Ross, Grier must learn lessons from past mistakes
Even during a feelgood week of the Dolphins — headlined by the hiring of smart, innovative Mike McDaniel as coach — owner Stephen Ross and general manager Chris Grier cannot lose sight of past mistakes. Twenty lessons they must learn:
If you’re ever going to tank again, learn how to do it correctly.
This organization somehow missed the most obvious and acceptable — and organic — way to tank: Don’t sign Ryan Fitzpatrick, play Josh Rosen (which would have been justified after Miami traded a second-rounder for him) and give playing time to a few young players late in the season. It remains inexplicable why Ross simply didn’t tell Flores he must play Rosen, or fire Flores if he refused.
Don’t shrug off poor personnel decisions.
After dismissing Adam Gase and Mike Tannenbaum following the 2018 season, Ross explained his decision to keep Grier in a position of authority by noting that several unidentified people told him that Grier does a good job. Grier was named general manager in 2016.
But simple examination of some of Grier’s previous body of work — the 2017 draft — would have led more engaged owners to interview other candidates, too, and ask Grier some tough questions.
Such as: Why take
Charles Harris (3.5 sacks in three years with Miami) over T.J. Watt (56.5 sacks for Pittsburgh) in the 2017 draft? (A source said the Dolphins were concerned that Watt might have been a one-year wonder in college.)
Did Ross not notice, in sticking with Grier, that Watt had 20 sacks in 2017 and 2018, compared with three for Harris?
Why washout-cornerback Cordrea Tankersley in the third round, two picks before the Eagles took Rasul Douglas, who had five interceptions his first two years and five for Green Bay last season?
Did Ross ask Grier his role in the picks that didn’t work out during his nine years at college scouting director (such as
Daniel Thomas and
Jonathan Martin)?
Assuredly, blame was to be shared among many
AAduring those nine years. But Grier was the one constant.
Use your top employees more effectively, including team president Tom Garfinkel.
Instead of automatically promoting Grier, Ross should have had Garfinkel conduct an all-encompassing search for the best personnel men in football. Garfinkel should have been instructed to network, to make calls around the league and to present Ross a list of alternatives to Grier, both then (2018) and now if this offseason’s personnel moves backfire.
That would have been a better use of Garfinkel’s time than having him focus on stadium upgrades or luring Formula 1 races.
Sometimes the logical move is the best move.
At times, Grier (and Flores) outsmarted themselves, such as ignoring Miami’s most glaring need (running back) and taking a cornerback (Noah Igbinoghene) 30th overall in the 2020 draft when one wasn’t needed, instead of Jonathan Taylor, who is All-Pro caliber runner for the Colts. Realize the organization’s blind spot.
Since he took over as college scouting director in 2007, the Dolphins’ success rate with drafted offensive linemen has been unacceptable (five quality starters among 21 picks). That’s not entirely on Grier, but he should have sought help in that area, or Ross should have instructed him to get help.
Don’t again put yourself in position to rely on four unproven starters on an offensive line.
The investment in youth was well-intentioned. But the results — aside from
Rob Hunt’s play at guard — were mostly disappointing. Sign two proven, high-level veterans this offseason.
Don’t dump your best veterans at positions without a better alternative.
Kyle Van Noy would have been the second-best inside linebacker on this team (he also can play outside) and Ereck Flowers would have been the best left guard.
Instead, the Dolphins paid Flowers $6 million to leave; PFF rated him 17th overall among guards this season, higher than any Dolphins offensive lineman.
And instead of requesting a restructure, they simply cut Van Noy, who was an asset on a Patriots defense.
This was more on Flores than Grier, but the Dol
AAAAAphins look foolish when they sustain big cap hits to pay free agents to go away after a year.
Stop believing you can get by at running back without investing prime resources at that position or putting together an elite offensive line.
Of the six offseason pickups in the past two years (Jordan Howard, Matt Breida, Malcolm Brown, Gerrid Doaks, Jordan Scarlett, Salvon Ahmed), none has had a significant impact. No wonder the Dolphins finished 31st in the league in yards per carry at 3.5.
Stop running out of shotgun on third- and fourth-and-short.
Brown produced just three first downs and 29 yards on 15 shotgun runs (1.9 per carry).
Use a no-huddle offense more and use more designed rollouts than the previous staff did.
The Dolphins didn’t do either enough, even though quarterback Tua Tagovailoa often is at his best playing in the nohuddle (102 passer rating his first month in nohuddle 2020). McDaniel had great success with designed rollouts with the 49ers this season; doing more of that here would play to Tagovailoa’s strengths.
Don’t just say you want to build a tough, physical team. Do more to achieve it.
Why wasn’t a single quality starting offensive lineman added in the free agency year? Why has this regime never acquired a big, clock-chewing, proven starting running back? Why has the inside linebacker spot next to Jerome Baker been left to one-year low-budget players?
Be careful with extensions for kickers.
Jason Sanders, for all his good work in 2020, finished 26th in the league in field goal percentage at 74.2. The five-year, $22 million extension wasn’t necessary, because Miami wouldn’t have been at risk of losing him.
Don’t leave yourself in a position where you absolutely must fill a position in the draft.
By ignoring left tackle in 2020 free agency, Miami was essentially compelled to take the player considered the fifth-best tackle in that draft (Austin Jackson), even though receiver Justin Jefferson was the better prospect.
The Dolphins, that week, instead should have traded for the 49ers’
Trent Williams, the league’s best left tackle who was acquired from Washington for third- and
AAAAAAfifth-round picks.
Don’t draft perhaps the fastest player in the draft and build a line so untrustworthy that you can rarely target him on deep throws.
The Dolphins crafted an offense around two dangerous deep threats (Jaylen Waddle, Will Fuller) without having the ability or confidence to call plays that maximize them. That was short-sighted.
As a result, Waddle was thrown only 12 passes that traveled at least 20 air yards and caught four of them, none for touchdowns. Cincinnati’s Ja’Marr Chase was thrown 38 such passes and caught 16 of them, with eight touchdowns.
Don’t assume that players who have traditionally had durability issues will suddenly become healthy.
The Dolphins shouldn’t be surprised that Fuller
(27 games missed before 2021) and DeVante Parker (10 missed games from 2017-20) missed time.
Don’t prematurely place players on injured reserve.
Lynn Bowden Jr., who would have been ready to play during the season, instead was regrettably placed on injured reserve before the final roster cut down, thus requiring him to miss the season.
The Dolphins could have released John Jenkins and placed Bowden on short-term injured reserve on Sept. 1, which would have allowed a return after three games.
Stop overpaying for special teams players.
Miami needs to find reliable punt/kickoff return coverage players at lower salaries than Cethan Carter ($2.3 million guaranteed) and Clayton Fejeledem ($2.5 million salary).
Don’t let other teams hoodwink you.
According to reports, the Dolphins offered Arizona far more for Rosen (second- and fifth-round picks) than any other team did. Rosen was gone after a year. The Seahawks drafted Pro Bowl receiver
DK Metcalf shortly after the second-round pick that Miami gave the Saints for Rosen.
If you’re going to invest a high pick in a quarterback, do more to support him.
Find Tagovailoa a tophalf-of-the-league running back and quality bookend tackles and more receivers capable of getting open. How can you fully judge him without any of that?
Make sure you’re selective if McDaniel suggests signing a bunch of players who played for him in the past.
AAAAAAAGase had more disappointments (Jay Cutler, Josh Sitton, Julius Thomas) than hits in this area.
Flores had a bit more success, but none of his Patriots pickups propelled Miami to postseason.
Don’t assume a player is better than an alternative simply because you know him.
Barry Jackson: 305-376-3491, @flasportsbuzz