Miami Dolphins Front Office is Regaining Trust

For years the Miami Dolphins front office has drawn the ire and mistrust of fans. This year’s free agency moves are gaining back that trust.

A decade or more of futility is a lot for any fanbase to handle. It’s even more difficult to handle when you’re a fan of what has historically been one of the best franchises in the history of the NFL. Such has been the plight of the Miami Dolphins fans for the better part of the past 20 years. Tensions have occasionally boiled over for some fans, leading to distrust of the Dolphins front office.

The past two offseasons, however, have gone a long way towards not only easing some of the fan’s fears, but restoring some of the faith and trust that the front office had lost over previous years. It started with bringing in a young, energetic, offensive-minded coach in Adam Gase.

The move was met with some skepticism, but Gase has proven to be the man for the job. Not only has his system shown promise in the development of Ryan Tannehill, but Gase has managed to come in completely change the locker-room culture. Gone are the days of “Bullygate.” Gone is the here we go again feeling when something goes wrong. Gone are the days of having to severely overpay to entice a free agent to come to South Beach.

This offseason has done nothing but cement the notion that the front office is on the right track. They came into the NFL’s free agency period with a clear 3-step plan, and they have been able to execute that plan nearly to perfection.

Step 1 – Keep In-House Talent

For years Dolphins fans have watched helplessly as the front office let good, young talent escape right from under their noses. The last couple years have been particularly difficult, as the likes of Lamar Miller, Olivier Vernon, and Jared Odrick have all bolted for greener pastures. This offseason, the front office vowed not to let that happen. And to their credit, they kept their word.

The Dolphins came into the free agency period with two key players that could leave. Wide receiver Kenny Stills was, some thought, poised to have a huge payday on the open market. Defensive end Andre Branch also had the option to parlay his one season in Miami into a larger contract on the open market. Both players played key roles in the Dolphins making the playoffs in 2016. Both would be needed if the team wants to build on that success.

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Whether or not a wide receiver with only 42 receptions and a 52 percent catch rate deserves $8 million per year is debatable. But with the likelihood that Stills would have received at least that much elsewhere—if not significantly more—makes the fact that he’s still in Miami a win. You can make the argument that the Dolphins overpaid to keep Andre Branch, and I might even agree. However, wouldn’t you rather overpay to keep someone in Miami than to bring someone else’s re-tread? I know I would.

Step 2 – Fulfill a Promise

Safety Reshad Jones has been one of the most important players on the Dolphins defense for years now. He’s been playing at a near All-Pro caliber level for a number of years, and made his first Pro-Bowl in 2015. He’s been the one stable, outstanding presence in an otherwise shaky Dolphins defensive backs corps. When he went out with a shoulder injury six games into the season, the impact was immediate.

It’s no secret that Jones has been unhappy with his contract situation for a long time. For years he’s been seeking a long-term deal that gave him stability with the franchise. After the way he’s played, who could blame him? Yet that stability never came. Even with a pre-season holdout, he was left to wonder if the team really valued what he brings to the table.

To end his holdout before the start of last season, the Dolphins front office made a promise to Jones. Jones would finally get that long-term deal that he’s been after. But after Jones’ injury, there was some doubt swirling about whether or not the Dolphins would make good on that promise.

Would the injury force the Dolphins to re-think their stance and, once again, leave Jones to prove his worth?

Once again, the Dolphins made the right move and locked up their star defensive back. They proved they are interested in living up to their word, and they value Jones. To the tune of a new deal that will likely keep Jones in Miami for the rest of his career, should he play out the entirety of the contract. Five years and $60 million is a big commitment, but well worth it for the player Jones has been.

Step 3 – Fill Holes with Role Players

The third, and ultimately most important, step in the Miami Dolphins front office plan was to plug some of the many holes in the roster. But after spending big on Stills, Branch, and Jones, they couldn’t do so with just anyone. They would have to get clever and bring in guys who, at this point in their career, are role players. And they executed this step masterfully.

To address the need along the offensive line, the Dolphins first brought in former Bears (among others) lineman Ted Larsen. Larsen isn’t a name that the casual football fan is going to know, and in this case that’s not a bad thing. With the offensive line, aside from a handful of stars, if the casual fan knows the name it’s because of poor performance.