Sports Buzz ...Starks contract...other tidbits

This "sides aren't close" thing is going to become fairly prevalant IMO, as players and their agents determine players' value by the supply and demand dynamics of the free agent market, while the Dolphins determine their value based on their performance.

 

If we could move Odrick back to DT and lure a Kruger or Michael Johnson I would be ok with letting Starks go.

 

On Rotoworld yesterday, it was said that Kruger would be looking for eight million a year. Might be too pricy for Miami's taste.

 

Didn't Starks have a death in the family last year that he was dealing with? That may have had something to do with it.

 

He has some leverage in Baltimore for sure. They are losing defensive talent and what they have for the most part is aging.

 

A lot of NFL teams do not have a lot of cap room. Five teams have 60% of all the current cap room for all 32 NFL teams. Some of these NFL players are going to in for a real suprise this offseason with there FA.

 

Kruger was my first choice in the second round of the draft the year he came out. That was the year we took Pat White something like 10 picks before Kruger.

 

Please do not get me started on the Pat White pick!

 

I think Randy Starks might be a difficult re-sign. He's close enough to elite to ask for big money with the inherent inflation of free agency, but outside of 2009 he's generally been just pretty good. At this point I think moving Odrick and looking for a replacement at end is more cost effective.

Paul Kruger probably isn't a fit to play Odrick's position. You can improve how much edge rush you get at the position, but you're almost certainly looking for a 280+ pound player. A guy like Carlos Dunlap.

 

Interesting comment, Fin-O... because i just did an exercise to see who I would have drafted if I were the GM since 2008 (based on the 'want' lists I had for each round at the times of those drafts)... and Kruger and Johnson would already be on our team. lol.

 

Me too, Rafael.

If you have time, it's a very interesting exercise to go back to the pre-2008 roster, then play GM through every draft and Free Agency to today and see what roster you would have had compared to Irelands.

 

Which has nothing to do with performance?

 

His mother died I believe and he missed a lot of practice time because of it.

Yeah I'm sure it had an effect on some of his games. I thought he was overall good to very good for the year though.

 

It has a lot to do with performance, but its also apparent that the FA market isn't necessarily an efficient one. Teams are at a major disadvantage when signing other teams' free agents.

 

plus I imagine the dolphins are initially low balling the players value. I can't see them starting at what they actually think they are worth.

 

Seems pretty obvious that Kruger-Odrick would be a stronger defensive line than Odrick-Starks. You're looking at an all-around defensive end, a good fit at three technique inside, a nose tackle, an another all-around DE (Kruger, Odrick, Soliai, Wake).

 

I'm glad Miami wants to bring back Starks. I still wonder with how Coyle started using Olivier Vernon throughout the year if the defense doesn't incorporate more of a hybrid look next season.

 

BPK > Ireland.

 

I would definitely try to resign Starks. The guy has been real solid since he's been here and he was very good this year as well. Some say that his play fell off later in the season, but he was a playing a bit gimpy at that time because he got dinged up in one game. He was a big part of our dominant run D. He gives us a lot of flexibility and good depth, especially when someone else on the Dline gets hurt. He's not old. I wouldn't like to start messing with one of the stronger parts of the team. Definitely hope they resign him.

 

It's all about price IMO, with Odrick at DE it made it very hard to run against us. But that's not an ideal DL against a Tom Brady for example.

 

I dont get it. Re-signing Starks seems like a luxury we can't afford. I'll do what I always do....hope they have a solid plan.

 

I think that Miami's going to have to realize that if they want to play with the over-sized DE, they're going to have to get someone at OLB who can rush the pass-rusher opposite Wake. That's not Koa Misi, and Olivier Vernon is still developing. Maybe they try and sign Antwan Barnes or draft someone like a Dion Jordan or Alex Okafor that can play that position. Maybe it's not a 3-down defensive player right off the bat, but someone that can eventually be groomed to be a 3-down player.

 

I wanted Barwin in the 1st round, would have been thrilled with him at the White pick, but Kruger was a solid 1a by that point.

 

Starks should get about the same as the Rams gave Langford last year. I think we could afford that.

 

I think they are coming to the realization that Hartline and Smith are going to be a lot harder to re-sign than initially thought. Thus you see them moving on to Starks and even starting talks to extend Jones.

 

If it were up to me, resigning Starks and extending Jones would be priorities more than resigning Hartline or Smith anyway.

 

I'm going to try and not sound like a dick but...

We are making a strong push to sign Randy Starks (who plays a position we have depth at AND have a ready made replacement in Jared Odrick) but we are lowballing Sean Smith and Brian Hartline, who start at positions we have ZERO depth at?

This organization confuses me....all the ****ing time.

 

Quality over quantity.

 

Both those players have leverage, lots of it. They know that they are need players at super thin positions. they essentially have us by the balls because of Ireland's roster mismanagement.

I think Ireland is under valuing them and it is going to kick us in the teeth. I do look forward to walk into the draft knowing we MUST draft a receiver and a corner very early, maybe even two at each position, forsaking the other major needs on the roster.

 

Depth is important.

If Brian Hartline walks our #1 receiver is a #3 slot receiver and our #2 is Rashad Mathews.

If Sean Smith walks our starting corners are two guys who were not on the roster in November.

Jeff Ireland....genius.

 

Citing starting rosters in January... genius.

 

IF you let Hartline walk you are moving sideways, not forward. If you sign Hartline and sign Jennings/Wallace/Bowe to go with Hartline and Bess then you are moving forward and giving yourself a ton of flexibility on draft day.

Smith walking means you MUST draft a corner and do it early just to replace Sean Smith. Then you still need another corner either in free agency or the draft.

 

Just stating fact.

Letting Hartline and Sean Smith walk is ridiculous roster management. You are creating holes that must be filled at positions you already have holes. Our cap space is over blown, we will not be able to fill all these holes in free agency and opening them up means we are pinned down on draft day by needs instead of wants. That is how you draft poorly.

Seriously, can Ireland do no wrong in your eyes?

 

How do you force people to take a deal that fits our cap? Is it better to overpay for good players or create holes and fill them with average players?

 

If the plan is to keep Odrick at DE, then losing Starks would cut into our depth quite a lot. McDaniel probably won't be resigned, unless he is willing to take a lesser deal to stay in Miami, which is what some of us thought he did last time. So maybe he returns at below market value.
We'll probably address CB in those first 5 picks anyway and likely the first 3 picks. Let's say we went into next season with Marshall, Patterson, Carroll, McCann, Wilson and a 2nd round corner. That wouldn't be so bad.
I think we'll keep Hartline, JMO, and still sign a Greg Jennings type of receiver. If it does become an either/or situation, where it's one or the other, then this draft looks like a nice group of WRs we could pick from in the 2nd round.
If Smith will take a contract commensurate with what #2 corners are getting, then IMO we will keep him too. I think CK explained a while back that #2 corners typically get a deal that averages about 6-7mil in free agency. Perhaps I am remembering wrong.