Next Year

In beating the Chiefs, Redskins, and Bills, the Dolphins were not playing over their heads. They were merely able to defeat teams which are not very good in their own right. All three of these teams had their own winning streaks early in the season but they all eventually showed exactly what kind of team they are as the season went along. The Dolphins are exactly what you have seen from them this entire season. A team which can win or lose to the bad teams on any given Sunday. That is proved by the wins noted above and the losses to the Broncos and the Browns. The Dolphins can also play tough against the better teams in the NFL, but they don't have the mental toughness or the play makers to win against these type teams, except on very rare occasions.

I for one think that it is going to take a new head coach, a new GM, and a franchise type QB to get the Dolphins headed in the right direction. I do expect a great deal of turnover once the new regime takes over. The team is 17-26 over the last two plus seasons. I don't know how any of the players on the team can feel secure in their position on the team, especially with a coaching change coming.

I expect that there will be at least a 20-35% turnover on the roster in the first year of the new regime and a 70-80% change over the next three years. Since it is likely the Dolphins will be going with a young QB next season, expecting them to have a winning record next season is probably not realistic. The new regime will not be expected to win immediately, but to build a winning team for the future. This is what was expected when Parcells came to the organization. Instead the Dolphins had success the first season and declined from then on.

I realize fans of the Dolphins don't want to accept that the Dolphins are still several players away from being a legitimate playoff contender, but that is the case.. Hopefully Ross will make the right decisions in regards to hiring a new GM and HC and the rebuilding process this next time, will be what we all hoped for when Parcells was hired four years ago,

 

It's tough to say... I'm excited to see how Indianapolis handles the Andrew Luck/Peyton Manning decision (assuming they have the #1 overall pick; which they will). I'd love to have the opportunity to bring in Peyton Manning and draft Matt Barkley. Give Manning the reigns for two years then hand them over to Barkley.

I am positive we'll be drafting a quarterback in the first round in 2011, it's just a matter of who.

 

How is it going to work for the Colts with all the guaranteed money in Manning's contract? If they cut or traded him, doesn't all of it then count against that year's cap rather than be spread over the life of the contract? As I understand it, I don't think, cap wise, they can afford to cut or trade him. As much as people don't want to believe it, they will probably draft Luck, who will be their Aaron Rodgers to Peyton being their Favre, as for how the relationship would work. With the rookie salary cap, they won't be paying much more than the Panthers paid Newton, which is a damned site less than the Rams paid Bradford the year before.

 

No one is going to trade for Peyton Manning and his contract.

The contract is set up (I believe) that the Colts can release Manning before a specific date in 2012 (before the draft, I think) without having to pay some huge bonus around the $20M region. Manning negotiated his deal basically to be a one year deal with a four year option or something to that effect.

I could very well see them releasing Manning for Luck, but who knows...

 

Wasn't there also a ton of up front guaranteed money? I think a trade would negatively effect the Colts as much or more than it would a team that traded for him. They'd only inherit his base salary right? All the signing bonus money is still on the Colts books.

 

Here is his contract off rotoworld's site:

 

I don't know the specifics of his contract barring a trade, but I think the Colts will decide whether they want to keep Manning ($28M bonus) in March. If they keep Manning, I have a feeling they'll be looking to trade that #1 pick for an opportunity to acquire more talent for one last run with Manning (for the next 2 or 3 years, I'd say). Just IMO.

I just have a hard time believing that both Manning and Luck will be on the same team come April 2012... could it happen? Sure, but I don't see it happening.

 

One of the ESPN talking head, I believe it was John Clayton, said if the Colts cut him before a certain date I believe in early April, they will save alot of money against the cap and Manning wouldn't be owned a 2012 roster bonus.
I have no link as I heard on Mike and Mike in the Morning a few days ago.

 

Assuming rotoworld is correct, he got a 20 mil signing bonus, which would be prorated over 5 seasons were he to stay with the Colts all 5 years. If he were traded or released after 1 year, with 16 mil of the signing bonus still not counted against their cap, it would have to all count in 2012, correct? They'd not have to pay the 2nd bonus, but would have a 16 mil cap hit on the accelerated remaining signing bonus. From what little I know on how the cap works anyway.

 

I thought you were allowed to split up the cap hit over 2 seasons.

 

That would suck having Peyton Manning and not being able to get Jack Schtick for him in return.

Perhaps Miami is high enough on the waiver wire in this scenario to have a shot at him, and then draft Tannehill for grooming.

Or do you prioritize an outstanding receiving or move TE like he's accustomed? Maybe Clay could blossom into that starting role, but we'd still need another one as Fasano isn't the type of TE Manning is likely to day dream about (football related).

Would you use our 1st & perhaps 2nd round pick on RT & G?
How about potentially about finding him another Marvin Harrison type in Kendall Wright?

 

Or what about Blackmon if he's there?

 

If so, then I think it would be a new rule in the new CBA.

 

4 games. 4 games where Miami lost the game in the final minute of the game. Team is potentially 7 wins with an average QB at the helm.

 

The only time a vested veteran goes through waivers is during the season, after the trading deadline. Assuming Manning were released right after Luck was drafted, he'd be free to sign anywhere.

 

i think the COLTS trade the #1 .... drop down just a couple spots and still land one of the top 3 QBs, while picking up a few more quality draft picks along the way. ASSUMING Manning is healthy ...