The Dolphins Make Me Cry.com - Forums

What do you guys think? They aren't the team stars but any loss of experience is going to suck with a season like this.

Any word on reasoning?  COVID fears?  Unhappy with team?  Looking for a better deal?

To answer my own questions, the Sun Sentinel says it's due to COVID concerns because he has a newborn.

Honestly, it probably doesn't matter.  We're not likely to be good, regardless.  He's not exactly a star player, too.  Good for him -- wish him the best.  This is going to be a weird year anyway, if it even happens.

I like it because it gives a guy like undrafted rookie free agent Kirk Merritt a better chance to make the team:

6’0” 215-pounds
4.33 in the 40-yard dash (2nd among combine WRs)
4.02 in the 20-yard shuttle (1st among combine WRs)
45.5-inch vertical jump (1st among combine WRs)
23 bench press reps (1st among combine WRs)
11’3” broad jump (3rd among combine WRs)

If they can channel that raw talent, look out.  We might have another diamond in the rough WR.

Hurns reason was because his wife is pregnant, don't know Wilson's reason but neither will be on the team in 2021 if replacements do well this season.

how does this work with the contracts .. if they opt out .. does it just make the contract pause for a year?

I can appreciate what you're saying, and I do hope he gets a good opportunity to shine... but when listing those stats and "3rd among combine WRs"...Kirk Merritt didn't actually attend the combine. His times/measurements/reps are from his Arkansas State Pro Day, and you know how those Pro Days work...take every time/measurement/rep with a very large grain of salt.  ;)

Sure, I get that.  Even if the times are in his favor, you have to assume he'd still be towards the top, even if he's not 1st or 2nd at the actual combine.  Plus, I don't think you can fudge you're vertical, dude can jump over a building.

^^^ I've been to a few pro days...I always thought they fudged everything.  ???

Again, I hope he does well, especially since he's playing for Miami, but if even just a few of the 32 NFL GMs/Personnel guys thought those numbers were legit, I can only believe he would not have gone undrafted.

I'm pretty sure Merritt had off the field issues and that's why he went undrafted.  Preston Williams is a proto WR and he went undrafted for the same reasons

They get some small amount of money, but not their full contract amount...I think they called it a stipend or something.  I don't know if they remain under contract if it were multiple years.

They get a COVID stipend and everything on their contract gets pushed back one year.   This will not count as a year of service time because they chose not to play.  The fourth year players have a big decision to make because next year they would normally be eligible for UFA but if they opt out, they will not be.

Not a big deal as far as I'm concerned.  Every team is going to have a few guys that opt out.  I think this season is going to be a wash out anyways.  What I've been curious about for a couple months now is what is going to happen with next years draft?  If colleges don't play, or don't play full schedules, how is that going to affect player eligibility?  What will happen if the NFL doesn't complete it's season?

This doesn't seem like it would be complicated.  I imagine that all those guys in college would have an extra year of eligability, if they want it, but it's not required.  The draft would happen normally, with pro-days and workouts and game film being the primary means of evaluation.  The draft is such a crap-shoot anyway, that I don't think it will matter much.

Maybe I'm overthinking it, but I'm just worried because Miami has a slew of picks for next years' draft.  Yes, the draft is a crapshoot, but I'd feel better if everything was a normal draft year.  Some college conferences are deciding not to play at all, some are playing limited schedules within their conferences, etc.  Some players may leave early for the draft to get paid, while other quality players may stay for an extra year resulting in the draft will be low on talent.  What will happen in the NFL?  Will there be a full season, I doubt it.  If the season is cut short teams could have an unrealistic positive, or negative, ranking for the draft based on their schedules.  I just have this feeling that now that Miami has a bunch of high picks that they will get screwed.

That's a fully reasonable take and a legit concern.

I wouldn't spend once more brain cell worrying about it, though, since there's really nothing that anyone can control or influence.  It's just a weird luck thing....but y'know, it could also work out in our favor.  These athletes may elect to declare for the draft earlier than they otherwise would because the NCAA season is unclear and they want the paycheck?