There's so much about this that sets off red flags. 1. This feels like a reaction to what they have come to regard as a mistake. They underestimated the value of the WRs on market a year ago and were forced to deal with a year of having crappy receivers, so they're reacting by dumping $12 million worth of expectations onto one player who apparently has no other suitors at that price level. 2. Mike Wallace hasn't been used like a true #1 wide receiver in Pittsburgh. You can argue that the strengths and weaknesses of his game make him more prone to diminishing returns than some other guys. He averages 9.8 yards per attempt in games where he's thrown the ball 9 times or less. That's borderline elite. He averages 8.3 yards per attempt in games where he's thrown the ball 10+ times. That's quite literally average. 3. Joe Philbin on multiple occasions has said he's not comfortable with the concept of having a #1 wide receiver. He doesn't like to have to plan for getting the football to one guy more than others. This was supposed to be a main reason they dumped Brandon Marshall. 4. Ryan Tannehill was at his best in college not throwing the ball to a guy like Mike Wallace but rather a savvy option route guy like Ryan Swope. You look at the throws that Ryan Tannehill is best at throwing and you see there's a reason Brian Hartline's production jumped up so much. Does Mike Wallace run the routes that Ryan Tannehill is best at throwing? 5. Sure you can say it's easy, don't lean on Mike Wallace. Don't make him a #1. Stay disciplined. Easy to say that in March. Talk to me after the Dolphins drop a few games 23-17 or 27-20 and they only threw the ball to Wallace 5 times. Suddenly every story and every sentiment from fans, coaching peers, players on the team, all of them are saying..."we need to find a way to get Mike Wallace more involved". And then you are where you feared you'd be. It just doesn't seem like a great marriage to me. You're taking Wallace out of his own comfort zone. You're arguably taking Tannehill out of his comfort zone. And you're certainly taking Philbin out of his comfort zone. And you arrived at the decision to do all this as a reaction to what you view to be a previous bad decision. On the plus side, Mike Wallace is like...really really fast. And about as good tracking and attacking the ball in the air as just about anyone out there. He may not be super nifty after the catch but his pure speed has always made him a threat that way regardless of whether he cuts like Cordarrelle Patterson. His presence will surely do things to open up the ground game and if they're smart in the way they build that, it could work. It's just a lot of money and a lot of expectations and a potentially bad fit, IMO.
That goes to my point. The important part is what he shows up looking like, not how hard he works in the one week of off season training that happens prior to the opening of free agency.
Right, because they are far too professional to label pure conjuncture on their part as a "source" and just throw some crap out there to get eyeballs. And if one of them was to do that, all of the others would check with their own sources instead of running with a report on a report. That never happens.
What exactly would be the benefit of Miami letting everyone know they want to sign Wallace? Its counter-productive to their cause if thats it.
Feel it sure, but it's his job not to let it change his actions. If he is not doing his job he should be fired. Now, if the owner is feeling pressure and tells him, "get me a name" that would be different. However, that's not what we are talking about. We are talking about him letting some jackasses flying a banner change his decision making process.
So if reporters are looking for anything to get views - why would they all run the same Mike Wallace story? Couldn't the team capitalize on that by giving dissenting quotes to some reporters for a 'new angle.' Read jeff Darlington's article last week and his Twitter feed right now. Hard to see where his info isn't coming from the team.
If this is true bravo to JI for getting it done! Beats the snot out Brandon Gibson for damn sure. Now go and add a Terrence Williams or a Stedman Bailey in the draft and this is going to be a team that can attack you through the passing game in ways few teams can.
How would that benefit them? If they aren't interested in Wallace, its in their best interest for him to get as much money as possible.
They're either helping to push the story or not doing much to diminish it. Either way it is disappointing. Read the Darlington article / twitter feed. His quotes seem to come straight from the team.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that's all they do, just that skepticism and critical thinking are healthy as sometimes reporters are lazy or less than honest. You also have to consider the source. Also, people want to see where free agents are going, not where they aren't. That's why most of the stories you see now lead with possible destinations and trail with places player likely won't go.
In my first post about this I said this could all be a smokescreen for a trade or big move we don't see coming. After reading the Darlington article and the Peter King piece (both seem to have connections to the team - specifically Darlington, a former beat writer here), it's hard not to feel like the team is really feeding the narrative.
Not sure of to is true or not, and don't really care if we "overpaid." What I do know is that this is a passing league, which means you need a QB and receivers on offense, and cornerbacks and ball hawking safeties on defense. Signing Hartline and supposedly Mike Wallace shows me that the team finally gets how to win in this league. You have to invest in the areas that the league caters to. Running backs and linebackers aren't the money positions they used to be. If this is true, I will embrace Mike Wallace and hope he can continue to st retch the field, create mismatches and provide our young, promising QB with another viable option.
I've said it a few times and I'll say it again and I'll say it (if) they sign him... Giving Mike Wallace that much money will be a a disaster. I hope it is not, I hope he goes 75-1,200-8 TDs. I've preferred Jennings all along, I just think he is a better player and will likely cost less.
Yep, I'm still waiting once again to get skewered by the "frontrunner" Sword hanging over our heads...
I dont get how some of you are concerned with "how the dolphins are handling the situation" when it appears we are signing one of, if not the, premier deep threat (aside from Megatron and Hartron) in the entire league. Seriously, who cares? Just be happy we got a premier wr and this football team is significantly better today then it was a day ago if this is true.
Anything that can be cried over will be. Even if it's based on 100% speculation. lol @ people being mad about how information is allegedly leaking before FA though.
I think the details matter. They're important. And did you seriously just say that Megatron "and Hartron" are the pemier deep threats in the entire league?
I don't care how many routes Mike Wallace can or can't run, because he can do this: [video=youtube;arKd8qnPB-I]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arKd8qnPB-I[/video] Not only that, him just being on the field opens up the field for everyone else. That's a double weapon right there.
This is kinda the point. It appeared we were signing Harbaugh. And Fischer. And Manning. We've been left at the alter quite a few times already. This FO is terrible at curbing expectations. (I also fully grasp a lot of people don't care about how teams handle the media / fans / messaging surrounding their team. I find it interesting and brought it up - fully aware it means nothing in terms of wins and losses.)
Well Hartron was clearly a joke. It was meant to lighten the tone in here... And details matter but we dont actually have details yet, just speculation and speculated details.
I also don't understand why people complain about having to sign someone else's free agent to a big contact. If we drafted Mike Wallace we'd still have to re-sign him to a big contract regardless. What's the difference? A weapon is a weapon.
The details do matter. And its alot money potentially. But this needs some big play ability on offense so bad. Itz hard to be negative about this signing. And this comes from someone who didnt even want Wallace necessarily.
The compensation here is very important. If Miami really wants Wallace, they should be trying to lower his price, not raise it.
Also - if you want to know why I find it important for the team to partially control the message, here's Peter King's quote about the Phins and Wallace: Yay for negotiating against ourselves.
Right but curbing expectations is a different argument then saying that we handled the situation poorly because the news got out and so it doesnt appear as much of a win for the Dolphins which is what you initially said. Its a win either way. Perception be damned, this is a major signing and a major upgrade for this team.
And when those fans start renting planes with 'Fireland' signs so they can get a bird's eye view of all the empty seats on Sundays, it becomes the FO's problem.
The only way he would know that is from another team, whose agenda is best served by making Miami look bad.
I knew you were joking, and at least you tried to lighten the mood anyway. Whether it helped or not is another matter.
