Sunday Dolphins Mailbag: Wilkins Contract, Jackson-Igbinoghene Progress, and More

Part 1 of the latest SI Fan Nation All Dolphins mailbag:

From Big Ern McDolphin (@dana_buice):

Hey my friend, last year the Dolphins were bottom 10 in every aspect of special teams. I haven’t heard a peep from anyone about that unit. Kicking, coverage and returning, can you give us Fin fans an insight into what we should expect based on what work you’ve seen in practice?

Hey Dana, here’s the truth about special teams in training camp practices, what they’re doing can be classified as walk-through stuff because they’re not going hard but rather are focused on fundamentals (right lanes, things like that). So it’s really hard to evaluate special teams in camp. I can tell you that punter Jake Bailey has looked very good every time he’s kicked (hang time, pooch punting).

From Richard grosso (rjgro):

Am i reading too much into what i read about kohou, cam (& maybe even igbo) & about several depth players making plays? Could this team really be as talented as we might allow ourselves to hope? [PS: Don't let Omar rip me for being hopeful.]

Hey Richard, there is zero issue from me (and I hope from Omar) with fans being optimistic as long as it remains realistic. That said, yes, there is every reason to have hope about the young cornerbacks on the roster, but also understanding that the real tests will come in the preseason and the regular season.

From Chip Paucek (@chippaucek):

When do you get a sitcom starring you and Omar? In my view this is the most balanced camp we have seen in a long time. How would you rank it on that measure? What is your biggest concern still in camp?

Hey Chip, I’m all for a sitcom, set it up! LOL. Yes, there has been very good offense/defense balance in camp this year, as good as I’ve seen in a long, long time. The biggest concern in camp at this time has to be the offensive line and the depth on the defensive line.

AUSTIN JACKSON AND NOAH IGBINOGHENE

From Jim Ryan (@jdryan5000):

Are AJ and Noah on the verge of their breakout season? Are there others? Who are the 5 best rookies? Is going to be one of the 53?

Hey Jim, yes, I do expect Jackson and Igbinoghene to have their best NFL seasons so far based on what I’ve seen in camp, and the question now is exactly what level they can reach. Five best rookies, off the top of my head, would be Cam Smith, De’Von Achane, Aubrey Miller Jr., Mitchell Agude and Chris Brooks. Yes, some of them will be on the 53.

From Dave (@angryvet59):

Time for a look into Alain's crystal ball. Tua strikes me as a type of QB who wouldn't necessarily break the bank like Brady did w/his contracts to sign/keep players. Your thoughts? I also revise my worst song of the ‘80s with 99 Red Balloons.

Hey Dave, first off, I’m going to disagree with your musical choice again because I like “99 Red Balloons.” As for Tua, well, it’s easy for a QB to “not break the bank” when you’re making millions in endorsements the way that Brady did. And what he did in terms of taking less happened much later in his career. Bottom line, I think it might be a bit off to suggest Tua will take less than he can, even though his personality would seem to suggest he’s somebody who maybe would do that.

ADDRESSING THE OFFENSIVE LINE

From Anthony Berardo (@berardo_anthony):

Isn’t 2 full seasons, more than 2 off-season/training camps, 2 HC changes, maybe 4 or 5 OL coach changes (I remember Flores went through 3 in one year), and still maintain a terrible consistent level of play enough to warrant losing your starting job? What’s the holdup at LG? Obvious: is it time to pull the plug on Liam? How much time do we really have to settle on 5 starters to jell before week 1? Forget Cook. Forget the extensions. Should we go get Zack Martin? That’s the winning move. The pressure up the middle will derail the whole season. Have you seen the DTs we face this year? The matchup against the Jets alone has me queasy. Is there any way to extend Wilkins, Sieler, Hunt and Williams before the season (maybe trade Cedrick and Jeff Wilson), and sign Cook, and then any contracts that can be reworked next year (Hill, Armstead, Chubb, X) for relief with fat checks as a prorated bonus? Want to keep band together.

Man, that’s a lot of questions, so I’ll go rapid fire. Who should lose his starting job? I think two good weeks of practice with your starting O-line should be fine. Getting Zack Martin sounds awesome, but why would the Cowboys trade him? And how many big-money players can the Dolphins really take on? Yes, the Dolphins can extend some players, especially if it lowers some cap numbers in 2023, but you can’t extend everybody at this time, I would think. And we need to forget about this idea of trading Cedrick Wilson Jr. because it’s just not realistic to expect a team taking on his $7 million contract. And reworking contracts is all great, but what you’re doing there usually involving just pushing cap hits down the road and at some point there will have to be painful cuts because that can’t be done forever.

From Craig (@kinneydog):

Where do you spend your remaining cap $?

Hey Craig, let’s start by pointing out the Dolphins will look to keep some of that cap space to deal with potential emergency situation. In the meantime, the Dolphins could spend some cap space on the defensive line and at linebacker, for sure.

From Elliott Guzmon (@ElliottGuzmon):

With Alec Ingold playing as well as he has in camp, I was just curious is he considered an H-back or old-school type “fullback” in this offense?

Hey Elliott, my thoughts on Ingold, who indeed is having a great camp, is that he’s a pure fullback. Most H-backs tend to be undersized tight ends; that’s not what Ingold is.

From NemesisTom35 (@NTom35):

Alain, do you see Fangio starting a rookie at CB or do you think they play it safe with the vet Apple?

Hey Tom, understanding that ultimately the best player will win the job, if it’s close to even as the regular season arrives, there’s always a bit more of a comfort level with the veteran because he’s less prone to wild deviations in performance because there’s a body of work on which to fall.

From Lloyd Heilbrunn (@LloydHeilbrunn):

How did Don Shula ever manage to win 347 games without rules limiting the media from reporting player positions and the depth chart?

Hey Lloyd, thank you for preaching to the choir. Of all the developments in the NFL through the years, everything becoming more and more secretive for most teams is one of the most disappointing. I do get the issue of “competitive advantage” or “competitive disadvantage,” but I think the idea of a team gaining a major edge because they know who’ll start at left guard for their opponent is grossly exaggerated.

CHRISTIAN WILKINS AND HIS CONTRACT

From Basti (via email):

Hey Alain, thanks for responding to so many questions — I guess we all appreciate your great work here! I know the Dolphins try to make something happen with the Christian Wilkins contract. Since it takes so much time i feel the Dolphins aren't exactly willing to give "their all" to him - as Wilkins himself described it. The easy question: Why is that so? Maybe they weren't sure if Wilkins fits into the Fangio scheme, but at least in camp he wreaks havoc every practice. I guess the price tag will only soar if they delay the extension, right? Also: For me it's not only his performance that makes Wilkins so valuable, but his presence in the locker room, his leadership and his outstanding mentality. In my eyes, Wilkins is a very rare kind of player, someone you can't afford to lose. Do you think the Dolphins could give up on him? Also: At least in Germany, I can't listen to the All Dolphins Podcast on Spotify. There's only the first episode available. Where do I find your pod in my country?

Hey Basti, signing a player to an extension isn’t as simple as giving him whatever he wants. You make a good point about Wilkins being more than just a great player for this organization and indeed if he carries his camp work into the regular season, his price tag will be high. I don’t think the Dolphins will “give up” on him unless they decide he’s asking for more money than they feel he’s worth for his position, and maybe that does entail him showing he’s a great fit for the Fangio scheme and becoming as much of a factor in the pass-rushing department (that does necessarily mean sacks) as he is in run defense (where he’s great). Lastly, your podcasts are available on YouTube.

From Brian Z. (via email):

What are your thoughts on a few free agents/trades possibly available? O.J. Howard. Ezekiel Elliott. Jonathan Taylor. Aaron Donald. Patrick Queen. Devon White. Chase Young. I would like to see Donald and Taylor here but think they are too expensive. If Zeke would come at a discount (but he won't) I think he might be a good red-zone option. Also, O.J. Howard might be an OK fit. He should come cheap but I'm not sure he is an improvement. You can let me know if you agree or disagree and your thoughts on any others on this list.

Hey Brian, this certainly is an interesting list, and some of those guys sure would look good in a Miami uniform, but the Dolphins can’t trade for everybody. There’s also the issue of many more big-contract players the Dolphins can bring in, so I’d say that immediately would eliminate Taylor, Donald and White. I don’t see Elliott as much of an upgrade at running back; Howard was released by the Raiders after only a few months, so there’s obviously an issue there; Young would be redundant given the Dolphins’ depth at outside linebacker; so the only one on this list who does anything for me is Queen, but I’m not sure the Ravens want to trade him or what it would take to get him.

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