Jon Martin is apparently the choice at LT- he has the athletic ability and he should be a better LT than RT, as that's his natural position. But the fact remains that he wasn't particularly good on the right side, so moving him to LT certainly appears to be a crap shoot. If Lane Johnson is available at #12 he certainly has the feet for LT, not sure about run blocking, I have to see more. If Martin does go to LT my default guy for RT is still Menelik Watson if he makes it to our 1st 2nd rd pick.
I speculate that no one was willing to give him the payday he was leaving the Patriots for. So he went back for what the Patriots had been willing to give him. Pass.
Not surprising at all, IMO. Would have liked to have had him, but the feeling up here is that he would resign unless some time really overpaid for him
I'm not sure what the problem with the Winston negotiations is right now. He can probably be had for a relatively cheap and backloaded deal.
I hate to hear that, I thought he would have been a good signing for the Dolphins. Right now both right tackle and left tackle are not settled or fixed. I am just not as sure about Martin at LT as some on here seem to be, I hope he is the answer at LT.
Vollmer signed for 4 years, 17 million, + 9 mil in playing time bonuses. 8.2 mil guaranteed. I would've given Vollmer this incentive laden deal in a heartbeat, good god Ireland how ****ing cheap can you be?!
I don't really think he interviewed with anybody besides New England so.. he might not have had any intention leaving at all. Don't know how that's Ireland's fault.
Vollmer and Long are repped by the same agency, he should have had an incentive laden deal ready for Vollmer in his back pocket the second Jake Long left. now we have to roll the dice on Martin improving ten-fold or Tannehill won't have time to throw to all his pretty new weapons because he'll be running for his life.
Boston Herald: "The source said Vollmer does want to remain with the Patriots, who made him the 58th overall pick four years ago. But it is possible that Vollmer, wanting to stay with New England, has the team looking for a hometown discount-type deal."
When you're negotiating Long's deal you're also talking to the same guy who reps Vollmer, and since Vollmer wasn't signing anywhere until Long's deal got done, once it got to the point where Long left STL to come back home and decide on the two take it or leave it offers in place, you could have a lesser offer in place for Vollmer as your plan B. but I guess their plan B is Martin at LT. If that's the case then I hope plan C is a damn good one.
Perhaps he doesn't want to sign for a cheap and back loaded deal and that is what the problem is. I just don't think the Dolphins want to pay him what he must be asking for in free angency. I would be extremely surprised if he ends up signing with the Dolphins. I would love to have him, but I just think another NFL team will eventually sign him for more money than Ireland is willing to give him.
Biggers isnt any better then Marshall or Patterson. Bennett was cheap and a 1 year deal because he has a torn rotator cuff. He made a mistake not take a shot with Vollmer. He's a good player. Bennett is good but maybe he knew about the injury concern? Yeah, Id probably bet that. And considering what Biggers did in tampa (being a big part of a terrible secondary and all) he probably wasnt that impressed.
Barry Jackson also said that when they missed out on Jared Cook they made a last minute run at Martellus Bennett, but their offer was slightly below Chicago's. A mistake, IMO.
If plan "B" is Martin because the coaches and GM really believe in his work ethic and ability to get stronger and better... risky, but I'm okay with that. Would still have preferred Vollmer. If plan "B" is to make sure they get one of the top 3 LT's in the draft ... then I hate that thinking. They had/have the money to fill these holes - at least on a temporary basis and relatively cheaply - which would free up their draft to go for explosive players for the most part.
