Adding superstars is not crazy. This is the right strategy for dolphins – Reading Eagle

Theron Armstead was following the new modern practice of the Miami Dolphins and saw Dan Marina’s name in one of the offices.

The three-time offensive lineman Pro Bowl, who was in South Florida during his one and only free agent visit, didn’t know if he would see the Hall of Fame defender.

He then attended an offensive meeting during the recruitment, where he was betrothed to the Dolphins spiritual and coaching staff, and there was Marina.

“He came up and introduced himself as if I didn’t know him, which was crazy,” Armstead said.

It didn’t complete the five-year deal for $ 47 million, but it certainly helped, given that Armstead was in Marina’s retro jersey – which featured orange sneakers – during his inaugural press conference on Thursday.

Tyrick Hill, for whom the team on Thursday sent a private jet to Ocala to pick him up and his family after a blockbuster trade from Kansas City on Wednesday, could not restrain himself from envy.

“Why didn’t I meet Dan Marina?” said Hill, a six-time Pro Bowler, after signing a record four-year sequel of $ 120 million. “It’s crazy!”

No, it’s a stellar force, and the dolphins are finally having more than one (corner Xavien Howard) on the list for the first time in ten years.

Hill is such a big star that he’s called “Cheetah,” a nickname that plays on his reputation as the fastest NFL player.

Hill intends to maintain that reputation by challenging his new teammate, Jalen Waddle, to the race.

“Wherever I go, Cheetah, he always has to prove he’s the fastest on the team,” Hill said.

This is the superstar mentality, right down to the third person link.

And it is definitely welcome.

Brandon Marshall, Ricky Williams, Cameron Wake, Jarvis Landry, Brent Grimes and Rashid Jones were good players, Pro Bowl talents while working at Dolphins.

But the last time Miami had a superstar – a talent with a resume from the Hall of Fame – was on their list, in the Marina years and in the era of Jason Taylor and Zach Thomas.

Miami has done everything it takes to add two this week to Hill and Armstead, and commends CEO Chris Grier for closing both deals that shook the NFL landscape.

Owner Steve Ross also deserves the requisites to approve substantial contracts and write the massive checks it took for both transactions to take place.

Not every NFL owner can – or more importantly – write one player a check for $ 25 million, which is a subscription bonus received by Hill.

In fact, to be honest, that $ 25 million could be for some budget owners signing bonuses for the entire offseason. But Ross has proven that he will do his best and spend everything it takes to build a winner.

He used to fail so many times, in so many different ways. But this is not from a lack of attempts.

This time he returned to the game for stellar strength. And he’s not wrong.

Howard directly influenced the Dolphins last season, leading Miami to two wins in 2021. This influence is exerted by elite talents.

Imagine what opportunities Hill and Armstead can do. Perhaps each of them could lead the Dolphins to two victories.

This is the influence of playmakers. They turn the game upside down, providing a clutch-like game as Hill scored in overtime for Kansas City’s win over the Buffalo Beals.

That’s why NFL teams pay for them well.

The NFL is a league of superstars, and without those superstars on your list the franchise just goes on the water. So Ross instructed the dolphins to find and add a few. As a result, Hill became the sixth player he made the highest paid man in the relevant position during his ten-year tenure as NFL owner.

If it’s not the quest to win, I don’t know what.

Ideal to create a team around the called talents, which equates to a young, promising, cheap workforce. But it is hoped that one day some of these recruits will become superstars and become so spectacular that change the outcome of the games.

Plays that bring the Dolphins to the playoffs, and possibly more.

We are talking about those players who are remembered 20 years after retirement as Marina.

Armstead was 8, and Hill – 5, when Marina took the last picture of the NFL, but the blow continued. Hopefully Armstead and Hill will leave such an imprint on the Dolphins in the next few seasons.

()