Miami Dolphins fans still not happy about Landry trade
By Brian Miller
Many Miami Dolphins fans have woke to the memory of Jarvis Landry being a Miami Dolphins less than 24 hours ago and they are still made knowing that he is now gone.
Fans are not happy. Gorilla Luke pointed out on earlier today that even drinking orange “juice” just isn’t the same. While some fans are angry, some disappointed, others saddened, and may calling the trade “typical Miami Dolphins bull-s”, there are some fans who see this for what it is. A business move.
So what should you know about this move? Simply, that it had to happen.
You and I know very little about what happens behind closed doors but the Dolphins have had rumors for the last two seasons leaking out of their Davie training center that something with Landry wasn’t right. On the field, the man gave 100% every play but off the field there were concerns. We will never know what those were only that they changed Miami’s view of his value to the team.
That brings us to money. Miami was willing to pay $13 million per season but not $14.5 or $15 million which were both rumored to be asking prices from the Landry camp. Do you really believe that the Dolphins would offer $13 but not get a contract that would pay him another million per season? There had to be a larger gap in guaranteed money over the course of the deal. Or the Dolphins never offered $13 to begin with.
As it relates to the trade, Dolphins fans are unhappy about that to. Honestly it is understandable. Landry is one of the best receivers in the entire NFL. He led the league in receptions last season and has led all player through history over the first four years of his career. The Dolphins only got a 4th round pick for him. Not even the first fourth round pick in that round also owned by Cleveland. And a 2019 7th round pick. For Jarvis Landry.
The same Cleveland Browns team threw a third round pick to the Buffalo Bills for quarterback Tyrod Taylor. Landry a 4th?
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Fans, many of them at least, point to the 3rd round compensatory selection that Miami would have received just by letting him walk into free agency. That is not true. The Dolphins stand to lose more than a few free agents this year but the comp formula balances losses with gains and salary difference. In other words, the Dolphins may have received a 3rd if they were inactive during free agency and made no big spending. In reality, they were more likely to get nothing.
Something for Landry is better than nothing but the bigger problem fans are having is the fact Miami only got a 4th round pick for Landry but at last years trade deadline the Ravens reportedly offered a 3rd. The Ravens were not offering a third this time.
Nor was anyone else.
Miami couldn’t use Landry to move up in the draft as a chip. Teams like the Panthers and the 49’ers who were rumored to be very interested in Landry backed off as soon as they heard the asking price. Not Miami’s asking price, Landry’s asking price.
There are 31 other teams in the NFL and many of them need wide-receiver help. As soon Landry starts his conversations with “$15 million” teams tuned out. They were not going to pay Landry and then overspend on compensation to the Dolphins.
The reality of this whole process is that Mike Tannenbaum managed to get something from what essentially was nothing. He got a 4th round draft pick and another final round draft pick next year for a player who could have left and got nothing in return. A player who could have hit free agency and signed with the Patriots, the Jets, or the Bills. He is going to Cleveland.
Overall the trade of Landry wasn’t a win for the Dolphins but it wasn’t a loss either.