With the new league calendar less than a month away (March 13th), the dominoes are beginning to fall in offices across the NFL. News broke this afternoon that the Denver Broncos are “most likely” cutting veteran LB Brandon Marshall.
Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reported that Falcons CB Brian Poole will not be receiving a RFA tender from Atlanta. And most notably, the Detroit Lions issued a statement that they were releasing several players, including 33-year old veteran and former All-Pro Safety Glover Quin.
These are notable players who will garner a fair share of attention throughout the free agency process but they’re also the first big litmus test of these “new” Miami Dolphins.
Stephen Ross’ Dolphins have often looked for a big splash and numerous times have been tabbed as “offseason champions” for their aggressive approach to spending money.
But if general manager Chris Grier is true to his word, that won’t be the case this offseason for the Dolphins. Miami will be need to be active in free agency to re-stock their roster. But in order to hold true to their commitment to a long-term approach, they’ll be courting two types of free agents.
The first are young underachievers looking for a cheap contract to prove they can play. And the second are a select handful of seasoned (and likely over the hill) veterans to bring a positive influence to a locker room looking to once again remodel their culture.
So as the first wave of cuts washes over the NFL, so too does Miami’s first chance to prove they’re really in it for the long haul.
