Ok; the Dansby signing looks like a "done deal", but how much money are we going to have remaining to address the other holes in this defense? I know that cutting Wilson, Porter and Akin saved some cash but why would you blow this kind of money with the onset of the best defensive draft in a decade? The LB and DB depth in this draft class is awesome. Most of our other free agency nabs; Ernest Wilford, Josh McCown and Eric Green have all been expensive jokes. Why blow this much money when you compare them to Davis, Hillard, Clemons, Long, Henne and Smith who have all been drafted by the "Tuna Team" and are developing nicely? We seem to have better luck, and better bang for our buck, drafting and developing players than we do buying them - and drafted players tend to stay loyal longer (Jason Taylor). It sure would be a great help if Free Agency came after the draft, because our history in Free Agency aint been good. I know Dansby can play but............., What are your thought guys?
You build through the draft for sure, that's where most of our up and coming talent came from. However, you have to spend sometimes when someone is out there that instantly makes your team much better, like Dansby. Sure, we have had some poo poo's in FA but sometimes you have to take risks. Plus, it's usually a lesser risk than the draft because FA's are proven players in the NFL. We have drafted very well the past few years, and that's very important to the future of our team. I have complete faith in the front office to make the right decisions.
don't forget we had to take some risks in FA during the last two years. we were a 1-win team. we had holes everywhere. having built a nucleus in two years, we no longer have to go after quantity. we got lucky a talent like Dansby was available, and we jumped on the opportunity to bring him in.
the past 2 off seasons have shown us we need to do a better job in free agent talent. In todays NFL you need to draft well and sign high impact free agents. I think the Dansby signing and Ross saying we have to spend more wisely is a symbol. Ross didn't become a self made multi-billionaire by making bad investments. From everything I have read Ross would view the signings of guys like GERBIL, Green, Wilford, McCown, etc as a bad investment. The way I read everything he said is, he has no problem shelling out the money, but he wants to do it on guys we know will make an impact not get cut. He would rather pay that guy a little more then blow it on junk like GERBIL that kills the team. That said by my last count Ross has north of 6 billion dollars and with no salary cap I don't care what we spend! The Dolphins got better with the Dansby signing there is no question mark about that! Now we need the next signing to follow suit, no more diamond in the rough theory. I am not worried about the draft the last 2 years have shown the trifecta is great at that. But there was a question to their approach to FA. Just look at the Saints, Brees, Sharper, Shockey, Bell, Greer, Vilma, Gay, Evans, and I know I am missing some. The signed impact players and drafted well and they won their first ever Superbowl! Not to mention past the 2nd round the potiential for starters let alone probowlers falls way off. We can't be a team always developing lower picks if we want to compete.
Dansby has done more and has impressed much more than all of those guys listed combined. Even if you throw Gibril Wilson in there. Dansby is the biggest FA we've signed since the 90's IIRC. The next biggest was probably Porter, and he had a DPOY worthy season and was past his prime when we signed him anyway.
I agree that we'd rather want to build through the draft, but this signing was important. We need an NT, OLB, ILB, FS, and WR. Where that priority is, isn't really important. That's 5 positions that are holding us back from being champions. We've hit hard in the draft so far in the first couple rounds, and even then have had our misses (I'm looking at Pat White/Turner until they give me a reason not to). I just don't see us going into the draft, and picking 5 starters out of it. With Dansby we drop that down to needing 4 starters, and that sounds a lot more reasonable. I think they can hit in the 1st 3 rounds, judging from how well they've done so far, and maybe find a gem in the later rounds. But I don't see them getting more than that, that can start this year at least. We're on the verge of being a perennial playoff team again. But we definitely need a bit of leverage, and luck to do that.
I'd rather build through the draft too but it's hard to be upset about Dansby, the guy is a huge upgrade at a position it seems we've been struggling to fill. I think he will help stepup Crowders game as well, I mean theres really nothing to dislike about the deal. Hopefully we can get Sharper here for a couple years and draft our own FS to replace him. We still have holes to fill so we can't rely solely on the draft to address all positions. Getting Dansby here though get's us a guaranteed one step closer, no rolling the dice on that one.
I want Miami to build a dynasty team that will be there for many years, and that will only happen through the draft. Drafted players are more loyal, cheaper and learn to gel as a unit. FA acquisitions are very expensive and will be here today and gone tomorrow, without loyalty. They play their game, their way regardless of what city they are in. Drafted talent plays their game OUR WAY and because they are cheaper and more loyal we will not have salary cap problems, or big egos for many years. The Bills, Dolphins, Cowboys, and 49ers all drafted their teams and created dynasties. For the first time in recent memory we have a great position in a great draft. Everything we need is there for the taking. Dansby is a great player but at what co$t? We only have so much money to spent before we hit the cap and that limits us signing huge talent in the draft. Even though Karlos is a great player I doubt whether or not I would have signed him at that insane cost. NT's, DB's and LB's are everywhere in this draft. I think we just monetarily shot ourselves in the ***.
UMMMMM what cap? You are acting like Parcells abandoned his core principle's and spent like Dan Synder! All reports from various sources are the trifecta did an awesome job with Dansby's contract and it would be very friendly under the 2009 cap. To be a champion we have to add impact players in the draft and free agency. All those teams you mention built dynasty's in the 80's and 90's it is a different NFL today.
I think it's important to build the core of your team through the draft but you need to look at FA to add missing pieces. When you throw in the "win now" mentality of the sport right now most front offices aren't afforded 5 years to try and build through the draft. Fans expect improvement immediately and of course wins. They inherited a team and organization in complete disarray. Our team was old and most of our core talented players were in the diminishing part of their careers. Let's look at what they've done. They've shored up our OL which not more 3-4 years ago was one of the weaknesses of this team. They drafted Long, Thomas and inherited Carey from previous administration. They brought in FA Smiley and Grove who've created a very good, young OL. They found a guy who looks like he could be our franchise QB. Now they need to shore up our defensive front 7. Merling and Langford will help shore up our DL. We obviously need to find a NT. Our LB situation was in dire of need of upgrades. Dansby immediately helps our run support, pass defense and finally adds a playmaker at the ILB. We need OLB, FS on top of some a #1 WR and a TE. They could spend 3 seasons trying to find the right people for all of those spots. IMO, Dansby fills one of those spots and allows us to focus on other areas of need.
I would also like to add to the last post and point our Dansby gives us a field general or QB on defense. Something we have been lacking at ILB since Zach left!
Some of the biggest contributors to our Undefeated season and back to back SB championships came via FA and or trades.....in no way shape or form can you draft everyone that makes a positive impact (Yesterday or in Today's NFL)....and that takes into account how many more rounds the draft had back then, and how many mores players you could draft back then.....and they still needed to use FA signings and trades to build a CHAMPION! Heck, 4 of the 6 HOF guys from those teams were via FA or trade: Nick Buoniconti - Line Backer Buoniconti played linebacker and was the driving force of Miami's famed "No-Name Defense." During his seven years with the Dolphins, the team advanced to three straight Super Bowls (1971-73) and won twice (1972, 1973). The first member of Miami's defense to be elected to the Hall of Fame, Buoniconti joined the team in 1969 after playing seven seasons with the Boston Patriots. During his tenure with the Dolphins, he was named the team's Most Valuable Player three times (1969, 1970, 1973), named to the AFL All-Star Game in 1969, and selected to two Pro Bowls (1973, 1974). He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2001 after being named for the first time that year as a nominee from the pre-1976 era by the Hall's Senior Committee. Nick Buonoconti's Hall of Fame Page. Paul Warfield - Wide Receiver Warfield spent his first six seasons in the NFL with the Cleveland Browns before being acquired by Miami in 1970. In his five seasons with the Dolphins, he had 156 receptions for 3,355 yards and 33 TDs - good enough to place him 16th on the team's all-time receiving list. A member of both the 1972 and 73 Super Bowl teams, he was selected to play in the Pro Bowl all five years he was with the Dolphins. Warfield, one of only two Dolphins (along with Mark Ingram) in the team's history to score four touchdowns in one game, also played one season with the Memphis Southmen of the World Football League (1975) before finishing his career with Cleveland (1976-77). He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1983 in his first year of eligibility. Paul Warfield's Hall of Fame Page Larry Little - Offensive Guard Little entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the San Diego Chargers for a $750 bonus. He was traded to the Dolphins in 1969, and played with the team at guard for 12 seasons. After starting just four games in two seasons with the Chargers, Little emerged with the Dolphins and played in 158 regular-season games. He also started 12 playoff games for the team and was a key piece of the Dolphins back-to-back Super Bowl teams of 1972 and 1973. Larry Little's Hall of Fame Page Jim Langer - Center Coming out of South Dakota State in 1970, Langer was signed as a free agent by Cleveland but released on the final cut and picked up on waivers by the Dolphins. He was the backup center in 1971, and won the job outright in 1972, keeping it until a knee injury sidelined his career in 1979. He played in a club-high 128 straight games during his career and also had a team-record 109 consecutive starts (a mark broken by Richmond Webb in 1997). Langer was a six-time Pro Bowl selection, and holds the distinction of having played every offensive down in Miami's perfect 1972 season. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1987 in his first year of eligibility. Jim Langer's Hall of Fame Page And that doesnt included all the others that havent properly been enshrined in HoF but contributed equally.
I agree, it would be much easier to draft a LB and develop one through the draft than finding a WR and developing one in the draft. So in that sense I tend to agree. If we were talking about the WR position, I wouldn't.
I think you have to do both. I think to rely on one or the other exclusively would be a mistake. I think the focus still has to be rebuilding through the draft. It's a longer term, longer lasting way to improve your football team IMO. But, I also think that when you can add quality veteran players, they help your team to be better now, as well as helping to mentor the younger players so they'll be better down the road. JMHO...
