Dolphins make early splash into free agent pool
Three things: It is late. I am working. And the Dolphins didn't take long to kick off free agency.
San Francisco guard Justin Smiley will soon become the newest member of the Dolphins as he agreed to a free agent contract just minutes ago, according to a Dolphins club source.
Smiley, a 26-year-old former second round pick out of Alabama, is getting a five-year contract worth $25 million. The deal includes $9 million in guaranteed money.
San Francisco guard Justin Smiley will soon become the newest member of the Dolphins as he agreed to a free agent contract just minutes ago, according to a Dolphins club source.
Smiley, a 26-year-old former second round pick out of Alabama, is getting a five-year contract worth $25 million. The deal includes $9 million in guaranteed money.
The Dolphins have penciled Smiley in as their starting right guard but I remind you that is in pencil. First of all he has to pass a physical. Second, that is not an easy accomplishment for him.
Smiley is still recovering from surgery to repair a dislocated right shoulder he suffered on Nov. 4, 2007. Even if he passes, Smiley likely will be limited in offseason minicamps. It is unknown at what stage in training camp Smiley will be ready, but one assumes the Dolphins have a sense he'll be good to go early enough to make a difference. Otherwise why give the guy $9 million guaranteed?
Anyway, the move pretty much signals the end of Rex Hadnot's days with the Dolphins unless he accepts a minimum-salary deal and he wasn't inclined to do that as an unrestricted free agent, last I heard. Hadnot started all 16 games at right guard for the Dolphins in 2007.
Anyway, the move pretty much signals the end of Rex Hadnot's days with the Dolphins unless he accepts a minimum-salary deal and he wasn't inclined to do that as an unrestricted free agent, last I heard. Hadnot started all 16 games at right guard for the Dolphins in 2007.
That is the big headline so far. Here are others:
A report in The Dallas Morning News says the Dolphins and Cowboys are close to completing a trade for defensive tackle Jason Ferguson, who has played for Bill Parcells dating back to his days with the Jets. Can't get too excited about this exchange for an 11-year veteran especially when Shaun Rogers was available in trade. Of course, trading for Ferguson will likely cost a seventh-round or conditional pick.
Another soon-to-be former Dolphin is quarterback Cleo Lemon who is scheduled to visit Jacksonville Friday morning and could be David Garrard's backup before the day is over.
I am still hoping, indeed, praying the Dolphins continue to revamp the offensive line by chasing Alan Faneca to play left guard, but that now looks unlikely. The Jets and St. Louis are about to offer perhaps the richest guard contract ever to the perennial Pro Bowl player.
Forget about Flozell Adams reuniting with former line coach Tony Sparano to play left tackle here. He has agreed to re-sign with the Cowboys for a whopping $43 million over six years with approximately $15 million guaranteed. Wow.
The NFL calendar year begins today (Friday) and the Dolphins open the new year second among NFL teams with the most salary cap room behind only Tampa Bay. Last week the team had the most space at $44 million according to figures acquired from the NFLPA and other sources.
Miami had $39.5 million at the official opening of free agency with the difference coming in the signing of Mike Lehan, Greg Camarillo, David Kircus and other minor bookkeeping matters don't merit writing about. If and when the Smiley signing and Ferguson trade ($4 million base for 2008) happen, it obviously will cut into that figure.
[Check back often on Friday, like during the day when normal people are awake, to catch up on the latest happenings.]
posted by Armando Salguero at 1:12 AM
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40 Comments:
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Thanks, Armando. Keep up the goodwork.
Great pickup.....keep up the good work bill
You're earning your paycheck today big boy.
I want Faneca, dammit!!! He and Smiley, if healthy, would make a great interior of the line.
Thanks for the updates, Armando.
Armando, go to sleep dude. The news will keep until after the dawn.
good job mando...smiley ayy..we should still go after faneca !
torn labrum, is that a seious shoulder injury? seems that he has had numerous shoulder problems...
Jason Ferguson? Are you friggan' kidding me? He's old, he's injured and, oh yeah, he sucks. Crap.
how 'bout bringing back Kevin Carter? If we're going old (Ferguson) then bring back a homeboy (Gator) that has some class!
Guys to watch:
~Calvin Pace
~Maurice Williams
~Ernest Wilford
~Jacob Bell
~Drayton Florence
~D.J. Hackett
This blog has been awesome the last couple days. Good work, Armando.
Jacob Bell...and Ernest Wilford would round out the FA needs on offense...since we're gonna draft Jake Long. ;-) We should bring in Johnson for a look at WR from the Cards, and A. Crumpler. He's an excellent blocker, and would be a nice upgraded option for Beck too.
Calvin Pace would shore up the LDE...D. Florence the other CB position. We're gonna trade for Ferguson, so it would seem we're out of the Rogers sweetstakes. :-(
That leaves ILB, SS, back up QB, and LT as the glaring needs.
Why not go after Rogers think of the second round pick we would have to give up (Chambers Trade) then we still have are own..Ferguson is on the downslide of his career and Rogers is young and motivated so they say...not sure about that move!!
An offensive lineman named Smiley? Hmmm. We've goot Feeley, too - how about a quarterback named Touchy?
Whoever came up with the idea to sign Carr --- uh, no ...
Marc
I'm beginning to think that Edwards QB from Browns might be worth it. If we could trade down and get two 1st round picks, we could use one of them with a late round pick to pick up Edwards. I like him a lot better the Carr or any of the othe free agents
Great pickup with Smiley. No point in getting a 31 year old guard (Faneca) if we are rebuilding. Simply not a good way to allocate your resources. Spend the money on young players, like Smiley, who we know can will be around for a while and contribute to the rebuilding process.
The dolphins are stupid for signing that sorry guard from the 49ers. Instead of signing alan the pro bowl guard whos actually done something. They sign this sorry guy who hasnt done nothing and play for one of the worse offensive lines in the nfl. They do this every year with w/e new management that they bring. Now all they need to do is mess the whole draft up as well.
Forgetabout Edwards, Browns just resigned him
The Dolphins are doing a good job by selecting the must important things. For example, Offensive line to help the running backs and QB.
Good job Armando for the info! I'm impress.
With LT Flozell Adams resigning with Dallas, does this lock in Jake Long as our #1 pick?
Fox Sports reports that Calvin Pace (OLB, Ariz)visited or met w/ 'Fins personnel and will likely be signed. The NFL Network also reported that the 'Fins may be signing Billy Volek.
Josh McCown is also apparently visiting the 'Fins today - per Hashmarks on ESPN.
Hey Dave in Ohio..."Edwards" would be Braylon who's a WR! D. Anderson is the QB!
why dont we get some new news, this site is seriously slacking.... is there anybody even at the miami herald building today?
Hey Anonymous who ripped the Phins for signing Smiley...what are you credentials???
In other news:
"The Dolphins are also trying to iron out deals with Cardinals 6-5, 270-pound linebacker Calvin Pace, who is in town, along with Jaguars free-agent receiver Ernest Wilford and Titans defensive tackle Randy Starks, according to sources.
Starks, who's 6-3, 312 pounds and just 24, had his best season in 2005 when he had 47 tackles and three sacks.
They're also moving quickly to bring in a veteran quarterback to back up John Beck and are talking to former Raiders quarterback Josh McCown, 28, who started nine games last season. He had 10 touchdowns with 11 interceptions."
http://njmg.typepad.com/trueblue/2008/02/torbor-to-dolph.html
Torbor to Dolphins
FA linebacker Reggie Torbor has agreed to terms with the Miami Dolphins. He is the first of the Giants free agents to flee.
Apparently the only one of the four to who has a chance to return is LB Kawika Mitchell. His agents are pushing for him to get a big contract on the market while Mitchell wouldn't mind returning to the Giants.
Wrong...Kawika Mitchel signed with the Bills today.
Hey everyone...how about bringing in Isaac Bruce to mentor Ginn??? The guy is a Florida native, and third all time behind Rice and Brown in yards.
Trading 6th round picks w/ the Cowboys & giving up next year's 6th for Ferguson...WFT. This injury fat lard better do something for us. Torbor signed as LB? 39 tackles in 16 games...WFT. At least we didn't give up draft picks for him! Josh McCown - effing Culpepper stole starts from him. Ernest Wilford... come on. With this much stroking going on between the Cowboys and 'Fins, we better be getting their 2 #1's and Barber (to trade) for our #1.
The Miami Dolphins have stormed out of the free-agent gate, adding yet another young player. The Dolphins reached agreement with former Tennessee defensive tackle Randy Starks on a five-year, $21 million contract that includes $7 million worth of guaranteed money. The best part of Starks might be his upside. He is only 24 years old.
The Dolphins also have reached agreement on a trade with the Dallas Cowboys that would reunite DT Jason Ferguson with Parcells and give Miami a new starting defensive tackle tandem for the coming season.
Additionally, the Dolphins signed former Jets tight end Sean Ryan to a one-year deal and were expecting visits from Arizona linebacker Calvin Pace and Oakland quarterback Josh McCown.
-- Adam Schefter
We got Pace now too.
pace is a beast. need to sign jake long,
johndb where do u see that we got pace?
Just what we need - another injured offensive lineman. The doctors better do a better job with the physical than they did with Culpepper.
Glad to hear Hadnot and Lemon are soon to be gone.
I hope Beck is studying hard in QB school.
It is looking more and more likely we will draft a defensive linemen with the first pick- my money is on Ellis.
By the way, can we please give away Joey "trash" Porter? Anyone, please. Maybe Huzengia can put him to work in his waste disposal business.
Hey Martin...you're awful down on all the signings...are you always this negative?
hey idiot that says we should trade with cowboys. if we trade that far down we might as well trade into the 2nd round with 8 different teams for our pick because the last half of the 1st round are all 2nd round caliber players. this years draft isnt very strong. I think that the way that we are signing defensive guys that we wont draft defense first which means no Chris Long, Beck was just drafted last year give the kid a shot therefor we dont need Matt Ryan and that pretty much shores up a Jake Long pick which i dont mind because we need a fresh first round lineman that can be with Satele and get better. We just signed Reggie Torbor and if we sign Calvin Pace.....there is no reason to draft a linebacker unless its at MLB because our linebackers will be awesome. Personally with the Eagles signing Asante Samuel i think we should pursue either Sheldon Brown or Lito Sheppard. Prefferably Sheppard. Well thats all i have to say and i believe that the trade to Dallas is bogus because why trade for a player in Barber and two picks when you dont know if youll be able to shop Barber efficiently. Peace out
hi armando i hear you on 790 the ticket in the morning. i am just a fan but i have to tell you honestly i feel half of the dolphins moves are a mistake you trade for a DT who is 33 years old and is coming of a injury. i have always been very negative of trading for a player who is coming out a injury year (D Culpepper)hint. next wilfork the wide reciver has never show any magic or honestly talent. the Tight end for the jets ryan i think they should have gone after A. Crumpler i think he is still capable help this team and he is a hell of a TE when recieving not so sure of run blocking. but i know he is better than ryan for the jets. o yea how about smiley another injury and not only that 25 mil also. i dont really agree on give 25mil to a injured player who you don know is going to show up every sunday. Keep doing wat your doing.
When you list Brett Farve's career statistics....where is the part about his career interceptions???????? (Most in NFL history)
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