Ross and Ireland are on the Right Path

A look at Jeff Ireland’s first round picks with the Dolphins should give Miami fans some insight into where he will go with the 8^th pick in the draft.  Ireland is historically conservative in the first round. While many believe a skill position player would be the proper course, the names Jake Long, Vontae Davis, Jared Odrick and Mike Pouncey, provoke only a modicum of splash.

Fans in Miami will make whatever uninspiring assessment they want from these names, but one thing is certain, Jeff Ireland doesn’t care. He cannot make his decisions based on ratings compiled by amateur draft nicks who inundate the sports talk shows with recycled scouting reports and mock draft boards for the sake of entertainment. That is what the draft has become, a prime time extravaganza.

Professionals like Ireland look at it completely differently; to them it is a planned execution of months and sometimes years of work from scouts all over the country. By staying conservative, Ireland has been able to parley his four 1^st round picks into 5 starters. A GM will not last long if the players he picks in the first round do not start early in the NFL.

Many fans wonder why teams like NE have cap space and the Dolphins do not. The term “build through the draft” is often misconstrued to be synonymous with being a younger team. It is actually more about cap management. A rookie contract is always less than a player’s 2^nd contract, if the player performs in the league. Teams that draft well and trade down to the 2^nd round (Billichick) have a lower salary base because most of their contracts are rookie contracts.

These teams sign their star players, but as these players age and their performance begins to wane, they trade them for more draft picks before they become free agents. They continue to keep a lower payroll because most of their players are on rookie contracts. These teams are able to keep their playmakers because they aren’t stuck with 2^nd contracts on marginal starters or back-ups. This is what it means to “build through the draft.”

The Dolphins have obviously made some errors in salary cap management. It stems back to the wildcat induced 11-5 season, which seduced Sparano and Parcells into thinking they were closer to the Promised Land than they truly were. Because of the illusion, they spent more on free agent 2^nd contracts and less on rookie 1^st contracts, even if those free agents were the Dolphins own players.

In 2009 for instance, Vernon Carey signed a six year, $42 million deal with $15 million guaranteed. That means the Dolphins spent $5 million for 3 years on a player who was a marginal starter. The Patriots would have traded Carey for draft picks prior to him becoming a free agent and drafted his replacement. This is an example to demonstrate how a team builds through the draft.

The change in strategy is apparent in the dealings with Kendall Langford. The Rams signed Langford to a 4-year $24 million contract with $12 million guaranteed. It was Langford’s 2^nd contract and he was looking for his payday. Unlike Carey in 2009, the Dolphins did not pay the money for a marginal starter. Langford is a good player, but after 4 years, it was apparent Langford was never going to be a dominate force at DE.

The Dolphins made a mistake by not trading Langford last year for draft picks. That leads to the second half of the "build through the draft" equation, self-assessment of the roster and predictive analysis of a player’s potential. By correctly determining a player’s long-term success, a team can understand which players to trade, and when the time is right.

Not much has been heard from Richard Seymour since NE traded him to the Raiders for a 1^st round pick. Seymour was in the final year of a contract that paid him $3.685 million when the Patriots traded him. Seymour then signed a 5-year $37.5 million deal with the Raiders. The Patriots traded a waning player with a high salary demand for a first round pick, this is how a team uses predictive analysis to build through the draft and maintain the salary cap.

The Green Bay Packers build almost exclusively through the draft and Joe Philbin has publicly stated his intention to do the same in Miami. Even a player like Brett Favre has to figure into the equation and Green Bay traded Favre for a 4^th round pick to the Jets before he became a free agent.

When a team has not had much success in recent years, it is not easy for fans to be patient, but there is no easy solution. Teams that flounder year after year are a product of not understanding the personnel game, they pay out 2^nd contracts and trade draft picks for players.

This may sound like an indictment of Jeff Ireland’s performance, but that is due to short-term thinking. Even if the Dolphins had every pick in the last 4 years, that would only equal 28 players and only 12 of them would have come in the 1^st three rounds of the draft. This means that building through the draft is an agonizingly slow process that most fans do not have the patience for.

This is the reason teams like Green Bay, Pittsburgh and New England remain at the top of the league year in and year out. They have an established organization, with an established plan and they stick to it. The protesters outside Dolphin headquarters in Davie have not thought through the ramifications of firing Jeff Ireland and going through the process of starting the organization all over again.

Stephen Ross has been called many things but in time, he will have justified his reasoning for the way he has built the Dolphins. He has more insight than many have given him credit for and by keeping Ireland, who has done a good job in the draft, he has shown that he is not a man who makes impetuous decisions. He sees the teams in this league that have been successful over time and he is emulating their formula.

The problem for Ross and Ireland was created over a 10-year period of one-player-away thinking that cannot be cured without another 10 years of making the proper decisions. In 10 years a team will draft about 70 players, which means it takes 10 years to build a team and during that time half of those players will have come up for a 2^nd contract. When Ross says Rome was not built overnight, it is much truer than most fans understand.

A QB will cure a lot of ills they say, but organizations built from the draft, that trade marginal starters and aging players, then pay only the true stars, are the teams that have continued success in the NFL. It may not seem like it to many fans, but perhaps the Dolphins finally have it right, those fans will need patience but in the end, success will return to Miami.

Miami Dolphins Projected Positional Priority Prospect's at Pick #8

The NFL Draft returns to primetime in 2012 with the first round taking place Thursday, April 26, followed by the second and third rounds on Friday April 27. Rounds 4-7 will be held Saturday, April 28. So, with the Miami Dolphins currently having four scheduled picks in the first three rounds let us start to consider what collegiate prospect our beloved team might consider should they actually make their first selection at number eight!!

At this moment;
It's well known by all that our Dolphins are in dire need of a reliable guarantee or two on the right-side of the O-Line.. Though seeing that they've managed to be retained without seeing much of the field, and because injury-prone players don't stick around very long with this regime, one has to consider that the versatile Right Tackle, Right Guard types of Lydon Murtha, Nate Garner, and John Jerry are worthy candidates, or posses incriminating photo's of someone in the hierarchy.. So, maybe the position isn't quite as weak as it appears from the outside, but who knows what goes on behind closed doors??

One position that there is no doubt about is the outside pass-rusher position opposite of Cameron Wake!! Whether it be addressed in going after that type of Defensive-End, Outside-Linebacker or both is of no matter, the fact is, that outside force requires instant attention!! Though, Randy Starks played the position brilliantly in 2009 with 7 sacks!! He was about to become a star DE until he became an experiment at Nose Tackle going into the 2010 season, and has been unable to regather the momentum he had established at DE, but is progressing back to 09 status with 4.5 sacks in 2011, while highly touted Jared Odrick is finally getting healthy in accruing 6 (part-time duty) sacks in 2011 as the dimmer-switch gradually turns clockwise!! Koa Misi is still a yet developed potential option at OLB pass rusher, but similar to the OLine position, I'd suggest we as fans would like at least ONE reliable guarantee at the Outside Pass-Rusher position opposite CWake as well as the Right OLine position in the 2012 draft!! Though AGAIN, maybe from the outside lookin-in, the position and/or position's aren't as dire as the casual fan might think ??

The vacated Wide Receiver position via two third round picks is another position that will be addressed at some point in the draft, and according to what I'm re-realizing upon writing this article.. The WR position might be of higher priority than I've suggested in the list below?? While also "at some point", we'll likely address the Defensive Back/Safety, Tight End, Interior DLine, and another position that audibles my mind.. Ohhh Yeaaa, a Quarterback of the future, preferably one of bionics, and science fiction type weaponry!!

So, here are the Projected, Positional, Priority, Prospects I came up with for OUR DOLPHINS first round pick at number EIGHT !!

1. OT Matt Kalil, USC Underclassman, 23, 6-7, 306 and the Top ranked Tackle has an overall prospect ranking of THREE.. The entire world says he's going to Minnesota at pick number three!! http://www.nfl.com/combine/profiles/matt-kalil?id=2533131

2. DE/OLB Melvin Ingram, South Carolina, 23, 6-1, 264, 4.79 forty holds the distinct honor of being the Top Out-Side Line Backer with an overall ranking of NINE.. "Ingram might want to send a personal thank you note to Giants general manager Jerry Reese for the slew of teams who are spending extra hours breaking down his game film.. In a copycat league, the Giants have also drawn a blueprint for teams to look hard at athletes who can flat-out get after the passer. Get them in camp and figure out where to play them later.. Ingram fits that mold, a versatile athlete who can lineup outside either tackle, move to tackle on third down and rush the passer standing up inside or off the edge".. Consensus Mocks have him going once at number 6, twice at 7 and 13, with a single prediction to Miami at 8, and single selection's at 10 along with 16 totaling an average mock pick at 8.3 .. http://www.nfl.com/combine/profiles/melvin-ingram?id=2532870

3. OT Riley Reiff, Iowa Underclassman, 6-6, 300, is the second ranked Offensive Tackle, and is ranked at number EIGHT overall.. Possessing NFL size, sound technique and better athleticism than Bryan Bulaga (who became an NFL stud) that Reiff replaced at Iowa.. "Reiff is viewed by scouts as a pro-ready tackle capable of helping immediately at either left or right tackle".. The mock draft's give him two selection's at number seven, THREE at number eight to Miami, a couple at 11 to KC, and one at 19 equaling a 9.7 average mock.. http://www.nfl.com/combine/profiles/riley-reiff?id=2533042

4. DE Quinton Coples, North Carolina Sr., 6-6, 284, 4.78 forty, stands tall as the Top Defensive End,http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif while being ranked number SEVEN overall.. Wherever teams project Coples, he is the most physically gifted defensive lineman in this draft - rated the top defensive end prospect by NFLDraftScout.com, and enjoyed a strong week at the Senior Bowl.. "I take pride in being versatile," he said. "It definitely has raised my stock in that it lets teams know that I can go inside or out, I'm definitely prepared for whatever defensive scheme that a team has.".. Mock consensus suggest he'll go at number 7 to the Jags, or 10 to Buffalo, but he also has projection's up to and including 14, while his total mock average is 9.2.. http://www.nfl.com/combine/profiles/quinton-coples?id=2532818

5. WR Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State Underclassman, 6-1, 207, 4.48 forty, is the Top Wide-Receiver prospect, and has an overall player ranking of FIVE.. "Blackmon's draft stock has been steadily on the rise for two years, and the two-time Biletnikoff Award winner has built a resume worthy of a top-10 pick in the 2012 draft".. Mock averages have him at picks 4 (two) and 6 (five), though he could potentially fall to the Dolphins at number 8 (one).. His mock average stands at 5.6 .. http://www.nfl.com/combine/profiles/justin-blackmon?id=2533038

6. OG David DeCastro, Stanford Underclassman, 6-5, 312 is this years number one ranked interior Offensive-Lineman, and holds an overall prospect rank of THIRTEEN.. "DeCastro isn't an elite athlete but he's rarely moved in pass protection and dominates as a run blocker with technical precision, toughness and intelligence. He's at his best on the move because of his nifty footwork and agility, pulling to lead in the running game, and plays every down with the intent to bury a defender. There's not a scheme in which DeCastro wouldn't fit and he would be an upgrade over the majority of current NFL guards." A first round lock, Steve Hutchinson-type with a 13.7 average mock selection.. http://www.nfl.com/combine/profiles/david-decastro?id=2533043

7. RB Trent Richardson, Alabama Underclassman, 5-11, 228, 4.4's forty.. The Top Running Back candidate, and an overall player ranking of SIX.. "Put simply, only the likes of Bo Jackson and Herschel Walker have come into the mighty SEC and physically dominated opponents with a combination of size, speed and power like Richardson. A first-round pick with the potential to warrant a spot in the top 10. With the passing game becoming the preferred way to attack defenses in today's NFL, few teams are willing to invest a first-round pick in a running back. Richardson, however, is the type of talent that transcends scheme. As well-built as any player in the country, Richardson is an imposing target for tacklers and a bull to bring down. Fast enough to beat linebackers to the edge or pull away when he breaks free, Richardson is a one-man wrecking crew capable of making an immediate impact as a runner, receiver and kick returner." With his four predicted picks at number four, and four projection's at number five, his 4.4 mock average likely eliminates his availability to the Dolphins at pick eight..

8. WR Michael Floyd, Notre Dame, 22, 6-3, 224, 4.42 forty is projected as the second best Wide Receiver while being the SIXTEENTH ranked player overall.. "Route running: Needs to tighten up his routes, but has the quick feet and balance to cut or come back to the ball. Should excel in a West Coast or timing-type of offense. Lined up at every receiver position to take advantage of the best matchup. Solid threat on slants, shallow crosses and in the red zone.
After the catch: More of a bull than a cheetah. Will not outrun NFL defensive backs, but has more than enough speed to turn short passes into long gains when his quarterback leads him. Can make a quick inside move on an out route to get additional yardage, but won't outrun NFL defenders from a standstill. Looks best when plowing over corners one-on-one in space or carrying multiple defenders down the middle." Floyd's average mock selection is 16.6 .. http://www.nfl.com/combine/profiles/michael-floyd?id=2532841

9. CB Morris Claiborne, LSU, 22, 5-11, 188, 4.45 forty (plays faster) while being the Top Corner Back with an overall player ranking at FOUR.. "Claiborne is regarded as the most natural corner in the draft, He may be more technically sound than Patrick Peterson" (also out of LSU) picked at 2011's number five, and an instant NFL star !! Claiborne is widely projected in the Top six of the 2012 draft with a 5.5 mock average, and likely the BPA (Best Player Available) if he's there at the Dolphins pick of eight.. I do believe that both Vontae Davis, and Sean Smith are scheduled to become Free Agent's in 2013, and that's why I included this potential superstar defensive back!! While other DB's will get mention in followup (mid to late first, second, and third round ) articles in hopes of gathering a three round SHOUT draft CHART.. http://www.nfl.com/combine/profiles/morris-claiborne?id=2533059

10. OT Jonathan Martin, Stanford Underclassman, 6-6, 305, and being the third best projected Offensive Tackle is the EIGHTEENTH ranked overall player prospect.. "Not all scouts agree that Martin has the natural strength to be highly successful as a pro pass protector, but he did manage to get the job done in Stanford's pro-style offense. He seemed more comfortable as a run blocker, but that is not unusual. Some scouts believe that Stanford's zone blocking scheme helped Martin maximize his results and that he will need more strength to battle the behemoths he will encounter in the NFL." Martin's average mock spot is 15.7.. http://www.nfl.com/combine/profiles/jonathan-martin?id=2533041

11. QB Ryan Tannehill, Texas A&M, 24, 6-4, 221, is the projected Top QB with an ELEVENTH overall ranking, and has an average mock pick at 10.1 while being projected to Miami at pick eight by 5 of the 8 sports writer mockers.. I personally like Tannehill A-LOT, and as suggested for several month's would like very much for him to become a Miami Dolphin, but I'm one of the opinion that a first round pick, especially a pick at number EIGHT, has to be an immediate contributor of impact!! I don't think it'd be wise to take Tannehill at number EIGHT, while I included him here for the sake of those that think he, or any Quarterback (enter your preference) is a must with 2012's first draft pick.. However; I do believe that taking-on a first round QB project becomes a viable option, if (in the case of Tannehill) one takes a QB that won't contribute for at least a couple of years in a "trade down" scenario, while acquiring other positional immediate contributor's of impact via additional early round picks!! P.S. ( most mocks suggest that if Tannehill makes it past us at EIGHT, there aren't any other teams that are likely to have QB interest until the first round pick of 25 or later)!!

Therefore, Ryan Tannehill will also be included in the next draft edition being that of a "trade down" into the mid-teens scenario, along with other QB prospects in all of the first three rounds, but feel free to choose whoever you like for your pick at EIGHT!! http://www.nfl.com/combine/profiles/ryan-tannehill?id=2532956

WR Floyd, and OT Martin will likely make the next draft edition too, but I wanted to offer multiple option's at Pass Rusher, OLine, and Wide Receiver for pick number EIGHT!! AGAIN, if your pick at EIGHT didn't make this list ?? PLEASE BRING-IT TO THE TABLE, we welcome your knowledge :) !! I know I had a few more that I would have liked to include, though I think that only seven of the mentioned eleven are truly worthy of a pick at EIGHT, with those seven (not necessarily) being the top seven listed (no-matter the need) !!

The CBS provided bio's of the above mentioned prospects that you might lust over at the pick of number EIGHT, as well as their Astrological Signs, Favorite Colors, and Lucky Numbers can be found here, Simply by clicking your hot dates name!! http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/prospectrankings

One Half of the noted mocks;
http://www.nfl.com/draft/2012/mock-drafts

THANKS for an Open-Minded Read, and we look forward to your angle of view ;) !! GOOOOOAAAAHHH D O L P H I N S !!
WHO'S YOUR PICK AT NUMBER EIGHT ??

Miami Dolphin Media Relations are Pathetic

Senior Vice President of Media Relations, Harvey Greene should be shopping his resume because Miami has a serious public relations issue that is brewing out of control. Jeff Ireland may come off as a prick, but Ireland should not be in the media at all, the job belongs to Harvey Greene. The Dolphins need to change their approach to media relations and the past week should be all they need to know how important that change is.

The Dolphins are caught in this media frenzy because of their inability to understand the power of silence. After all the words about upgrading the QB position, Miami is in the same situation it was prior to free agency. The truth is, it may not be a bad place, but by setting the fans up for higher expectations, they have set themselves up for the backlash.

Peyton Manning signed a 5-year deal with Denver for $95-million, that’s $19-million a year. The Dolphins did not even have enough cap space to sign Manning for a single year at the price he was asking. Jeff Ireland and Stephen Ross had to know going in that Manning would be asking at least $15 million and that was more than Miami could afford without making drastic cuts.

A simple financial reality check would have been enough for the Dolphins to understand, Manning was out of their league. Manning and Tom Condon knew this going in and used Miami to exaggerate the price for Manning knowing full well the finances didn’t work. Ross and Ireland had no business setting up the fans for an expectation that was impractical and unrealistic.

Instead of coming out upfront and placing the onus on Manning’s camp by stating straight up, Miami would be a long shot because of financial constraints; they allowed the circus to roll. Manning was then able to say Miami was not a fit, when in reality, Manning was in it for the money and Miami couldn’t afford his inflated price. By stating their position early, they would have forced Manning to come out and say he wanted more money than Miami could afford and then Manning comes out looking greedy and the Dolphins walk away without inciting the fan base.

Matt Flynn started all of two games in his NFL career and yet his asking price was $8-million a year. No one knows whether Flynn will turn into the vaunted franchise QB everyone expects and yet his camp was asking Miami to break the bank on a hope that he would. Had Jeff Ireland and Stephen Ross used the media to portray the situation as it was happening, Flynn’s camp would have had to lay their cards on the table.

Many NFL teams follow the antiquated Parcells model of creating an acrimonious, closed lipped relationship with the media and the media then strikes back by painting the team in whatever light the writer wants. When the team says nothing, the fans have only the jaded media for information and that information is colored by the relationship the team has with the media. Miami continues to come out looking bad because they have fostered a negative relationship with the people who inform the public.

Flynn was not worth the contract he got in Seattle and when the media should be harping on how Seattle was taken to the bank by a two-start NFL back up, they instead focus on the tight-lipped Dolphins. Miami was absolutely correct in its dealings with Flynn, but instead being savvy businessmen, they are goats who couldn’t sign Flynn because he chose Seattle. Miami made a decision based on what they thought was right, by saying nothing they allow the media to create its own sensational spin.

Alex Smith will be entering his 7^th season after being the first pick in the 2005 draft. He had one good season in 2011. There is a reason the 49ers allowed Smith to become a free agent and got involved in the Manning sweepstakes, because they didn’t think he was a franchise QB. The media had spun the Dolphins as a desperate team, willing to sign a QB San Francisco had left on the FA market.

Again, Miami did the right thing by not offering Smith more than he was worth. Smith and Condon again used the media to spin the Dolphins as an unacceptable choice for Smith, all the while Condon knew where Manning was headed. By Miami not saying anything, the media listened to the only voice available and Miami came out looking the fool.

The bottom line is, Harvey Greene is either being forced into silence or is incapable of keeping the Dolphins out of a negative light. Unfortunately, that light shines directly on Jeff Ireland and he takes all the wrath of the media frenzied fans. It's clear when the media is using quotes from the likes of Joey Porter or Channing Crowder as fact, Miami has a serious PR problem.

The problem is, it may be too late for the Dolphins to repair the damage already done by their insistence on media silence. The approach has worked for Bill Belichick because he has won Super Bowls with Tom Brady, but with the explosion of information available instantly on ESPN, the web, smart phones and blogs the approach can no longer work.

Miami must adapt to changing times, not only in the NFL but also the world in general, they are getting a firsthand example of how important this is. It doesn’t mean Miami has to be completely open with the media, but it does mean the PR department has to do a better job of foreseeing the impact of their actions and gain advantages when their deals have the potential to shed a negative light on the team.

Harvey Green has been with the Dolphins for 21 years and in that time many things have changed in the world of media relations. It is a sad time for a man like Greene who has been with the Dolphins dating back to Don Shula, but it is obvious, Greene has either no voice in the organization or his personality is not dominant enough to effect change.

Many of the decisions made in Miami have been a cause and affect action due to the response from media fueled fans. This has to stop, at this point, Jeff Ireland, Stephen Ross and the rest of the Dolphin brass look like bumbling buffoons, all while making what are probably the best decisions for the team. It all points to media relations gone terribly wrong. Something has to change and it’s probably Harvey Greene.