NFL Miami Dolphins

Offseason Questions Loom Large for Miami Dolphins

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By @CouchGuyFB

Miami Dolphins, Jared Odrick

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As the Miami Dolphins enter into another pivotal offseason, a number of question marks weigh heavily on the Dolphins’ front office. First and foremost, how will the team find a way to improve after this year’s disappointing season?

The Dolphins have been hamstrung by a series of terrible contracts. Dannell Ellerbe has been a massive disappointment, and cutting him would save Miami $5.65 million dollars. This would allow general manager Dennis Hickey to go after what should certainly be the top priority of the free agency season: re-signing Jared Odrick.

Odrick had an excellent season for the Dolphins, and figures to be one of the most targeted defensive linemen on the market when free agency commences. While Miami doesn’t have the cap space to go after the premier defensive tackle in this year’s class, Ndamukong Suh, the Dolphins do have the money to keep Jared Odrick from leaving, and would be foolish to let him go.

If Hickey can keep Odrick in Miami, the question then turns to what to do next. Brian Hartline and Brandon Gibson have not lived up to their high-priced contracts, and it seems likely that the Dolphins would be inclined to cut ties with the veterans and take a chance at finding another relatively low-priced gem like Jarvis Landry in the draft. If the Dolphins do go that route, Miami would have an extra few million dollars to spend on a veteran cornerback, which will be desperately needed going into next season.

All things considered, the Dolphins don’t figure to be a big player in the free-agent sweepstakes this year due to the horrible mismanagement of the big-time free-agent signings from a few years ago, and without a few more key pieces, this team is doomed to the same mediocre fate as has been the norm for the last decade-plus. Time will tell whether this administration will avoid the same mistakes that plagued former GM Jeff Ireland’s regime, and get this team to turn the corner and make the playoffs in a year where it is undoubtedly “playoffs or bust.”

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