DOLPHINS DRAFT AND FREE AGENCY 2015 UPDATE #2

Now is a time to evaluate the positions of needs and how they could be filled.  This brings into account Free Agents and potential draft picks, by position.

NT

In Free Agency there are potentially few players that may suit the Dolphins needs and could be attainable.  Suh could be too expensive and sacrifice too many other needs.  But the Dolphins may go for it.  If they do, that means cutting a lot of players with salary to make cap space.  Knighton may be a less expensive alternative, but don’t count on it.  That would leave Williams who is only 28. 

If the NT position is not addressed by Free Agency, then there are 3 players worth of taking in the 1^st round and may be available at the 14^th pick, Shelton, Brown and Goldman (though some believe Goldman may be available in the 2^nd round and I am not too high on him). 

OG

While a position of great need, there isn’t anyone worthy of a 1^st round pick.  On top of that I believe that we need at least two guards, preferably one in the draft and another experience free agent.

On the free agency’s side Franklin would be well worth considering.  After that there is Boling (if healthy) and Sims (a potential short term answer).  In the draft, Kouandjio, Matias, or Jackson would be a great pick in the 2^nd and maybe preferably the 3^rd round.  If you definitely want to go to the 3^rd and even maybe the 4^th round, if the others are not available you have Poutasi and a potentially risky Marpet (for the 4^th round).

CB

I think there is the potential for a lot of quality CB’s in free agencies (though several would be short term answers that could eventually be addressed in future drafts).   My preference would be to take one of those if affordable.  The draft is a bit of an issue.  There is good quality early, but to considering the overwhelming need in other areas it would mean sacrificing another area to get a top CB.  That is why I think free agency is better than an early draft pick.

LB

ILB free agents may not be worth it, except for a short and limited time like with Harris.  But will they be worth the cost.  OLB free agents are more plentiful but again will be expensive.  So unless they come cheap, or you have extra cap space because you didn’t sign free agents elsewhere, the draft is the only way to go.  I really like Jones, Dawson, Hull, Ryan and possibly Spraight for which at least one of them should be there in the 4^th or 5^th round. 

TE

From the draft perspective it is a weak class and therefore teams will probably be reaching.  So the only way that may be possible to fill out the TE position is with free agency if they don't keep Clay.  Being that said, Thomas is the only one worth going after, and that won’t be cheap.  It might be best to try to keep Clay which they have done with Transition Tag and wait till next year’s draft.  Whatever TE we may get, we need a big TE that can receive and hopefully blocks decently.  From the draft in lower rounds we have Bibbs  and Anderson.

S

There are several free agents that would be suitable.  If the Dolphins could afford it then go with McCourty, which would also provide the satisfaction of hurting the Patriots.   After that, Brown and L. LaRon may suit.  In the draft there is a lot of potential talent which can be selected from the 3^rd to 6^th round.

WR

Now that we have let Hartline go (though some believe they may try to bring him back later at a lower cost) and Gibson, it creates a major strain on what happens with Wallace.  If somehow the team signs Suh, it may become necessary to let go of Wallace just to make cap space.  Nevertheless, with only two WR's with experience on the team, WR is now become a top priority, and probably someone may need to be drafted in the lower rounds (if not the first round).   Free agent WR’s are expensive and may just be out of the Dolphins league.  Especially if they are dumping WR’s to create cap space.  Too bad since there is Cobb and Thomas could be available, but only if we let Wallace go.  As to the draft, there is a lot of potential talent there and is too difficult to figure out which way to go.  Possibly Lockett at some point, but with the right evaluations I am sure a good WR can be picked.

RB

I really like Gore and he is a local, so it makes sense to see if it is possible.  The problems with him are whether there is enough cap space and at his age how many years might he have left.  Maybe a hometown discount is in order.  While the RB situation is better this last year then I thought it would be, once Moreno went down, it could be better since there isn’t much behind Miller.  The RB’s in the draft that may be available after the 2^nd round is limited.  Johnson and Cobb may be a 4^th round possibility.  In the late rounds (or maybe undrafted), look towards Crockett and Hart.