Jeff Ireland knows this. Jeff Ireland has acknowledged this. In-fact, he did so earlier this week in an interview while in Alabama scouting for the Senior Bowl:
"We’ve got to find guys that are scoring touchdowns and getting the ball in the end zone. We’ve got to find guys that are disrupting the passer on defense, disrupting the receiver getting into the route on defense as well."
“I think this is the year that you’ve got to do something. We’re looking for playmakers on offense. That’s what we need to do and the players have to be available for you to, you can’t make that up."
"We’ll take every single opportunity and avenue that we can to procure some better players on the football team.”
"We’re in a position, a very good position, to utilize some of our cap space to bring some veteran players on our football team and then we’re in a very good position to bring some young players on our team from the draft stand point."
I've been watching this team and covering this team a long, long time now, and I can honestly say that this is the first time Ireland has really, truly acknowledged that this team will go all out come March 13th (when the new league year begins). Clearly, he knows what the stakes are. He knows that, without a good performance this offseason, he won't see next offseason.
He knows that this will quite possibly be his final chance to do right with the folks in Miami.
And he's got the tools to pull it off.
It just comes down to the execution:
If I'm Ireland I look at the three probable free agent wide receivers, Mike Wallace, Greg Jennings, and Dwayne Bowe. I emphasize probable because all three could be resigned, but at this point, especially with Wallace and Bowe, that's highly unlikely.
Now, the question is, which way does he go? Personally, I'd rather Wallace. He's the youngest of all three receivers (26), not nearly as injury prone (he's missed just one game in four seasons), and, most importantly, the guy is incredibly fast. In-fact, he's one of, if not the fastest receiver in all of the NFL (4.33 in the 40 at the NFL Combine, averaged 17.2 yards per catch in four seasons and has an 80-plus yard touchdown in each of the last two seasons).
And isn't that exactly what Ryan Tannehill and this stagnant Dolphins offense needs? Somebody who can, to quote Randy Moss, take the top off the defense? Somebody who will require game planning from the other defense? Somebody who will free up the middle of the field for possession receivers like Davone Bess and Brian Hartline? Somebody who will turn a first ten at your own 30 to a first and goal at the ten?
You want production? Hows this sound?
Wallace had 60 catches for 1,257 yards (21.0 average) and 10 touchdowns in 2010.
72 catches for 1,193 yards (16.6 average) and eight touchdowns in 2011.
And 64 catches for 836 yards (13.1) average and eight touchdowns in 2012, with many of those games featuring Charlie Batch at the QB position.
And please don't say his production is decreasing. He was without Ben Roethlisberger for nearly a quarter of the season. Move on, nothing to see there.
Wallace, combined with Hartline, who, as I said last week, MUST be resigned, and Bess, would make this Dolphins wide receiving core a nightmare to game-plan for.
Now, lets look at the other two possible free agents.
A lot of you like Greg Jennings, and for good reason. The seven year veteran has had a huge career thus far, with the four year stretch between 2007-2010 being his best. In that time, Jennings had 4,590 receiving yards, 37 touchdowns, and a pro-bowl appearance. The big plus with Jennings is obviously his familiarity with Joe Philbin and the offense he runs. And yes, while I do agree that gives him an edge, I don't think it's enough of an edge to overlook two things:
His age, and his health. Jennings will be 30 in September, and, if the last two seasons are any indication, it's starting to catch up with him. 2012 was a lost season for Jennings. He missed eight games with a groin injury and finished with just 36 catches for 366 yards and four touchdowns.
The year before a sprained MCL cost him the final three games of the regular season.
One has to wonder if these injuries are beginning to linger.
Nonetheless, Jennings would still be a huge upgrade on this Miami Dolphins roster, as his familiarity, route running, and hands are among the best in the league. So, if Ireland wants to go after the veteran, I'll have no problem with it.
Now to door number three- Dwayne Bowe. The one thing the Kansas City WR has going for him is his size. At 6-2 and 228 pounds, Bowe would easily become the tallest and most physical receiver on this team.
My problem with Bowe is, to me, he's a possession receiver, and not somebody who's going to beat you deep like a Mike Wallace. Don't believe me? The 40 times:
Mike Wallace: 4.33
Greg Jennings: 4.48
Dwayne Bowe: 4.51
It may not seem like a lot, but the drop off from 4.3 to 4.5 is HUGE in this business; it makes all the difference in the world. Consider this- Brian Hartline is just about as fast as Bowe with a 4.52 forty time.
Now, some may think of Hartline as a fast receiver, but, aside from the 80 yard catch in Arizona where he was WIDE OPEN (and still almost got caught), he rarely out ran a secondary this year. Yes, he can get behind one, but he lacks the speed to pull away.
He got behind the Arizona secondary earlier in that game, if you remember, but was caught.
He got behind the Jets secondary earlier in the year, but was caught.
He got behind the Bengals secondary, but was caught.
He got behind the 49ers secondary, but was caught.
Mike Wallace doesn't get caught in ANY of those situations. Not a chance in the world.
But Brian Hartline does. So does Greg Jennings. So does Dwayne Bowe. It's not a knock on any of these guys, it's just who they are- possession receivers. Can Jennings and Bowe make plays in the open field? Absolutely! That's why they have a huge check coming from somebody in March. However, I just prefer a guy like Wallace who can take this "red zone" offense the Dolphins run, and turn it into a quick strike machine.
Now, there is the slight possibility of a secret door number four to open up here. This is the "dreamland" door. This is the door that will put a smile on every Dolfan's face so big that your cheeks will begin to hurt.
This is the door that will fill up seats in Miami quicker than the Marino years did.
The all out, Super Bowl or bust door that contains TWO of these receivers behind it. Don't get your hopes up, don't expect it, but hey, it's not completely out of the realm of possibility. Ireland's got the money to at least make a run at it, no?
For now, lets just stick with one of these guys. For me, I'd target Wallace, then Jennings, then Bowe. None of this will be cheap, and it will probably take some overpaying from the Dolphins, but luckily, when you have roughly $46 million to work with, you can overpay.
The real message here though? Don't be picky. Be happy if Ireland comes out with even ONE of these guys. Heck, be happy if they all hit the market.
But if they do, and like I said, I expect all three of them to, then Ireland better come out of the gates firing.
Because if he loses out on all three of them...
I don't even want to think about the chaos that would follow.
Gulp.
Tune in next time!
