Finsmob Unleashed

I’d say the majority of Miami Dolphins fans, here on this blog, and everywhere else as well, feel the Dolphins are in win now mode. I decided to make a little comparison as to what we’ve done so far in the 2024 offseason, and what our rivals have done, some playoff teams themselves last season, and others that are poised to make a playoff run. The looming question is, have we done enough to keep up with the best of the AFC, and those lurking to potentially surpass us? Let’s take a little dive into what some other teams have done, and compare that to the current state of the roster here in Miami.

Buffalo Bills

LOSSES

The Bills finally parted ways with oft disgruntled WR Stefon Diggs, acquiring a 2nd RD pick in 2025, but the Bills needed to send two draft picks and Diggs, a 2024 6th RD pick and a 2025 5th RD pick. Diggs was a top receiver in this offense, so the Bills had work to do to replace his production. The Bills also lost a top defender, CB Tre’Davious White in Free Agency to the LA Rams. They lost OLB Leonard Floyd, S Jordan Poyer, ST’s ace S Siran Neal, and DT Jordan Phillips.

GAINS

The Bills managed to re-sign a few of their own defenders such as DE A.J. Epenesa, DE DaQuan Jones, and CB Cam Lewis. On offense, the Bills brought in QB Mitch Trubisky, RT La’el Collins, RB Ty Johnson and our old friend WR Mack Hollins. In the draft, the Bills addressed the loss of Stefon Diggs by drafting FSU WR Keon Coleman, who is a big WR, 6’3 215 who has good run after the catch and the ability to win 50/50 balls. How fast Coleman can fill Diggs shoes remains to be seen. The Bills next pick was Utah S Cole Bishop. Bills added Duke DT DeWayne Carter with their 3rd RD pick. In general, not an overwhelming draft for the Bills. Coleman has question marks as far as absorbing the playbook, but he does have a physical presence and good blocking ability as well as RAC ability, and the way Josh Allen extends plays, as long as he comes back to his QB, he could end up getting a lot of action.

SUMMARY

The Bills appear to have taken a step back, but as I’ve said here many times, as long as Josh Allen is their QB, and he’s healthy, they are a dangerous team.

Kansas City Chiefs

LOSSES

I’m not going to list the KC losses because KC managed to not lose any significant players

GAINS

The Chiefs did a tremendous job retaining many of their core players. It started with the re-signing of DT Chris Jones to a 5YR/$158M contract. The Chiefs also re-signed 3 other DT’s Michael Danna, Derrick Nnadi and long time vet Mike Pennell. For speed, they brought in WR Marquis Brown. Little did the Chiefs know they would be gift wrapped more speed, when the Buffalo Bills allowed them to trade for a mere pick swap at pick #28 in RD 1, as the Chiefs then selected WR Xavier Worthy. Honestly, there’s nothing exceptional in the rest of KC’s draft, so I won’t bore you.

SUMMARY

The Chiefs did a fantastic job retaining their own guys and fortifying their receiving corps with WR Marquis Brown in FA and then WR Xavier Worthy in RD 1 of the draft. They also added veteran TE Irv Smith and re-signed RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire. That’s a top organization showing the rest of the NFL how it’s done. Win two Super Bowls, and still manage to keep your guys, and have money to improve the team.

New York Jets

LOSSES

The Jets lost LB Bryce Huff, SS Jordan Whitehead, TE C.J. Uzomah, RT Mekhi Becton, CB’s Bryce Hall and Justin Hardee, DT Quinton Jefferson and OG Laken Tomlinson

GAINS

The Jets picked up a more viable backup QB signing veteran QB Tyrod Taylor. A big FA signing for the Jets was former LA Charger WR Mike Williams. The Jets aded some legit beef for the D-line signing former SF 49er Javon Kinlaw. They re-signed 3 of their own, DE Solomon Thomas, P Thomas Morestead and S Ashtyn Davis. They also signed former Cowboys LT Tyron Smith and added even more beef for the O-line signing former Ravens OG John Simpson. In the draft, the Jets stole some of our own guys here favorite OL, OT Olu Fashanu from Penn State. In RD 3, the Jets took slot WR Malachi Corley from Wisconsin. They also selected a guy heavily rumored to come here, CB Qwan’tez Stiggers in RD 5.

SUMMARY

The Jets most definitely improved their roster in the offseason. They re-made the left side of their own line, a huge problem last season with 2 strong vets, LT Tyron Smith and LG John Simpson. Nabbing Olu Fashanu is a great player to learn from Tyron Smith and even replace him if Tyron gets injured, which much like our own vet LT Terron Armstead, is a certainty. They prioritized keeping QB Aaron Rodgers healthy, and if healthy, the Jets will obviously be significantly better than they were last year with QB Zach Wilson. Adding WR Mike Williams was a big get and he should help this offense tremendously. If Aaron Rodgers can stay healthy they’re right up there with us and the Bills to contend for the AFC East crown.

Baltimore Ravens

LOSSES

Huge loss for the Ravens was LB Patrick Queen. Another big loss was OG John Simpson. Ravens also lost promising WR Devin Duvernay, a good return man. They lost 2 CB’s in Ronald Darby and Rock Ya-Sin. A somewhat lesser loss was DE Jadeveon Clowney. In addition, the Ravens jettisoned 2 RB’s, J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards. They also lost young backup QB Tyler Huntley.

GAINS

The Ravens big move of FA was re-signing their star DE/DT Justin Madubuike to a huge 4 YR/$98M contract. Well, the Chiefs and Ravens both re-signed their star D-linemen, so . . . The Ravens then added bruising RB Derrick Henry to their stable, so definitely a huge net gain there losing Edwards and Dobbins and getting King Henry. The Ravens also re-signed CB Arthur Maulet, QB Josh Johnson, LB Malik Harrison, DE Brent Urban and WR Deonte Hardy. In the draft the Ravens quickly replaced the loss of Ronald Darby and Rock Ya-Sin with Clemson CB Nate Wiggins. The Ravens then bolstered the O-line with OT Roger Rosengarten for depth. They aded Edge rusher from Penn State Adisa Isaac, who played DE.

Summation

The Ravens, always a top organization, definitely improved their team in the offseason, keeping their guy Justin Madubuike, and then adding a huge weapon for Lamar Jackson in RB Derrick Henry. The best are the best for a reason!

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Good news for the Miami Dolphins, they have signed WR Odell Beckham Jr., to a 1YR/$3M deal that can rise to $8.25M if incentive clauses are met. Let’s hope he earns the $8.25M

So where do the Dolphins stand in all of this? I think OBJ is a nice insurance plan for if/when either Waddle or Hill can’t go full strength. There was a significant dropoff last season and although I didn’t want OBJ here, that was mostly die to what I figured was going to be some ridiculous salary that was going to frustrate me, but we did it right. An incentive laden contract that’s good for the Dolphins even if those incentives are met. You all know I feel about our D-line, and in general, the flimsy construction of our roster. Let’s stop using the tight window to win as an excuse, we haven’t won squat, and teams like the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens who are perennial contenders managed to keep their roster intact and improve their teams. We managed to get wiped in a Wild Card massacre and then jettison 2 of our best trench players in Christian Wilkins and Robert Hunt. Then I get to hear a chorus of “Those guys weren’t that good, not worth the money” Well, they were the best we had, and we replaced them with players lesser than them, so in no way, shape or form was that a win for the team. C Aaron Brewer better be a top player for us, because we gave him, one of the sole guys who has a multi year contract, money that could have kept either Wilkins or Hunt. To add, 28 players on one year contracts are POOF!, all gone next season.

Our draft was underwhelming on paper. Grier prides himself as drafting BPA, well this year he took the 4th best EDGE rusher in Chop Robinson. Still on the board, OT/C Graham Barton, CB Quinyon Mitchell (#1 CB prospect), OT Tyler Guyton. No way can Grier look anyone in the eye and say he took the BPA. In the scheme of things, that’s not very important, I think he took a huge need, and I’m good with that. I also liked that he doubled down with Mo Kamara. Our 2nd pick was a little tougher to swallow. Patrick Paul better be a quality starter at LT next season for us, otherwise this pick was a miss. Once again, pleased we signed OBJ, who hopefully doesn’t have to be overused, but can help when an injury hits us, and maybe contribute on 3rd downs when we need a more reliable option. I think the Jets have caught up to us, the Patriots could struggle a bit with a new QB, but Drake Maye could be dangerous and if he bites early, who knows? The Bills seem to have gone backwards, as we have IMO, but preseason predictions are just that, preseason predictions. Always hoping for the best!

GO DOLPHINS!!!