Miami Dolphins Tossing Money Around

First it was the huge contract to Ndamukong Suh now a huge contract to Mike Pouncey. The Miami Dolphins are freely spending money and it needs to pay off in the form of playoff appearances if not more.

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Suh became the highest paid defensive player in the NFL when the Dolphins gave him $114 million. While they will likely never pay out that much they will shell out $60 million in guaranteed money. Last week the Dolphins re-signed Pouncey to a deal that will pay him over $50 million for five years making him the highest paid center in the NFL. At some point they need to work out a long term deal with quarterback Ryan Tannehill.

Don’t think for a minute that other players are taking notice of the Dolphins generosity. While Pouncey is a Pro-Bowler defensive end Olivier Vernon wants a new deal and will be up for free agent status after 2015. Lamar Miller will also be looking ahead to a market that has seen running back stock drop over the last few years. Vernon however will want to get paid.

With the re-signing of Mike Pouncey the Dolphins have finally invested in one of their own draft picks. Not since 2004 when the Dolphins re-signed Vernon Carey have the Dolphins kept one of their first round picks after their rookie contract was up. Consider that list of first rounders. Running back Ronnie Brown, cornerback Jason Allen, Ted Ginn, Jr., Jake Long, Vontae Davis, and Jared Odrick.

That’s a long list of not good enough first round players. Jake Long was not only a first round pick but a number one overall. Ronnie Brown was taken number two overall, Ted Ginn number nine. That is three top ten players in the last 10 years that couldn’t stay on the squad beyond their rookie deal. Long of course had injury issues that eventually ran it’s course in St. Louis and Jared Odrick it could be argued was good enough to get re-signed but it shows the lack of judgement by Jeff Ireland and Randy Mueller and a lack of coaching by Cam Cameron, Tony Sparano, and so far Joe Philbin.

The Dolphins are not playing games anymore, at least financially. Mike Tannenbaum chose this same course with the New York Jets and came up one game short of the Super Bowl twice. Can he replicate that success in Miami? It’s unknown but what is known is that for years the Dolphins have poured money into players that never should have been on the team to begin with while letting their own draft picks, while poorly selected, walk out the door. For now, it’s a positive sign of change within the Dolphins organization. Provided of course the salary structures of these deals don’t kill the team in the next few years.