We would have been fine as to affording Jake Long if the wasted Wheeler and Ellerbe money went to him. Big money spent on two lousy LBs.
I think/hope Jamar Taylor develops, but Albert would probably have had us in the playoffs. That said, I believe Ireland was an average talent evaluater, but he was not personable and that turned a lot of people off. Knowing what I know now, what appears to be a frequently injured Taylor does not come close to measuring up to the need we had for Albert.
We offered Jake big money. He opted for St. Louis... Not to mention... it's clear Jake is breaking down anyway...
This. Philbin wanted Vonta Leach, too, to help with the blocking. He also wanted other offensive linemen brought in who didn't get signed, either. That jerk Ireland didn't want to admit that he had blown another high pick on Martin, because it would further imperil his position. So instead, knowing what was likely to happen, he hoped that Martin would magically be transformed into a good player, rather than take another hit to his reputation as a talent evaluator. He figured that if he saved all the picks and cap room he could, he'd be able to fix everything this offseason and save his job, and to heck with last season. Left the coaching staff and the team high and dry this past season. Miserable self-centered bastard. A man owns up to his mistakes, does what's best for the team, and accepts the consequences.
Our cap situation is actually fairly good. I agree those are bad contracts but they can be eaten if needed very soon with little dead cap.
Where have you seen that Philbin wanted Leach? I've seen reporter say that Philbin doesn't even believe in having a FB.
http://www.thephinsider.com/2013/6/20/4450158/miami-dolphins-rumors-vonta-leach-joe-philbin http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...nts-vonta-leach-deal-done-by-end-of-the-week/ Philbin may not believe in having a fullback, but he had switched starters along the o-line during the preseason multiple times and no one rose to the occasion. He knew he needed some king of blocking help, so he wanted Leach. He knew the garbage with which he was going into the season. Very tough to do anything about it when the GM wants to stand pat despite the coming train wreck.
No offense but I'm not sure those articles mean Philbin necessarily wanted him or he just wanted the deal finished by a certain date. Not gonna argue it all night but off hand: https://mobile.twitter.com/OmarKelly/status/208288705948033024?screen_name=OmarKelly https://mobile.twitter.com/OmarKelly/status/422835173097734144?screen_name=OmarKelly
None taken. But why the urgency if he didn't seriously want Leach to fill an obvious need? Why "by week's end?"
Signing Albert to an extension would've made our cap space a little less good than it is now. AND we would've had a pro bowl quality Tackle on a team that severly lacked it. Possibly a 10 win team with Albert. It was a move that should've been made. I hope we correct that mistake somewhat and sign this guy this offseason. But we're going to have to pay more probably than we would have. And it cost us the playoffs in 2013.
Agreed.. I read this and it helped explain things for me some. Philbin wanted our team to go in one direction and it conflicted with Ireland. If he did indeed want Leach, it only solidifies the case he probably made to Ross at the end of the season. Imagine their private talk where Philbin says, I wanted Incognito gone for another guy. I wanted Albert instead of Martin and I wanted Leach to help block because I realized we needed help there. Now imagine if those deals would have happened where we might be....and without the bullying drama. *drops mic and walks away* LOL
We win 10 games, make the playoffs and lock down the left tackle spot for a few years if Albert is on this team. I'll surrender a 2nd rounder for that, everyday and twice on Sunday. I know draft picks are important but I feel sometimes people value them more than actual wins.
I'd even have been fine with using the Dion Jordan 2nd rounder, and staying and picking in our original slot. Jordan has potential, but it is tough to watch a first rounder sit on the bench for a year in this day and age. With the salary cap, you have got to get these kids on the field and contributing, freeing up that cap space. And I have/had concerns on that shoulder. Hope it turns out ok.
If Philbin said any of that he's a friggin douchebag. All I want to hear about from him is how he can be a better coach. Not effin finger pointing, making excuses or saying that if someone else did a better job then we'd have won more games. Ireland made his share of mistakes but it's the coaches job to make the best of what he has to work with and Philbin didn't even come close to doing it.
So if Ross came to Philbin and asked him what went wrong with the season and the scandal, it would make him a douchebag to tell Ross (his boss) the truth?
Never been a HC in the NFL, never been a HC anywhere, not even Pop Warner league, but he he gets his first gig and immediately starts telling the GM who he should or shouldn't be acquiring and ultimately has him "fired" for not listening. Philbin sure has some balls, don't he?
Again, if Philbin's story bears any resemblance to "the players weren't good enough, or to my liking" then yeah he's a douche. After the way his staff, especially on offense, performed this season they shouldn't be pointing fingers at anyone. It's almost like they were using the games to protest Ireland's failure to do what they wanted. OK, the OL sucks, shame on Ireland. But can I get a screen, a draw, some rollouts? They certainly didn't call the games as if they had a problem at OL.
First of all, we're talking about a hypothetical conversation. Secondly, when there's a disagreement between the coach and GM, Ross is the person they are supposed to go to. Lastly, we don't know Philbin didn't explain all the things wrong with his side of the team (lest we forget Sherman was fired after all). You made the proclamation that if Philbin said any of that stuff to Ross he's a douchebag and you said it without quantification. Philbin would be a worse coach if he didn't mention that stuff with Ireland and only talked about his staff, because he has a responsibility to the team to find, point out and correct all major problems with the team.
You're right, we don't know that Philbin didn't explain all the things wrong with his side. We don't know that that he wanted Branden Albert, either. We also don't know if Ireland wanted McCoy from the very beginning and if that was the genesis of the problems between he and Philbin. We pretty much don't know anything if you want to be technical about it. The point is that Philbin hasn't shown the ability to handle the HC position with a high degree of skill so he has no business giving his appraisal of what the GM is doing. Again, it's no different than Ireland going to Ross and saying "yeah boss we're 8-8 b/c Philbin/Sherman didn't call the right plays, make the right substitutions, didn't play my rookies enough etc etc." Both of them need to shut the hell up and focus on doing their job. Well Ireland doesn't need to worry about anything anymore but whoever the new GM is should stay out of Philbin's lane, and Philbin needs to keep his mouth shut about personnel issues and focus on putting whatever players he has in the best position to win.
Given that Philbin's area of expertise is the OL and Ireland has blown pretty much every OL call he ever made with the Dolphins except for the layups of Jake Long and Pouncey he probably should have listened to him.
Sherman didn't, now he's gone. I told my boss once, you can't teach an old dog new tricks. He said, you know what they do with old dogs? Shoot them.
Had Ireland made the trade and we get to the playoffs, El Jeffry might still be here today. So basically, everything worked out. -Sent from my TMO Samsung Galaxy Note 3 using Tapatalk
Your boss sounds like a pretty terrible human being from that excerpt. I'm sure he isn't, I just chuckled a bit.
On no planet is that true though. If the Gm isn't getting players that can do the job, the person in charge needs to know that. If the coach is running the team poorly, the person in charge needs to know that. The power structure was set up this way because Ross doesn't know enough about football to determine those things without someone explaining it to him. It is absolutely proper procedure for Philbin to tell the truth. Philbin wanted Cogs gone and Martin replaced, Ireland refused. Cogs and Martin then become the central figures in the worst scandal that has ever hit the team AND there are major problems with the unit they play on that improves the second both are gone. If Philbin doesn't explain that to his boss he should be fired.
The coach and GM need to be on the same page. If the GM is frequently picking players the coach absolutely does no want for any reason concerns should be aired. I'm starting to think some people have never had a job interacting and cooperating with others.
I'm not sure why this is controversial. Joe Philbin wanted Albert? No **** sherlock. I want a Ferrari and helicopter. Not reasonable to expect everything you want.
Albert was not a metaphorical Ferrari or a helicopter, maybe a Buick?- while the current LT at the time, Jonathan Martin, was a metaphorical Fort Pinto driving crappy and one ding away from an explosion. In other words, Albert was a reaosnable request given that Ireland's second round pick, Jonathan Martin, was a lousy LT. Heck, the Ravens got a good young LT in Eugene Monroe for what, 4th and 5th round pick and salvaged a draft pick on the player they dumped on us, old, fat, bad kneed Bryant McKinnie, who they couldn't wait to dump. McKinnie was serviceable, but who did better there, the Ravens or us?
Albert was going to be among the highest paid LTs in the league if he was traded here. Jeff Ireland didn't have budget authority, so its very possible that he would have had to shed some expenses in order to get Albert signed. I don't think Jeff Ireland was able to simply say he's increasing the budget by an extra $10MM.
Reports were that we had a contract worked out with him, and the sticking point was the second round pick. Also I believe Wallace wasn't a Dolphin yet so it was certainly affordable. In my world Albert > the pick.
Problem with this logic is the contract was not the issue. It had already been worked out as stated in my previous post.
I dont buy any reports that Aponte already worked out the contract with Albert. Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk
Pretty sure that Wallace was already a Dolphin, but that pretty much illustrates my point here. Its very fair and reasonable to criticize the front office for not trading for Albert. But its being presented here as a false choice. The choice wasn't between Albert and just a second round pick. The choice was between Albert and a second round pick, plus whatever monies would have had to be replenished. Certainly I would have preferred Albert to Mike Wallace.