Dolphins’ Grier addresses question of roster construction to beat good teams in cold
The question, offered to general manager Chris Grier, hinted at a talking point among Dolphins fans: Is this roster constructed in a way to compete with tough, elite teams on the road, even more so in cold weather?
Here’s how the question was asked and answered:
Just looking at how you construct your roster given the top of the AFC and the quarterbacks that are there and the cold weather, how much does that factor in knowing that most likely you’ve got to develop a team to potentially go on the road and beat those teams in a playoff game?
Grier’s answer: “I think you always look, especially for us – listen, Buffalo has been the top dog in the AFC East now, so we’re always looking at how we can beat them as well as the Jets and Patriots, because you win your division, you get into the playoffs. So that is a focus. I think a lot of those times in some of those cold weather games, it’s self-inflicted wounds; we find a way to beat ourselves.
“Even last week, we turned the ball over three times, including in the red zone a couple times. Until this team figures out ways to stop doing it, nothing is going to change, so we need to change that narrative and find a way to win. Buffalo this year wasn’t a cold game, but we went up to Buffalo and lost on a 61-yard field goal. We played them on that Saturday night (two years ago), and another shootout in the cold. The guys can play.
“We can play in there, it’s just the self-inflicted wounds that we do and it seems to show up in the wrong times and teams. Like Kansas City, in that game, too, at the end, we have a chance to tie it, send it into overtime, and until these guys figure that out, nothing is going to change. We work tirelessly and talk about it constantly, and I think the players are tired of it to. So I think that’s the big step for these guys and us as a team here next offseason to end that narrative.”
The Dolphins have lost 12 games in a row when the temperature drops below 40 degrees.
More from press conference
▪ Grier delivered a no-excuses opening statement: “Disappointed with 8-9, that’s not the standard here. It hasn’t been and it won’t be. We will better and that includes everyone from myself to Mike, the coaching staff, players. We had expectations which we were created by the excitement of the last couple years and we had hoped to continue it and for various circumstances, didn’t happen this year and it was unacceptable. No one is happy and we will get this fixed.”
▪ Grier referenced an unproven left tackle who missed the season due to injury: “I think people forget Kion Smith was a huge loss for us. We had high expectations – we had teams trying to trade for Kion and we were excited about him, and he got hurt in preseason.”
▪ Grier said backup quarterback will be addressed this offseason and indicated that he tried to find an upgrade over Skylar Thompson and Mike White last offseason. Here was his full answer:
“We were in on a number of topflight backup quarterbacks in the league,” Grier said. “We were runner-ups for a couple of them that we wanted to get here, and for some financial restraints and compensatory pick stuff, we just couldn’t go to those, to the prices. But all of those guys wanted to come here. It’s a position we do not take lightly.
“We were working through that the entire offseason, and the fact that some of those guys were willing to come here at what we could pay them shows in how they believe in Mike, the staff and the offensive scheme, and the players that are here. They’re all excited about our skill group. That’s a position we will always focus on, and it will be a position that we will focus on this offseason. I will tell you that [no stone will be] unturned at that position including the draft.”
The quarterbacks referenced by Grier were not identified, but a source said the team pursued Carolina backup Andy Dalton, who’s an impending free agent.
▪ Will the Dolphins stop signing players with an injury history?
“It’s always a fine line,” Grier said. “There’s a 100% injury rate in football. We always look at it. We always have discussions with our medical staff. We look at guys’ injury history from when they were in college and high school stuff, too, when we go back.
“So there’s always risk in signing players, but you also don’t want to miss the opportunity of adding a good player to your roster and being afraid to make a move and missing out on someone that may become a really good player for you because you’re scared of something that happened a couple of years ago.”
▪ Grier was non-committal when asked how much of a priority it will be to re-sign safety Jevon Holland, who forced only one turnover this season:
“We had conversations throughout the summer with Jevón and his agent. We put those on hold once the season started. Both sides agreed let’s just let him focus, focus on the year. We’re going to go through everything like we always do and talk through this year and see what happens here in the offseason.”
▪ In contrast, Grier said Calais Campbell will be offered a contract if he wants to play another season: “I don’t want to speak for him, but he’s indicated that if he does decide to play that he loved his time here and we would be a very strong consideration to come back if he decides to play again, and we would welcome him back with open arms.”
▪ McDaniel doesn’t intend to give up play-calling duties: “I think the team is best served with me calling the plays.”
▪ Grier was angry that Zach Sieler and De’Von Achane did not get Pro Bowl invitations, using an expletive to describe his reaction.
News note
The Dolphins signed 12 players to reserve/future contracts: wide receiver Tarik Black, linebacker William Bradley-King, safety Jordan Colbert, defensive tackle Neil Farrell, tackle Ryan Hayes, offensive lineman Chasen Hines, linebacker Dequan Jackson, cornerback Isaiah Johnson, cornerback Jason Maitre, tackle Bayron Matos, linebacker Derrick McLendon and tight end Hayden Rucci.
Here’s my Wednesday piece on where Tua Tagovailoa finished among NFL QBs in 15 areas this season.
