Vetting the Vets: ‘Fins Actually Make Right Choice In Free Agent Receiver Pool

With Mike Wallace, Brian Hartline, and Brandon Gibson ushered out the door in the turnstile that is the Dolphins receiving corps, Miami had a desperate need for a veteran presence to bolster breakout candidate Kenny Stills, promising Jarvis Landry and journeyman Rishard Mathews.

The braintrust of Mike Tannenbaum and Dennis Hickey narrowed their focus to a group of three free agents at varying stages of their careers in the NFL: former San Francisco wideout Michael Crabtree, ex-Viking Greg Jennings and one-time Dolphin Wes Welker. While each has made significant contributions in the league, there were major reasons why they were still available deep into the offseason.

For Crabtree, injuries and ego were the limiting factors. Much like Keyshawn Johnson, Crabtree is a guy who deemed himself a No. 1 receiver but never brought the production to bear out that anointment. In the often-fragile Miami locker room, would bringing in an often-injured receiver with an overinflated sense of skills and overinflated contract demands be counterproductive?

In Jennings, you’re looking at a 31-year-old wideout whose best days are behind him. Would what he has left and possible leadership skills outweigh the diminishing returns of a skill-position player on the decline?

For Welker, a litany of recent concussions has cast his NFL future in doubt. Would a 34-year-old with consistent and troubling medical concerns coming off his worst season in a decade who happens to play at a position of strength (the slot, where Landry operates) find any fit at all in Miami’s system?

After doing their due diligence and vetting each candidate, the Dolphins took their time. They analyzed fit, salary cap, intangibles, familiarity, and availability, then made their pick. Two weeks before the draft, Miami announced the signing of Jennings to a cap-friendly, limited-risk deal. In return, the ‘Fins got a player with a couple of good years left who has a familiarity with Joe Philbin from their time with the Packers and is a respected presence in the locker room. 

For what Miami needed in terms of leadership for a young receiving corps, a proven route-runner for an ascending quarterback, and a known commodity for the right price, the front office landed the right guy—giving the team flexibility in the draft and reliability at a position of need.