Dolphins Friday Mailbag: Tua, Jonnu, Blitzing, and More

Part 1 of a Miami Dolphins On SI mailbag for the final weekend of June:

From Craig M:

Hi Alain, it doesn’t get said often enough but thank you for making us all a little bit smarter with your excellent coverage of this team. I want to push back on this notion that Ross cares about winning. As fans we see now evidence of this. Beautiful facilities and an open checkbook doesn’t equate to caring about winning. Jerry Jones does that. But I don’t see either owner as being competent. Educate me.

Hey Craig, first off thanks, but the definition of a good owner is somebody willing to spend what it takes, hires the right people and then doesn’t meddle and start thinking he known more about football than the people he’s trusted with his team. Ross easily clears two hurdles here with his willingness to spend and his non-meddling ways. If you think he doesn’t care because he’s not more involved in the day-to-day operations, I’ll just say I have to disagree with that take. I do not question Ross’ desire to be the proud owner of a winning franchise in the least.

From Thomas Hudson:

Hi Alain, as always, thank you for everything you do. I'm on an odd questions kick, so here is another one: Collaborative decision-making can be hard. Sometimes people just don't agree about something. We all know Ramsey is basically gone. And we know it is dragging out for a number of reasons, including that big bonus and the fact that it doesn't really matter if he is traded tomorrow or the day before players report to camp. But do you think there is a possibility that Grier is dragging his feet on this because he hopes, at some level, that Ramsey and McDaniel can work out their issues? I may be reading this completely wrong with the limited resources I have, but it sure seems to me like McDaniel is a lot more invested in having Ramsey gone than Grier is.

Hey Thomas, it’s an interesting hypothetical you present, but Grier always has been a GM who likes to give his coach what he wants and if Mike McDaniel wants Ramsey gone, then Grier will help get that done, particularly if it’s a mutual feeling between player and coach. And every indication is that it’s mutual, a perception that McDaniel certainly didn’t change by his refusal to discuss his relationship with Ramsey in the offseason. I’m not saying it’s impossible the delay is about seeing if Ramsey and McDaniel can mend fences, but I frankly doubt it.

From NY – Fins Up:

If the inexperienced (and starting) CBs and safeties end up as a disappointment as most Dolphins fans anticipate, do you think that will force Anthony Weaver to blitz more than he wants to?

There is absolutely zero question that if the secondary can’t hold up in coverage, then Weaver will have no choice but to do whatever is necessary to make opposing quarterbacks uncomfortable because otherwise we’d be looking at a long year for the defense. Weaver blitzed perhaps more than anticipated last season and that was a result of the pass rush simply not being good enough, so I don’t doubt he’ll do what it takes to get the desired results.

From Jayco:

Alain, since Sparano, why has no Fins coach/front office prioritized the OL and running game considering they have a serious weather advantage (home) the first two months and late in the season that formula is needed for cold-weather games? It just defies all logic to me.

Well, I would push back against the “not prioritizing the O-line” when the Dolphins used three picks in the first four rounds of the 2020 draft on big guys, when they signed Branden Albert and Terron Armstead to big contracts, when they drafted Laremy Tunsil in the first round in 2016 even though the O-line wasn’t the biggest need at the time. As for focusing on the running game, I’d say Adam Gase focused on it in 2016 when Jay Ajayi rushed for more than 1,200 yards, Joe Philbin certainly wasn’t a pass-happy coach. It’s one thing to focus on the running game, it’s another to have a good running game.

From theothuge:

Hey Alain. Thank you for doing the mailbag every week. It was said by Mr. Ross after last season that the status quo won’t do. How would you describe the status of the three years of Tua & McDaniel? And what would be enough to do this year to improve on the status quo?

Hey Theo, while Ross didn’t elaborate on exactly what “status quo” meant given the Dolphins were 11-6 just two seasons ago, I’m guessing it means another season out of the playoffs with a losing record won’t be acceptable. There’s absolutely nothing record with the Dolphins record the past three years when Tua has been healthy, but that’s been an issue and if it keeps happening it’s going to cost people jobs.

From NYCFinFan4Life:

Knucklehead here cheers mate. So question realistically if we are headed into the bye week with a losing record, will there be a change at GM or coach? Also, what position battles intrigue you the most coming up?

The bye comes after the 11th game and I don’t see any scenario where there’s a GM change made during the season, especially after the trade deadline has passed. With Mike McDaniel, the only way I’d see a change there is if the Dolphins were, say, 3-8 or 4-7 without season-altering injuries. But still not expecting it. As for training camp battles, the obvious ones are in the secondary, particularly at cornerback.

From Jorge boyd:

Hi Alain, if the Dolphins can't manage to sign Jonnu Smith to a new contract and can't find a suitable trade partner, what will they do with him? If Jonnu Smith leaves the Dolphins, do you think the team will use more 3-WR sets?

Hey Jorge, first off, I think the situation with Jonnu Smith will get resolved. If the two sides can’t come to an agreement on a new contract, the next step would be to give Smith’s agent permission to seek a new deal with another team to facilitate a trade. If that happens, but Drew Rosenhaus can’t get a deal to his liking that way either, then Smith will have lost all of his leverage basically and then would wind up playing under his existing contract instead of staging a “hold-in.” If the Dolphins do trade Smith, I absolutely would expect more three-WR sets and maybe more usage of two backs at the same time.

From Earl:

Hello Alain, I hope all is well with you and you are ready for your summer trip. Before you go, what do you think would have been the contract value for Tua this year if the Dolphins rode out the 5th year option for last season, given the way it played out with lost time?

Hey Earl, thanks for the kind wishes but no thanks for the hypothetical question. One thing for sure is I don’t think Tua would have gotten big guarantees for many years after yet another injury-disrupted season. While Tua is a better quarterback, maybe the Sam Darnold with Seattle this year would make a good starting comparison point — he got three years for $100 million with $37.5 million guaranteed at signing (per OverTheCap.com). It’s a deal from which the Seahawks can walk away pretty painlessly after one year if it doesn’t work out.

From Dan Ford:

Can someone explain to Mike McDaniel that it is less risky to be more transparent on injuries (i.e. A-Jackson missing minicamp) than it is to play starters deep into blowouts?

Hey Dan, I’m not quite sure exactly what’s the point of the question, but I do agree that we can all hope McDaniel learned a painful lesson with what happened with Bradley Chubb being in the game needlessly at the end of the blowout loss at Baltimore on New Year’s Eve 2023.

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