Miami Dolphins: Breaking Down the Greg Camarillo-Benny Sapp Trade

On Wednesday, the Miami Dolphins and the Minnesota Vikings announced a trade that will send wide receiver Greg Camarillo to Minnesota in exchange for Benny Sapp.

The trade was a bit surprising, since the two face off in week two of the season.

Urgency forced both teams' hands in this trade, but who stands to benefit the most?

What the Dolphins Get

Benny Sapp is a cornerback entering his seventh season in the NFL. This will be his third NFL team.

So why do the Dolphins want him?

In actuality, the Dolphins may not want him, but they need him.

Due to an injury to Will Allen, the Dolphins were looking at a secondary that would feature two sophomores, Sean Smith and Vontae Davis, and one rookie, Nolan Carroll. 

As a team trying to make a deep run into the playoffs, that is a scary prospective.

Sapp brings a veteran's presence to the secondary, much like Allen. 

He doesn't bring much flair or dramatics, but he does bring dependability. Sapp has played in fourteen or more games in five of his six NFL seasons.

Last year was one of Sapp's best, as he played in all 16 games and started seven as an injury replacement for Antonie Winfield. 

The Dolphins obviously did not feel comfortable throwing Nolan Carroll into the fire his rookie season, and Sapp provides the veteran presence they need now at the position.

What the Vikings Get

The Vikings get Greg Camarillo, a guy who could make the Dolphins extremely regret this trade later.

Benny Sapp doesn't have game changing capability, but Camarillo does.

Dolphins fans will forever remember "Camarillo's Catch," an overtime catch against the Baltimore Ravens that gave the Dolphins their only victory in the 2007 season. 

Think the Dolphins might not regret that in week two when Camarillo is on the receiving end of a Brett Favre touchdown pass?

Last season, Camarillo proved to be a sure-handed receiver, as he did not drop a single pass.

Brett Favre will enjoy throwing to Camarillo in the absence of Sydney Rice and Percy Harvin, whose injuries are the obvious reason this trade occurred. 

Analysis

There is a lot of potential for the Vikings in this trade.

On the other hand, the Dolphins know what they are getting.

Camarillo could become another wide receiver the Dolphins let go prematurely, like Wes Welker.

He runs crisp routes and has some of the surest hands in the NFL.

Sapp, however, is going to be a mediocre backup at best for the Dolphins, with some spot play in the nickel set.

Why the Dolphins chose to help out their week two opponents at a position they were desperate for is puzzling. The only logical answer is that the Dolphins were equally desperate for cornerback help. 

There was talk that Camarillo would be cut after he fell to fourth on the depth chart behind Brandon Marshall, Davone Bess, and Brian Hartline.

While Marshall was the obvious reason Ted Ginn was traded earlier in the season, he is less responsible for this one.

The Dolphins were able to trade Camarillo because of the strong training camps that Hartline, and tight ends Anthony Fasano and David Martin have been having.

Its possible that the Dolphins just wanted to get something in return for Camarillo, if they were planning on cutting him, since the Vikings would be the obvious team to sign him should he be released.

They did sign Javon Walker after all. 

The Dolphins seemed to have missed an opportunity here, though. They could have held onto Camarillo until the third week of the season, thus forcing the Vikings to play them short-handed at receiver.

They could have sought cornerback help elsewhere, or waited until there was a clearer timetable on Will Allen's return.

All in all, the move seems ill advised and rushed by the Dolphins, and smart by the Vikings. 

But, who is to doubt Bill Parcells?