Part 2 of the pre-minicamp Miami Dolphins mailbag:
From Carl Bueckert (@BueckertCa94374):
Good morning Alain, do you think that MM and Grier will try to improve the DT position? It's watered down besides ZS.
Hey Carl, saying the DT position is watered down is another way of saying they replaced Christian Wilkins with a large number of players who aren’t nearly as talented. I think at this time it’s probably equally likely the Dolphins will just use way more players than they did last year at DT after Sieler and Wilkins both played over 80 percent of the defensive snaps to try to get the same kind of production as them signing a veteran DT with more credentials than the non-Sieler guys currently on the roster.
From Jason Kirkland (@1bigdad424):
I watch all the podcasts, so I know what you think the Dolphins should do. To me, they lost all leverage by telling anyone who will listen that he's their guy. Since it's obvious they're going to sign him anyway, shouldn't they sign him before Dak, Trevor sign and cost goes up? At both tackles, Miami has the same guys and primary backup. The other 3 are downgrades. Wynn is back at LG, but coming off major injury, so that's not good. Williams to Brewer is obviously a downgrade. Hunt to Liam is a big downgrade. This is a problem to me. Your thoughts?
Hey Jason, I think the biggest holdup with a Tua extension right now would have to deal with the amount of guaranteed money the Dolphins are willing to give him, and this is where the Detroit Lions did them no favors by guaranteeing Jared Goff, who’s probably not a top 10 quarterback, the very large amount of $176 million. And I don’t know that the guarantee issue really is affected by the Dolphins’ public comments about Tua because what they’ve said is they want him as their QB of the future, without adding “at any cost.” As for the offensive line, I can’t really argue with your position at it stands right now.
From Lloyd Heilbrunn (@LloydHeilbrunn):
Wow, the Dolphins pay one of their own! Did we just see a unicorn?
Hey Lloyd, the Dolphins paid one of their own last December when they signed Austin Jackson to a three-year contract extension and before that they extended Durham Smythe last offseason. Now, if you’re going to contrast that, I guess, with Wilkins and Robert Hunt, that had more to do with positional value and not wanting to overpay “one of their own” just because they drafted them.
From Mark Lever (@MarkFinsfan):
Why has Holland not been signed? Do you think they don’t want him long term or just can’t afford to pay him right now? Does Tua get paid or are they going to make him play out his 5th year?
Hey Mark, I still would expect both Tua and Holland to get new deals before the start of the 2024 regular season, but these negotiations aren’t quite as simple as fans want to believe —particularly the type of big-money contract and guarantee that are going to be involved when it comes to Tua.
From North79 (@NorthJR79):
Miami seems to be overloaded at RB; although it’s great to have depth, could you see Miami trading a RB to add depth to our O-line, or other areas?
Here's the thing, it’s one thing to like the depth of the Dolphins at running back, but it’s quite another to suggest their fourth- or fifth-best option would be worth an asset in a trade. Understand that serviceable running backs are probably easier to find than just about any other position, so I don’t know what kind of return you could get for a third or fourth running back.
From Rico’s RoughNecks (@TheFin22):
Is it uncommon for local media to provide the breaking news regarding player acquisitions/contracts? Following an array of local media, appeared the bulk were caught off guard by Schefter’s release of Waddle’s extension.
Hey Rico, the way things go in 2024 is the major network folks (ESPN, NFL Network) will get the info leaked to them first, whether it be from an agent or from the team, which is why almost invariably all the major breaking news in the NFL these days will come from the same handful of reporters. And then there are some exceptions where it’s players themselves who break news via social media.
From MIABIG3 (@LazyPhin):
What if we used Kamara as an interior pass rusher? Imagine Chubb/Chop and Phillips on the edges, then Kamara, Tart and Seiler with hand in the dirt.
Hmm, it’s an interesting idea, but I don’t think Kamara is big enough to be able to consistently win from the interior of the defensive line. If you look at all the really good interior pass rushers in the NFL, they’re generally all at least 285 pounds and Kamara is listed at 260. So, I like the outside-the-box thinking but don’t see this as being realistic.
From Roger Dodger (@RogerDolfan):
How did KC win the last 2 Super Bowls without a top 25 NFL WR on their roster? Are Fins putting way too much value on their WRs?
The Chiefs won the last two Super Bowls with a really good and well-balanced team that features the best quarterback in the league, a Hall of Fame head coach, one of the best tight ends in NFL history, a very good interior offensive line, and a very good but vastly underrated defense. The Dolphins don’t have all those pieces, but the combination of Hill and Waddle probably is the best part of their roster. Having said that, it’s certainly fair to wonder whether having two of the five highest-paid wide receivers in the NFL (per annual average) is an unnecessary luxury, particularly when it comes to winning in December and January.
From Edward Jaffe (via email):
Hello Alain, let’s compare the successful plan of the Chiefs to the work in progress of the Dolphins. Chiefs have two incredibly important pieces that can’t be duplicated: QB and head coach that are in convo for all-time greats. Beyond that they seem to valuegreat TE and edge play with an excellent secondary. They have won SBs with good but not great OL, interior DL, WR, LB, and RB play. Dolphins have valued WR over TE, which costs us a lot more. We just paidvery top-dollar for WR2. I like our head coach and QB, but tying up so much money in the WR room seems to limit roster construction elsewhere. What say you?
Hey Edward, first, I say you’re shortchanging the Chiefs OL, which is very good in the middle, and their interior DL based on Chris Jones lining there a good portion of the time. As indicated in the previous answer, it’s certainly fair to question investing so much money at wide receiver, but this is the Dolphins’ identity, an offense with so much speed that defenses just can’t keep up, and it has produced good results overall, if not the fully desired results. Also understand that Waddle’s salary remains very reasonable over the next two seasons before his extension kicks in.
From NY – Fins Up (@azomback34):
Not to be the least bit critical of McDaniel’s play-calling, but I think that a flea-flicker could work often consider the home-run speed of our RBs and then all of a sudden one of our big 3 WRs sneaks deep?
Interesting thought, except the Dolphins don’t necessarily need trick plays for their receivers to get behind the defense. Besides, a flea-flicker comes with an element of risk if it’s read by the defense, one of which is allowing a free rusher to the quarterback.
