Why are the Dolphins a losing team with no cap space?

Apr. 11 News and Notes 17 comments ---Bill

As much as the Miami Dolphins don’t want to admit it, they are in rebuilding mode.  And they should be.  Why?  Because the team has gone 7-9, 7-9, and 6-10 over the last 3 seasons and the roster needs more talent.  The Dolphins don’t want to tell us that they’re rebuilding because rebuilding means patience….and patience isn’t exactly something us Dolphins fans have much more of at this point in time.  We’ve suffered over the last decade without so much as 1 playoff win. All the while, we’ve seen the Patriots make it to (and win), multiple Super Bowls.  We’ve seen the Jets go to 2 AFC Championship games, winning 4 road playoff games along the way.  And yet the Dolphins have 1 AFC East Championship to show for their efforts over the last handful of seasons.  Even that Division Title is somewhat flawed because the Dolphins won the division in a year that Tom Brady was out for the year and the Dolphins had the easiest schedule in the NFL in 2008.  Oh yeah, and Chad Pennington fell from the heavens right before the season started.

What’s more frustrating is that teams that are better than the Dolphins have A LOT more cap space.  The Bengals have about $20 million.  The Titans have over $18 million.  The Broncos have over $13 million.  The Eagles have over $16 million.  Even the Patriots have over $9 million.  And those numbers take into account what the teams did in free agency….You know, free agency, where the Dolphins resigned Paul Soliai and brought in Richard Marshall as their 2 big moves?  It’s frustrating, I know.

So the question of the day is: If the Dolphins are a mediocre team, at best, why do they have no cap space?  Simply put, it’s because their experiments in free agency have failed AND they have not build the team properly, through the draft.  Remember in the early days of the Ireland/Parcells era when they brought in the Gebril Wilson’s, Jake Grove’s, and Ernest Wilford’s of the world?  They stunk and yet they were paid good money, thus taking up valuable cap space.  They were not  long term solutions.

As for the draft, that is the root of the Dolphins problems today.  Since 2008 the Dolphins selected 13 players in the top 3 rounds of the draft.  We won’t even get into the later rounds.  Of those 13 players selected with premium draft picks, 9 remain on the Dolphins roster today.  That is basically like throwing away 4 premium draft picks over the last 4 years.  The picks that are no longer with the Dolphins: Pat White, Patrick Turner, Kendall Langford, and Chad Henne.  Out of the remaining 9 players, 1 has been to a Pro Bowl, and that was the #1 pick in the 2008 draft, Jake Long.  Of those 9 remaining picks, 4 are average NFL starters, at best, at this point in their careers: Phillip Merling, Koa Misi, Daniel Thomas, and John Jerry.  That means the Dolphins have 5 of 13 players selected in the 1st 3 rounds of the last 3 drafts, that are solid NFL players: Jake Long, Mike Pouncey, Vontae Davis, Sean Smith, and Jared Odrick….and some might debate whether Smith and Odrick have been solid thus far in their careers.  The inability to build the roster properly through the draft is the primary reason the Dolphins are in the salary cap mess they are in right now.

Why is this is hot topic right now?  Well, the Dolphins best player on offense (Jake Long) and best player on defense (Cameron Wake) are BOTH set to become free agents after the 2012 season.  BOTH want new contracts, but Jeff Ireland has painted himself in a bit of a hole because he only has about $6.4 million left in cap space.  That may seem like a lot of money, but you have to remember that $4-5 million of that is designated for rookie contracts.  See the problem?

It’s hard to imagine that a mediocre team cannot afford to resign it’s best players.  It’s easier to understand when you look at the salary cap hits for the 2012 season.  Here are the highest cap hits for the Dolphins this year, per Spotrac.com :

Karlos Dansby – $12,800,000

Jake Long – $11,200,000

Reggie Bush – $6,025,000

Randy Starks – $4,875,000

Anthony Fasano – $4,450,000

Kevin Burnett – $3,950,000

David Garrard – $3,350,000

Richie Incognito – $3,300,000

Tony McDaniel – $3,000,000

Davone Bess – $2,983,000

Of those top 10 players, 2 were acquired via the draft (Long 1st overall, Bess undrafted free agent).  The draft is an NFL team’s resource to find cheap, quality players.  When a team tries to build through free agency and misses on top draft picks, they end up in situations like the Dolphins are in right now.  So Jeff Ireland can talk to Jake Long’s and Cameron Wake’s agents about the lack of money to sign their players.  But in reality, it’s Ireland’s fault (and the Dolphins draft scouts) that he doesn’t have the money to spend.  With 4 picks in the top 74 of the upcoming draft, now would be a good time for Mr. Ireland to hit one out of the park on draft day.  Otherwise, the mediocre football and limited cap space issue, will continue.

For the latest Miami Dolphins news from PhinNation.com, you can follow us on Twitter and Facebook

  • thorny

    Great article and exactly on point.

  • rich9336

    This is all on Ireland.FIRE IRELAND NOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    .

  • wynn

    As long as the moron is the general suck ass this team is doomed. I agree this guy needs to go.

  • keith

    The Dolphins need new management.

  • gary

    Where can we find enough of those head size brown paper bags?

  • robert

    We all know ireland needs to go (except owners). To late to help this year. Been a fin since 66, even at his age Coach Shula would make a better GM.( hell my 13 yr old son would be better)

  • J

    Honestly, what happened to the days of Shula and Marino? I used to be proud to be a dol-fan, but now it’s almost embarrassing. Mind you, I am still die hard, but it’s getting to be so discouraging to watch.

    Question: Why has no one brought up Dan Marino becoming the coach for the Dolphins? Is that out of the question? Is he not interested? … I think it would be great to have him back on the team. He learned a lot from Shula, and he was one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL… why wouldn’t he want to dedicate his retirement to help out his still dedicated fans? …. just a thought.

    Maybe one day we’ll be a better team, but we need major reconstruction. Until then, I’ll still be a fan.

  • http://www.twitter.com/realtorgabriel Gabriel

    Great article!

  • James

    I thinks this is the make or break year for Ireland !!! I personally think he should have gone with Sparano, however if they do not post a 9-7 records or better and make the playoffs, I can not see how he can still have a job with the Dolphins. Ross needs to hire Bill Polian to run the organization like Riley runs the Miami Heat. Ross needs to give him full control and get out of the way.

  • Robert

    One comment “Quarterback”

  • FZB

    Boy, Most of you guys are stupid, ..So firing Ireland is the solution ?…Did it ever occur to you pea brains that maybe Ireland is not the problem and he is trying to fix the mess that Parcells left behind ?

    Its easier to bash the guy, I get it but you all should really look at who is really to blame, Parcells was in charge and made all personnel decisions while he was here, NOT Ireland , look at the guys record since he has been in charge, since last years free agency, last years draft and this years free agency he has done a very good job, you all are too stupid and too blind to see it.

    • http://PhinfaninUT Camron Glenn

      Holy S$#% is that you Ireland because the only person I know supporting you is yourself and Ross! This team has been in the dumps way to long and Ireland is not the answer. We dont need to give this guy another shot he has tried and failed poor drafts poor free agency, and lets not forget his question to Dez Bryant that alone should have warrented him a pink slip. Look at the guys record since he has been in charge? Really? Marshall, Bell, Crowder, gone missed out on Manning, Flynn, Smith at QB and now we are considering drafting Tennehill? You call that a good record? Not to mention are cap space is a joke thus leaving us no money to sign any high talent or resign are current talent! I do agree a lot of this mess is from Parcells and the biggest mistake Parcells made was bringing Ireland to this team! So before you spout off about everyones intelligence maybe you should do some research!

  • sean

    been a phin fan for 30 years. if i dont see something this year im going to find a new team

  • GADOLFAN

    Ireland does need to go, Parcels was the problem for a few years, but Ireland was in control last year and the fins still had a very mediocre draft, and a very poor FA season this year, Poian is a decent idea, but whoever it is Ross needs to step back and let a football person make the football decisions.

  • GADOLFAN

    And I’m w/ Sean, I’ve been a fin fan since the beginning in ’66 but I’m about fed up w/ the leadership and direction of this team since “95, I live in ATL. now but the Falcons make it difficult to switch, they’re pretty rudderless too… lol

  • Fins Fan CT

    Well, isn’t that why the Fins haven’t signed any FA’s of significance this off season? And why Philbin keeps saying to build the Packers way through the draft? Sounds to me like the Fins are heading in the right direction, but it takes time.

  • Jim

    Good article, but it may be the first time nfl players are being considered to be overpaid as a general rule. I think that they work hard for careers that may be cut short, and if unmotivated, maybe its he schme or the coaches. I think you go back to basics and draft the best players that can start now; so quentin couples, and at least 3 receivers by the end of the third round sounds about right. Then add OT and safety.