of the top TEs. Win-Win.
I won’t say what’s best… the draft isn’t a strong area for me. But I’m trying to learn to cut the lead Steve has. I stand pat that it will be Vea and we are moving to a hybrid. Signing Wiliams again and having 6 viable DE’s means something is up. Either someone is getting traded or cut or they are moving to a more diverse scheme and some of these ends will have very defined roles and will play LB.
I hear ya MJ. I thought we were done doing restructures, paying older players. I really did not like the extensions they gave Brach and Kiko, however; I understood what hey were trying to do (I think thats what they were trying to do?), rewarding your own for be professionals on the field, off the field, practice habits, etc. It is the evaluation that was off.
Having said that, I really don’t mind the 2 restructures and the signing of older Amendola. First, Gase speaks highly of Tanny and insists he is his QB now and for the future. That must be the case, and if Tanny continues his progress, all is well because he would/will be here for several more years any ways. I have always been a Jones fan, a home grown player who has been a professional on and off the field (4 game suspension aside), question is how many years does he have left, lets hope 3-4 more. Amendola must be for all the above: the player-check, character=check, help improve culture-check.
My question is Wake and Pouncey??? I hope to retain Wake some how, some way, if there is any player that deserves to retire as a Dolphin it is Wake. Is Wake worth the 8+ million/year, probably not the player, but culture, player, person is well worth it. Pouncey is a BIG question mark, I know he played the entire year last season, but I have seen to often an injured Pouncey and just waiting when it happens (hope not) In Pouncey’s defense, he is home grown, and for the most part has been a professional on and off the field, but the 9 million dollar cap hit with just 2 million dead cap hit makes me wonder. One thing is for sure, Kiko, Branch, and Pouncey will be off the books, and that alone will create 25 million with just a 6 million dollar dead cap hit.
Stay tuned, sure more is on the way, good or bad, because as we all know, Tannebaum is not one to sit back and let nature take its coarse. It is exciting as a Fins fan while at the same time depressing as a true Fins fan.
Kiko, Branch, and Pouncey will be off the books, and that alone will create 25 million in 2019
True, but why refill it? I guess musical chairs with guaranteed money is this teams SOP. So far not terrible, Tannehill and Jones were here no matter what… unless there was a serious injury. Wake is a lifer and Pouncey is somewhat of a vocal leader… they will both stay. Sitton seems like he is coming and he is talented and vet… don’t know his personality, but studying up on him now. I still see a lot of hope, but the books need to be straight. Davis will get a decent amount next year as will a few other soon. The CAP is hard to pin down, but there are limits… we reached them in 2016… hate to see it happen again. Landry is reported to have wanted $50 mill in guarantees… Jimmy and I have a bit of disagreement on that matter. my bone centers around Amendola and Jones… Amendola is old and Jones played meh last year. Now he’ll be older with more guarantees. Really hope we get Sitton for LG…