Saturday Dolphins Mailbag: Hill, Waddle, Williams, Trade Scenarios, And More

Part 1 of the latest SI Fan All Dolphins mailbag:

From Remi Lesot – A Canadian Dolphins Fan (@Remi Lesot):

Hi Alain! Who could be a target in free agency to replace John Jenkins? He backed up Davis very well and he won't be easy to supplant.

Hey Remi, salut, as I look at the list of available free agents among interior defensive linemen, the names that jump out are Ndamukong Suh, Akiem Hicks and Linval Joseph. Colleague Omar Kelly already made the case for the Dolphins signing Hicks.

From Marco A. Briceño (@marco09190):

Hey Alain, are the Dolphins working on extending C Connor Williams?

Hey Marco, I haven’t heard anything to that effect, but just know that the Dolphins keep everything close to the vest. It certainly would make sense for the Dolphins to do this because Williams is a key member of the offensive line and signing him to an extension would lower his 2023 cap number. In fact, I’d suggest he should be at the top of the list of candidates for extensions.

From Reza Hariri (@Therealrezpect1):

Hi Alain, any interesting vets the Dolphins might be interested in after June 1? I still think we need depth at LB, DT, OT & C. I wouldn’t mind signing Kareem Hunt, either, great third-down back.

Hey Reza, I’ll start with Hunt and point out there was a report suggesting the Browns thought he’d lost his speed. I also have a hard time seeing the Dolphins bringing in another veteran running back. As for other free agent possibilities after June 1, these are the names I would keep an eye on: DT Akiem Hicks, T Brandon Shell, LB Kwon Alexander, LB Rashaan Evans, T Billy Turner, to name a few.

From Nick Soto (@CertifiedSoto):

Am I the only one looking at WR depth and praying Waddle and Hill don't get injured?

Hey Nick, I would think every Dolphins fan should feel the same way. There is quite the drop-off after Hill and Waddle, but then again how many teams have three big-time WRs like the Bengals have with Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd.

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FOR EVEN MORE COVERAGE ON THE MIAMI DOLPHINS, CHECK OUT SPORTS ILLUSTRATED'S MIAMI DOLPHINS PAGE ON SI.COM.

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From Hebert Gutierrez Morales (via email):

Hi Alain, Thank you very much as usual for your job, especially during these days without real football. I have a couple of questions, and I hope you can answer them. About Noah Igbinoghene, can we really get something for him in a trade (like a swap of 7th rounders)? My guess is “no” because I don’t see a team give something for a player who will be likely cut before the start of the season. The second question: I know a possibility is to trade down in order to get more draft picks but I have another idea; what about to keep your 2nd and 3rd rounders and trade the 6th and 7th for a 5th? So you can get a better player and not fillers. And for the rest of the vacant places, you can get a bunch of UDFA and maybe you get a couple of quality players. What do you think about it?

Hey Hebert, I’ll start with Igbinoghene, who I do think will have a hard time making the roster. But I don’t see the Dolphins giving him away without giving him a legitimate chance to stick and swapping seventh-rounders would be giving him away in my mind. As for the idea of trading 6 and 7 for a 5, I don’t mind it.

From Crash Jensen (@Sngly):

Thanks for the tweets, articles, and podcast, Poup. Good Dolphins info like gold this time of year! Out of their offensive run and pass game, defensive run and pass game, and special teams, what area do you think will be most improved this season and, which, if any, worse?

Hey Crash, thanks. If I have to guess, I’ll have to go with the pass defense after the addition of Jalen Ramsey with the special teams a close second (mainly because there was a lot of room for improvement there). If there’s reason for concern about one area dropping, it has to be the passing game because it didn’t really function all that well after December arrived.

From Bob Curvelo (@curvelo13):

Hi Alain, I've never been a fan of Baker, poor tackler, not good in coverage. Do you think Miami trades him this off-season? What do you think they would get for him?

Hey Bob, I haven’t heard anything about the Dolphins even considering trading Baker, but considering he’s now got $8.4 million guaranteed in 2023, I have a hard time seeing any team around the NFL giving up anything of value to get him.

From Chris (@NKNG1305):

Would you trade / move Tua straight up for Lamar Jackson?

Hey Chrisl, I was asked this very question in a recent mailbag, but I’ll gladly repeat my position. Given the current contract situations of each player, I don’t think I’d make the player-for-player swap because Jackson will be pricey. If you’re asking purely from an on-field standpoint, I think I’d have a hard time passing this up, even though Tua seems to be the perfect fit for the offense the way it’s constructed. Jackson simply is an electric talent as a runner and so much better as a passer than he’s ever been given credit for. Even if Tua probably is more accurate, it’s a lot closer than many might think. And for those who want stats to back up my statement, Jackson’s career passer rating is 96.7 with a high of 113.3 in 2019; Tua’s career passer rating is 95.0 with a high of 105.5 last season.

From Cubanater (@JohnSan61696128):

Hi Alain, greetings & salutations! As a sportswriter, what's your favorite sport to cover & why? Also, any special memories in particular that you can never forget (& can share)? TY

Hey there, now that’s a different question. I’m going to take the wimpy way out and call it a tie between football and hockey (which just so happens to be the way the two sports I cover these days after covering just about every sport known to man before that). As for great memories, covering UM’s Orange Bowl win (for the national title) against Oklahoma at the end of the 1987 season; the first tennis tournaments in Miami (then known as the Lipton International Players Championships); the Miami Miracle; Game 7 of the Panthers-Devils series in 2012 (even though it was heartbreaking for the Panthers); the Dolphins playoff win against Indy in 2000 all were awesome. Oh, and I’d be crazy not to mention the Chaminade Christmas Classic in 1988 covering the University of Miami basketball team considering that was played in Hawaii.

From Richard Grosso (@rjgro3):

Amirite to have as my worst fear for this upcoming promising season that T. Armstead goes down for a stretch of games and we are completely unable to execute an NFL offense for that entire time?

Hey Richard, that is not crazy at all to think. For all that was made about how the offense malfunctioned when Tua was out, there was just as big, if not bigger, a correlation when Armstead didn’t play. Armstead was inactive for four games last season, and those were MIN, SF, at NE and NYJ. He also left early at NYJ and vs. HOU. The offense struggled every single time he was out, except maybe the MIN when turnovers were the bigger issue. And the pass protection was really leaky practically every time he was out with the exception of the SF game. So, yeah, keeping Armstead in the lineup is a very, very big deal for the Dolphins.

From Chip Paucek (@chippaucek):

Curious why no Brandon Shell. That seems obvious. Also little surprised nothing on Wilkins yet. Any rumors on the international game?

Hey Chip, have to say I’m a little surprised Shell hasn’t been re-signed myself, especially after the team re-upped two right tackles (Kendall Lamm, Geron Christian. We’re obviously looking at financial reasons here or a case of the Dolphins really wanting to give Austin Jackson a long look as the starter again. The more I’ve thought about the Wilkins contract situation, the less I’m surprised nothing has happened yet because the Dolphins might want to see how he fits into the new defense, for one, and there’s no urgency in getting a new deal done if we’re being honest. Finally, we should hear about the international game matchups pretty soon, though there have been no real rumblings yet.

From Nick Meredith (@NickFinsUp):

Would you try and package C. Wilson and picks 197 and 238 to try and get into the 4th round?

Hey Nick, hmm, it’s an interesting trade proposition you bring up, particularly because it would provide some cap space. But the flip side is the Dolphins have to make sure they have a good third WR option before they make this kind of move.

From Jeff Horst (@JeffHorst4):

Alain, If the Dolphins truly increase the rush attempts per game, do Hill and Waddle both have the personalities to handle a decrease in their production numbers that would most likely coincide with a better rushing attack without becoming upset like some elite receivers?

Hey Jeff, that’s a legitimate question because the “diva receiva” definitely is a thing. But based on my dealing and observations with Waddle, I don’t see that as being any kind of concern because that’s just not his personality. As for Hill, he’s flamboyant and outspoken and certainly would appear like somebody who could get upset by that, but in checking with KC colleagues, I’m told that’s never been an issue with him. The only time it came up was on a podcast, but it was the hosts who were trying to stir the pot, not Hill. So I wouldn’t be overly worried about it at this point.

From Luis Angulo (via email):

Good afternoon Alain. I know I said it before: I love your new podcast, but you need to work on a smoother exit ... If you have to pick between picking a QB and RB versus a TE and OL, in that order of course, which way would you go? I know we don't need a QB or RB but if a top prospect(s) will fall, and you know someone will, I will be down going that path because I think it will serve us for a better future down the road than instead of an immediate impact player (TE).

Hey Luis, first off thanks on the podcast comment and if your biggest issue is the exit, then we must be doing something right. Bottom line here: The podcast is no-frills with no fancy title, no fancy graphics, but just some good conversation between two guys who have covered the Dolphins for a long time and known a little bit about some things. As for your draft plan, I have two schools of thought here. On one hand, the Dolphins are built to win now and if they can get a player in the second and/or third round who could help push them over the top, it would make sense to go that route. In a long-term view, though, if you can land a top-notch QB in the draft, that player always will have value and there’s something to be said for collecting valuable assets. I can buy both approaches, but would be very surprised to see the Dolphins go QB-RB over OL-TE in this draft.

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Thanks for reading. Make sure to bookmark this site and check back daily for the latest Dolphins news and analysis year-round. Also, you can follow me on Twitter at @PoupartNFL, and that's where you can ask questions for the regular All Dolphins mailbags. You also can ask questions via email at fnalldolphins@yahoo.com.