INDIANAPOLIS -- The Miami Dolphins' current impasse with wideout Mike Wallace will eventually come to a head. But for the moment, Dennis Hickey is trying to let cooler heads prevail.
In a Wednesday news conference that was slightly more exciting than an employee training session at Starbucks, the Dolphins even-keeled general manager admitted to having dinner with his mercurial star.
"Had a good conversation," Hickey said. "We have an open line of communication. We always feel like we have an open door for all of our players, whether it be the coaching staff, myself, always keeping that open line of communication."
Hickey was asked if he understood Wallace's frustration, but did not bite.
"For all of us, as the season unfolded, late in the year, we were all frustrated about how the season ended. That's what we're focused on now, addressing, confronting the reality of where we're at, and how do we get to where we want to be? That's what we spent the last five or six weeks looking at hard, and talking through and working together in a collaborative fashion, to work through that. The goal is to be better."
This situation is not about Hickey's lack of excitement, though. In reality, he has high-profile decisions to make on both Wallace and Ryan Tannehill that will impact the next five years of his franchise and, more immediately, have a serious effect on the mood in the locker room.
Wallace's inability to find peace in this offense is a major issue that could bleed into training camp if he stays around. Dinner is a good start, but much more needs to get done before those cooler heads prevail.
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