WEBVTT - Drive Time: Daniel Jeremiah and Combine Day 1 Coverage 0:00:00.200 --> 0:00:04.800 To on the move Golan Deep Spiegles Peas do Pas 0:00:05.720 --> 0:00:10.440 from the Baptist Health Studios inside the Baptist Health Training Complex. 0:00:10.960 --> 0:00:14.640 This is Drivetime with Travis Wingfield. 0:00:16.200 --> 0:00:19.440 He's guy my advans in the playoffs? 0:00:26.400 --> 0:00:27.960 What is up Dolphins? 0:00:28.040 --> 0:00:30.639 And welcome to a very special edision of the Draft 0:00:30.680 --> 0:00:33.519 Time Podcast. I am your host, Travis Wingfield, and on 0:00:33.520 --> 0:00:37.960 today's show, we are live from Indianapolis. Well, not very live, 0:00:38.080 --> 0:00:40.879 it is a pre taped podcast, but we are on 0:00:40.920 --> 0:00:44.120 the floor here at the Combine in Indianapolis. We have 0:00:44.400 --> 0:00:47.479 three speakers for you guys on the show today. First, 0:00:47.760 --> 0:00:50.640 Daniel Jeremiah NFL Network joins us to talk about Dolphins 0:00:50.680 --> 0:00:53.640 team building and draft potential prospects you might want to 0:00:53.680 --> 0:00:55.800 keep an eye on. We'll also hear from Brad Spielberger 0:00:55.800 --> 0:00:58.840 from PFF who talks about free agency, contract structures and 0:00:58.880 --> 0:01:01.880 a whole bunch more. Last, but not least, the man himself, 0:01:01.960 --> 0:01:04.959 head coach Mike McDaniel. All of that and more from 0:01:05.319 --> 0:01:08.600 the floor at the Indianapolis Convention Center here in Indy. 0:01:09.040 --> 0:01:11.160 This is the Draft Time Podcast. 0:01:11.560 --> 0:01:14.720 Ye gaff sir, Let's go ahead and get to my 0:01:14.760 --> 0:01:17.800 first guest today, the Great Daniel Jeremiah and the man 0:01:17.880 --> 0:01:21.080 Join us today needs no introduction. DJ Daniel Jeremiah. Thanks, 0:01:21.120 --> 0:01:22.920 join us again once again the show, I should say 0:01:22.920 --> 0:01:23.360 from the combine. 0:01:23.400 --> 0:01:24.319 Yeah, it's great to be with you. 0:01:24.640 --> 0:01:26.760 Looking forward to this man. So last year I asked 0:01:26.760 --> 0:01:28.760 you this similar question. I'm gonna ask you again about 0:01:28.760 --> 0:01:30.880 the year two jump for the Dolphins offense. Mike McDaniel 0:01:30.920 --> 0:01:32.720 to a tongue of by loa, the continuity of the 0:01:32.800 --> 0:01:33.800 offense was able to build. 0:01:33.920 --> 0:01:34.880 What about year three? 0:01:34.920 --> 0:01:36.920 I've heard, you know, Peyton Manning on the Manning Cast 0:01:36.920 --> 0:01:38.520 talk about year three is kind of a big one 0:01:38.520 --> 0:01:40.800 for him and his career. What does that longevity do 0:01:40.920 --> 0:01:43.920 for play caller, for quarterback and in particular quarterback, Like 0:01:43.959 --> 0:01:44.480 to a tongue of. 0:01:44.440 --> 0:01:46.040 By Loa, Well, I think it's huge. I think you 0:01:46.400 --> 0:01:49.080 look at anybody that's had sustained success in the league 0:01:49.160 --> 0:01:52.080 and there's some continuity there. I mean, Brady's the kind 0:01:52.120 --> 0:01:55.320 of the poster child for that. So it's it's just 0:01:55.440 --> 0:01:57.600 not having to start over and just building on the 0:01:57.640 --> 0:02:01.000 volume of what you already have. It's such an advantage. 0:02:01.000 --> 0:02:02.720 I mean, I just look at it. As you know, 0:02:02.760 --> 0:02:05.080 some teams come into a game with a you know, 0:02:05.120 --> 0:02:08.120 with a quarter inch playbook, and the other teams get 0:02:08.160 --> 0:02:09.680 to come in with a three inch play But it's 0:02:09.680 --> 0:02:12.840 not fair. I mean it's Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes 0:02:12.840 --> 0:02:14.440 have been able to just build and build and build 0:02:14.480 --> 0:02:16.799 and build, and now Miami's getting a chance, going a 0:02:16.960 --> 0:02:18.600 year three to continue to do the same things and 0:02:19.040 --> 0:02:21.560 you know, almost the benefit of not only finding what works, 0:02:21.600 --> 0:02:23.959 but also being able to weed some stuff out along 0:02:23.960 --> 0:02:24.560 the way as well. 0:02:24.639 --> 0:02:26.160 Did you get the sense with the Dolphins last couple 0:02:26.160 --> 0:02:28.000 of years, because they start off hot nine to three 0:02:28.080 --> 0:02:30.359 last year eight and three McDaniel's first year, they kind 0:02:30.360 --> 0:02:31.880 of fade away late in the year and face some 0:02:31.960 --> 0:02:33.800 top of competition, lose some close games. 0:02:33.919 --> 0:02:35.239 Do you get the sense that maybe. 0:02:35.080 --> 0:02:37.200 That's part of what can be the next step with 0:02:37.240 --> 0:02:39.919 the playbook, expanding, getting more into your playbook late into 0:02:39.919 --> 0:02:41.160 the year in December and January. 0:02:41.200 --> 0:02:42.760 Well, I think that's part of it. I think, Look, 0:02:42.800 --> 0:02:44.760 they got to stay healthy on the defense. I mean 0:02:44.800 --> 0:02:47.400 that was that was brutal. I mean, and you think 0:02:47.400 --> 0:02:50.360 about close games, and you think about finishers, and you 0:02:50.400 --> 0:02:52.720 look at the injuries that they sustained in the pass rush, 0:02:52.760 --> 0:02:54.560 and it's like, okay, well I get and maybe why 0:02:54.639 --> 0:02:57.120 you can't finish or close out games and win close games. 0:02:57.160 --> 0:02:59.560 So that's a key part of it. I think, continuing 0:02:59.560 --> 0:03:02.520 to add, I'm curious to see, you know, and we 0:03:02.600 --> 0:03:05.000 always use the you know, kind of copycat league stuff, 0:03:05.040 --> 0:03:08.600 but when you look at Kansas City and the amount 0:03:08.639 --> 0:03:11.720 of resources that they devoted to the defensive side of 0:03:11.760 --> 0:03:14.720 the ball, if they don't, you know, I'm curious to 0:03:14.720 --> 0:03:17.040 see if Miami doesn't say, okay, look we are where 0:03:17.040 --> 0:03:19.000 we are offense there now, which is in a great spot. 0:03:19.360 --> 0:03:21.840 But you know, maybe let's just continue to add resources, 0:03:21.919 --> 0:03:24.800 young athletic resources on the defensive side of the ball 0:03:25.600 --> 0:03:27.839 and know that our offense is good enough right now. 0:03:27.960 --> 0:03:30.640 One of the trades is probably the most instance in 0:03:30.639 --> 0:03:32.680 the NFL history of both teams winning that trade, right 0:03:32.720 --> 0:03:35.320 Tyreek Kill they get their defensive crop armbor Kansas City 0:03:35.360 --> 0:03:38.240 there on your conference call on Thursday, you mentioned and 0:03:38.400 --> 0:03:40.720 I noted this one myself specifically, the Dolphins are smack 0:03:40.800 --> 0:03:42.760 dab in the middle of their window. I've been dying 0:03:42.800 --> 0:03:44.400 to ask you if you could elaborate on why you 0:03:44.400 --> 0:03:45.080 feel that way. 0:03:45.320 --> 0:03:48.400 Well, I just think when you look at the key 0:03:48.400 --> 0:03:51.200 players on their team. And you look at where Tua is, 0:03:51.320 --> 0:03:53.520 especially financially at this point in time, and that's going 0:03:53.560 --> 0:03:57.000 to change. But where he is, you look at you know, 0:03:57.040 --> 0:03:59.840 Tyreek obviously being in the right smack in the middle 0:03:59.840 --> 0:04:03.560 of the prime of his career. You know, Waddle is 0:04:04.360 --> 0:04:07.040 you know, I think he's he's he can still there're 0:04:07.040 --> 0:04:09.280 still room, but he is established who he is and 0:04:09.320 --> 0:04:11.960 it is a very very good player. So I just 0:04:12.000 --> 0:04:13.800 think a lot of their key players are in key 0:04:13.840 --> 0:04:15.720 spots and there, and they're in that age where they're 0:04:15.760 --> 0:04:17.680 ready to win right now. And I think when you 0:04:17.720 --> 0:04:20.920 look around in that division, you know, New England's kind 0:04:20.920 --> 0:04:23.360 of a mess. The Jets haven't been able to get 0:04:23.480 --> 0:04:25.880 their stuff figured out. And then you look at Buffalo, 0:04:26.160 --> 0:04:28.200 you know, money wise having to take a step back, 0:04:29.560 --> 0:04:32.240 and I just think, man, Miami's situated right now, this 0:04:32.320 --> 0:04:33.200 is kind of go time. 0:04:33.440 --> 0:04:35.600 So it seems like they're you talk about team needs, 0:04:35.600 --> 0:04:37.719 like you mentioned the quarterback to two receivers, you mentioned 0:04:37.760 --> 0:04:38.640 the edgebrushers earlier. 0:04:38.680 --> 0:04:39.440 Those guys will be back. 0:04:39.440 --> 0:04:42.479 Those are premium spots, right Toront Armstead still there, Austin 0:04:42.560 --> 0:04:46.720 Jackson got an extension. Those are premium positions right spots 0:04:46.720 --> 0:04:48.640 that you don't have to go spend you know, high 0:04:49.080 --> 0:04:52.320 free agency capital on what's the benefit of having your 0:04:52.320 --> 0:04:54.240 team needs And if you have Dolphins team needs for us, 0:04:54.279 --> 0:04:55.920 I'd love to hear those as well. But team needs 0:04:55.920 --> 0:04:57.640 that aren't at those premium spots like that. 0:04:58.640 --> 0:05:01.120 Well, I mean I always I go back to the 0:05:01.160 --> 0:05:03.080 Detroit thing, and I think everybody looks at Detroit and 0:05:03.080 --> 0:05:04.680 what they did in the draft last year and said, oh, 0:05:04.720 --> 0:05:07.360 they you know, they outsmarted the league. They took these 0:05:07.360 --> 0:05:09.640 non premium position players and they all played great, and like, yeah, 0:05:09.680 --> 0:05:11.680 they already built up the line of scrimmage. You can 0:05:11.720 --> 0:05:13.960 do that once you've once you've got that accomplished. So 0:05:14.480 --> 0:05:16.400 when I look at the Dolphins, I mean, interier offensive 0:05:16.440 --> 0:05:18.440 line is probably the first place you got to start, 0:05:18.480 --> 0:05:20.599 just knowing what the free agent situation is right now. 0:05:20.880 --> 0:05:22.839 So if you lose two guys, you got to go 0:05:22.839 --> 0:05:25.080 out and get something accomplished there. So that's, you know, 0:05:25.120 --> 0:05:27.560 that's the place you can look at and where they're 0:05:27.680 --> 0:05:30.760 situated kind of marries up pretty well. If you wanted 0:05:30.800 --> 0:05:32.880 to take an interior offensive lineman, picking at twenty one, 0:05:32.920 --> 0:05:35.200 you probably get the best one in the draft, whether 0:05:35.240 --> 0:05:36.840 you're not you know you want to go Pirates Johnson, 0:05:36.839 --> 0:05:40.480 whether you think that's Graham Barton or Frasier, like there's 0:05:40.680 --> 0:05:42.599 any any number of those guys, you'll have your pick 0:05:42.600 --> 0:05:46.560 of the litter there, you know, defensive tackle, tight end. 0:05:46.640 --> 0:05:49.240 It's I don't love the depth of either one of 0:05:49.240 --> 0:05:52.159 those positions in this draft. But again that's where you 0:05:52.200 --> 0:05:54.279 got to marry up free agency and see what you 0:05:54.279 --> 0:05:54.840 can find there. 0:05:54.960 --> 0:05:56.720 Have you stacked those into your offensive line and you 0:05:56.720 --> 0:05:58.120 know you've done in the process of getting those. 0:05:58.000 --> 0:05:59.680 Gus So I have it right now. I believe I 0:05:59.680 --> 0:06:01.040 have to go back and look at it. But I 0:06:01.160 --> 0:06:05.360 ended up putting JPJ one and then Graham Barton two 0:06:05.560 --> 0:06:08.160 and then Fraser three. Sounds a good crop, right, And 0:06:08.160 --> 0:06:10.279 they're all and I think they're all three Day one starters. 0:06:10.320 --> 0:06:12.320 They're plug and play and they're all you know, from 0:06:12.320 --> 0:06:15.680 a intangibles like center, I would say, like the intangibles 0:06:15.680 --> 0:06:17.359 matter the closer you get to the middle of the field, 0:06:17.720 --> 0:06:20.599 and center is definitely a character in tangible position. And 0:06:20.640 --> 0:06:22.000 those guys are all rock solid. 0:06:22.120 --> 0:06:23.760 Yeah, you mentioned the injuries off the edge position. 0:06:23.760 --> 0:06:25.640 Connor Williams also going to be a free agent coming 0:06:25.680 --> 0:06:27.680 off attorney a cl in December, which that was kind 0:06:27.680 --> 0:06:29.320 of when the offense you know, sorry to revert a 0:06:29.360 --> 0:06:31.760 little bit back into you know, old habits of pre McDaniel. 0:06:31.880 --> 0:06:34.760 Interesting thing is talking to teams about about free agency 0:06:34.760 --> 0:06:36.920 and talking to a couple of teams in need lineman. 0:06:37.520 --> 0:06:39.599 They were frustrated because they were they had their eyes 0:06:39.640 --> 0:06:41.880 on him, you know, before the injury, and it played 0:06:41.880 --> 0:06:42.279 so well. 0:06:42.480 --> 0:06:43.960 He was playing really well for us that point. It 0:06:44.000 --> 0:06:45.599 was such an anchor in the middle of the offensive line. 0:06:45.600 --> 0:06:47.440 They're kind of a pivot here for you, DJ, because 0:06:47.520 --> 0:06:50.360 I'm curious to ask you this question about teams focus 0:06:50.360 --> 0:06:54.040 in the off season when it comes to importing new 0:06:54.080 --> 0:06:57.440 parts and getting new pieces versus your own personnel improvement 0:06:57.480 --> 0:06:59.479 and conceptual improvement. How do you think the Dolphins would 0:06:59.480 --> 0:07:02.120 assess how they can get better from whether it's importing 0:07:02.160 --> 0:07:05.200 free agents and draft picks or just improving because of 0:07:05.320 --> 0:07:07.800 you know, again continuity year three, the guys they already 0:07:07.800 --> 0:07:09.680 have in house and the internal development. Where do you 0:07:09.760 --> 0:07:11.320 think teams balance that, Especially with Miami. 0:07:11.360 --> 0:07:13.000 I think the good teams have figured out they got 0:07:13.040 --> 0:07:15.200 to develop your own guys. Yeah, you know, it's just 0:07:15.320 --> 0:07:19.440 cost effective. It's going out and hiring not just scheme coaches, 0:07:19.480 --> 0:07:21.440 going out and hiring guys how to develop players. I 0:07:21.480 --> 0:07:24.520 think forty nine Ers are a great example of that. Obviously, 0:07:24.600 --> 0:07:27.040 Chief's another great example of that. They've been able to 0:07:27.080 --> 0:07:29.480 just develop their own guys. And it's just versus what 0:07:29.480 --> 0:07:31.880 you're gonna have to pay on the open market. It's 0:07:31.920 --> 0:07:34.280 a no brainer. And and the Ravens are another team 0:07:34.320 --> 0:07:35.920 that's done that. And a lot of it too with 0:07:36.000 --> 0:07:38.880 the Ravens is say you're willing to let guys walk 0:07:38.880 --> 0:07:41.040 out of your building, have faith in your ability to 0:07:41.080 --> 0:07:45.640 develop and get these young players to improve. Now you're 0:07:45.640 --> 0:07:48.840 getting comp picks, so it's like, that's the no if 0:07:48.880 --> 0:07:50.400 you can do, if you have your choice, that's the 0:07:50.440 --> 0:07:52.040 way you want to do it. And then be selective 0:07:52.360 --> 0:07:57.440 and finding you know, finding glue guys, culture fits leaders. 0:07:57.480 --> 0:07:59.480 You know. I do believe firmly in the you know, 0:07:59.520 --> 0:08:02.320 wanting to have a veteran in every position room so 0:08:02.360 --> 0:08:04.200 you have kind of that that presence in there. But 0:08:04.680 --> 0:08:07.760 I think when you're big ticket item shopping and free 0:08:07.800 --> 0:08:11.000 agency has not has not worked out great over the years. 0:08:11.080 --> 0:08:13.080 No, it's typically more like thirty cents in the dollars. 0:08:13.080 --> 0:08:14.080 You tend to get one of those top of the 0:08:14.120 --> 0:08:16.480 market deals on average. For the most part. I often 0:08:16.520 --> 0:08:18.160 say that Cam Smith is one of the most important 0:08:18.160 --> 0:08:19.760 players for the Dolphins this year because of the news 0:08:19.800 --> 0:08:21.880 that it looks like a saving Howard will be released 0:08:21.880 --> 0:08:24.440 with a post June one designation. I'm curious what you 0:08:24.640 --> 0:08:26.480 going back into last year we thought of Cam Smith 0:08:26.520 --> 0:08:28.680 and also the idea of like a red shirt season 0:08:28.760 --> 0:08:30.440 because he didn't see the field much at all this 0:08:30.520 --> 0:08:31.480 year as a rookie year. 0:08:31.560 --> 0:08:34.280 Yeah, he was a tough evaluation. The tools are all there, 0:08:34.840 --> 0:08:38.240 you know, it wasn't consistent, so you know, you kind 0:08:38.240 --> 0:08:40.520 of bet on the ability and you bet on your 0:08:40.559 --> 0:08:42.680 ability to get it out of him and develop him 0:08:42.679 --> 0:08:45.960 talent wise. Yeah, he's got immense amount of talent. So 0:08:47.440 --> 0:08:49.360 I'm anxious to see what you know, he get his shot. 0:08:49.400 --> 0:08:51.880 That's what this is, you know, that's what good teams do. 0:08:52.040 --> 0:08:54.720 As you're a year ahead on that stuff and now 0:08:54.760 --> 0:08:57.400 this work that he put in last year, we'll see 0:08:57.440 --> 0:08:57.960 what it looks like. 0:08:58.080 --> 0:08:59.959 He'll be joining Anthony. We have a new Dolphins defenser 0:09:00.000 --> 0:09:02.160 coordinator here. I did some research. You were with coach 0:09:02.200 --> 0:09:06.679 Weaver your last your first year. Yeah, yeah, he was there. 0:09:06.720 --> 0:09:08.839 He was a study, I mean, just a stud total 0:09:08.880 --> 0:09:13.400 presence about him, just you know, for a defensive lineman, 0:09:14.240 --> 0:09:18.199 incredibly cerebral, just a smart dude, and you know, was 0:09:18.320 --> 0:09:21.080 universally liked and respected in the building. So it's been 0:09:21.120 --> 0:09:22.719 fun to kind of follow his career as he's gone 0:09:22.760 --> 0:09:25.679 from playing. The coaching not really a surprise. We had 0:09:25.720 --> 0:09:28.840 a defensive coach, our defensive line coach during those years 0:09:28.840 --> 0:09:31.040 of getting Clarence of Brooks, who's who since passed away. 0:09:31.040 --> 0:09:34.400 It was kind of a legendary coach. So he you know, 0:09:34.440 --> 0:09:37.200 he played for really good coaches and uh, in the 0:09:37.240 --> 0:09:39.079 fact that his coaching career has taken off is not 0:09:39.120 --> 0:09:39.760 really a surprise. 0:09:40.080 --> 0:09:41.760 I know this is kind of a stretch to ask 0:09:41.760 --> 0:09:42.920 you this, but do you have any idea what he 0:09:43.000 --> 0:09:44.559 might do schematically on the side of the ball. 0:09:44.600 --> 0:09:46.080 And he talked about the Ravens a little bit being 0:09:46.080 --> 0:09:46.480 an influence. 0:09:46.480 --> 0:09:48.720 He talked about Romeo Crenell being a big influence John 0:09:48.760 --> 0:09:50.400 Harbaugh and that might look like for. 0:09:50.400 --> 0:09:51.040 Us on some days. 0:09:51.160 --> 0:09:53.040 Yeah, you know, he answered this question. You can answer everyone. 0:09:53.080 --> 0:09:56.439 You're gonna be multiple, multiple, We're going to be aggressive. 0:09:57.280 --> 0:09:59.440 We're going to dictate to the offense. The offense is 0:09:59.480 --> 0:10:01.319 not gonna and just to cut and pay them all 0:10:01.360 --> 0:10:03.880 for every defensive coordinator higher. But no, I think I 0:10:03.920 --> 0:10:05.640 think the smart guys get in there and assess what 0:10:05.679 --> 0:10:07.880 they have and they build accordingly. For sure. 0:10:07.920 --> 0:10:10.080 One last question here for you, DJ, So what would 0:10:10.120 --> 0:10:11.880 we'd be remiss to not ask you about the Dolphins 0:10:11.960 --> 0:10:13.520 first and second round picks? First time I've had you 0:10:13.559 --> 0:10:15.439 on the show when we actually had a first round pick. 0:10:15.440 --> 0:10:17.160 It's been a while for us. Now pick twenty one, 0:10:17.240 --> 0:10:18.679 pick fifty three. Who are some names you like in 0:10:18.679 --> 0:10:19.440 those two spots for us? 0:10:19.480 --> 0:10:22.600 Well, I mentioned those interior offensive linemen would be fun. 0:10:22.679 --> 0:10:26.440 I you know, this one is maybe gratuitous, but like 0:10:26.480 --> 0:10:27.719 Brian Thomas Junior. 0:10:27.480 --> 0:10:30.400 I've just selfishly wanted to see it, I selfishly just 0:10:30.400 --> 0:10:33.240 want to see it, just to throw another explosive, dynamic 0:10:33.280 --> 0:10:37.840 playmaker in that offense to compliment what's already there Byron 0:10:37.920 --> 0:10:39.760 Murphy would be another one I think that could could 0:10:39.760 --> 0:10:40.440 factor in there. 0:10:40.480 --> 0:10:44.680 Man, you imagine him with his explosiveness next to arguably 0:10:44.720 --> 0:10:46.360 you know, one of the top three or four defensive 0:10:46.400 --> 0:10:48.120 tackles in the league. And Wilkins. That would be a 0:10:48.160 --> 0:10:48.640 lot of fun. 0:10:48.920 --> 0:10:50.880 I mean, talk about stretching the field vertically from that 0:10:50.880 --> 0:10:53.640 inside Brian Thomas right with Tyreek and Wall on the outside. 0:10:53.760 --> 0:10:55.520 My gosh, yeah, I wrote it was funny. I was 0:10:55.559 --> 0:10:57.160 going through all my notes on the LSU guys and 0:10:57.160 --> 0:10:59.600 it just says it's like death by slot face all right, 0:11:00.080 --> 0:11:02.600 one after another days right, yeah, exactly? 0:11:02.800 --> 0:11:04.240 Well who else do you like in that second round? 0:11:04.280 --> 0:11:04.679 Blood there? 0:11:04.720 --> 0:11:06.920 Because Roman Wilson's a guy that had a great senior 0:11:06.960 --> 0:11:09.600 ball Malachai Corley, He's a guy that's a big yack product. 0:11:09.679 --> 0:11:10.960 Right, He's a guy that fit the Dolphins off. 0:11:11.080 --> 0:11:12.440 Yeah. I like him. It gives you a little bit 0:11:12.440 --> 0:11:14.920 of a different pitch, more of a physical guy with 0:11:14.960 --> 0:11:17.760 the ball in his hands. He's a fun player, and 0:11:17.800 --> 0:11:19.080 he's not I don't know if he's gonna if he's 0:11:19.120 --> 0:11:20.480 gonna work out here, but he'll run in the high 0:11:20.480 --> 0:11:22.800 four threes. He can really go to Oh yeah, he 0:11:22.800 --> 0:11:26.640 can go. So he's gonna he's gonna go. But he's 0:11:26.760 --> 0:11:30.559 he's a fun one. You know. I'm a Laddi McConkie 0:11:30.640 --> 0:11:32.200 guy too. I think he's just a really really good 0:11:32.240 --> 0:11:35.560 football player and uh, you know a TUA. I think 0:11:35.600 --> 0:11:38.679 having guys that can play above the shoulders, that are 0:11:38.679 --> 0:11:41.960 really high level, I think that's perfect for him too. 0:11:42.160 --> 0:11:43.880 You know, somebody that he's gonna trust is seeing the 0:11:43.880 --> 0:11:45.839 same things he's seeing and let him, you know, use 0:11:45.880 --> 0:11:49.400 his superpower, which is anticipation. I think intelligence kind of 0:11:49.400 --> 0:11:50.520 the underrated aspect of that. 0:11:50.800 --> 0:11:52.360 There's a guy back in our office is gonna love 0:11:52.360 --> 0:11:54.800 that you had, Lad mcconkeye. He's a huge Ladd mcconchaey 0:11:55.640 --> 0:11:58.640 loves him. Daniel Jeremiah NFL Network and at Move the 0:11:58.640 --> 0:12:01.240 Sticks on Social NFL Network. Live coverage of the twenty 0:12:01.240 --> 0:12:04.320 twenty four NFL scouting combined Thursday through Sunday. Coverage starts 0:12:04.360 --> 0:12:06.679 at three o'clock Eastern on Thursday and Friday and one 0:12:06.720 --> 0:12:08.880 o'clock Eastern Saturday Sunday. DJ, think as much for your 0:12:08.880 --> 0:12:11.360 time today, man, I appreciate it to you likewise, and 0:12:11.360 --> 0:12:13.520 there he goes to great Daniel Jeremy, let's go ahead 0:12:13.520 --> 0:12:15.360 and take our first break right there. Come back on 0:12:15.400 --> 0:12:18.400 the other side and get smarter about contracts, free agency, 0:12:18.440 --> 0:12:21.760 and what the Dolphins might do with their upcoming pending 0:12:21.760 --> 0:12:22.200 free agents. 0:12:22.240 --> 0:12:22.680 That's next. 0:12:22.960 --> 0:12:26.000 Brad Spielberger Draft Time podcast, your host Travis Wingfield, brought 0:12:26.000 --> 0:12:29.719 to you by Autoation and joining me today from Pro 0:12:29.760 --> 0:12:32.040 Football Focus is the great Brad Spielberger. 0:12:32.160 --> 0:12:34.560 Esquire. I love the mention of Esquire on your profile. 0:12:34.600 --> 0:12:37.040 By the way, I be honest, it is like a 0:12:37.040 --> 0:12:39.400 bit of a troll, like people might think I'm trying 0:12:39.440 --> 0:12:40.800 to take myself very very seriously. 0:12:41.360 --> 0:12:42.040 I am a lawyer. 0:12:42.040 --> 0:12:43.440 I don't really use it all that often, but I 0:12:43.480 --> 0:12:45.080 had the degree, so I had to let people know that. 0:12:45.160 --> 0:12:47.560 I mean, there's a lot of crossover there, right, lawyer, contracts, 0:12:47.800 --> 0:12:49.560 free agency, all that stuff that goes in the NFL. 0:12:49.559 --> 0:12:51.319 And that's why we have you on today talk about 0:12:51.360 --> 0:12:55.680 the complexity of an NFL contract and the freegency period 0:12:55.679 --> 0:12:57.520 coming up here in a couple of weeks. Now it 0:12:57.559 --> 0:12:59.680 comes faster every year, it feels like. But I wanted 0:12:59.679 --> 0:13:01.320 to just to have you explain if you can, a 0:13:01.320 --> 0:13:02.720 couple of things for us here and really for me 0:13:02.800 --> 0:13:04.640 too much of my audience. Like I always tell people 0:13:04.760 --> 0:13:06.840 on the podcast, like I think I have an idea, 0:13:06.880 --> 0:13:08.319 but for the most part, I stay at numbers in 0:13:08.360 --> 0:13:09.120 my head starts to hurt. 0:13:09.160 --> 0:13:09.960 I'm the words guy. 0:13:10.200 --> 0:13:12.000 So having you on here to grasp one of the 0:13:12.000 --> 0:13:14.319 more difficult aspects of our sport, if you don't. 0:13:14.120 --> 0:13:14.880 Mind doing that for us. 0:13:15.160 --> 0:13:16.520 Yeah, so I'm here for So what I want to 0:13:16.520 --> 0:13:19.320 start with is this increase in salary cap. Right, we 0:13:19.320 --> 0:13:20.719 saw that it was supposed to be, you know, in 0:13:20.720 --> 0:13:22.480 the two thirty eight two forty three range. Why is 0:13:22.520 --> 0:13:24.480 it being two fifty this year? Can you explain to 0:13:24.559 --> 0:13:25.800 us why that's significant? 0:13:26.000 --> 0:13:26.240 Yeah? 0:13:26.280 --> 0:13:27.960 So, I think by the end of the year teams 0:13:27.960 --> 0:13:30.040 were more in the two forty five two to fifty range, 0:13:30.040 --> 0:13:32.320 but even still two fifty five was a jump up, 0:13:32.480 --> 0:13:35.480 and I think some people maybe are overestimating how much 0:13:35.520 --> 0:13:37.880 of a difference it's going to make. But it does 0:13:37.920 --> 0:13:39.920 like for a team like Miami that has to get 0:13:39.960 --> 0:13:41.280 their way out of a bit of a cap hole, 0:13:41.880 --> 0:13:43.560 that has a bunch of really good players up for 0:13:43.600 --> 0:13:46.199 new contracts, it gives you a little bit of, you know, 0:13:46.280 --> 0:13:48.800 wiggle room that you didn't have previously. And also I 0:13:48.840 --> 0:13:51.360 think it's just also a longer term signal of all right, 0:13:51.440 --> 0:13:53.840 we're no longer paying back money from COVID, We're gonna 0:13:53.880 --> 0:13:57.000 have these media deals, kick in gambling revenue, Taylor Swift revenue, 0:13:57.280 --> 0:13:59.120 all these teas are going to filter in and it's 0:13:59.160 --> 0:14:00.839 just I think it just it's confidence that you know 0:14:00.880 --> 0:14:02.680 where you're at going forward, and you feel as though 0:14:02.920 --> 0:14:05.280 you know, we can spend a little bit more aggressively potentially, 0:14:05.400 --> 0:14:07.920 so for top of the market players, like they might 0:14:07.920 --> 0:14:08.760 ask for a little bit more. 0:14:08.800 --> 0:14:09.160 That's the thing. 0:14:09.160 --> 0:14:11.920 It obviously has a counterbalance. The franchise tags are bigger, 0:14:11.920 --> 0:14:13.800 which might apply to a Christian Wilkins. 0:14:13.800 --> 0:14:14.800 But yeah, I think it's way. 0:14:14.800 --> 0:14:17.040 I'm sure Miami's front office was pleased to see it 0:14:17.120 --> 0:14:17.600 never come out. 0:14:17.640 --> 0:14:19.200 I think most teams probably are right a little bit 0:14:19.240 --> 0:14:20.720 more money. It never hurts anybody. I want to come 0:14:20.760 --> 0:14:22.040 back to the Christian Wilkins at DNA. 0:14:22.040 --> 0:14:22.360 Second. 0:14:22.400 --> 0:14:25.040 But first, the idea of restructures, because we see it 0:14:25.080 --> 0:14:28.120 all the time. You know, again, I'm basing these kind 0:14:28.120 --> 0:14:29.880 of takes off of what I see on Twitter. Probably 0:14:29.880 --> 0:14:32.320 a horrible practice, but we're gonna do it anyways, because 0:14:32.360 --> 0:14:34.160 like I always see, oh, they can just restructure this, 0:14:34.200 --> 0:14:36.120 they can just do this. Oh and then someone else says, 0:14:36.160 --> 0:14:38.160 a restructure that's terrible. You're kicking the can on the road. 0:14:38.440 --> 0:14:39.800 What the hell does a restructure mean? 0:14:39.880 --> 0:14:40.320 What does it do? 0:14:40.400 --> 0:14:43.200 And how do the Dolphins keep themselves flexible because like 0:14:43.360 --> 0:14:45.200 in the past, we've seen you know, Kyle van Noy 0:14:45.280 --> 0:14:47.280 got signed for a big contract, Shack Lawson got signed 0:14:47.280 --> 0:14:49.000 for a big contract. They were gone one year later, 0:14:49.280 --> 0:14:51.800 and it wasn't that punotip to Miami, like why are 0:14:51.840 --> 0:14:52.480 they able to do that? 0:14:52.760 --> 0:14:53.360 For sure? Yeah? 0:14:53.400 --> 0:14:55.560 So first, at a high level, what a restructure is 0:14:55.560 --> 0:14:58.200 is that a salary in the NFL, the guy the 0:14:58.240 --> 0:14:59.960 thing the guys make every two weeks, you know, just 0:15:00.240 --> 0:15:03.000 us plus a couple zeros gets all hits the cap 0:15:03.080 --> 0:15:04.640 in that year. Right, So you have a fifteen million 0:15:04.680 --> 0:15:07.280 dollars salary. Let's say, for example, all fifteen million is 0:15:07.320 --> 0:15:10.480 hitting the twenty twenty four cap. When you restructure a contract, 0:15:10.480 --> 0:15:13.800 you convert that salary into a bonus assigning bonus if 0:15:13.840 --> 0:15:15.960 you want to call it that, and then you can 0:15:15.960 --> 0:15:18.360 spread it out over five years. So instead of fifteen 0:15:18.400 --> 0:15:20.840 million all in twenty twenty four, it's three million and 0:15:20.880 --> 0:15:23.200 twenty twenty four and then three million dollars hits in 0:15:23.200 --> 0:15:25.680 the four years after. So, well, Miami does a good 0:15:25.720 --> 0:15:27.720 job of this on the upfront when they do their deals. 0:15:27.920 --> 0:15:30.520