Dolphins Saturday Mailbag: What Is the Trade Value of Some of the Big-Name Players?

Part 2 of the pre-Chargers game Miami Dolphins On SI mailbag:

From bonafide861:

Has anything in practice led to a feeling of urgency with the team this week? Weaver said the run defense makes him sick, but do you see any signs that players are responding?

Well, the media isn’t privy to watching practice beyond the first 20 minutes, which is stretching, position drills and the QBs throwing to receivers. So it’s impossible to say what practice looked like this week. And the reality is that actions are what matters, so we won’t really know about the run defense until the game against the Chargers, though I suspect there won’t be a repeat of the Carolina game — and not just because of Weaver’s comments.

From Tim Gore:

I see the Dolphins going 4-13 this season; why am I wrong?

Hey Tim, I’d say you’re probably wrong because you’re forgetting the Dolphins were in a position to win in their of their four losses and I can’t believe or accept that they’ll keep coming up short in those situations. Now, I’m not saying that a 12-5 season is coming, but I think 4-13 is a bit drastic.

From Jorge boyd:

Hi Alain, do you think the Dolphins will solve their run D problems in this game against the Chargers or do you think it will linger all season?

Hey Jorge, if by “solve,” you mean limit the number of yards allowed, yes, I think that will happen in this game because the Chargers are down to their third running back and they don’t have anybody who’s anywhere near as good as Rico Dowdle. But I don’t have major confidence right now that the run defense issues won’t resurface at some point during the season.

From Ignacio vidal:

So how badly do the Fins have to lose to finally prompt Ross to do something?

Hey Ignacio, the only things that would make Stephen Ross make an in-season move (because I suspect that’s what you’re asking for) would be if the team gets embarrassed (and losing close games doesn’t qualify) or if it became clear that the players have tuned out Mike McDaniel and aren’t responding to him anymore. Having said that, I still think it’s more than 50-50 that McDaniel will finish out the season. As for Chris Grier, in-season GM changes are very, very rare and I have a hard time seeing a scenario where that happens this year.

From Barry Miller:

After this last game I’m burning all my Phins paraphernalia. This is more than bad GM and bad coach. This is bad owner. He will never realize that what he needs to do is find the greatest NFL organization mind (per knowledgeable NFL folks), pay them whatever it takes, and give them full control in terms of the entire organization. If I owned the team and had his kind of money… that’s what I’d do. Hire the best and give them the freedom and money to do whatever they need. That’s the fastest way to success. Keeping Grier and trying to find the next young phenom coach will give usual results. If up to me… I’d hire the best GM out there and unload a boat of $$$ to bring back Dan Campbell. His system is what we need to work in cold weather at end of year. No more fancy speed gimmickry please. Robbie gave Shula a minority ownership and look how that turned out.

Hey Barry, the Dolphins went the czar route when they hired Bill Parcells in 2008, though that was under Wayne Huizenga and Parcells didn’t stay after Ross took over apparently because he wasn’t given full authority. But, yes, that plan has merit if the right person is out there (and, no, it’s not Bill Belichick). As for Dan Campbell, what makes you think he has any desire to leave Detroit or the Lions have any desire to let him go?

From John Flora:

What is up with Ingold? He is missing blocks, dropping passes…Is he hurt or is Father Time catching up to him?

Hey John, yes, that was a bad drop by Ingold on the first drive against Carolina, though the Dolphins did go on to get on field goal on the drive. Ingold still has value as a blocker, but he indeed has battled a series of injuries in the past two years and maybe that has affected his play to a certain degree. Having said all that, he’s far from the biggest problem for this offense.

From Mark@Merrymeeting:

If you were the aging billionaire owner of the Miami Dolphins, and were feeling your mortality- and your life’s goal was for the Dolphins to win a Super Bowl in the next 3 seasons, no matter the financial cost, no matter the rubble left in your wake- what moves would you make?

Hey Mark, I think above and beyond everything else — and this will go back to an earlier question and answer — I would seek a football czar and give him full authority over personnel, coach, everything, like the Dolphins did in 2008. Who that person is at the moment is a different topic that would require some research, but that would be my starting point.

From Bubba:

Poup! A little fun. Draft pick wise, what in your opinion is the best pick Dolphins could get for the following players if, IF we have a fire sale? Chubb, Ja. Phillips, Waddle, Achane, Brooks, and Minkah. Sieler, but he just signed, so I don’t know how realistic that is.

Hey Bubba, I’m not a GM, but also have studied the league enough to have an idea of what top talent usually fetches in a trade, and it’s actually not as much as fans think they can get for their players. That’s just a fact. Out of the players you mentioned, I think Minkah Fitzpatrick probably has the most trade value given his credentials and the fact he’s still relatively young. So maybe something like Minkah and a fourth-round pick for a second-round pick. Achane has a lot of talent, but he’ll be eligible for an extension after this season and running backs don’t always fetch the biggest return. Don’t know that you’d get more than a third-round pick. Phillips is young and has been active as a pass rusher, but he could be a rental as a pending free agent, and maybe he gets a fourth. Chubb’s contract makes him easily cuttable, but he’s not been as good as Phillips this season, even though he’s got the four sacks, plus he’s not as young and has a couple of ACL injuries on his resume. Finally, there’s Brooks, who’s a good player but not necessarily an impact player, and maybe you get a fourth or a fifth for him. Also understand that you can increase the return by throwing in a pick of your own like I did with Minkah.

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