Hyde5: Five simple steps for Dolphins with free agents

[Perfect72]

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Dave Hyde
7:32 AM EDT, October 11, 2012

There are some tough but common-sense decisions to be made for the Dolphins as they move forward with their sizeable salary-cap space and impending free agents. Here’s a five-step plan I expect to be put in place
1. Sign cornerback Sean Smith. The Dolphins should be working on his contract right now. He’s at an impact position and has shown in the past two games against Arizona’s Larry Fitzgerald and Cincinnati’s A.J. Green the kind of player he is. The risk is he wasn’t this player last year. In his contract year, he’s focused. Will he stay that way? You have to hope so and pay him big. The cost? Cortland Finnegan signed a five-year, $50 million contract ($26.5 million guaranteed) as a free agent with St. Louis this off-season.
2. Slap the franchise tag on left tackle Jake Long. He won’t like this. No player wants a one-year deal, even if it’s for big money ($12 million to $15 million). The idea is you can’t keep opening up important holes on your roster, but you’re not sure you want to sink so much money into any left tackle, much less one with some injury concern. This is good middle-ground for the Dolphins to walk. You don’t lose a great talent like Long. And you don’t sink the seven-year, $84-million deal ($44 million guaranteed) that Cleveland gave Joe Thomas. You sing him for next season and push the larger decision off a year.
3. Sign receiver Brian Hartline. Another deal that should be in the works right now. Hartline isn’t a No. 1 receiver – you need to get into the end zone more for that – but he’s shown he’s instrumental for moving forward. It’s hard to gauge just who he compares to contract-wise, but an idea would be Pierre Garcon, who signed a free-agent contract in the off-season with Washington for five years and $42.5 million ($20.5M guaranteed).
4. Let Randy Starks walk. Tough to say that considering how well he’s playing and he only turns 29 this season. But defensive tackle isn’t a premier position, the Dolphins have depth on the defensive line and the idea would be to draft and develop another Starks. If Starks wants to take a Dolphin-friendly deal, that's another matter. Jeff Ireland played this smartly last year, letting DL Kendall Langford go to St. Louis (four-year, $24 million - $12M guaranteed) while re-signing Paul Soliai for two years, $12 million.
5. Decide on Reggie Bush this off-season. He’s your best playmaker on offense. But running back, while an important position, isn’t one to overpay for. Bush was signed for two years and $10 million. That sounds about right in re-signing him, assuming the rest of this season plays out accordingly.


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[tcdrover]

I would sign Randy starks & the rest of the guys on that list.

Build the team thru the draft, avoid high priced free agents.

[datruth55]

If Hartline wants that kind of money then he needs to take a walk. No freakin way am I giving him more than $8 million a year...insanity.

[Hayden Fox]

It is exactly what I would do. No arguments from me. Was thinking just like this yesterday.

[dolphindog777]

I'm sorry, but Hartline is the least of my concerns. We can find a better #1 WR, I don't know if we can do much better with the rest of the other positins.

[Phinatic8u]

If we franchise Jake ****ing Long. **** that

[hooshoops]

ha ha...you'd sign hartline to pierre garcon money hayden??? what are you bonkers...ha ha

if hartlines getting $42.5 mil and $20 mil guaranteed he can get it elsewhere...thats crazy money...

sean smith at $26.5 mil guaranteed...holy cow...talk about going all in on a guy who hasn't played anywhere near this level til his contract was up for renewal...holy cow

might not have to tag reggie bush if he keeps getting dinged up...might be able to work out a 2 year $12 mil pact there...something in that range...but if i was gonna tag someone he's probably the one...then again if he keeps going east and west and not running b/t the tackles on plays designed inside of em i might just let him walk...i don't think bush is a must have for this team after this year...i'd like to keep him but he's not a critical imo...and you have to be careful with a contract on a back like bush...a lot of contact since he's been in miami...could get yourself in a pickle

[Hayden Fox]

All of those salaries are reasonable. Plus, if you lose these guys, where do you plan on getting their replacements.

This is a good plan.

I am amazed that we see RT improving and some want to take his LT and most productive receiver away. lol.

[KTOWNFINFAN]

I agree with everything except 4. I disagree that DT isn't a "premier" postion on your defense. I say it is the single MOST important position on defense. A CB is only as good as the line is at getting pressure, and a DT that can push the pocket back into the QBs face does more to get the ball out fast than DEs who come around the corner. There are precious few DTs would can both hold their ground at the POA in run defense AND get consistant pressure in the pass game. Randy is one of those players.

You always hear DCs talk about a defense must be strong down the middle (meaning DTs, MLB, and Safeties). Randy is the number one reason we are #1 in run defense and there would be a huge drop off without him.

[Zounds]

Very happy Dave Hyde isnt running our team.

I think its more practical to sign Long and use the tag on Bush. The franchise tag number for running backs is very low. The franchise tag number for Jake Long is 20% more than his pay this year, which is ridiculous. Also, we want to keep Long for the long term, while Bush may only be around a few more years.

No way Hartline gets $8+ million a year, or Sean Smithh making $10 million a year. And let Starks walk? wtf? Hyde is out of his mind