If you’ve followed the @5ReasonsSports Twitter account — and if not, why the heck not — you know I haven’t been fully on board the tank.
Well, I like selling #tankovailoa shirts and tanktops (get yours here!) but I’m not sold on every move the Dolphins are making.
They needed a reset, for sure, and somewhat of a teardown. But they made it too obvious with what they did the week before the season, giving their team no chance to reasonably compete, and forgetting the human cost to players and others of stripping down the roster to this degree. I also don’t entirely trust them to rebuild this, even with three gazillion picks and gobs and gobs of cap space.
The national sports media, which haven’t cared about Miami sports since Chris Foerster was snorting coke in his office, are all over this story.
And some have some idiotic opinions.
Here’s just one, the one that pushed me to the tank side, because I don’t want to share a viewpoint with this pundit. Make some space. What’s it Tua-ya?
If you are tired of mediocre Miami Dolphins coverage in the national media, stick with us. We have the best Miami Dolphins content in Five Reasons Sports. Don’t get caught in all the bulls**t out there. And by the way. Visit our shop. You’ll like what we have there.
https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/Dolphins-3YPC-Tank.png5791030Ethan Skolnickhttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgEthan Skolnick2019-09-20 15:20:472019-09-21 11:37:00The national anti-Dolphins tank lobby has lost it
In what has been a very busy day for the Miami Dolphins, they made moves on Thursday. According to multiple media reports, the Miami Dolphins claimed defensive end Taco Charlton. His deal is said to be two years in length.
Charlton was drafted in the first round with the 28th overall pick back in 2017. A member of the Dallas Cowboys from 2017-2019, he came into the National Football League with an impressive resume. A former Michigan star, he was named to the All-Big Ten first team in 2016. His 2016 season was one for the books. He recorded 10 sacks and 13.5 tackles for a loss in 11 games.
In 27 career games, he has started seven of them. He has recorded 46 tackles and four sacks. Those are not eye-popping numbers, but this should help the Dolphins at least add stability at the position.
The Dolphins are getting Taco Charlton for a bargain: 2 years, $2.5M.
What can Taco Charlton bring to the Miami Dolphins?
Taco Charlton will be able to bring versatility to Miami. Especially on a two-year deal, he has everything to gain, and I think that will reflect in his performance on the field. With this deal totaling $2.5 million, this is a very low-risk, high-reward signing.
He will be able to bring a versatile presence to the Miami Dolphins defensive line. This is something that will fit today’s National Football League very well. The Dolphins need to have pass rushers that can bring pressure from all angles. Charlton can help fill that void. This Miami team ranks 26th in the entire National Football League with three sacks on the season. Although Charlton only recorded one sack on the season last year, his tackle numbers suggest that he can be the Swiss Army knife of sorts on that defense.
Depending on his performance over the next two seasons, I could see Charlton being a mainstay on the defense as the Miami Dolphins go through this rebuild. He would undoubtedly be a veteran on this roster. It will be interesting to see exactly how he fits into this defense and what type of impact he will make. He definitely has the potential to help the Dolphins, but he could also be just a holdover as the team tries to build their roster. We’ll have to see how it all unfolds.
https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/2019-09-19.png10801920Danny Jaillethttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgDanny Jaillet2019-09-19 17:30:092019-09-21 11:48:38Miami Dolphins get help defensively with Taco Charlton
After spending the last several months clamoring for Josh Rosen to be the Dolphins’ starting QB, the time is now for ‘The Chosen One’.
Truth is, after a woeful start from the man known as ‘FitzMagic’, a change seemed imminent. But as of Thursday morning, it seemed as though Fitzpatrick would remain Miami’s QB for at least one more week. And then, everything changed.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Dolphins will start Rosen this Sunday vs the Cowboys.
Sources: The #Dolphins have made a big move. QB Josh Rosen is set to start vs. the #Cowboys on Sunday. Coach Brian Flores made the decision this afternoon.
The plan was always for the Dolphins to find out what they had in the 22-year old QB, sooner rather than later. But no one expected him to get the start this early.
We will now see how Miami looks in Big D this Sunday with a young, promising QB at the helm. This probably won’t do much to detract the #TankForTua crowd. But if Rosen can string together a few wins, the future would look a light brighter than many expected. After all, if Rosen is ‘the guy’, they could then use the $130+M and treasure chest of draft picks, to build everything around him.
In Josh Rosen We Trust.
Josh Houtz (@houtz) still supports Josh Rosen, even if it is #Tankovailoa SZN
https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/864F4A28-F504-40B4-B5F3-927A5CCF7B96-scaled.jpeg17072560Josh Houtzhttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgJosh Houtz2019-09-19 16:23:092019-09-21 12:10:46Josh Rosen to start Sunday vs Dallas
The Miami Dolphins are in every outlet of the country because of their obvious tanking. Can the NFL do anything about it?
Everyone that has watched the last several weeks in Davie, Florida, can see the long-term plan starting to unfold.
And whether that be the $130M+ they will have to spend in free agency, or the obscene amount of draft picks – it all starts with securing the NFL’s top QB prospect, Tua Tagovailoa.
That is, unless the NFL competition committee has something to say about it.
“Five years ago, the league source said, the competition committee did debate the Cleveland Browns, which is best described as having pursued a mini version of the Dolphins’ strategy. The committee, the league source added, was responding to media questions and decided the NFL Draft structure served the league well.”
Kaplan then goes on to mention why the NFL competition committee could have a problem with teams trying to deliberately tank, such as the 2019 Dolphins.
“The committee will probably have the questions posed to it again, if not by the media, maybe by teams,” a league source said.
“It’s likely the competition committee will have to address this issue.” It’s not hard to see why the committee might be concerned. The fabric of the NFL is built on the “Any Given Sunday” ethos that infuses fans with the belief that any NFL team can beat another NFL team. It’s not baseball where each team has 162 sometimes meaningless games spread across regional sports channels or the NBA with 82 regular season games. NFL teams have only 16 games and they are all national, with an inordinate amount of pressure and hype for each contest.”
The last time the media was this upset at Miami it was because they assembled the best basketball team on the planet. https://t.co/BKenaFzwDO
For the league to determine the Dolphins are deliberately trying to tank, they would need to bring in some of the top investigators in the country. Some names to consider include Scooby Doo and Mystery Inc., the Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, and of course, Inspector Gadget. This is not a job for the faint of heart.
In all seriousness, there’s probably very little that will come of this. The Dolphins are on pace to be the worst team in NFL history. Period.
Sure, maybe the ‘tank’ was never meant to be this bad. But everything is going according to plan. #Tankovailoa
The Miami Dolphins will be missing two key players on Sunday, especially Albert Wilson.
The Dolphins chances against the Dallas Cowboys got much tougher with some news on Wednesday. According to multiple media reports, wide receiver Albert Wilson will likely miss his second game in a row.
He is doubtful according to the report, and Miami will certainly miss his offensive production. He hasn’t had a blazing start to this year. Catching two passes for 13 yards, those are certainly numbers that can be improved upon. The injuries he suffered haven’t helped of course. Suffering a calf injury against the New England Patriots, it seems like the injuries keep mounting for him.
Although he had much better numbers last season, he missed nine games with a hip injury. For the year, Wilson finished with 26 catches for 391 yards and four touchdowns in 2018.
Albert Wilson (hip and calve) and Reshad Jones (ankle) continue to sit out practice for a second week. Don’t expect them to play on Sunday.
Reshad Jones is also expected to miss Sunday’s game. This is unfortunate as well. I thought he was going to have a big role once the Dolphins traded away Minkah Fitzpatrick. He sat out Wednesday’s practice with an ankle injury.
In a season that is already extremely challenging, these two injuries are not what the Dolphins needed. As the team looks to try and make the best of what is a rebuilding year, these veterans could have certainly helped on Sunday. These injuries do not sound season-ending, so that is a good thing. I would figure Wilson to be a big part of the passing game moving forward as Miami looks to make the most of this season.
Jones should figure to be a big part of the defense, and I would still expect him to play a role in it. These two are undoubtedly going to have their stock rise this season if they perform well. Hopefully, this is just a short stay on the sidelines rather than a permanent one.
https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svg00Danny Jaillethttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgDanny Jaillet2019-09-19 13:13:372019-09-21 11:54:39Albert Wilson will not suit up Sunday for Miami Dolphins
Heading into the 2019 season, the Miami Dolphins had several glaring weaknesses. And aside from the warts we continue to see each and every day in South Florida, pass-rusher remains at the top of the list. Truth is, Miami has all the money and draft capital in the world, but that can’t be used until the league year strikes 2020. So for now, they must continue to bring in low-risk, high-reward signings in hopes of building a young nucleus. Which leads us to the 28th-overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, Taco Charlton.
Charlton, 24, was recently released by the Dallas Cowboys after he took to social media to voice his displeasure with his role in Big D. He believes he deserves a bigger role elsewhere, and Miami might be the perfect destination.
The age old saying ‘One man’s trash, is another man’s treasure’ applies to the situation. After all, Charlton amassed 46 (18 solo) tackles and 4 sacks in his two seasons with the Cowboys. Ironically enough, Charles Harris has 43 (18 solo) and 3 sacks in two years. Harris was drafted six picks before Taco.
The question isn’t whether or not the Dolphins should use a waiver claim on Taco Charlton, because they should. But will they have the opportunity to claim him before one of the other 12 teams with a hire waiver claim.
As I learned earlier today, the waiver order is currently based off of last year’s draft order. Though this will change after the end of Week 3.
Brian Flores could turn Taco into a superstar. I believe that.
And it can’t hurt that he graduated from the University of Michigan, Ross’ one true love.
Charlton is a player with very good physical attributes, who can be a valuable speed-rusher off the EDGE.
Miami missed out on Clowney. The same may have been true regarding Trey Flowers. Nevertheless, Charlton could be an asset on a team with very little hope for the future. And if not, they cut ties with the 24-year old DE, who is set to make under $4M over the next two seasons.
Miami needs a pass-rusher and Taco needs a new home.
“Yo Quiero, Taco Charlton”
https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/DSC_0449-scaled.jpg17112560Josh Houtzhttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgJosh Houtz2019-09-19 10:06:482019-09-21 11:59:28Will the Dolphins claim Taco Charlton off waivers?
Having an updated roster by your side on Sundays is becoming more of a necessity as the Dolphins continue to trade off players.
After Sunday’s blowout loss to New England, the Dolphins and Pittsburgh Steelers exchanged late-round picks in a trade that sent Minkah Fitzpatrick to Pittsburgh for a 2020 first-round pick.
As of today, only Reshad Jones, Xavien Howard, Bobby McCain, DeVante Parker and Kenyan Drake have spent more than three years in Miami. While the Dolphins continue to stockpile draft picks, could one of these guys be the next to be out in Miami?
More Dolphins trade news, team has had trade talks with teams this week about RB Kenyan Drake
All seems quiet on the trade front, but if the 2019 Miami Dolphins have shown us anything, every player can be traded. Especially if offered the right price.
Through two games, Drake has 10 carries for 31 yards and seven receptions for 44 yards. Keep in mind, those numbers tell us more about Miami’s talent on offense. Drake has offered the Miami Dolphins a big-play threat since being drafted in the third round of the 2016 draft.
While runningbacks are undervalued in today’s NFL, keeping (and extending) Kenyan Drake gives the Dolphins a consistent threat on a generally inexperienced team for years to come. If traded, the Dolphins would ride out the season with Kalen Ballage, Mark Walton and rookie Myles Gaskin carrying the rock.
https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svg00Jake Mendelhttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgJake Mendel2019-09-18 12:46:002019-09-21 12:07:04Could Kenyan Drake be the next player traded?
Jalen Ramsey could be an option for the Miami Dolphins.
The Miami Dolphins aren’t the only team who has disgruntled super stars.
During Jacksonville’s 13-12 loss to the Houston Texans on Sunday, fiery cornerback Jalen Ramsey found himself in a heated exchange with his head coach, Doug Marrone.
It seems like the bridge has been burned in Jacksonville. The Jaguars would like two first-round picks for the 2017 first-team All-Pro.
The Miami Dolphins are on track to be the worst team in NFL history. However, they are loaded with draft capital for both the 2020 and 2021 drafts.
His impact won’t be seen in 2019, but should the Dolphins trade for Ramsey to pair with Xavien Howard in Miami’s secondary?
Ramsey is under contract through 2020, meaning he could re-up with the Dolphins after a trade.
Miami is scheduled to have $122 million in cap space next season. General Manager Chris Grier said yesterday that the team plans to be aggressive in the 2020 off season.
Dolphins GM Chris Grier: "We've talked about building this long-term with sustained success right away." He mentioned they will be aggressive soon in free agency, trades and the draft. "We're not going to sit on a bunch of money."
Keep in mind, aggressiveness isn’t limited to signing unrestricted free agents. The Dolphins could find themselves in the running to make a move for some disgruntled superstars and Jalen Ramsey fits the bill.
If Jalen Ramsey remains in Jacksonville through the regular season, the Dolphins could make a move for the cornerback. If price starts to drop and we discover the value of Miami’s picks, the Dolphins should be aggressive in trading for a talent like Ramsey.
https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/Ramsey.jpg412754Jake Mendelhttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgJake Mendel2019-09-18 12:10:182019-09-21 11:27:54Should the Miami Dolphins make a move for Jalen Ramsey?
Every year, the Jason Taylor Foundation gathers celebrities across South Florida to give kids a chance to start their school year rocking the latest fashion trends. Together with Old Navy, former Dolphins superstar and Hall of Fame pass rusher Jason Taylor has been outfitting students with $300 dollars worth of clothing for 15 years. This year, however, adversity stood in their way.
The Miami Dolphins are currently facing a season where losing will be a common theme. It’s hard to imagine any players wanting to take time out of their day in the face of such hardship. Even worse, Hurricane Dorian threatened to come to South Florida, forcing Cool Gear for the School Year 2019 to be postponed until September 16. Under those circumstances, it makes sense that the overall turnout wouldn’t be as notable as years past.
However, that was anything but the case on Monday evening. The kids still came, the celebrities still contributed, and everything went as smoothly as one could imagine.
“Although the storm didn’t come here, it ended up turning, we had to simply reschedule it.” Jason Taylor said. “That’s the least of our concerns, that’s easy. Old Navy’s easy to work with, and they were all for it. They didn’t want their employees on the road either. So Dorian had very little effect on us. It had a very major effect on our neighbors. We’re still working with the foundation, somehow, someway, we’re gonna do one of these for people over there as well.”
Dedication
That’s an admirable mission, especially considering the level of destruction suffered by the Bahamas at the hands of Dorian. The Jason Taylor Foundation is committed to improving the lives of kids all across South Florida. But it’s now abundantly clear that they aren’t limited to that area. Help is needed everywhere, and they will do what they can to provide.
This event doesn’t happen without an army, however. That’s where the celebrities come in, not the least of which is rising star Jerome Baker. In spite of Miami’s struggles on the field, the Dolphins linebacker and team captain went out of his way to arrive and offer his notoriety to the event. He and fellow captain Walt Aikens walked along with kids and helped them shop for whatever they needed.
“They had a little list, they had everything they wanted, so we were letting them free reign.” Aikens said. “Get whatever they want, they know how to swag it out these days.”
Other celebrity shoppers included several Dolphins alumni, such as O.J. McDuffie, Troy Drayton, Louis Oliver, Jeff Dellenbach, Channing Crowder and more. Their intentions are undoubtedly selfless, but Jerome Baker admitted that doing these events helps him reset and get back into a good place mentally. Given the defeats the Dolphins have suffered as of late, this was a welcome respite.
“It just shows you that football is football, ” He said. “Events like this show you that it’s more than football than just in-between the white lines. A chance to come out here and just to see kids’ faces, to see everybody smile … it kinda brings you back down to reality. Football’s gonna take care of itself. What’s really important is your family, your community, your friends, it’s definitely good.”
Impact
The Jason Taylor Foundation reaches far beyond the world of football. Even Miami Heat star Udonis Haslem attended as a celebrity shopper.
“I got a long relationship with Jason (Taylor) and I’m real supportive of anything he’s doing.” Haslem said. “He’s the same for me and anything I’m doing. It was great to have the opportunity to come out here, I’ve done it before, and it’s always fun. I got three boys, I’m used to shopping for kids, I know what the fashion is, what the style is, I know what they’re looking for so it gets easier every year.”
And every year, the impact of the Jason Taylor Foundation adds up. In 2019, 60 kids from across South Florida went home with new clothes. Over $18,000 was spent in an hour’s time. And over the course of this event’s 15 years, over $260,000 for over 900 kids.
“That’s what we’re about,” said Seth Levit, Executive Director of the Jason Taylor Foundation, as well as one of the hosts for The Fish Tank podcast. “That’s our mission, is to support these young people. That number makes us feel pretty good about the work we’ve been able to do.”
It speaks to the character of those involved that this event still goes off without a hitch. For get-togethers like this, scheduling is everything. But not even a storm like Dorian could keep it from ultimately succeeding. Now, 60 more kids are going to go back to school feeling great about how they look, allowing them to focus on what really matters.
Luis Sung has covered the Miami Dolphins for numerous outlets such as Dolphins Wire for six years. Follow him on Twitter: @LuisDSung
https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/IMG_9917-scaled.jpg17072560Luis Sunghttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgLuis Sung2019-09-17 16:01:572019-09-17 16:10:19Jason Taylor Foundation overcomes adversity to host 15th Cool Gear for the School Year
We have a late-night trade to tell you about, and it will definitely benefit the Miami Dolphins in the long run. The team has traded defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a 2020 1st-round pick.
Fitzpatrick has recorded 11 total tackles so far this season. His recent track record had him on pace for a solid year. 2018 was a great year for him. In 16 games, he recorded 80 tackles and two interceptions. One of those interceptions was returned for a touchdown.
In the team’s last game against the New England Patriots on Sunday, Fitzpatrick recorded four tackles. That is the same amount he recorded against Baltimore in the opener last week.
TRADE: Steelers are trading a 2020 first-round pick to the Dolphins for DB Minkah Fitzpatrick, league sources tell ESPN.
Much like he did for the Miami Dolphins, Fitzpatrick will be able to add a physical brand of football to the Pittsburgh Steelers secondary. This is a team that has prided themselves on defense for years. With guys like TJ Watt and Devin Bush on that side of the football, That doesn’t seem to be changing anytime soon. This is a team that has a mix of players who are both veterans and younger players
Minkah Fitzpatrick is young himself, so adding him to the Pittsburgh secondary will allow for the Steelers to have a nice core to build around. In this day and age of the National Football League, where passing is king and offense runs amok, this is a great move for the Steelers. This will just add another weapon for them on defense.
What does this mean for Miami?
It is no secret that the Miami Dolphins are in rebuilding mode. Right now, the main goal for them is to collect as many assets as possible. This team certainly has a lot of capital to build around. With Ben Roethlisberger out for the rest of the season, this 2020 draft pick could have significant value to it. We will have to see how it all plays out.
Miami currently has three first-round picks and two second round picks in the 2020 NFL Draft.
This is also a big move for Reshad Jones. He will continue to be the starting safety. Now, he should become the unquestioned leader of the defense. It’s a lot to ask out of him, but I truly believe he can do it.
It will be interesting to see if Fitzpatrick’s trade from the Miami Dolphins will lead to the exits of more players. We have already heard rumblings about players wanting out of Miami.
Minkah Fitzpatrick is a very good player. However for a rebuilding Miami Dolphins team, it was time to move forward. Both teams won in this deal, With a Pittsburgh Steelers team that can still make a run to the playoffs and a Miami team looking to rebuild, this is a great deal for both sides.
Luis Sung - Five Reasons Sports
