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!!!
