Grading the Dolphins 2019 offseason: Miami is finally on the right track
After years of treading in 8-8 waters, the Dolphins have finally done the sensible thing and committed to a long-term rebuild. An offseason purge of the roster will not make the team any better in 2019 — it will have the opposite effect — but it will pay dividends down the line.
Typically buyers in free agency, Miami took the opposite approach in 2019, allowing several big-name free agents to leave town without putting up much of a fight. The Dolphins front office has refocused its team-building efforts on acquiring draft capital. After numerous trade downs, Miami now owns 11 picks in the 2020 NFL draft. And if the Josh Rosen trade works out, the front office won’t have to use any of its precious draft capital to acquire a QB.
Notable draft picks: DT Christian Wilkins, G Michael Deiter
Key acquisitions/re-signings: QB Josh Rosen, QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, TE Dwayne Allen, CB Eric Rowe, WR DeVante Parker*
Losses: QB Ryan Tannehill, DE Cam Wake, OT Ja’Wuan James, WR Danny Amendola, G Josh Sitton, RB Frank Gore
*Re-signed with team
Because of how poorly the Cardinals handled the Rosen/Kyler Murray situation, the Dolphins were able to find a potential franchise quarterback for the low cost of a second-round pick. And with Arizona stuck with Rosen’s guaranteed money, Miami is getting the 2018 10th-overall pick at a greatly reduced price. If he proves to be even an average quarterback over the course of his rookie deal, Rosen will be one of the biggest assets in football — not unlike what Dak Prescott has been for the Cowboys over these last few years.
Before Rosen fell into their lap, the Dolphins signed Ryan Fitzpatrick to a modest deal. As far as bridge quarterback options go, the Harvard grad is not a bad one. He’ll help the Dolphins tank for a better draft pick next spring, but he’s fun enough to keep fans interested during the early days of the rebuild, which won’t be very fun.
Outside of the quarterback position, the Dolphins didn’t do a whole lot of acquiring. Dwayne Allen and Eric Rowe followed Brian Flores over from New England, and … that about covers all of Miami’s “major” moves during free agency. But by sitting out of free agency, and allowing their biggest free agents to walk for big money, the Dolphins should have some valuable compensatory picks coming their way in 2021.
Miami might be the worst team in the NFL next year, but this franchise was going nowhere with the roster core that was in place. It was time to tear things down. It won’t be very fun over the next few years, but stay patient, Dolphins fans. This team is finally on the right track.