Do the Dolphins finally get it?

Do my eyes deceive me or do the Dolphins finally get it?
A lot has happened for the Miami Dolphins since I last wrote a column. A lot of Twitter “sources” expected & wanted a spending spree. Instead, what they got was a methodical, cost effective approach to improving this team that I feel is the right way to fix it.
First off, let me start with the things I do not like. First & foremost, letting Lamar Miller leave. This is a guy about to turn the corner & become an upper echelon back in this league. Despite the fact that I like Miami setting a price point as part of their building strategy, this was a mistake. Most good teams have a core of 10-15 guys that they should keep at almost all costs. He should have been part of this group. I think they will pay for this one.
The 2nd thing that I didn’t like was the fact that they restructured Suh’s contract. I would have taken the cap hit this year & allowed for more flexibility going forward. I don’t think this proves problematic until a couple of years down the road, but it will do so despite what some want you to believe.
Finally, I was not a fan of the move down in the 1st round. I admit that this one is growing on me a bit. My biggest fear is that this move is made without knowing who is on the board. If Myles Jack, Jalen Ramsey or Joey Bosa fall to 8, I will be pretty upset. However, if none of those guys fall to 8, & Maxwell and/or Alonso turn out to be solid starters, the deal can prove to be a good one. Still a lot of risk though, despite the media narrative.
Now, on to the good. Miami has taken an approach of not overpaying marginal talent this offseason. Letting Vernon go & get the outrageous contract that he did was absolutely the right decision. Replacing him with Mario Williams, a more talented player, on a very non-committal deal is an excellent move. They will get a compensatory pick & chances are they get similar productivity.

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The signings of Isa Abdul Quddus & Andre Branch were low risk signings of younger guys with potential. Admittedly, I had never heard of IAQ prior to his signing. But upon reading up on him, they are taking a flyer on a player with athletic ability. If it works, great. But, if not, they can move on with very little pain. The same with Branch who was essentially brought in to replace Derrick Shelby. Is he on the same level as a player? Probably not. But, as a low risk, 1 year signing? Worth a shot.
Finally, they have added Jermon Bushrod to play OG for them this season. Again, it is on a short term deal with very little guaranteed money (see a theme here?) While, I admit I would still like them to sign another proven veteran at guard, Bushrod is a versatile guy who can play G while protecting them from injury at OT. I still think they will add a veteran OG that does not affect the compensatory pick formula before or after the draft.
What Miami has done this offseason is not commit unnecessary resources to a team with question marks. It is clear they are taking a step back & making decisions that aren’t just good for one year, but for multiple years. Getting compensatory picks from the league, not tying up salary cap dollars, are the marks of a good organization. Smart teams do this.  Perhaps, they are finally starting to get it.
I think they want to use the draft to add good players & see what good coaching can do. They don’t want to tie up resources while the team is in a discovery or partial rebuild phase. The main thing needed this season is to see if we have the right guy at the QB position. If we do, the future is bright. If we don’t, Miami fans will be thankful for the approach this off season so that future resources can be used to find that player.