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From the Baptist Health Studios inside the Baptist Health Training Complex.
This is Drivetime with Travis Wingfield.
He's got my advands in the playoffs. What is up, Dolph fans and welcome to the Drift Time Podcast. I am your host, Travis Wingfield. And on today's show, free agency kicks off in just a few hours. Wanted to get this Monday podcast out to you guys early so we could do a look at the top two hundred free agents.
According to Pro Football Focus.
And really the main reason for the episode was to do a mock off season for your Miami Dolphins. All of that plus some evaluations on the newest signings from the Baptist Health Studios inside the Baptist Health Training Complex.
This is the Drive Time Podcast.
So off the top here, we did do a little bit of a look at John us Smith's skill set and what he offers your Miami Dolphins. But I want to go a little bit deeper into that because I had a chance to grind that tape, baby, and we've talked about the yards after catch. What I really look at for John Newsmith's ability is to give you extra juice in certain situations on certain looks when you run your split flow action, which is in a direct counter to
your outside zone game. And that's why Durham Smith got turned free so frequently last year out in the flat out in space. But this guy, this tight end can take that catch and run through a corner, sidestep a safety, and make big hay after the catch. Especially if you put a corner or a safety or a linebacker out and open space on him, He's probably gonna make them miss.
So I think you can maximize your efficiency off of that play, off of that look, off of the overplay and really one of the bread and butter pieces of your offense. And for one more yards per play on that is like another first down per possession, maybe it's another point per possession like that can go a long way towards translating to big time success for the Dolphins offense. Because the seven point one yards per catch after the catch, I should say, is four point one yards more than
what Dolphins tight ends averaged in twenty twenty three. That's a massive, massive jump. But his strength also translates as a route runner, He's not gonna get rerouted he's gonna give you a window where he can be the one that elevates for the football and a one on one situation in a contested catch situation. And what I love the most about this, I go back to the Buffalo game,
to the Tennessee game. You know, absent Wattle and or Tyreek at various points of those games, and we had so many instances on third and six, third and eight, whatever the case may be, where the coverage was flooded to the perimeter to take care of Tyreek and Waddle and not I'm not saying outside the numbers, but the guys that lined up outside of the numbers, that's where
the coverage went. And then inside we couldn't win one on one, whether it was Bracks and Barrios, Cedric Wilson, River Creaycraft, Chase Claypoold, whatever this guy can do that he can win those. In fact, last year, he moved the chains on sixty percent of his third down targets of six or few yards to go. He caught all five of the targets with third and seven plus, but only converted one of those into first downs and washing
the tape. Those were kind of like checkdowns, but He's a valuable set, valuable piece in your checkdown game because not only do you have a chan and most are an ingold who can check the ball down to now you've got a tight end who can get rumbling and give you big yards. Reward you for taking the short stuff, taking what's there, taking what the umbrella coverage you know, removes, it affords you room underneath. This guy can reward you
and really entice your quarterback to play that way. So I think it could be good for two in the sense that, hey, it's not gonna be a.
Four yard game.
It might be, but you're gonna every other play he's gonna break that tackle and give us twelve in a freshout of downs and back to first down, back to play action game like that. Efficiency can change the entire complexion of the offense. And I go back to the
Falcon screen game last year. It was kind of the bread and of their offense with b John Robinson, with Drake London, with Kyle Pitts, with John hu Smith because why because desim Ritter was awful and that offense was the eleventh ranked offense in the NFL last year because of those skill guys and one of the reasons for that is they would put John hu Smith out to the weak side of the formation, like so a lot of times in coverage you're gonna have like you know,
they're gonna show more bodies to the strength or more bodies to the week. If you're better receivers over there, whatever the case may be, they can overload like a three by two or a four by three in the backside. You're gonna be one on one or two on two, whatever the case may be. You're gonna have an even number on one particular side of the field. And you go back to the Titans game last year when Miami couldn't,
you know, just couldn't do anything offensively. It's because they would pretty much vacate that backside and we wouldn't pay any mind. And that player could then also fit the run game on that backside and allow you to overload the front side. I think John new Smith takes away any viability of that.
Now.
Of course, it's up to a tongue Bai looa to see that stuff and improve and get better field vision to expand in those situation. But now he has a weapon that can exploit that. In fact that the Falcons threw him plenty of screens. I threw him thirteen screens. Two went uncomplete. They were grounded balls that Richard just kind of eight because it was covered very well. But he caught eleven of those thirteen screen passes and took him for a buck thirty six for two touchdowns and
twelve point four yards per catch. Every screen you threw the guy, he got a first down and a couple extra yards for you right there. I think he adds a lot of balance that could help tilt the Miami offense or tilt the field, I should say, and exploit the space created by these speed and precision level passing offense that we already have and really forced teams to honor more parts of the field.
And you can't turn him loose.
You could turn Durham loose because you can chop him down after ten. If you turn Jonas Smith loose, he can hit you for sixty. I am a big, big fan of the signing. Plus it doesn't affect your compensatory formula if that's the route you want to take. The other signings that happened over the last couple of days Isaiah Mack and Deviantaya and Nixon. I have not had a chance to look into the tap too deeply, but think about those signings kind of in the Deshaun han
Moold last year. Maybe a best case ten snaps a game kind of give your guys a breather once in a while. But that's kind of what you're looking at with those guys. All right, We are going to get to my mock off season here very shortly, but I want to peruse this PFF Top two hundred free agents ahead of today's noon legal tampering window that opens up in just a few hours. This podcast coming out at
eight o'clock on a Monday morning. I thought it was important to get you guys in my simulation before the free agency began, because we're going to be ramping.
This stuff up and have John who Smith podcast.
He'll be in the studio, will break down his game even further for you guys, and every free agent that signs will do the exact same thing with those guys. So PFF has a top two hundred free agents list here and the top ten guys it's pretty much already been wiped out, and they don't remove guys that get tagged.
They have them in there.
I think it's more of a you know, I think it's more of like they're on the franchise tag, but they still could get, you know, contract extensions from those teams. And this is not the store that the Dolphins will be shopping in this year, right like, one through ten, Chris Jones, Kirk Cousins, Josh Allen from the Jags, T Higgins, Brian Burns, Justin Mattabwueke, Christian Wilkins is number seven, Antoine
win Phil Jalen Johnson, and Lujerious Sneed. I mean, six of those guys got tags, right one of those guys got a contract, right like, So that's already you're not shopping in that store unless you bring back Christian Wilkins. In my opinion, I just don't see any point in doing that. And so if you're going in that list,
Christian Wilkins seems to be your guy. I'm very curious see what happens with the Kirk Cousins because he's one of those quarterbacks he's kind of like to a very good player gets a ton of crap for whatever reason. In the next tier of got free agents here, Michael Pittman at number eleven. I mean the Colts I believe were toying with the idea or did they know they did franchise tag him as twenty one point four million dollars, Like,
think about the value of that. That's why the receiver market in free agency is like, I don't know about this. I just don't know, because the draft always provides you incredibly, incredibly cheap talent and you might miss in that pick, but when you hit him, gosh, that is a big boon to get considering how much these receivers are making nowadays on the open market. Mike Evans also got resigned by the Buccaneers.
He's in here.
Daniil Hunter is an interesting edge prospect here. I've always liked his game and he kind of seems to fit that mold for what anything we were defensive front might look like, kind of in the same mold as like Jadevian Clowney. But again, I don't think we're spending in that category for that position because we just we have a lot of money tied up there and I think that Andrew van Ginkel will be coming back as well. That's my opinion. We'll see what happens there. Tyron Smith,
he could be a Jet. I don't think we're the tackle market. Kendall Fuller's a cornerback. I think you could look at because of what I talked about on the Friday Show, with flexibility inside outside, maybe you take a look at expanding what Cam Smith can do, what Jalen Ramsey can do, what Javon Holland can do. Kendall Fuller is a kind of guy that can do that stuff. Leonard Williams in this group as well, Marquise Brown. Bryce
Huff from the New York Jets. That's interesting, and the Jets probably dropped the ball on this because I think he was their best pass rusher.
He's the one that.
Gave by far, by far, Austin Jackson the most fits that he had last season, and Jermaine Johnson's not as good as Bryce Huff was. Will McDonald's know where near as good as Bryce Huff was. In fact, the reason that they have to say goodbye to Bryce Huff is so they can give reps to their first round draft pick at a position where they already had those guys and Carl Lawson and John Franklin Myers.
They were loaded at best spot and they.
Went way too heavy and now they're paying the price by having to let their best guy go so they can develop a guy behind him and not have a progress stopper in front of him. I wouldn't mind signing him, but again, I think he's out of our price range. Number nineteen, DJ Reader. It's probably the first name on this list that I look at as a possibility because if he gets out of Cincinnati and they have a bunch of mouths to feed, Gosh, he is phenomenal. He
just goes places and impacts their defenses. Injuries have slowed him down the last couple of years, but my goodness, he is. He's like I mean, he's he's pretty much Michael Pierce or one of these Dalvin Tomlinson, a big time run stuffing defensive tackle with some good pass rush ability as well.
So that's the I guess.
Number twenty is Patrick Queens, So that rounds at the top twenty, and I don't think the Dolphins will be curious to, you know, explore that type of contract at that position, especially if you know Christian will because you're kind of like cutting off of your notes to spite your face, and that would ruin your camp formula if you did that. But Patrick Queen, I know, would be a nice addition to this defense if you can get him. Kyle Duggar has the transitional tags, we can go ahead
and cross him off. Cameron Curl from the Commanders is an interesting name, but I look at the safety market and I'm not really that curious in buying guys off the open market. Give me a player that has been cut by his team, or bring back Deshaun Ellie because that the list of players is so so good. Trent Brown, Kevin Dotson from the Rams. I think Dotson got a contract already. Calvin Ridley, I'm not interested in that free agent contract. That's gonna be way too big. Mike Unwannho
from the Patriots. If you are, if you're gonna lose Rob Hunt, that's kind of like an obvious replacement. Although I think he gets tackle money somewhere and goes and plays that position for somebody. He's kind of the top, like I guess tackle on the board because this year's tackle class besides Tyron Smith and Michael and Wan who not good at all.
Cheetoh Woozie. I've always been a big fan of his game.
I think he's kind of falling off his play a little bit lately, but he could be an interesting option there in terms of kind of that second tier cornerback contract if you want to go that route. I still curry favor to Darius Williams, who was cut by the Rams obviously, and again does not impact your camp formula. Robert Hunt checks in at twenty eight, Chase Young at
twenty nine for the Niners. His effort level last year was not great, and then Sakuon Barkley at thirty Curious see what kind of market he has because he's been a really good player, but the running back position worse set there. Personally, I'm just curious see what these guys get. Speaking of running backs, thirty one's Josh Jacobs, Derek Henry
thirty two. They kind of glut these guys together. I could see one of these guys winding up available in like training camp, and you could maybe use the Xaviing Howard money if you want for a one year, like five six million dollars deal, If you can get that pulled off, I would be curious to explore that, but otherwise I'm all straight there. Kevin Zeiler from the Ravens is getting older and more injured. They compare him to Josh Sinton. I'm kind of dubious on that. Stefan Gilmour.
Frankie Luvu is a name that I really like his game from Carolina. I think that he's probably gonna get paid a little bit there. But he is definitely versatile and kind of has that range in the middle of the football field that you see from these top tier linebackers that really help teams take away the bread and butter passing game of what these offenses have become. A former Washington State cooper so Go Koos Steven Nelson from the Houston Texans is a curious tame to look at.
He's gonna be one of those guys that gets like a you know, seven million per probably in that range. They compare him to Jason mccordy in twenty nineteen. He's he's been aging, but he was a great fit there for Demiko Ryans. You're gonna get a great character reference from Demico Ryans for you know, good friend Mike McDaniel. He always plays, He's always out there with off coverage and kind of zone. Looking back to the quarterback, I think he could be a viable veteran option that protects
you against what Cam Smith is or is not. Next year, Dalton Schultz Texans already brought him back. Connor Williams is number thirty eight. This is gonna be an interesting market for Connor Williams. I would keep that door open personally, and think about the possibility if he doesn't get what he wants on the open market, maybe come back for a one year type of thing and get that ACL right and you have some good, you know, a good quality starter at center right there if you make that happen.
But the ACL in week fourteen is is gonna make it really interesting to see what happens there.
But I would not close that door.
Jonathan Grenard from the Houston Texans, I just don't think we're in that edge market that high. And then Leavonte David is number forty for the Buccaneers, rounding out these top forty. That's a name that if it's going to be expensive because he's such a great player and he's still really really good even though PFF gave him their lowest grade last year. He's the kind of guy that can come in and kind of galvanize the middle of
the defense. I still tend to say, don't spend too big at that position because it's not a premium spot and not for a guy that's like a one year super expensive player either. Right. Number forty one, Javian Clowney kicks off the forty through fifty list as the guy
that I am very intrigued by. He's had tons of success under Anthony Weaver, and if it's again one of these one year mercenary deals that he's been signing lately, I would be all in on that to really help us get through September October fourth, Chubb wh Phillips come back, and then you have incredible depth when they do get back if they don't start the season, which I think JP's gonna start the season.
By the way, just keep an eye on that.
Number forty two. Kenny Moore is my favorite free agent in the slot, but can you afford it? We'll find out Zadarius Smith and the Browns. Xavier McKinney from the Giants. Again, not curious about the safety market there at least the guys that haven't been cut from their previous teams, like Justin Simmons is the guy that I'm.
Curious to look into. Baker Mayfield here.
Andre James from the Las Vegas Raiders is the top center besides Connor Williams on this list, and he kind of has some power and can really you know, he's gonna help your pass protection big time. He's just a's he can get out in space, but I think that his ability to anchor empowers where he has a little bit more strength over what Connor Williams was a year ago in pass protection. Number forty seven, Hunter Henry from
the Patriots, the tight end. I've always liked his game, but how much does he have left in the tank? Makai Beckton at forty eight from the Jets is a tackle that, depending on how the market treats him, I would very be very interested in exploring because of the athletic ability, because the draft preedigree. You know, he's you know, he has the talent in that body. Can you unlock
it here? Kind of the way Greg Robinson who was an absolute bust for the Rams, and he got drafted back in twenty like twelve whatever it was, two thousand and nine, I can't remember what year it was. And then he signed as a guard somewhere else and became a good player, but Makai Beckton, I'd be curious to take like a fly, a one year flyer on him if the market dictates that he doesn't really get the
big payday. And then running out of the top fifty here, josh u Ja and Leonard Floyd for the Buffalo Bills and Patriots again the edge group, I just don't know. Clowney makes a lot of sense, but otherwise big money seems a little bit dubious there. Let's go ahead and take our first break, comeback on the other side and get through fifty through two hundred, go a little bit faster on that, and then give you my mock offseason
and segment number three. That's all next Draft Time podcast, your host Travis Wingfield, brought to you by Auto Nation. Segment two on the last podcast before the new league year kicks off or kicking Kicking, we're taking a look at the top two hundred free agents here on Pro Football Focus. Jordan Brooks is a linebacker that I think makes some sense at number fifty one here because right now it's David Long, who I think will be here
for a long time. And then Channing tendall right, and you're gonna have to find someone else to start that position. So whether it's in the draft or free agency, it's probably a spot you look at. Of course, Jordan Brooks might cost little bit money which goes into the camp formula, so I kind of am dubious about that. But Jordan Brooks is a good football player. Next Grover Stewart. I love him as a possibility of a replacement if you
lose Christian Wilkins. I think he's nasty and really really good in the run game to help free up those linebackers.
Like it.
David long Stone for the Ravens, they ran a lot of three safety defense last year. I think it's safe to assume that the an we was gonna run that here with Miami this season.
And his comparison here is to Ron Harmon's.
That makes a lot of sense if you want to go with that big nickel safety package with Javon holland somebody else and Gino Smith Noah Famp. I think crossing him off after the John of Smith signing Jonah Williams, I thought he was rough last year. Tony Pollard did not have the same juice after Zeke left. Same with Austin Eckler.
Who's looking old.
Lloyd Cushionberry for the Broncos. Bobby Wagner for the Seahawks. Could be a name that I'm intrigued by again that like one year five, Like I'm cheap right, trying to think about cheap production. Federal experienced guys that have pelts in the wall, number sixty. Andrew van Ginkel. We'll talk about him in the in the mock offseason. Darnell Mooney, Jermaine Illuminoor. We're getting into the names here, right, Sheldon Rankins, Gabriel Gabe Davis is a guy at sixty four receiver
that I've seen his name flashed a little bit. But again with the Johnami Smith move, like the size elements kind of been filled out there and the eligibles, plus Gabe Davis has like very little shake and very little wiggle to create separation and make big plays. Deniko Auxury is a guy that I like a lot from the
Tennessee Titans. As a free agent, he could be kind of your replacement as a guy that can play five technique, three technique eames in backside one Shade, Dalton Reisner, Julian Blackman from the Colts is a guy that I think is kind of that same mold as not so much g you know Smith, but I think that he would really parallel with Javon Holland if you want to go in that direction. He is a great playmaker on the back end. Jerome Baker gets in here. Ezra Cleveland's got
a big contract. Tannehill is number seventy. Odell Beckham not in that in that camp. Number seventy two is he's Al Shaier another linebacker that I think can kind of be a Jerome Baker replacement, an early down linebacker, whereas David Long's You're kind of three down sub package linebacker. But maybe Al Shayer could be your base, and then maybe Channing Tendall's your kind of subpackage that replaces him.
Could think about how to get you know, multiple jobs done with one or two guys there that you already have. Tierre Tart from the Titans, Fletcher Cox for the Eagles, Devin White for the Bucks. Devin White's a guy that I know. A certain podcaster rider told you that he was a difference in the Dolphins going to the Super Bowl. He also told you the Dolphins, if they sign Dalvin
Cook could go to the Super Bowl. So but if you watch the tape, which he don't, you know, it's not a good player there that hasn't been a good on tape for a while. Tyler Boyd could be an interesting option. He could maybe be like that Keenan Allen, like veteran slot presence if you need it. Curtis Samuel from the Commanders is a guy that if we go on the receiver market, you know, jet sweep, backfield alignment, vertical speed. I like his game a lot. I mentioned
Andre James earlier. Number seventy eight. Aaron Brewer for the Titans is a really good option to replace Connor Williams on the interior if you have to go in that direction. He's got some pelts, really tough scheme, versatile player. Josie Jewel has a linebacker option I think at number seventy nine there from the Broncos previous league.
Kind of undersize though, which I don't love.
Next David Long and then then into the eighties, Jordan Fuller, Blake Cashman, Drew Trankle was the guy that I think is kind of the same mold, and he was a cheap, you know, one year type of flyer for the Chiefs last year three million bucks. If you can get that deal for him again, I would love to sign up. Drew Trankle right now. Put it next David Long's let's freaking go. I think it's an upgrade over what you had last year, quite frankly. Adorri Jackson, Gerald Everett, Damian
Lewis number eight. I know Kyle Krabs is a massive, massive fan of his. They kind of bruising, mauling, three hundred and thirty pound guard. They can give you more strength on the interior, which I think we need to get this offseason. Doris Armstrong Jordan Whitehead. No, thanks, Kendrick Bourne for the Patriots. I'm curious about it at the right price, but I think he might get a decent contract somewhere else, and I'd bebotter just go to the draft at receiver, but I like his game a lot
in the fit here. Kalay Is Campbell another guy that I think could be your cheap, one year stop gap type of option.
If he'll take it. We'll see what happens with him.
Brandon Graham de Kwon Jones at ninety one, a guy from Buffalo that I've always been a big fan of his. Game, and he missed a ton of time last year and it really really impacted their defense. But I think that his ability to play from the zero tech all the way out to like a four eye, he can really kind of be that Christian Wilkins role if you can get that much snaps out of him. Gardner Minshew go Koog John running for the Packers, Tyler Biatis for the
Cowboys as a center option. But if they're gonna go that route, I'd rather, you know, if you're gonna go that undersized, I'd rather just go back to Connor Williams, Jonah Jackson for the Lions, and Maurice Hurst for the Browns, Jordan Hicks for the Vikings, Coleman Shelton for the Rams, and then number one hundred, number niney nine is Quentin Jefferson,
number one hundreds Carl Laston for the Jets. So it's there are some options there, but I think that we're probably looking more in this next classic guys like a Javon Kinlaw and that's you know, he's number one on one on this list, and he kind of fits that mold of like what I talked about with Mkai Beckton, where he could be a you know, first round pick didn't really work out. Maybe you can get him for a discount and see what he can prove in one season.
His comp here they have is Jordan Phillips.
I'd be happy to have a Jordan Phillips in the interior if we lose number ninety four, number one, O two, CJ. Gardner, Johnson Gosh. I love his game, injury issues, kind of a bit of a wild card, but if you can get him for cheap, I would absolutely put next Javon Holland and have the best playmaking safeties in the NFL. Mike Dane for the chief Shelby Harris. Let's go ahead and getrough this faster. I'll go to the listen and find guys. I like Willie Gaye number one of O
six with the Chiefs. Again, we need a linebacker. I think that he has that range that you want in that position. Currious see what he gets on the open market. Just go ahead and keep scroll until I find names that I like on this list. John Simpson won twelve a guard for the Ravens. Pretty Much any offensive lineman you're gonna have to look at and what the market dictates and what they get. I think his ability to kind of just throw guys into the ground. He's one
of those physical malers. I think, Miami, you need the space. I don't want to go away from the outside zone, but I think I want to get guys that can do a little bit of both, and I think Simpson has the chops to be that physical presence on the inside. Ashan Robinson won thirteen an interior defensive line for the Giants. He's kind of a we're looking on the interior lines, right That's kind of where we're at right now in
the linebacker position. Keep on truck and here tackle Josh Jones from the Houston Texans could be an interesting, you know, swing tackle priority if you don't get Kendall lambback Michael Thomas is on the list. Josh Reynolds, Donovan Smith, the tackle for the Chiefs. I'm gonna pass on that he was rough a season to go. Austin Hooper. There's a Sickie one twenty one. Remember when sick He was a huge loss for the Dolphins. That's pretty funny. Rayquan Davis
is one twenty two. Taekwon Lewis for the Colts. This could be the type of signing you look at and under the radar career, under the radar rusher wide nine type of skill set, can play your your NASCAR packages. He's a type of guy that I think could be depth and a valuable resource early in the year when we see what happens with two and fifteen coming back. So keep an eye on Taekwon Lewis for the Colts
Umber one twenty three. Here on the PFF free agent list, a couple of offensive linemen George fant Won twenty six. I like him in that swing tackle role as well. Kyle Vanni played for the Ravens last year. Is he opened to a reunion with both the Dolphins and Anthony Weaver. It's not Brian Flora anymore, maybe he would be. I think he's still got some juice to think he's a
good player. Jacobe Brissett's one twenty eight, Marcus Davenport, I like him in that kind of, you know, third rusher role as well.
JK. Dobbins, I'd take a flyer on him if it's cheap.
Obviously, all very very banged up throughout the course of his career, but gosh, he was a heck of a player. Devin Singletary, same thing about him. If it's cheap, I'm down running backs. You know, I think we're pretty good there. Jamis Winston, Evan Brown. I told you wasn't gonna Reaan the names off A. J. Dillon if you want the bruising back, but he was terrible last year for the backers. Zach Moss kind of has that physical bruising style as well.
Nick Westbrook a Keene is a nice third receiver option, but for the cost of it, I just go in the drafts instead. To Sean Elliott checks in at one thirty eight to Sean Gibson. Here here's the safety run man. There's so many safety available in this year's free agency. Dj Wan Him from the Vikings, another one of those guys that can play that five technique, three techniques, some edge rush as well, and can be versatile to maybe give you some time to get two and fifteen back.
But just continuing going down this list, I mean Darnell Savage. All these safeties, man, they're everywhere. Bud Duprees on there, Sean Murphy bunting the Titans cornerback. I like his ability to play both inside and outside as well. Didn't really work out for the Titans last year, but the Bucks previously he was really good there. He's a super super athlete who has some zone pelts on the wall, so
a little bit of versatility there. Jeremy Chinn in their safety prospect from the Panthers, who didn't really fit last year and kind of got put on the bench, and I thought he was a guy that was gonna be a star in this league. Hasn't worked out that way. John Felician from the Niners is a free agent. There's some experience there with both Buffalo and the Niners in that familiar in the division and familiarity in the system
with the Niners, so he's a curious option there. Micah Hides on the list, Tyrod Taylor, Cody Barton, Stamp Darnold, Drew Locke. Yeah, this is what I'm talking about. You're getting into the into the weed, Sebastian, Joseph Day. I think all defensive tackles or something you look at. But again, I kind of like the idea of going after the cut players. So yeah, this list is there's there's options.
Man Centric Wilson one seventy one. Romeo Aquara from the Lions could be a good edge option there late tier three or tier two of free agency, the second wave maybe preferably beyond when you get the compensatory formula. Brandon Jones checks in at one seventy seven on the list right here, So yeah, there's options, man, I I don't think we need to finish this anymore.
Jeff A.
Kuda, Braxson Barrows is one ninety and for prosterity, oh, they've got two hundred and ten.
Eddie Jackson's two ten.
They added all these late guys that have been cut recently, so maybe they haven't put him in the slotting wise, but two hundred and ten players. So there's some options for you. We looked at all that. Let's go ahead and do the mock off season. On the third segment of the podcast that's Next Draft Time podcast, your host Travis Wingfield, brought to you by Auto Nation. You wait all year for this, right, not really, but let's go
ahead and knock out a mock offseason. I saved it for today just ahead of the chaos, and let's go ahead and get right into it. So the Dolphins have already cut a manual Ogba, Exave Howard and Jerome Baker and keon crossing. So I went ahead and did that too. I did not use my franchise tech. What am I going to do, well, I'm going to extend the quarterback to a tongue by Lowa to drop that twenty twenty four cap hit to about seven million less from what
it would have been on the fifth year option. Going to restructure Tyreek, Chubb and Ramsey declared an additional thirty two million dollars in cap space. That gets me twenty million give or take under the cap heading into freegency also want to extend both Waddle and Phillips.
That's where that money should go.
That you're saving, I think is the premium positions and premium players at those positions to reduce their twenty twenty four cap hits collectively twelve million dollars and also hopefully avoiding a you know, Wilkins situation where you know, and I can tell you that hesitancy with some of the
current guys you know, Wilkins and Hunt. It's not because they're they are not letting seventeen and fifteen go anywhere, just FYI, but those are foundational building blocks at premium spots, and I have no interest in any other priority besides those guys. I'm a quarterback right now at this moment, So get.
Those guys extended. Wilkins and Hunt Walked.
I just think they are markets go beyond what the budgets would be in a I'm not I'm not gonna squeeze it for a final, you know, one and done. Let's let's see if we can make it run on twenty twenty four and then tear this thing down twenty twenty five and rebuild it.
I'm not interested in that.
Let's go ahead and do with the Dolphins look like they're doing right now, and sustain this and draw it out and extend your what your window and your cycle here a little bit further by not getting yourself into the Mike tannembaumb you know situation you were a few years ago, and then be prioritizing the quarterback, the receiver,
the edge. And see, I am making the assumption that I can improve a team on balance by getting more players with that money and seizing two mid round draft picks via the comp formula, which is a bit of a teaser of what we're gonna do here. I've cut Durham Smith is kind of my surprise me. I think here, I've also extended David Long in my fantasy fictional GM world here that I'm unwilling to you guys. So here's what I've got, Roughly thirty five million dollars in spending cash.
I need about five or six for the rookie class. Could be more if we acquire more picks. I've got picks in rounds one, two, five, six times two two six round picks and seventh round pick. They are twenty one, fifty five, one fifty seven, one eighty six, two twenty and two thirty nine rate. Now I believe that's set in stone, I think, and again with my soon to be unveiled moves, I'm getting a third and fourth round com pick in twenty twenty five for Wilkins and Hunt.
Who did I resign? Well, I did.
I did bring back Elijah Campbell on the minimum, which is about what he got from the Dolphins. That was on my list before that signing happened. It's now official. It's in the list as well. Cray crafts same deal. I went one for three, one year for three for Nick Needham. I brought back Van Ginkle at two for fourteen, an annual apy of seven there and then if not Kendall Lamb at one for three if he wants to
do it. George pant is my my exported free agent there, but Lamb, Van Ginkle, Needham, cray Craft and Campbell brought back, which means I had a lot of guys walk right. My roster going into it is Tua and White. I've also cut Skylar. I should have mentioned that only carrying two quarterbacks this year eight chan most certain Brooks, I cut Jeff Wilson as well. Also should have mentioned that I've got Hill, Waddle, Azukama, and I let Braxton, Claypool
and Cedric al walk. At the tight end position. I've got John U. Smith, I've got Julian Hill, I've got Tanner Connor. I've also again cut durms Myth with three million dollar savings in a one throw one point three million dollar dead cap this year. At tackle, I've got Armstead, Jackson, Lamb, and Keon Smith. At guard or interior, I've got Eichenberg because hunt Win, Williams and Rob Jones all walked. On the defensive side, I've got Phillips, Chubb, Gink and good
defensive tackles. I've got Seeler, Mack and Nixon. Of course, Raquon Davis walks. So you can see we have defensive tackle and guard and center needs right now, David Long and Chang tendall. The linebackers Jaylen Ramsey, Cohu cam Smith, Nick Needham, and Ethan Bonner on my corners, Javon Holland and Elijah Campbell are my safeties. As Brandon Jones was also granted his ability to walk. That means I have to find my interior offensive line. I need another receiver.
I need a lot of help at defensive tackle and could use some help at linebacker and defensive back as well. So my free agents, keeping with the theme of spending in tier two and tier three of a non premium position, is to protect ourselves from inflation. Here's my sign, and there's lots of guys here that were cut. In fact, all of them are that Quandre Diggs, the Seahawks safety, love his game. I need a playmaker next to Javon Holland. He does that helps unlock Javon a little bit as well.
Center Mitch Morse talk about physicality and toughness and a guy that's played in the bad weather in this division. He's a really good replacement there for Connor Williams. John hus Smith already in the building here with us Lake and Tomlinson, another guy that I'm bringing over as a former forty nine er who I'm going to get better production from than the Jets could because we are a better franchise in an organization and operation than the New York Jets.
And then Daikwan Jones gives me a second Buffalo bill. So taking three guys from division rivals here and making my team better with him, that's just off the cut players list. I also actually added three more guys I mentioned Jadavian Clowney. I'm just assuming this can happen, but with who knows, but I have him in the summertime once the comp formula has been protected for a one year, Come be a mercenary type of contract. Come back to coach Weaver, who's coached you to four Pro Bowls in
your career. I also brought in from Buffalo Tim Settle, He's my nose tackle piece there to help Sealer and Daikwon Jones. That's pretty much my entire rotation on the inside. And then con back Sean Murphy Bunting is coming over to help me with that position as well.
So we have put a.
Lot of time and resources into this. What does my roster look like right now?
After that? Well, first we have to go in the draft. And what did I do in the draft?
But traded way back into the second round with the Minnesota Vikings.
Will they do that? Who the hell knows.
Actually the PFF Draft things said they're not interested in doing that trade, but I said, I'm forcing you to do it. So we got pick twenty one to Minnesota. Who's coming up to get Michael Pennox? And this is after Seattle moved back and entice the Vikings to jump them. And in the mock draft stimulator, they came up to get McCarthy. So, wet's go ahead and call it a quarterback? Will we get picked forty two, we get their second round pick next year, and we get picked one on
nine in the fourth round. And so what I did was take with pick forty two wide receiver out of Michigan, Roman Wilson. I also took his teammate at pick fifty five, defensive back Mike Standers still from Michigan to absolute baller playmaker Temperature changer leader locker room presence those both those guys will be fit right in for the Miami Dolphins.
At one on nine.
Kansas State guard Cooper beebe I took his teammate at one fifth seven tight end Benson Ote from Kansas State. One to eighty six Trevin Wallace, a linebacker from Kentucky who can flat out fly. At two twenty running back from Louisville, Isaac Grendo, he is four to three speed, and then two thirty nine tight end Brevian span Ford from the Minnesota Golden Golfers. So my roster now looks like this. At quarterback Tua and Mike White, no change there.
At running back eight chan Moster, Brooks, Grendo and Ingold only one change. They're a rookie six round draft pick. At receiver Hill and Waddle, and then Roman Wilson and then Eric Azukama and River Craycraft. My tight end room has been almost completely remade. John hus Smith, Benson note, Brevin span Ford and Julian Hill are in that room
for me. My tackles are Armstead, Jackson, Lamb and Keon sam As last year, my interior is Morse, Tomlinson, BB and Eikenberg, and I'm curious about maybe Isaiah Winn coming back at the same contract as last year for depth. Maybe he's a backup this year and doesn't have to be a starter. You can protect him against injury that way. But I'm going Morse Thomlinson, Biebe's a good start, and then Eikenberg my swing guy. Maybe I need a guy in there as well. On defense, Phillips, Chubb, Clowney, Gink
and Good. That's the best edge group in the NFL. Baby on the interior sealer Daikwon Jones and Tim Settle. With the two guys we mentioned earlier the news Hignings, Mac and Wilson, Long, Tindall and Wallace the linebacker spot. We'll talk about that in a minute, Ramsey Cohu, Sean Murphy, Bunting, Cam Smith, Nick Needham, Ethan Bonner and then Javon Holland, Quandre Digs, Mike Sandrastill, which is more of a slot
than anything. So I got I really caught kind of over my skish at the cornerback spot, and then Elijah Campbell as well. So I've added picks and the second, third, and fourth round next year.
Does that sound good? With the roster you just heard.
I gave you three more picks in the first four rounds, the top one hundred picks in the draft, which gives us two of each of those. And then now we have all kinds of flexibility. If you know, if something doesn't happen this year, you can you can trade those picks and be aggressive. I've given you a restocked draft capital. And then of course when Anthony Weaver gets a head coaching job, we'll get third round picks in twenty twenty five and twenty twenty six. The picks are coming, baby.
Obviously we're a few guys short summer pickups. You'd things like that. My concerns are I went into the summer with the same edge guys and they're all off of injuries. But I'm approaching that like a summer ad. Once we get progress reports from those guys, maybe it has to suffer a little bit early in the year. Maybe we can find clowney. But either way, it's a dicey spot
however you attack it. Changing three interior offensive lineman starts makes me very nervous, but I really wanted to make focus on making sure we had multiple capable bodies to replace Christian. I want another matchup piece on the back end, and I think Digs and sand were still is a phenomenal pairing to give Ramsey and Holland in the back end. You guys knew I wasn't gonna leave this thing without eligibles.
Added a high draft pick at receiver and tight end, and I also signed the tight end which the Dolphins did, who I believe to be a massive upgrade over what we had the last few years, and John Hui Smith. I am deeply concerned about my linebackers, but that probably goes with Clowney in the summer and something we look at that time of the year, maybe even into September
a cut down day. But with Tyndall and Wallace, I'm letting two superb athletes compete for playing time there and making them force me to go get somebody else if they can't, if they can't perform.
So there you go. That's one route and way it could all go. Will it go that way? Not at all?
Not even close. But it's fun to look at. I've been building towards this exercise. I hope you guys think I did a good enough job to keep my faux job as Dolphins GM.
So there you go. That's it. That's all.
Next time I talk to you, guys will be talking about free agent additions on the on the roster, probably talking to those editions as well here in the podcast studio. In the meantime, you all please be sure subscribe, rate, review, follow me on social at wink for the NFL the
team at Miami Dolphins. Check out the fish Tank podcast with Seth and Juice, the YouTube channel for media availabilities for drag time, interviews with free agent prospects, and much much more, and last but not least, Miami Dolphins dot com. Until next time, Fin's up, Carolina Camera and Daddy, He's come and hold