2015 Miami Dolphins
Important decisions loom for the Miami Dolphins football brace as once again a disappointing season has left Dolphins fans with a sour taste in their mouth. A season that started out with promise folded as the season closed with a multitude of injuries suffered by the free agents brought in for their inaugural season by first time GM Dennis Hickey. In football there are no guarantees and that is certainly true for any front office personnel. Running an organized ship from the top down, hiring the correct people under you, drafting well and not having to rely on pricey free agents are some of the few things that an NFL franchise must hit right on the nose for your team to even have a glimmer of hope of getting close to a super bowl. Shockingly, or not so shocking to the many fans that are close to the Dolphins, this organization is in total dysfunction throughout. Constant change and maneuvering through regimes, slogans, and mantra’s have left the fan base depleted of hope. The constant thread that most fans revert back too through tough times is the "1972 Perfect Season" and that has become decrepit, no matter of how much importance it holds. Dolfans need and want something to be proud of now, not later. That brings us to the 2015 NFL offseason oh joy, as another dismal season ended for the Dolphins Dennis Hickey, Mike Tannenbaum and company look to rewrite history and pick up the scraps left by the previous regime; Yes the front office has felt like a recycling bin for the last 10 years. Overcoming and improving a team that is full of poor decisions to overpay players such as Dannell Ellerbe and Phillip Wheeler is taxing in itself, not to mention that fact that they do want to lock up their "Franchise Quarterback" with a lucrative offer, one that I myself am not very fond of, will put the Dolphins in quite the predicament.
Most of the blame as to why the Dolphins will do more letting go then picking up definitely has to do with Jeff Ireland and the poorly done job of overpaying players. This now leaves the Dolphins now with very little wiggle room. Decisions to release Brian Hartline and Brandon Gibson was primarily due to down seasons but also to take them off the books and not let their salaries take a hit on the salary cap. Cortland Finnegan is also believed to be out the door soon as the dolphins need to get much younger in that important position. Keep this in mind, two of the best corners in the league were in the super bowl so the position does still hold paramount, before you say the corner back position has diminished. The defensive line that ranked at the bottom of the league in run defense needs a true nose tackle that is a run stuffer, players available Terrance Knighton, Kendall Langford, and Corey Peters are all viable options to fill that void. The Dolphins will probably go defense in the first two rounds of the NFL draft either going after a cornerback, DT, or a linebacker. One player that stood out to me in the combine was Michigan State corner Trae Waynes he has speed and is one of the best at tracking and locating the ball. This brings me to the rumors of the Dolphins possibly letting go of their most productive receiver Mike Wallace. A player that scored 10 TD's 5 more than any other player on the team cannot be released. His ability to beat any defender down field gives coaches nightmares; they are forced to put a safety over the top, which leaves the middle slightly open. Jarvis Landry feasted on most of those crossing routes thanks to Mike Wallace’s big play ability. It isn't a secret that he does have character issues but he has sucked up every bit of anger he had for 37 games, one slip up during the final game of the year and you want to simply part ways? Ludicrous. Another poor decision to let another #1 receiver go like Brandon Marshall may open the door for more fans to turn off the switch too.
