The Dolphins need a new General Manager; I’ll apply!
By Cyrus Lassus (@Cyruslassus on Twitter)
Dear Mr. Ross,
I have followed the Miami Dolphins closely for over two decades and covered them for PhinNation in 2013.
It is very important to me that the franchise finds a General Manager capable of leading the team back into its rightful place amongst the NFL’s elite.
Please allow me to boldly present my plan of action.
The first item on the agenda is to trade Mike Wallace, cut Marcus Thigpen and sign Ted Ginn Jr.
Ginn gained a bad reputation in Miami because he was not a number one receiver, had inconsistent hands and did not play with much toughness. On the positive side, he was an elite deep threat and kick returner. Basically, he does everything that Wallace and Thigpen do for a fraction of the price and frees up a roster spot.
Many Dolphins fans would resist the move, but just look at Michael Beasley and the Miami Heat now. Trading Mike Wallace would free up $8.45 million in cap space, so it is not even about acquiring draft picks.
The next change in direction is the draft. Current logic dictates that you build through the draft. I wholeheartedly disagree. An excellent draft gives you three contributors, while most teams draft and carry seven players. That means that four roster spots are typically wasted on developmental projects, which is a losing proposition.
As is, the team has plenty of decisions to make on many young players currently under contract. A good draft will give you three contributors, but it should not take seven draft picks to find them. I would trade up and down as often as necessary to get the right guys.
If I happen to miss on a guy, I would encourage the coaches to cut him in his first training camp. The practice squad is there to develop talent. While only 46 out of the 53 can dress for a game, you cannot have a next man up mentality when you carry dead weight.
I would bring back most of the team’s free agents and have intense competition in camp.
Dannell Ellerbe and Phillip Wheeler are candidates to be cut if they do not prove themselves in the preseason. In fact, I would consider giving up draft picks in order to trade them as it would create an extra $2.6 million in cap space in comparison to a June 1st cut. (continued on page 2, CLICK HERE)