PhinsRock

By: J.P. Correia

July 26, 2008

Training Camp Starts Today

Well, it's finally here. Dolphins training camp starts today in Davie, and you can catch the play by play on the blog, hopefully that is. There are so many questions surrounding this team heading into camp. Infact, let's quickly run through some of them...

1) QB Battle: Can Beck win the starting job?

Right now, Beck is penciled in as the Dolphinjs starting quarterback, but that means almost nothing before camp. McCown was brought in as an insurance policy, sort of speak, for a season untill Beck is fully ready to take the reigns, or if the feel necassary, to let Henne grow and mature before taking over in '09. Beck was drafted by the last regime which has some to believe that he is not the future of this team in Parcell's and co. minds. If this is true, it is that much more prevelant that Beck wins the starting job this year, and shows us that it was the right choice passing on Quinn.

Personally, I think that McCown will win the starting job. Whether he's the future at the position or not (which he obviously isn't), ia irrelevant at this point in the season. Sparano's job is to put in who has the best chance to win, and right now that would be McCown. But as everybody else, I am rooting for Beck.

2) Fasano or Martin?

Anthony Fasano was drafted by Parcells 3 years ago, but has not lived up to the hype yet. He has of course been playing behind maybe the game's best in Jason Witten. Fasano was brought in along with Ayodele for a 4th round pick. Fasano is expected by fans to win the sarting job, but right now is behind Martin on the depth chart. Martin was brought in last year via FA, but played horrible, dropping lots of passes, and not picking up several blocks; him, being known as a blocking TE, needs to show more then what he did last year, in order to stick around. I fully expect Fasasno to win the job, but if he doesn't, we're in deep trouble.

3) 3-4, or 4-3??

While the Dolphins are expected to run the 3-4 defense,and have commited greatly into getting players that fit the status quo, in order to play in the 3-4, Coach Sparano isn't sure that he has enough big players in that front seven to run it. Guys like Porter, and Anderson, are really stricktly 3-4 players, and I don't want to see JP being mis-used like last season in the 4-3 defense. It's time to get big, bad, and physical again! The way Dolphins football should be!

4) Ronnie - Ricky

Ronnie is obviously coming back from what of the most serious injuries in sports. Now, usally it is said that it takes a full 18 months to come back from such an injury. It's been about 9 so far. While people, including Ronnie, say that Brown is nearly there, and is way ahead of schedule, we can't expect him to come back and have the season he was set to have in '07. That being said, Ricky will have to carry a lot of the load, but can he do it? He too is coming back from a bad injury that kept him out the remainder of last season, and hasn't had significant playing time in 3 years. Hopefully Ricky will pick up some of the slack, and hopefully we can stay injury free for once.

Phillip Merling Signed

Merling was signed by the Dolphins yesterday evening to a reported 4 year deal. Merling was the Dolphins 2nd round draft choice, and probably would have gone in the top 15, maybe top 10 had an injury not slowed him down, and made his stock dip drastically. Merling was said by some to be as good as team mate Gaines Adams, who was picked number 4 overall in the 2007 draft. Merling defintely has ability, and before the injury was a force. The guy is 6'4, 275, yet he ran a 40 time that some skill position players failed to run; a 4.63.

Last year Merling had 78 tackles, 17 for loss, 7 sacks, and hurried the QB 21 times. Clearly he is better suitted being a pass rusher, however it does seem that the Dolphins will be using him at DE, both in the 3-4 and 4-3. And if were to primarilly run the 3-4, he would mostly be a run stuffer as opposed to an elite pass rusher like he was in his collegient career. this just leaves Henne left, who, if he wants any chance of competing for the starting job, better be in camp on time.

Phins could be adding 2 more Boys'

By: J.P. Correia

July 23, 2008

Dolphins Cap situation

The Dolphins are now 21 million under the salary cap, according to the Miami Herald, which means that we got rid of about 7 million because of the Taylor trade. This also menas that JT is resposible to 2.5 million of dead cap. According to NFL rules, every team is required to spend at least 86.4% of the annual salary cap, which means that league rules require us to spend about 5 million dollars before the start of the season. Some ideas on how to spend such money...

Resign player's like Vernon Carey to a long term deal. Carey might be our most proven starter at this point, and this year could be our best player. Not resigning him before he gets a taste of the open market would be a foolish move.

Use recently acquired draft picks to package a deal for a guy like Lito Sheppard. CB is our biggest need at this point, the Eagles are not that excited about having him on the team along with his check, with Samual there, and he is well worth a couple of second round picks.

There are not many options out there in free agency, so a trade or a big resigning(s) would be the best option, and most likeoy one as well.

Who will replace JT?

When the Dolphins first drafted Phillip Merling, my immediate thought, along with most Phin fans, was that he was being drafted as the heir to JT, to player that RWOLB position once a trade had been made, or he retired. Then the other day in an interveiw, Sparano reffered to Merling as an elite pass rusher who will hopefully get lots of sacks for year to come. In the system the Dolphins are running, there is only one position where you are considered a true pass rusher, and that is OLB.

Sparano then said in an interveiw yesterday though, that Quinten Moses, and Anderson benifited the most from this trade, and Merling is currently on the depth chart as a DE. So my question is can either Moses or Anderson step up, and become at least close to what JT was, or would have been at least this up-coming season? No-one is the simple answer, but maybe we can get a few sparks from the guy who I think will win the job.

Quinten Moses was a projected first round pick out of Georgia, just a couple of weeks before the 2007 draft. He slipped all the way to the 3rd round because of a drop in stock, for really no reason. The Raiders ended up releasing him, and the Phins pounced on the chance to get the rookie. Moses showed signs of his ability last year when he came in, even though it was rarely. Here is a nice video showcasing Moses's playmaking ability. Remember though, he is a converted DE, so he could need a season or two to get used to the new position; however, I do think that he can give us a spark here or there this season, he does have a lot of potential.

By: J.P. Correia

July 21, 2008 

Jason Taylor Traded to Washington

Yesterday, ESPN was reporting that the Redskins were trying to trade for Jason Taylor after their starting LE, Phillip Daniels, blew out his knee. The deal got done at some point last night when Daniel Snyder gave Parcells a 2^nd round draft choice for 2009, and a 6^th round pick for 2010.

To be honest, I don’t know what to think. I know that the trade was the best move for the progression of the franchise, especially since we got what we wanted in a 2^nd rounder, plus a 6^th which we can always use for trade purposes if need be; however, it’s JT. In the last 10 years, when you have thought of the Dolphins, you think of Jason Taylor and Zach Thomas. Now, both are gone, and this team has just 6 players on the current starting roster that have been on the team for more then 2 seasons.

What Jason could teach the young guys that we have on the squad, such as Moses, Merling, etc., was invaluable. Taylor has been the NFL’s best sack man by far since 2000, racking up a full season’s worth of sacks then Michael Strahan in those 7 seasons. He has experience, leadership, all the things that you look for in a great leader and mentor; and let’s not forget the intagibles. JT wanted it more then anybody on that football field.

A little about this whole Jason Taylor saga…

Taylor has expressed his desire since last April’s draft, to be traded if at all possible. On numerous interviews, he’s been telling the team to trade him to a big market team that he can win some football games with in, what he says, is his last season. He dismissed the possibility of an Green Bay trade a few weeks ago because Green Bay was too small a market. On an ESPN interview the other day, when asked about the possibility of sitting out the season, he quickly said, “you can always do that too.”

As fans, it’s been tough seeing a player that we have all come to love and admire, act this way towards the team and us, the fans. And now, to be traded, I don’t know if it has really sunk in yet, at least not for me; not yet.

This has been a delicate process with whoever the trade partner is, and before last night I was expecting the whole thing to end in him staying, and retiring a Dolphin. His value to Bill Parcells and the Dolphins was, and rightfully so, a 2^nd round pick. However, from another’s teams standpoint, why pay a 2^nd round pick for a guy who is only going to play for one more season, who is already 34 years old, who is already planning his future after football, and who counts for 9.5 million against your cap? In fact, why pay anything more then a 4^th or 5^th round pick? Apparently Daniel Snyder, who has never had a problem with giving away draft picks for veterans, thought that the need to replace Daniel’s, was big enough to warrant spending a 2^nd round pick.

If it were up to me, and I think most Dolphin fans would do the same, and the Redskins offered me a 2^nd rounder, and a 6^th, I would take that in a heart beat. I guess I just cannot grasp the fact that we’ll be hearing Taylor’s name in relation to the team that is housed in the nation’s capital, then in relation with the team housed in the nation’s most beautiful city.

JT has been the heart and soul of this team, along with Zach, for the last 10+ years; One thing is clear from all this, Bill Parcells is here to build a winning team, no matter the cost. For those of you who are sad to see Jason go as I am, on the upside, we not only have an extra first day pick for next year, but we also clear up nearly 10 million dollars in cap.

JT, you have been my favorite Dolphin for over 10 years now. Go into the Hall of Fame as a Dolphin; that’s what you are and always will be. This is a new team, a new era of Dolphins football. You can already tell that this regime is not like any new regime we have had since Shula; this is about winning football games, and that alone. It’s about building for the future, and returning to glory. I know one thing, this franchise will be what it was in the 70s and 80s once more. When, I don’t know. But eventually, we will once again be the team to beat in the American Football Conference.

2008 Season outlook without Taylor

I have been on the .500 bandwagon for about a month now; but that was when we had Taylor. Without him, we not only lose one of the great leaders in the NFL, a great man, but, in my opinion, the best overall defensive player in football. While I used to get upset when analysts would say things like, “it’s another lousy season for the Phins’, maybe if they’re lucky 5-11.” Not anymore. It’s because they’re right. This is a team without a true identity I fear, at least not yet.

Fans, don’t get your hopes up for another 8-8 season, a season where Jet fans can finally stop tormenting us. Prepare for another dismal year. But know this: The Dolphins will be back, and they’ll be back big.

Good luck on your new ventures JT; have fun playing Zach twice a year. You’ve been one of the best Dolphins we’ve ever had. And in my heart, and in all Dolfan’s hearts, you will always go down in history as a Miami Dolphin, no matter what.

Mark your calendars folks. Yesterday was the dawn of a new Dolphins era. In BP we trust!  

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