Miami Dolphins Making Moves….

Aug. 27 Opinion 3 comments ---nparrott

If you are a Miami Dolphins fan, I’m going to throw out a statement that I’ll bet covers about 90% of our fan base at this point in the season, ready for it?  HC Joe Philbin and GM Jeff Ireland are not atop your good list.  Ok I said it, now are you ready to hear why I think they should be?  Hear me out, because I know after that sentence, I just lost probably 75% of you.

Coach Joe Philbin comes to the Miami Dolphins from a WINNING environment in Green Bay.  He has made it clear many times that the decisions he makes are to put the team and organization in the best position possible.  Whether that be best position to WIN, or the best position with the fans, media, etc.  Upon his arrival in Miami it wasn’t long until Brandon Marshall was dealt to the Bears, a lot of us (yes including myself) thought this was a terrible move to the start of a new era in Miami.  After all, Marshall was their top receiver and a Pro Bowl MVP.  Then comes the draft, the Dolphins selected Ryan Tannehill with their first round pick (8th overall).

Now we have started the process to restore hope in Miami, Tannehill is the future, make no mistake about that. This has won back majority of fans still stewing over the Marshall trade.  Mid summer Dolphins added Chad Johnson to the roster, again an attempt to restore hope and some of the talent lost in dealing Marshall.  It all sounds good right? Then comes OTA’s and Training Camp, the spotlight comes on, time to put up or shut up for the 90 guys on the roster for the Miami Dolphins.

On the brink of the final preseason game, the Dolphins no longer have Chad Johnson, and a surprise (to some) trade of Vontae Davis, leaving a secondary thinner than before.  I want you to ask yourself where you are before beginning to read this next paragraph.  Are you ready to jump ship? If so bail out now, because you will NOT like what I am about to tell you.  Can you hang with me? If so can read on…

Coach Joe Philbin is trying to make the Dolphins into a WINNING football team, its something that South Florida has not had for some time now (since 2008 when they rebounded (11-5) after a 1-15 appearance the previous season).  Even the 11-5 season hardly constitutes for a “winning” team, they still are yet to show a constistant “winning” product not he field. Let’s get real the last 3 seasons with VD and the last 2 with Marshall weren’t exactly great.  So stop it with all the talk about not being “better” talk.  Put aside all the blame of GM Jeff Ireland, I am sure you could give me 100 reasons why you disapprove of him, but let this play out.  Philbin has made an example of the last two cuts (Johnson and Davis) of letting players go who do not have a WINNING attitude.

Do I think that Chad Johnson would have helped out this Dolphins WR starved core, YES but please don’t kid yourself, he is about the team as much as he was about his relationship with EX (sorry had to go there).  If he cared two cents about his former team he would have defended himself to the death, notice he had nothing to say about the incident at all to ANYONE. Disagree if you want, but seriously I BEFORE TEAM isn’t going to fly, not WINNING.

The other release was more of a surprise I will admit. Let’s not forget that Vontae did show up half intoxicated to practice last year, and not to mention badly out of shape this season to training camp.  Just this past week he was gassed in the game against Atlanta. How many seasons does it take to “take the next step”?  All we have heard the last 2 seasons with Vontae, was that he has “all pro CB potential”, folks there comes a time when potential has to turn into production and that has not been the case with VD, once again not WINNING.

I would not be surprised to see other players being moved before the season starts, and some might surprise us again.  If Karlos Dansby is not careful he could be on his way out the door, his needless outbursts of disapproval of what the staff is doing may very weill be his ticket out, not WINNING.  I am done beating a dead horse, you get the point. Let’s see what Philbin has in store for the Dolphins this season.

We have been in this situation before, the difference is our Coach actually is doing something about the issues this time.  It’s time to move forward, if we do not have the players/personnel that fit the scheme (whatever that may be), or put the team first then they need to move on.  Let’s get some players in the organization that want to win, at all cost, and put the team before themselves.  Maybe then Dolfans we will truly see the return on some of these moves being made.

You can follow Nick on Twitter @nparrott

  • phinfan4sure

    Well Nick I love the optimism, bit if the dolphins let Karlos Dansby go for comments and not for poor play or off the field issues then I would have every reason to question the coaching staff as well. I agree he could have handled the question a little better and not directly criticized the organization but he has the right to voice his opinion.
    If Vontae Davis makes a turnaround and turns into the next Darrell Revis how is that going to make the Dolphins organization look? Who to say if we didn’t allow him to play the season out he wouldn’t have played up to his potential? But then again this is all “what if”, but I sincerely hope we can get on track and be. 500 or better team this year. We have a favorable schedule, so the chances are there unless the plan is to be another lottery team and see what WR’s are available next draft. I don’t know… just a little frustrated with some of this regime’s decision, especially concerning Brandon Marshall. Giving up a pro bowl receiver for a two 3rd round picks is hard to swallow. But that’s all water under the bridge. Lets get the season started, as always Fins up!

  • http://Romy Romy

    The gentleman that runs the dolphins must be having an inappropiate relationship with the owner, his wife or both. I can’t think of another reason why he still has a job. the S.O.B. has destroyed the Dolphins. Hey Jeff, if you had any dignity, you would have resigned 2 years ago, but then again, you don’t.

  • Don

    Nick, I hear what you’re saying BUT we have been here before with Ireland. When the Tuna and Ireland came here with Tony S., the same things were done at that time. Loud mouths sent packing, players who were about “I” not “We” were also released, and a team was put together just as it is being done now. The only reason we were 11-5 is because Chad Pennington got dropped in our lap. I was sad to see Tony sent packing. Not sure he is or is not a good coach but you have to admit that Tony had the players still playing late in a losing season.

    Unfortunately, both Tony and Joe P. still have 1 thing in common. They BOTH have Ireland buying the groceries for the team and it hasn’t worked before and it doesn’t look like it is now.

    I may sound like other poor minded fans but I have been a fan since the late 60′s and will always be a Phins fan. I just don’t think Ireland will ever be a good GM.

    Please, Please, PLEASE Steven Ross, FIRE JEFF IRELAND or you will continue to be fighting with the Marlins for last place in the sports landscape of South Florida. At this point I would rather see the Florida Panthers live then the Phins. At least Dale Tallon has them heading in the right direction.