Dolphins deeper at wide receiver than most think?
While the Jarvis Landry contract situation is the biggest headline, the wide receiver group isn’t a major issue heading into the offseason.
With nine wide receivers currently under contract, the Dolphins would have enough ‘bodies’ if training camp were to start tomorrow. What’s up for debate is whether Miami has enough ‘quality’ receivers. Below I will discuss what decision the Dolphins should make with each player.
Stay OR Go
Under the right circumstances it would make sense to keep Jarvis Landry. If he were to agree to sign for around $12-13M per year, then the Dolphins would be dumb to let their best WR go. Landry has both the production (400 catches) and fiery spirit that Miami would find hard to replace.
Barring a team-friendly deal, I expect that Landry should/will be traded (or the franchise tag removed). Miami’s offense was not overly productive with Landry making ~$800K so I see no reason to believe that the offense will improve if Landry carries a $14M+ cap number into 2018.
Miami needs help on the offensive line, a complimentary running back and a dual threat tight end and I expect that all three of those needs could be filled using the money allocated to Jarvis Landry at this time.
Stay
Devante Parker’s entire salary of $3.46M is guaranteed for the 2018 season. Despite his injury history, it would make no sense to cut Parker. However, if a team wants to offer something in a trade, that’s a different story….
Like Parker, it would cost more to cut Stills than keep him. Besides the salary cap implications, Kenny Stills is still clearly the second best WR on the team (#1 if Landry goes elsewhere).
While Jakeem Grant would have made my ‘cut’ list after the 2016
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season, Grant is now firmly on the ‘stay’ list. Head coach Adam Gase showcased Grant in some creative ways last season and will be a valuable weapon whether Landry stays or goes.
Rashawn Scott, Malcolm Lewis, Drew Morgan, and Isaiah Ford all fall under the same category at this time. All four wide receivers are 1st/2nd year players with minimal salary cap numbers and little ‘dead money’. Realistically, these four are fighting for one roster spot while the rest will continue to jockey for practice squad space in 2018.
Go
If Landry is traded, maybe Leonte Carroo makes it through to the final 53 man roster. In my opinion, however, Carroo’s presence on the roster last year was merely to save face for a front office that is trying to cover up for a terrible trade up in the 2016 draft. While that comes across as harsh/cold, the fact remains that he has only caught 10 passes in two seasons and has often been leapfrogged by Scott on the depth chart.
So there you have it. With Landry, Miami goes at least three deep with starting-caliber wide receivers. Without Landry, Miami still has the ability to sign/draft a WR and hope that one of the four young pass-catchers can blossom.