Bleacher Report - Articles by Sam L

Wildcat By The Numbers

Sam L — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 08:19:31 -0400

Now that we have three weeks worth of Miami Wildcat numbers, I thought it would be a good time to start keeping track of this formation's success, both in absolute terms and in comparison with the base offensive formations.

Using NFL.com's play-by-plays from the past three games (the Wildcat era, so to speak) I compiled the stats for all the plays the team has run out of the formation.

First up is a table, showing a game-by-game breakdown of the formation's usage, along with cumulative totals and per game averages (based on the three games since the team started using the Wildcat).

	Plays	Run	Pass	Yards	Yds/Play	FDs	TDs
Week 3, @NE	6	5	1	119	19.8	1	4
Week 5, SD	10	9	1	48	4.8	3	1
Week 6, @HOU	7	6	1	77	11.0	0	1
Total	23	20	3	244	10.6	4	6
Avg./Game	7.7	6.7	1	81.3	-	1.3	2

The pass play that is listed for the Chargers game was a play where Ricky Williams looked to pass but pulled the ball down and was sacked for 0 yards.

Obviously, the New England game is extraordinary for the amount of touchdowns this formation produced, particularly in only six attempts, the lowest amount of uses in the three games. Clearly, teams will be better prepared for the formation from here on out, but even against the Chargers and Texans, who did a fairly good job of containing it, Miami was still able to engineer big scoring plays from the Wildcat.

This next table compares the stats of the base offense to those of the Wildcat offense.

	Plays	FDs (non-penalty)	FD%	TDs	TD%	Run Avg
Non-WC Plays	277	87	31%	8	3%	3.6 yds
WC Plays	23	4	17%	6	26%	8.6 yds

First off, with only 23 total plays run from the Wildcat, there are obvious sample size warnings about this data. Also, the Wildcat has been used heavily around the goal line, erasing the opportunities for first downs and increasing scoring opportunities, and so those numbers will obviously be skewed to some degree.

Still, it is hard not to notice the immense disparity between the touchdown efficiency of the base offense and that of the Wildcat. The Wildcat has scored a TD 26% of the time compared to only 3% of regular offensive plays. Then again, the Wildcat is less effective at achieving first downs, and has generally been a boom-or-bust proposition up to this point (particularly against the Texans).

I'll keep track of the Wildcat numbers throughout the season, providing the team keeps using it - and they should. It's clearly the team's big-play threat. At this point, I liken the Wildcat formation to a hitter in baseball who hits a ton of home runs while also striking out a lot (think Ryan Howard). The coming weeks will tell a lot about how viable this formation will be further down the road.

With Ted Ginn, Davone Bess, and Ernest Wilford (he has a real strong arm) all available to be used as wrinkles in this scheme, I see it remaining useful for some time.

Finally, here is a comparison of Ronnie's and Ricky's rushing stats from the Wildcat:

	Runs	Yards	Avg	FDs	TDs
Ronnie Brown	12	117	9.8	2	4
Ricky Williams	8	55	6.9	2	0

The huge gains skew the numbers in such a small sample size, but those are still impressive numbers. Let's see how well they hold up a few weeks from now.

Check out Sam's site Phinaticism for even more Dolphins news and commentary.

Miami Dolphins' Training-Camp Primer: Specialists

Sam L — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 19:21:49 -0400

The final segment of the training camp positional previews looks at the specialists.

Here's a closer look at the individual specialists currently on the roster and what can be expected of them this coming season.

Jay Feely

It looks like Randy Mueller made the correct decision last offseason by trading away Olindo Mare before his wheels really fell off (only 10/17 on field goals). Jay Feely, on the other hand, set the franchise record for field goal percentage (91.3%) in a single season.

Still, field-goal percentage is almost entirely random from season to season, so the simple fact that Feely had an incredibly accurate year is not cause enough to simply hand him a roster spot.

Kickoff distance is where Feely really struggled, and unlike field-goal percentage, kickoff distance is one of the most consistent statistics in football. He averaged a pathetic 57.8-yards per kickoff and kicked only eight touchbacks.

However, some part of that very low average can be attributed to Cam Cameron's foolish decisions to squib kick so often and in situations that did not dictate such measures.

From the camp reports, Feely is kicking farther and landing more touchbacks than last season, and more than his competitor, so it still seems like Feely is the correct choice. Besides, if it turns out that Feely's kickoff woes can no longer be tolerated during the season, it's likely that Dan Carpenter would still be around.

The same cannot be said for Feely if he were to be cut and Carpenter were to struggle.

Dan Carpenter

Carpenter is getting a fair chance to compete with Feely for the kicking job in training camp, and while he is showing just as much accuracy as Feely, his kickoff distances are falling shorter than Feely's. Given that Feely is not a very good kickoff man, that doesn't speak well of Carpenter's ability.

Brandon Fields

Punter is really the only position on the Dolphins that isn't being contested in training camp. Parcells and Ireland seemingly liked Fields from the moment they took over the team, and it's understandable why. Fields has an absolutely huge leg, and he's capable of booming his punts with the best of them.

The problem is his consistency.

He mixed in those boomers with several shanks last year, and that was precisely the scouting report on him coming out of college. Still, he played at a league-average level in his rookie season, and that's not bad. He should improve on his consistency at least a little bit this year.

Fields also has experience kicking off, and it would be great to see him take over the kickoff duties from Feely, since his huge leg seems more suitable for the role. Hopefully, the coaching staff will give him the opportunity to win that role during training camp.

John Denney

Denney is the team's long-snapper. You can judge this position by how often you hear the player's name throughout the season. Since they are only called out when they mess up, the less you hear the guy's name, the better he's playing. By that measurement, Denney's been pretty good, and I can't remember any snap that he's totally botched. Like they say, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

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Here's my predicted depth chart:
K - Jay Feely
P - Brandon Fields
LS - John Denney

Check out Sam's site Phinaticism for even more Dolphins news and commentary.

Dolphins Training Camp Primer: Cornerbacks

Sam L — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 10:32:57 -0400

Next up in the positional previews are the cornerbacks.

What to expect: In order to gauge the effectiveness of Miami's secondary last year, stay away from the NFL's pass defense rankings.

The NFL ranks pass defenses by average pass yards allowed per game. In this regard, Miami ranked fourth overall in the league last season. But Miami's pass defense was hardly a top five unit.

It was just that no team had to pass against Miami since it's run defense held up like a wet napkin. In reality, according to the advanced metrics of Pro Football Prospectus, Miami's pass D ranked 27th in the league. Big difference.

The bad news is that things aren't likely to drastically improve this season. Miami's pass rush could very well be worse than last year, putting even more pressure on the defensive backs. The team brought in four new CBs this year, but none of them appear to have any shot of replacing the three best CBs from last year.

Here's a closer look at the individual cornerbacks currently on the roster and what can be expected of them this coming season:

Will Allen
Will Allen doesn't get nearly enough credit around the league and especially from Dolphins fans. It's time to recognize that Allen is and has been for a few years now, one of the best corners in the game.

Since he's been in Miami he has been a true No. 1 corner, and I expect that level of play to continue for at least one more season. One problem is that Allen is 30 years old, so I have questions about how long he can remain a No. 1 corner.

The other problem is that because of the lack of quality depth behind Allen, teams can simply avoid him by throwing to the other side of the field. As it stands, Allen is Miami's only shutdown corner, and he's good in run support and blitzing as well.

Andre Goodman
Goodman was a pleasant surprise for the Dolphins in 2006, but his 2007 season was a wash as he missed significant time with a shoulder injury that hampered him even after he returned to the field. He says he is fully recovered now, after having undergone another surgery on the shoulder.

If he really is healthy again, he should give Michael Lehan a good competition for the starting CB spot opposite Will Allen. His effectiveness hinges solely on his shoulder health, and even if he loses out to Lehan, he will at least serve as a dependable nickelback.

Michael Lehan
Lehan performed well enough as a starter last season that he was resigned, and he will once again fight to be a starter. He gave up a few too many big plays last year, but the safeties providing deep help were horrendous. He was solid in run support, but could be better.

Travis Daniels
Ever since a nice rookie season, Daniels' career has been in flux—constantly switching between safety and corner, and not finding the same success in either spot that he did in his first year.

He's being used as a CB to start this year off, and the hope is that with a new coaching staff, he can settle down at one position. A lot of big plays given up last year were the direct result of blown coverage by Daniels. If he wants to stick around, that'll obviously need to change.

Nate Jones
Jones was primarily a special teams player in Dallas, but he has the opportunity to earn more playing time in this group of corners. So far in training camp he has impressed in coverage.

Joey Thomas
Thomas has history with the coaching staff, but all he's done since entering the league is bounce around from team to team. His only real shot at making this roster seems to be if one of the guys in front of him gets hurt.

Will Billingsley
Billingsley's biggest strength is his blazing speed. No one really knows how well he can actually cover. It may be worth stashing him on the practice squad for a year to see if he develops into a useful player.

Scorpio Babers
Babers, an undrafted rookie free agent, got beat left and right in minicamps, and it doesn't seem like he has much of a shot to make the team.

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Here is my predicted depth chart:
1. Will Allen
2. Andre' Goodman
3. Michael Lehan
4. Nate Jones
5. Travis Daniels
6. Will Billingsley (practice squad)

Training camp battle to watch: Goodman vs. Lehan for the starting spot opposite Allen.

Check out Sam's site Phinaticism for even more Dolphins news and commentary.

Miami Dolphins Training Camp Primer: Tight Ends

Sam L — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 19:57:10 -0400

Continuing with my look at the offensive side of the ball, today's training camp positional preview will focus on the tight ends.

What To Expect

Miami brought in David Martin last year to fill the team's need for a starting tight end. Well, as many expected, that experiment didn't work out too well. Thus, a starting tight end was once again a need this offseason, and the front office sent a fourth-round draft pick over to Dallas in return for Anthony Fasano (and Akin Ayodele).

Whoever the starting TE is, don't expect them to all of a sudden become Jason Witten just because they are playing in a similar offense. Miami will use a lot of two-TE formations, but that is much more for blocking purposes than route-running purposes.

Here's a closer look at the individual tight ends currently on the roster and what can be expected of them this coming season.

Anthony Fasano

Assuming he's healthy, Fasano should have no problem winning the starting TE spot. He's really the only TE on the roster that can be considered both a good blocker and a good pass-catcher. The rest of the guys all seem pretty one-dimensional.

Fasano blocks straight ahead very well, and that will help the power-running game. He's also a weapon at catching passes over the middle, and he runs his crossing routes to perfection, oftentimes helping the other receivers to get open.

The fact that he's stepping into a system that he already knows, while all the other guys adjust, further cements his seeming lock on the starting spot. Also, he's only 24-years old, so he's still got plenty of room for improvement. I expect good things from Fasano in the future.

David Martin

What a disappointment this guy was last year (and I wasn't even one of those crazy fans who thought Martin was the next coming of Antonio Gates—talk about a rude awakening for them). In five seasons with the Packers before coming to Miami, Martin had never been a full-time starter.

Cam Cameron mistakenly thought he could turn him into one.

Wrong.

Martin is what he is. He's essentially just another receiver who plays a position that requires him to perform a task that he is seemingly unable to do (blocking).

The injury bug that perpetually follows Martin around like Pigpen's dust cloud hampered him again last season, sapping his effectiveness. All of those injuries, combined with his older age (29), aren't doing any favors to the one skill he relies on—his speed.

Despite all these negatives, I still think Martin will make the team, primarily due to a lack of better options. He comes pretty cheap, and aside from Fasano, he's the only other receiving threat that Miami has at TE.

Justin Peelle

Peelle has been a serviceable backup with Miami for the past few seasons, but I get the feeling his time with the team may be running out. He's always been a blocking tight end first, but he does have good hands.

Of course, if the offense is having to continually throw to Peelle, something probably isn't going well. His yards per catch are horribly low and his ability to get open is average at best.

The nails in his coffin, however, will likely be his bloated contract and the fact that he's 29-years old. There are younger guys on the roster that can do what Peelle does for a fraction of the cost.

Sean Ryan

One of those younger guys is Sean Ryan, brought over to Miami from the Jets. Ryan is primarily a blocker, and he has the big frame (6'5", 260 lbs.) to excel in the trenches.

The Jets liked to motion Ryan into the backfield to act as a lead blocker on run plays, and Miami could use that same strategy when lining up in multiple TE sets with no fullback. He's not at all a weapon in the passing game. If you want a comparison player, think of Kyle Brady (just not as good as Brady).

Aaron Halterman

Halterman came to Miami because he had experience working with Cam Cameron. Now that Cameron is gone, expect Halterman to soon be shown the door. It's a bit surprising that he's even lasted this long.

Matthew Mulligan

Mulligan was an undrafted college free-agent, and he didn't show anything special in minicamps and OTAs. He's just a camp body.

Here's my predicted depth chart:

1. Anthony Fasano

2. David Martin

3. Sean Ryan

Training camp battle to watch: Martin vs. Peelle vs. Ryan for the No. 2 and No. 3 spots.

Check out Sam's site Phinaticism for even more Dolphins news and commentary.

Miami Dolphins Training-Camp Primer: Wide Receivers

Sam L — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 20:12:51 -0400

Next up in the series of positional previews are the wide receivers.

What to expect

Talk about a motley crew. Miami's ragtag bunch of receivers don't have much combined experience in this league, and what experiences they have had don't inspire tremendous confidence that they'll be able to consistently help out the quarterback.

The good news here is that this group is incredibly young, and that means they have a tremendous amount of room to improve. Ernest Wilford is the oldest of the bunch, and he is not yet 30-years old.

Half of the 10 receivers entering training camp are rookies. I'm not expecting great (or even above average) things on the surface from these guys, but I do expect this season to be one of big strides made in the developmental process.

This team still lacks a true No. 1 receiver, and while Ted Ginn will most likely play that role this year, I'm not sure he's cut out to be the top guy. The team doesn't have a guy of that caliber on the roster, so that's something that will have to be addressed after this season.

Until then, this hungry group of youngsters will have to make due. Here's a closer look at the individual receivers currently on the roster and what can be expected of them this coming season.

Ted Ginn

For his rookie season, Ginn certainly didn't quiet all the naysayers who criticized his high draft position, but nothing short of being in contention for Rookie of the Year honors would have done that. Those lofty expectations were flat-out unreasonable.

The performance he did turn in was rather pedestrian, but he showed enough promise to back up the notion that he can indeed be a starter in this league—probably not a true No. 1, but I don't doubt his ability to be a quality starter.

With either Ernest Wilford or Derek Hagan starting opposite him, Ginn will be matched with a big possession-type receiver. That's a good complement for Ginn's blazing speed and deep-threat prowess.

Ginn showed that he's tough enough to catch a ball while running through the middle of the field, but his true value to this offense is as the deep bomb target. Besides, I don't know how long he'd last, given his slight build, if his prime role involved him taking constant beatings.

For his sophomore season, I think Ginn will catch between 50-60 passes for 750-800 yards.

As far as his return duties, I was pleased with what Ginn showed, but he has several areas that he needs to improve on. Most importantly, he needs to stop calling for so many fair catches. He called for 15 out of only 39 punts. That's too much.

He's a bona fide weapon as a return man, but he's only a weapon if he's actually returning the ball.

Obviously, some of his fair catches were smart (I'm not advocating that he stop calling for them altogether), but too many were simply made when no one was even close to him.

Part of the reason was probably rookie jitters, so hopefully he will show that he is past that this year. He also needs to work on securing the ball when fielding kicks and punts, as he had several bad muffs.

Overall, I'm not concerned with Ginn being overworked as both a starting receiver and a returner this season, but in the future, I would not mind seeing him cede punt-return duties to another player.

Ernest Wilford

Wilford is Miami's biggest receiver, standing 6'4" tall, and I think he'll probably begin the season as the starter. I'm not sure he'll hang on to that job for the entire season though. You see, Wilford has always played his best in a reserve role.

His lone season (2006) as a starter in Jacksonville paled in comparison with his other seasons when he was the third receiver. He is 29-years old, so maybe it's too much to expect that he'll now prove capable of starting.

Rather, I think he makes a very good third receiver. He presents a gigantic target in the red zone.

His main value to this team will come in his ability to move the chains. Over his career, he has turned an amazing 77 percent of his receptions into first downs. That kind of ability to keep drives alive will be key for Miami's young quarterbacks to get in a rhythm.

Derek Hagan

If anyone is going to unseat Wilford for the starting job, I think it will be Hagan. Before he was let go, receivers coach Terry Robiskie criticized Hagan for being too immature and unfocused.

With all the drops that Hagan has had since coming into the league two years ago, I was with Robiskie. Hagan had never had a real problem with drops in college, and then over two seasons in limited action with Miami, he's dropped eight passes.

But this is his third season, and he appears to be turning a corner. Parcells and Sporano have heaped praise on him, and it seems like Hagan may finally have his head where it belongs. His physical tools are not the problem.

He's big (6'2"), tough, and has shown the ability to get open. He's also only 24-years old.

It is far too early to give up on Hagan just yet. His ceiling as a starter is greater than Wilford's, and if you combine that with the fact that Wilford plays better as a third-string guy, then this situation just sets itself up for Hagan supplanting Wilford as the starter, opposite Ginn, at some point this season—perhaps even as early as opening day.

Hagan likely won't have a great season in terms of conventional numbers, but I'm confident he's going to show the team that he is worth keeping around as part of the future.

Greg Camarillo

Camarillo will forever be remembered by Miami fans for making the season-saving catch last year against Baltimore and ensuring that Miami would win at least one game. But besides that, he's a pretty useful player to have around.

He is a quality gunner on special teams, and he can hold down the fourth-receiver spot. He's got pretty good size and he catches the ball very well. At 26-years old, he's still fresh, too. What's not to like about this guy?

When you get down to your fourth and fifth receivers, you are looking for someone who can fill multiple roles. Camarillo does exactly that, and he does it well.

David Kircus

Kircus is a tall and fast receiver who has had his career derailed by leg injuries and legal troubles off the field. That is not a combination that I would be looking for.

Granted, the coaching staff has singled him out on a few occasions to praise him, but I'd rather see the fifth receiver spot go to one of the rookies or a waiver-wire pickup with more upside and fewer injury concerns.

Davone Bess

Bess' college numbers look incredible at first glance, but they were largely a product of Hawaii's run-and-shoot offense. Still, Bess has impressed the coaching staff so far in minicamps.

He's small at only 5'10" and he's not fast enough to be a deep threat, but his route running is excellent, and he has the agility to get open on a consistent basis.

He also offers some return abilities to boot. Bess is probably the best rookie receiver on the Dolphins' roster, and his potential to turn into a serviceable No. 3 or No. 4 receiver down the road warrants his inclusion on the 53-man roster.

Jayson Foster

Miami signed Foster as an undrafted, college free-agent and has begun the process of turning the former college QB into a receiver and return specialist. He's absolutely tiny (5'7", 170 lbs.), but he is like a Swiss Army knife combined with a sparkplug.

He's real fun to watch (his YouTube highlight reel is now legendary among Dolphin fans) and he has a lot of people rooting for him to succeed.

However, the fact is that he's a 5'7" kid who has never played receiver before. I'm not writing him off, but I do think he'd best be served by a year on the practice squad. Perhaps he could eventually take over Ginn's punt-return duties next season while serving as a backup receiver and gadget-play extraordinaire.

Selwyn Lymon

Lymon, an undrafted, college free-agent, is another big, tall (6'3") possession receiver that Parcells and Jeff Ireland love. Of course, he comes with several questions about his maturity, work ethic, and character. If he shows mental growth throughout training camp, he may lock up a spot on the practice squad.

Justin Wynn

No one really knows much about Wynn since he hasn't played organized football since 2004. He's a real longshot to make the practice squad, obviously.

John Dunlap

After Tab Perry was lost for the season with an injury, and David Kircus hurt his hamstring again, the team went out and signed Dunlap as injury insurance. And that's really all he is. He's a camp body whose main job is to lessen the reps that the other guys go through each day in practice. He never impressed in college, so it would be quite a story if he made even the practice squad.

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Here's my predicted depth chart:

1. Ted Ginn

2. Ernest Wilford

3. Derek Hagan

4. Greg Camarillo

5. Davone Bess

6. Jayson Foster (practice squad)

7. Selwyn Lymon (practice squad)

Training camp battle to watch

Wilford vs. Hagan for the starting spot opposite Ginn.

Check out Sam's site Phinaticism for even more Dolphins news and commentary.

Dolphins Training Camp Primer: Running Backs and Fullbacks

Sam L — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 04:42:53 -0400

Up next in the training camp positional previews are the running backs and fullbacks.

What to expect: Miami's offense is predicated on a power running game and Ronnie Brown was one of (if not the) best running backs in the league last season until he went down with a season-ending injury. Ricky Williams' return to football was also quickly ended by injury. So Miami enters training camp with its top two runners still mending wounds from last season.

A lot of pressure will be put on the running game to keep the offense competitive, so it will be important to spread the carries amongst an array of backs until Brown and Williams can prove that they are 100% healthy. It makes no sense to risk the long term health of either by running them too hard too early.

Here's a closer look at the individual running backs currently on the roster and what can be expected of them this coming season:

Ronnie Brown

Truthfully, the situation with Ronnie's ACL injury scares me. I know that he's said he is far ahead of schedule in his rehab, but these injuries take 12-18 months to fully heal. When the season begins, he'll have had only about 10 months of rehab time. It will take a big leap of faith to just assume that he will be ready to take a pounding from day one.

What athlete doesn't say that they are right on or ahead of schedule? I'm not going to take his word for it, and the team doctors certainly can't. It would be a disaster for Ronnie to come back too soon and re-injure himself to the point where he is hampered next season or even for the rest of his career.

As I will continually preach in these previews, this season is all about the future. Ronnie's health is a huge component of that. Hopefully, he will see reduced reps in training camp. Even if he is ready to go to start the season, which I think he will be, I don't want to see him carrying the ball 18 times a game.

For at least the first month, Ricky Williams should probably see the lion's share of the workload. That plan may upset the people who only care about Ronnie compiling stats, but it's what's best for his health.

As far as when he does get on the field to play, I expect Brown to improve on his fantastic showing from a year ago. Of course, I don't expect him to pick up right where he left off, but by season's end he should be churning out yards and first downs in abundance.

Brown is a multifaceted threat who can pound the ball between the tackles as well as catch the ball out of the backfield. His great hands were put to use last year on plenty of screen passes and dump-offs and I would expect that to continue. The bottom line is that Ronnie Brown is a young stud running back, but Miami fans should probably temper their expectations of him this season, at least in the beginning as he gets his legs back under him.

Ricky Williams

Love him or hate him, Ricky is back and according to OTA and minicamp reports he is looking like the best player on the field. In a way that's not so surprising given his pedigree and relatively fresh legs. Like I said above, Ricky is going to have an important job this season, as Miami looks to be adopting a true running back-by-committee approach which will save Ronnie and Ricky's legs throughout a whole season.

He's going to need to prove he is fully recovered from his pectoral surgery, but that is much less worrisome than Ronnie's knee. Ricky's style is similar to Ronnie's—a bruiser with speed who has great catching ability. I don't think Ricky will match his 2005 numbers (the last time he split carries with Ronnie), but he should come pretty close.

Jalen Parmele

Parmele was one of Miami's sixth-round draft picks this year, and already he's been handed the third string running back spot. Of course, he'll have to battle to keep that spot in training camp, but I suspect he'll be able to do that. He was a two year starter at Toledo, and during those final two seasons he amassed 2,642 rushing yards.

He fits right in with the Parcells prototype for running backs as he is a solid 6', 222 lbs. of power. He's not going to outrun anyone to the sidelines, but Miami's offense is built more around running between the tackles anyway. He needs to work on his receiving skills, but I'm confident he could step up as the full-time backup running back if the team decided to trade away Ricky before the trade deadline. Otherwise, look for Parmele to get a couple carries a game, particularly in short yardage situations.

Patrick Cobbs

Cobbs has basically made his living as a preseason warrior. He is always impressive in preseason games, and then when the season roles around he can never quite seem to earn significant playing time. He's a useful special teams player, but he only managed four special teams tackles last season. With Miami's revamped special teams units, he may not have a spot on this team anymore. His running abilities certainly don't warrant an automatic spot.

Reagan Mauia

Mauia had an underwhelming season as a rookie, and I suspect some of that had to do with learning all the assignments. His offseason transgression in an alehouse parking lot certainly didn't help his standing with this new regime. He's young and has significant upside, but he needs to prove that he can be the powerful lead blocker most thought he would be coming out of college. Granted, he's only been playing fullback for a couple seaons now so he is likely just getting comfortable there.

He's not a real threat to run the ball and he can't catch very well out of the backfield, making him one-dimensional as a blocker. In this offense, that's probably okay.

In fact, this offense may rely more on two tight end sets for additional blocking rather than on a regular fullback. If that's the case, then Mauia's value takes a huge hit. Still, it's good to have a true fullback on the roster who can clear holes for the running backs, and Mauia is the best option for that kind of player at the moment.

Boomer Grigsby

Grigsby was transitioned from linebacker to fullback while in Kansas City, but I don't think he's ever shown the ability to be an above average blocker in the running game. That's why I think Mauia has a leg up on Grigsby for the fullback job. But Grigsby still deserves a spot on this team simply for his special teams skills.

He's excellent as a blocker and wedge-buster on kick coverages and returns. Grigsby is a useful player to keep around since he will be a stud on special teams and can offer depth at fullback and even at linebacker if the team were to ever find itself in the kind of predicament that the Bengals did last year when they barely had three healthy linebackers.

Lex Hilliard

Hilliard was another of Miami's sixth-round draft picks. He's an interesting hybrid halfback/fullback player. He offers yet another hefty, powerful between the tackles runner who can also block very well. At the NFL level, I see Hilliard being used more as a fullback than a halfback, but he could take on a Mike Alstott role as a short yardage specialist. Hilliard may find himself on the practice squad for a season, but if he shows that he can play special teams, I think he'll crack the 53-man roster.

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Here's my predicted depth chart:

Running back
1. Ronnie Brown
2. Ricky Williams
3. Jalen Parmele
4. Lex Hilliard

Fullback
1. Reagan Mauia
2. Boomer Grigsby

Training camp battle to watch: Mauia vs. Grigsby for the starting fullback position

Check out Samuel's site Phinaticism for all your Dolphins news and commentary.

Dolphins Training Camp Primer: Quarterbacks

Sam L — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 06:02:45 -0400

Training camp practices are set to begin on July 26 in Miami, so now is a good time to start my annual practice of sorting through the personnel of each position to gauge the strengths and weaknesses of the Dolphins as they head into camp.

These positional previews will also give us an idea of which training camp battles will be the most heated when it comes time to decide who fills those last few roster spots.

Last year, I chose to start my previews on the defensive side of the ball because that unit was considered to be much more stable than the offense was at that point in time.

Well, it's quite a stretch to consider either the offense or defense a stable unit heading into training camp this season, but I think the offense is a better place to start this time around.

The look at the offense will begin with the most important position on the field, the quarterbacks.

What to expect: No one has any idea how this will turn out. Expectations for this group are all over the place. The only thing we know for sure is that there is a heap of uncertainty surrounding all three of the guys competing for the starting job.

I think the smartest route to take is that of giving John Beck every opportunity to prove himself before turning to Josh McCown, who has repeatedly proven that he is replacement material, at best.

I think Henne should be developed on the bench this year, at least as long as possible. Miami's offense doesn't have nearly enough talent to help anyone who lines up behind center, so things could get ugly quickly and I would not be surprised if there are several QB switches during the year.

The key is for the coaching staff to have patience with Beck when he does get a chance to play. This season isn't about winning now. The team needs to know what it has in Beck. If they feel he isn't the answer after the season, then they can concentrate on moving Henne up the depth chart.

Here's a closer look at the individual quarterbacks currently on the roster and what can be expected of them this coming season:

John Beck

There can be no beating around the bush here. Beck's rookie season was a disaster. A significant bulk of his positive production came in Week 17 garbage time against the Bengals.

There were hardly any starting QBs who played worse than Beck last season. He took too many sacks, was easily flustered in the pocket, and made too many careless decisions that led to turnovers.

Of course, this isn't a purely one-sided story. After all, he was a rookie who should never have been playing to begin with. Cam Cameron's plan was to keep Beck on the bench for the whole season, and when he was inserted into the starting lineup, it was with almost no practice reps with the first team.

Talk about a recipe for disaster. I was very happy with his mental toughness though. He never quit, even after taking a beating.

He is much older (27) than most second year players, so Miami doesn't have all the time in the world to wait with Beck. I think it's safe to say that his five-game showing last year was not the height of what he can accomplish.

On the other hand, we pretty much know the height of what McCown can accomplish, and it's not quite even average. So why should the team waste precious games on McCown, if they can give them to Beck and truly see how he adapts over an extended period of time as the sure starter.

He's adjusted his throwing motion this off season to try to prevent as many balls being batted down at the line, so hopefully he will see some dividends there. The most important thing for Beck's success this season, however, will be his pocket presence.

He must calm down when he drops back or else his massive turnover problem will persist. Ultimately, I think Beck will win the starting job in training camp. After that, it's anyone's guess as to how long he'll hold on to it.

Josh McCown

As I said, the Dolphins know what to expect from McCown, and that does not include him all of a sudden becoming a serviceable starting QB. For all the people who argue that McCown has simply been a victim of being on bad teams....what do you call the situation he is stepping into?

This is probably the worst team McCown's ever been on, so don't expect the new supporting cast to suddenly raise his level of play. Also, for anyone who thought Beck had a fumbling problem last season, just take a look at McCown's career: 39 fumbles in 31 starts.

McCown's strengths are his athleticism and willingness to take risks. However, his skill set is hardly suited for a starting QB because opponents usually figure him out very quickly.

He's never really had extended success as a starter because although he can surprise people in small amounts as a reliever off the bench, he can't change his game when the defense finally adjusts to him.

That's why I think McCown would be best utilized as the backup QB who can come into the game if the starter is struggling. Most important is the fact that McCown's ceiling has been reached. Beck and Henne still have the potential to at least match, if not exceed, McCown's level of production.

This season should be all about the future, and McCown is not the future.

Chad Henne

Like Beck a year ago, Henne was a second-tier QB coming out of the draft. As a four-year starter at Michigan, Henne has as much starting experience as a rookie can have, but I still don't think he's ready to start at the NFL level.

If Beck's experience can teach us anything, it's that Henne's development his first year should be protected on the bench. I wouldn't have a problem with getting him some starts once the team is mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, but until then, Beck should be taking most of the snaps.

The problem with Henne is his consistency. All the scouting reports say that he can be spot on with his accuracy and then suddenly miss his targets by a mile. That's not a good sign.

His college career completion percentage was under 60%, and his senior season was his worst one. His mobility is nonexistent so it's good that he's plenty tough and has solid pocket awareness.

Henne was chosen by this regime as the young QB to be developed for the future, and I think that development process requires a significant time of simply learning from the bench. It's not his physical tools that need work, it's his decision making and consistency.

-----

Here's my predicted depth chart:
1. John Beck
2. Josh McCown
3. Chad Henne

Training camp battle to watch: John Beck vs. Josh McCown for the starting job on opening day.

Check out Samuel's site Phinaticism for all your Dolphins news and commentary.

If the Dolphins Are Smart, They'll Stay Away From Favre

Sam L — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 17:05:54 -0400

You've probably seen this before.

A prominent player is rumored to be available by either trade or an imminent release from his team. In the wake of this news, your team's message board is instantly flooded with posts like "OMG! We need to get (insert player's name)."

It doesn't even seem to matter whom that player is. If he's a big name, he must be brought on-board—logic be damned!

I call this type of fan the "compulsive collector." Any big name is good enough, as long as it's a big name. Factors such as how they fit into a team's scheme or salary-cap concerns are not important.

These fans are unique in their maddeningly shortsighted view of team dynamics and the components of sustained success. They would likely rather cheer for a lousy team stocked with recognizable players rather than patiently stay with a group of youngsters as they develop into the stars of the future.

I expect this kind of behavior from a percentage of fans. After all, for some people, the most important aspect of their fanship is how much they can brag about the moves their team has recently made, regardless of how they turn out in the future.

There's rarely any accountability with this type of boasting, and most importantly, any move can be made to look good since no actual games have been played that will prove otherwise.

On the other hand, I generally don't expect this irrational viewpoint to also be coming from the sportswriters who are paid to be the voices most in tune with the needs and dynamics of a single team.

And yet, I had to read through Greg Cote's article in the Miami Herald, assuring me that Brett Favre is a match made in heaven for the Miami Dolphins.

And yes, this is the same narcissistic, soon-to-be 39-year-old quarterback and the same one-win team that you're thinking of.

My only question to Mr. Cote, and to anyone else who agrees with him: How, in your right mind, can you rationally believe that Brett Favre is a positive addition to this franchise?

I will not argue that Favre is far and away a better quarterback than any of the three guys currently on Miami's roster. I agree that having Favre line up under center in 2008 would be worth a couple of wins by itself. And I agree that the Dolphins would be a far better team in 2008 with Favre than without him.

However, there are two giant problems that still exist.

Miami won a single game last year...barely. While they have improved over the offseason, it is still optimistic to think the team can scrape together five wins this year.

Even under the assumption that Favre automatically adds a couple wins, the Dolphins still fall woefully short of playoff contention. Let's stop kidding ourselves. This is not a team that is one star-QB away from bursting back onto the playoff scene.

And that brings me to the second giant problem. Bill Parcells, Jeff Ireland, and Tony Sparano have all but shouted at the top of their lungs that this franchise is fully invested in a rebuilding mode.

Sure, they want to win as much as possible now, but only within the strict confines of the rebuilding plan. For too long, the Dolphins have toyed with rebuilding, without ever actually committing to it. A half-assed rebuilding effort is a sign of indecisiveness and denial.

The key to rebuilding any team is a giant infusion of youth at all positions. That's why Zach Thomas was cut and Akin Ayodele brought in; it's why Marty Booker was shown the door while Ted Ginn was elevated to the starting lineup; it's why Parcells and Ireland have been shopping Jason Taylor all offseason long in the hopes of getting some future value. A team looking to contend would not even consider getting rid of Taylor.

For many fans, and perhaps Mr. Cote, it's maddeningly hard to accept that the guys running this team do not realistically expect to contend this season.

Young players can only develop for so long on the bench. John Beck probably should not have played at all last season, but 2008 is proving to be a different story. This new regime needs to see what it has in its young QBs. Beck has to be given every opportunity to start this season and show what he can bring to the table.

If Favre comes to Miami, that's another entire season of Beck's career wasted on the bench. And once the season ends, with Miami watching the playoffs from home, what will the team have gained? A few extra bucks from selling tickets to those who want to see Favre?

The 2009 season will simply seem like deja vu, with fans and pundits everywhere wondering exactly what the Dolphins have at QB.

These are the questions that must be answered now.

And I haven't even mentioned that Favre's entire career has been spent in a West Coast offense, which is nothing like what Miami intends to run. Accommodating Favre's system would only further hamper every young, offensive player's development into the system that is meant to be in place for years to come.

I just want Mr. Cote and those who share his feelings to answer a simple question. Is it more likely that the Miami Dolphins compete for a championship in 2008 with Brett Favre, or that they do so with John Beck/Chad Henne over the next half-decade?

Understand that this is a one or the other proposition. The team cannot do both. Bringing in Brett Favre as a rental completely disrupts the development process of Miami's young talent.

If you still don't agree, let me put it this way: Bringing in Brett Favre would be like gambling on a one-in-a-million lottery ticket, while sticking to the rebuilding plan is like investing in a mutual fund and patiently watching the funds mature.

And any Scrubs fan will remember what Dr. Cox said when asked if he wanted to put in some money for lottery tickets: "Oh gosh, Carla! I would, I really would! But you see, I already set fire to a big pile of money just this morning."

Check out Samuel's site Phinaticism for all your Dolphins news and commentary.

Miami Dolphins Draft Preview: Wide Receivers and Tight Ends

Sam L — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 15:38:30 -0400

Here is the third installment of my positional draft preview.

The players that I am discussing are those that the Dolphins have worked out, interviewed, or had other such contact with.

Today, I will be looking at wide receivers and tight ends. Miami's wide receiving corps especially needs an overhaul after parting ways with Chris Chambers, Wes Welker, and Marty Booker.

I will organize the prospects into tiers, as such:

First tier: First-round talent
Second tier: Second or third-round talent
Third tier: Mid-round (4-5) talent
Fourth tier: Late round (6-7) or FA talent

SECOND TIER PROSPECTS

1. Devin Thomas, Michigan State

Pros: good size, 4.40 speed, runs well after the catch, very good abilities when the ball is in the air, excellent kick returner, lots of upside
Cons: only one year of great production, will require time to reach his full potential, sloppy route running, he may be fast but he doesn't have that elite separating speed
Compares to: Koren Robinson

Thomas is likely going to go too high in the draft for Miami to consider him. I could see him being an option if he somehow fell to #57, but that's near impossible. Miami doesn't really need to spend this high of a draft choice on a WR.

2. Andre Caldwell, Florida

Pros: Very fast (4.37) with a burst, can make the circus catches, can beat the jam, strong after the catch, can return kicks, great work ethic
Cons: not a vertical threat, doesn't change directions quickly, drops too many catchable balls, his blocking needs work, durability concerns
Compares to: Hines Ward

Caldwell is most dangerous when he's running straight ahead since he doesn't change directions quickly. That lack of versatility and one-dimensional aspect of his game might hurt him bad in the NFL. That can probably be coached up. What scares me the most is his tendency to drop catchable balls. Miami already had a guy who made all the circus catches and dropped the easy ones in Chris Chambers. Do they want that again? As a second or third option, maybe.

3. Dustin Keller, Purdue

Pros: vertical threat, good hands, above average skills after the catch, lots of experience, great intangibles like work ethic
Cons: not a good blocker, some durability issues, won't fight for the ball in a crowd, has trouble beating jams at the line
Compares to: Eric Johnson

Miami can certainly upgrade their woeful TE group, but I'm not so sure that getting such a one-dimensional player would be the right direction to go in. Keller is not a good blocker, and that's not going to help the running game or the pass protection. I'd rather get a player who may not be quite the downfield receiving threat that Keller is, but who is a more well-rounded and complete player.

THIRD TIER PROSPECTS

1. Eddie Royal, Virginia Tech

Pros: excellent speed (4.39) with a burst, vertical threat, strong and tough to bring down, dangerous after the catch, excellent return man
Cons: Short (5'10"), durability concerns, route running needs work, struggles to beat the jam
Compares to: Roscoe Parrish

Royal seems a bit like a poor-man's Ted Ginn, and so I don't think he complements Miami's receiving corps that well. Of course, if the Dolphins want to find a new return man so that Ginn can concentrate solely on being a No. 1 receiver, then Royal will be worth a look. However, he doesn't possess the size that Parcells and Co. covet, and thus I think they will probably look elsewhere.

2. William Franklin, Missouri

Pros: very fast (4.37) with a burst, great leaping ability, a deep threat who is also not afraid to go over the middle, dangerous after the catch, good character, still has upside
Cons: route running needs work, not very strong, catching technique can be improved, not a good blocker, minor durability concerns
Compares to: Roddy White

Franklin may go in the fourth round, which is too high for Miami to take him, but if he falls into the sixth round, Miami will have to look hard at him. He's a versatile receiver who can go deep as well as run routes across the middle of the field. He's a developmental project and he has a learning disability that may cause him to learn the playbook slower than most, but if the coaching staff can be patient with him, they may be able to get a steal on draft day. I like Franklin, and if he's there in the sixth, hopefully Miami likes him enough to pull the trigger.

FOURTH TIER PROSPECTS

1. Justin Harper, Virginia Tech

Pros: great size (6'4", 213 lbs.), very athletic, can make the spectacular catch, superb leaping ability
Cons: drops too many balls, not that fast (4.56), struggles to separate

Again, this is another guy that drops more balls than he should. But Harper's price tag makes him very much worth a look. If Miami can snag him in the sixth or seventh round, they should. He's got the size that Parcells loves, and he could probably become a solid red-zone threat.

2. Josh Morgan, Virginia Tech

Pros: very athletic, good hands, creates separation, good leaping ability, can play special teams, still has upside
Cons: speed is just average, not a vertical threat, not a good blocker, has character and work ethic issues
Compares to: Johnnie Morant

Morgan still has significant upside, but he is far too inconsistent. On top of that, he's run into trouble off the field and he has personality issues. That should lead Miami to steer clear.

3. Lance Leggett, Miami (FL)

Pros: good speed, good size (6'3"), great leaping ability, vertical threat, can make the circus catch, still has upside
Cons: route running needs work, struggles against the jam, durability concerns, inconsistent

Leggett is a track star, there's no doubt about that. The question is whether he is a football player. He certainly wasn't helped with the QB play in Miami, but some of the blame must also fall on him. Still, his problems are correctable with good coaching, and he could prove to be quite a steal. There's just as much a chance that he will be cut before the season even begins as he will become a solid player, but his high potential is worth a late-round flier or free agent contract.

4. Pierre Garcon, Mount Union

Pros: good bulk (210 lbs.), solid speed, great leaping ability, good blocker, strong, can return kicks, still has upside
Cons: he's a Division III standout and so he did not play against top competition, struggles to beat the jam, sloppy route running, lots of questions about how he'll translate to the pros

Garcon is somewhat intriguing since he has a lot of the physical tools you want in a receiver, but since he only played Division III, it's tough to tell how he'll match up against elite defenders. He dominated at the level that he played, but how will he do in the NFL. I think it'd be worth a seventh-round pick or a free agent contract to find out.

5. Darnell Jenkins, Miami (FL)

Pros: great route runner, knows how to get open, not afraid to go over the middle, solid blocker, can return kicks
Cons: short (5'9"), rather slow (4.60), not very strong, struggles with the jam, some durability issues

With the seventh-round picks that Miami has, they should have better options at WR than Jenkins. I'd rather Miami look at guys with more upside with their late round picks. I don't think Jenkins has too high of a ceiling. Still, it might be worth it to bring him in as a free agent if he's available.

Check out Samuel's site Phinaticism for all your Dolphins news and commentary.

Dolphins Draft Preview: Running Backs and Fullbacks

Sam L — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 05:02:17 -0400

Here is the second installment of my positional draft preview.

The players that I am discussing are those that the Dolphins have worked out, interviewed, or had other such contact with.

Today, I will be looking at running backs and fullbacks. Of course, this is one of the few positions that Miami can considered a strength. Even so, it's possible a RB might be taken with a late round pick or as a free agent.

I will organize the prospects into tiers, as such:

First tier: First-round talent
Second tier: Second or third-round talent
Third tier: Mid-round (4-5) talent
Fourth tier: Late round (6-7) or FA talent

SECOND TIER PROSPECTS

1. Kevin Smith, Central Florida

Pros: Excellent agility, tough, capable pass-catcher, good vision
Cons: Running style is too upright, needs to add bulk, some character issues
Compares to: Justin Fargas

Smith will likely be selected by round three, which is simply too high a price for Miami to invest in a position that is already a strength, and one in which lower draft picks often perform capably. Smith can do a lot of things well, but he's not an economical choice for Miami.

THIRD TIER PROSPECTS

1. Owen Schmitt, West Virginia

Pros: Classic bruising lead blocker, very strong and powerful, solid pass catcher, excellent work ethic, good short-yardage runner
Cons: Not very athletic, average speed, not much upside
Compares to: Larry Csonka

Schmitt is quite an intriguing prospect, and he's a guy I would have loved for Miami to take in the fourth or fifth round if they hadn't selected Reagan Mauia last season. Schmitt is as old-school as they come, and while he doesn't have much upside, what he offers right now is still pretty valuable. Still, I think Mauia is solid and should be given some more time to develop as a lead blocker. Choosing Schmitt would be luxury pick, and Miami can't afford many of those this year.

FOURTH TIER PROSPECTS

1. Tim Hightower, Richmond

Pros: Can play RB and FB, good special teams player, powerful runner, good vision, hard worker
Cons: Average speed, below average hands, concerns with ball security

Hightower is a versatile back who could provide some injury insurance at the RB and FB position while offering another special teams piece. That versatility may be worth one of Miami's two seventh-round picks or signing him as a free agent if he isn't drafted.

2. Rolly Lumbala, Idaho

Lumbala is another versatile back who can play RB, FB, H-back, or tight end. In the NFL, his best position will be at FB, where he'd be a solid lead blocker. He can play special teams as well. I'd rather take Hightower over Lumbala, but Lumbala would certainly be an option if he's available as a free agent.

Check out Samuel's site Phinaticism for all your Dolphins news and commentary.

Scouting the NFLDraft in Miami: Quarterbacks

Sam L — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 05:28:39 -0400

After a rather uneventful March, it is now time to jump into draft coverage headfirst. I'm going to start my draft coverage by going through the players who either the Dolphins or the local papers have identified as those that the team has interviewed, met with, or attended workouts for. If the team has already put in resources to look at these guys, then we should too.

I'll start today with the quarterbacks. Again, these are simply the QBs that have already had some type of contact with the organization, that I am aware of.

I will organize the prospects into tiers, as such:

First tier: First-round talent
Second tier: Second or third-round talent
Third tier: Mid-round (4-5) talent
Fourth tier: Late round (6-7) or FA talent

FIRST TIER PROSPECTS

1. Matt Ryan, Boston College

Pros: Strong leader, intelligent, good size, excels with short to intermediate passes
Cons: Inconsistent accuracy, relatively immobile, lacks a solid deep ball, average arm strength, limited upside
Compares to: Matt Schaub, Chad Pennington

I'm not real high on Matt Ryan. I think he's benefiting a lot from being the best quarterback in a pretty weak draft class for that position. And given the importance of the position, it's inevitable that the best prospect each year will have his status elevated, even if he perhaps doesn't quite deserve it. Now I'm not trashing Ryan. I think he's a great prospect, but he has far too many holes and deficiencies for Miami to take him number 1 overall - and with the picks they have now, that is the only chance they will have to take him.

2. Brian Brohm, Louisville

Pros: Intelligent, good size, lots of experience, good accuracy and touch
Cons: Limited upside, average leader, injury-risk, lacks mobility, could be a system-player
Compares to: Drew Brees

If Brohm were to slip into the second round, he would represent good value for Miami, but I still don't think they should be investing another high pick into a QB when the verdict is still out on John Beck. Brohm is the type of player who is just as likely to turn out a bust as he is to be a solid starter. The system he played in during college certainly inflated his numbers and that might be masking some deeper inefficiencies in his game.

SECOND TIER PROSPECTS

1. Joe Flacco, Delaware

Pros: Excellent size, strong arm and good deep ball, smart, durable, decent upside
Cons: Not much experience against top competition, mechanics could use some work, did not play in a pro-style offense
Compares to: Derek Anderson

Like a lot of people, I'm pretty high on Flacco. I like him much better as a prospect than either Ryan or Brohm. Granted, Flacco will require some significant development time, but Miami can afford him that time. I am a little scared about his experience coming almost exclusively out of the shotgun formation. As a physical specimen, he has everything you are looking for, but the mental aspect of the game needs work. If he reaches Miami in the second or third round, they have to consider him, although I don't think he's worth Miami's first second-round pick (32 overall).

2. Chad Henne, Michigan

Pros: Strong leader, great arm strength, loads of experience
Cons: Decision-making is spotty, pocket presence needs work, sloppy fundamentals, average accuracy
Compares to: Joey Harrington

I don't think Henne has enough upside to justify drafting him in the second or third round. He tends to get jumpy and break down in the pocket, and far too many of his passes get broken up or intercepted. He is too erratic to be a franchise signal caller.

3. Andre' Woodson, Kentucky

Pros: Strong arm, avoids turnovers, handles pocket pressure well, some scrambling ability, significant upside remaining
Cons: Mechanics, inconsistent, trouble reading coverages, leadership is not where it needs to be
Compares to: Jason Campbell

Like Flacco, Woodson needs a lot of time to develop himself into an NFL starter. He may have the highest future potential out of any QB in this draft, but it will take time to bring that level of play out of him. While the physical tools are there for the most part, his lack of a strong leadership mentality may cripple his development. A lot will depend on the kind of coaching he will receive in the NFL, and Miami certainly has the staff to bring out the best in Woodson. Using the third round pick on him is an option.

FOURTH TIER PROSPECTS

1. Kyle Wright, Miami (FL)

Pros: Good size, mechanics, and arm strength, significant upside
Cons: Poor decision-maker, too easily flustered under pressure, very inconsistent, lacks leadership, wasn't very productive at the college level

Wright essentially lacks all the intangibles that a QB needs. With the physical tools he has, there is still upside there to be tapped, and for a seventh-round pick or as a free agent, it may be wise for Miami to pursue the local product and see if they can't develop him into something of value.

Check out Samuel's site Phinaticism for all your Dolphins news and commentary.

Miami Dolphins Free Agency Preview: Tight Ends

Sam L — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 16:26:31 -0500

This is Part IV of an ongoing look at Miami's options in free agency. For the previous installments, see:

Part I: NFL-Miami_Dolphins-Miami_Dolphins_Free_Agency_Preview_Quarterbacks-200208">Quarterbacks

Part II: NFL-Miami_Dolphins-Miami_Dolphins_Free_Agency_Preview_Running_Backs-210208">Running backs

Part III: Wide Receivers

The Current Situation

Last offseason, Miami took a gamble on David Martin to come in and show he can be a starting tight end after a career spent as a backup in Green Bay. Well, that experiment officially failed. Now will all those people claiming that Martin is the next Antonio Gates please be quiet? Thank you.

In fact, Miami's backup TE, Justin Peelle, outplayed Martin for most of the season. Peelle is in no way a starting caliber TE, but he's a much better blocker than Martin. If I had to guess, I'd say only one of these guys (at most) is going to make the roster next season. That means that Miami should be looking through the available free agents for a possible addition.

Unfortunately the talent available is quite weak, and Miami is probably best served by looking for a new TE in the draft.

Free Agents

1. Eric Johnson

Johnson is marginally better than Martin, but his price tag would assuredly be larger than Martin's very affordable contract. Of course, Miami is awash in cash this offseason and can afford to pay for guys like this. Just because they can afford to pay him, doesn't mean they should overspend. Any increase in price probably isn't worth the possible increase in productivity in this case.

2. Alge Crumpler

One of the rules I established for Miami heading into free agency was for the team to only consider free agents under 30 years old. That is certainly not a hard and fast rule, and Crumpler is straddling the line right at 30. He is far and away the best TE available, but he's going to command a monster contract that Miami simply should not be handing out to aging players in their declining stages.

Not to mention the fact that Crumpler fell off big time after Michael Vick started his new work banging out license plates. Crumpler is going to be hard pressed to find a QB who will treat him like the first, second, and third option that he was to Vick and he certainly won't find that guy in Miami.

3. Marcus Pollard

Pollard caught an amazing 80 percent of the passes thrown to him last season...too bad he's 36 years old. Pass.

4. Ben Troupe

This former second-rounder has certainly disappointed big time. He's coming off two really poor seasons, but he could still be an interesting project player to take on. After all, he's still just 25 years old—there's still time left to turn things around. His first two seasons ('04-'05) were solid so there is hope that he can be a productive player. Given his youth and upside, I'd like to see Miami take a chance on Troupe.

There's no clear player for Miami to target at TE in free agency, but there is a solid and unspectacular starter in Johnson and a young project player in Troupe. Hopefully the draft presents a better option.

Check out Samuel's site Phinaticism for all your Dolphins news and commentary.

Miami Dolphins Free Agency Preview: Wide Receivers

Sam L — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 16:33:57 -0500

This is Part III of an ongoing look at Miami's options in free agency. For the previous installments, see:

Part I: NFL-Miami_Dolphins-Miami_Dolphins_Free_Agency_Preview_Quarterbacks-200208">Quarterbacks, Part II: NFL-Miami_Dolphins-Miami_Dolphins_Free_Agency_Preview_Running_Backs-210208">Running backs

The Current Situation

Last season, Miami traded away its top receiver, Chris Chambers, and this offseason they ditched their other veteran presence at the position—Marty Booker.

Miami's remaining pass catchers are greener than a well-manicured golf course, with an up-and-coming Ted Ginn as the best and most promising of the bunch. Aside from Ginn, the Dolphins have an unfocused and inconsistent player in Derek Hagan and a trio of young, project/practice-squad type players.

For a rebuilding team, this kind of youth is a good thing, but Miami must find a starting quality receiver to play opposite Ginn and take some of the pressure off of him. A possession receiver would also be a nice addition to pair with Ginn's electric speed.

Free Agents

Randy Moss

Moss is in the perfect situation in New England, and it would make little sense for him to leave. Besides, he clearly needs a great quarterback to thrive and be happy—something that he is not guaranteed to have in Miami. I'd be very surprised if Moss left the Patriots after only one year.

Bernard Berrian

Berrian has managed to post impressive numbers over the past two seasons while playing for a Rex Grossman-led offense. This past season, he almost cracked the 1,000 yard mark. If he can be that effective with Grossman throwing him the ball, I believe he can be just as effective with John Beck or whoever else is lining up under center for the Dolphins as his QB.

The biggest draw about Berrian is that he is only 27 years old and still has room to improve. A drawback as far as the Dolphins are concerned, is that Berrian is essentially a speedy deep-threat. They already have that covered with Ginn. Miami could use someone with a bit more diverse skillset.

D.J. Hackett

If I'm Bill Parcells and Jeff Ireland, this is the guy that I go out and sign. Hackett is dripping with talent, size (6'2", 208 lbs.), speed, and youth (only 26 years old). He has everything Miami could want.

Granted, he's a risk because of his injury history, but this is the kind of risk that Miami should be willing to take on. In his six games last season, he played like a star. In the limited action that he did see, Hackett managed to catch 68.1 percent of the passes thrown his way, dropping just one. Hackett could be a potential steal of a signing, and I think whoever gets him will be very pleased that they did.

Donte' Stallworth

On a team that set so many offensive records, you'd think that Stallworth would have contributed a bit more to the passing attack. In actuality, Stallworth seemed to disappear this year behind Moss and Wes Welker, and even Jabar Gaffney was outplaying him at the end of the season.

I'm a little leary about taking a chance on Stallworth after his performance last season, and I have an inkling that he's already reached his full potential. He's still young, so I don't expect a drastic decline in productivity any time soon, and thus he is an option for Miami—just not the best option.

Bryant Johnson

Johnson is the type of possession receiver that Miami should have its eye on, although I think that Derek Hagan can be just as good as Johnson. Johnson gets a lot of attention because he was a first-round draft pick, but I think it's fair to say at this point that he isn't a first-round talent.

Of course, that is no reason to exclude him from consideration as a free agent. What may be a viable reason to exclude him is the fact that he dropped four passes out of only 89 targets. Of course, he is still only 26 years old, and Parcells loves big possession receivers, so I expect Miami to take a serious look at Johnson.

Keyshawn Johnson

Speaking of Johnsons, Miami should in no way consider bringing Keyshawn aboard. I realize that Parcells loves him, but he can be of absolutely no help to this team in the long term and of very limited use in the short term. Why bring in Keyshawn if you can get a guy a decade younger who can produce at the same level with the added promise of improvement (aka Bryant Johnson and/or D.J. Hackett)?

While D.J. Hackett and Bryant Johnson are the best options available to Miami in free agency there are several other options that fit the youth and upside characteristics that the Dolphins should be looking for. They include: Justin Gage, Andre Davis, and Drew Carter.

In an otherwise shallow free agency pool, Miami has a lot of options to sift through at receiver, and most of them are still young enough to be able to contribute once the Dolphins are prepared to contend.

Check out Samuel's site Phinaticism for all your Dolphins news and commentary.

Miami Dolphins Free Agency Preview: Quarterbacks

Sam L — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 12:23:04 -0500

As the Scouting Combine begins to get under way, a lot of attention is going to turn towards the Draft.

However, with free agency beginning on February 29, now is a good time to take a look at the likely options that will be available in free agency, and to determine which players the Miami Dolphins should steer clear of and which players might make a good fit for the team.

In order to properly assess the options available, we must establish some guidelines for what this team is looking for.

This team is officially rebuilding. I would put its ETA as a competing team in the range of 2-3 years from now. Given that reality, any free agents the Dolphins add should be added with a view towards that eventual time frame.

Here are a few rules the team should adhere to as it starts to shop around:

Go for youth, and stay clear from older players. This team is not one or two players away from competing. Thus, older veterans with little left in the tank should not be brought aboard. Miami needs to look for young players with upside still remaining so that they can be developed while the team is rebuilding. Older players have generally reached their potential already and will demand a large salary for little production. As a flexible rule, Miami should only look to add players who are under 30 years old.

Avoid the Joey Porter-type salaries (big money for older players). Maintaining a healthy salary cap from year to year is critical for any team, and especially one with a long-term plan of rebuilding. If Miami is going to spend the big-bucks on a player in free agency (and with $35 million in cap space they most likely will) that player had better be young and getting better, not old and declining. One bad contract could hamper the team for years down the line.

Avoid character-issues. Miami is in no position to be taking risks on players with character concerns. Their potential does not outweigh the risks.

Horde draft picks. Miami needs every draft pick that it can muster. It shouldn't even think about trading away picks for restricted free agents.

Let's begin our look at the possible free agents that will be available with the quarterback position.

The situation: Miami's only viable option at QB at this moment is John Beck. And that's not such a bad thing, in my opinion. He's young and has a great amount of untapped potential - a perfect mix for a rebuilding project. Miami has the time to let him develop, so let's let him develop. This team doesn't need an old veteran to come in and start. What good will that be several years down the line? However, an older QB could be useful as a backup/mentor for Beck.

Free agents:

Derek Anderson, RFA: Anderson may sign an extension to stay in Cleveland, but if he doesn't the Browns might put a restricted free agent tender on him forcing any team that wants him to pony up a first-round and third-round draft pick or possibly even two first-round picks.

Anderson was pretty good this year. He was nowhere near being good enough to warrant that kind of investment. Anderson came out of nowhere in '07, and for all we know this season could have been little more than a flash in the pan. I doubt that it was, but no one knows whether he can maintain that level of play in the future.

If he were an unrestricted free agent, I would be very excited about adding Anderson, but with the added price tag of high draft picks, he simply isn't worth it.

Rex Grossman, UFA: It should be clear by now that Grossman is too erratic to rely on as a starting QB. Sure, he may turn in a dazzling performance now and again, but more often than not you are going to get horrendous starts out of him. Some coaches might think they can fix that, but I'm not of that opinion. He's had ample opportunity to change, and he hasn't.

I wouldn't expect that to suddenly change with a trip to South Beach. If Miami brought him in strictly to serve as the backup, I would be okay with that. But if he were to take starting reps away from Beck, that would not sit well with me. I doubt Parcells and Ireland will want him anyway, as he is much smaller (6'1", 217 lbs.) than they would prefer.

* Daunte Culpepper, UFA: Um, no. With the way that Culpepper and Miami parted ways, I think it's best to stay away from a reunion. Add to that the fact that Culpepper is 30 and will likely never be back to his old form, and he becomes one guy to stay away from for sure.

Josh McCown, UFA: McCown is nothing special, but he is still relatively young (28) and isn't completely terrible - two things that would make him a decent backup for Miami. At 6'4", he's got the height that Parcells would like. Still, I think the Phins can do better than this.

Quinn Gray, UFA: I would love to see Miami sign Gray to be the backup QB. He's only 28 years old and in his brief appearances has played pretty well. Gray played in eight games last season for the Jaguars (four starts) and put up 986 yards with 10 TDs and only five INTs. His QB rating was 85.6 and his DVOA rating was a surprising 19.5 percent, good for 12th best in the league (see here for explanation). If Jacksonville doesn't resign Gray, Miami should jump on him quickly.

Trent Green, UFA: Yes, Miami recently cut Green, but both sides were amenable to rejoining one another. Green certainly doesn't fit the youth characteristic, but as I have written about previously, if Green were to come back strictly as the third-string QB, I would like to have him back. In that position, he would serve primarily as a second QB coach for Beck, and it seems like Beck and Green had a very good relationship this past season.

I think Beck would be well-served from another year with Green by his side. Unfortunately, I doubt Green's competitive desire will allow him to accept such a role.

While there are no "must-haves" in this pool of free agents, I think that Miami's shopping list should be (in order of preference):

   1. Quinn Gray
   2. Rex Grossman
   3. Josh McCown

Most of the other guys should be avoided.

My ideal lineup at QB next season would be:

   1. John Beck
   2. Quinn Gray
   3. Rookie

Check out Samuel's site Phinaticism for all your Dolphins news and commentary.

Zach Thomas: Miami Misses You Already

Sam L — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 13:16:59 -0500

Talk about having your heart ripped out on Valentine's Day...

Zach Thomas, the heart and soul of the Miami Dolphins, has been released by the team.

This is a sad, sad day, indeed.

With the exception of Dolphins' fans, I'm almost certain that a majority of NFL fans don't know just how amazing a football player Thomas has been for over a decade.

Quick, name the best three middle linebackers in the league over the past five years.

Was Thomas on that list? He should have topped it.

In my mind, and the minds of many other Dol-Fans, Thomas has become a "Dan Marino of the defense," if you will; the shining beacon for what it means to be the best at your position.

He's the one guy you would point to if you had to show someone how to play middle linebacker.

An underdog from day one, Thomas was told he was too small to play in the NFL. After all, he's only 5'11", 228 lbs.

But as they say, "It's not the size of the dog in the fight...".

I have never seen anyone exemplify that saying more than Zach.

Sure, he is undersized, but he has outproduced almost every other middle linebacker in the past decade.

He already has more tackles than any other linebacker currently in the Hall of Fame, and there's no question in my mind that Canton is Thomas' ultimate destination, no matter how many more seasons he chooses to play.

The reason Zach is continuously overlooked in the public eye for more high-profiled linebackers like Ray Lewis and Brian Urlacher is largely due to his low-key personality and his incredible consistency.

It seems like unless you are doing something to personally draw attention to yourself, the media and critics just don't care to pay attention to eye-popping performances year in and year out.

Sports Illustrated recently wrote that, "If you keep banging out great seasons with none standing out more than any other, who's going to notice?"

That quote was referencing Tim Duncan of the San Antonio Spurs, but it may as well have been about Zach.

But like any great player, Thomas is much more than just his on-field production. He has the kind of character that ever athlete should aspire to.

Zach is the personification of heart.

For the past decade-plus, he has been the backbone of the Miami defense, and despite being overshadowed by the similarly great Jason Taylor, Zach has happily accepted his role as the "everyman" who plays like anything but.

Through intense physical pain and, the even more intense agony that accompanies repeated losing seasons, Zach just quietly gritted his teeth and got his job done, even if the rest of the team was letting him down.

To succeed as Zach did, while almost the entire team collapsed around him, is amazing.

A lot of players would simply have thrown in the towel as well, thinking it a useless cause to expend the energy towards a futile objective.

And that is what separates Zach from most other NFL players—his heart and his desire are unmatched.

I wanted to see Thomas finish out his career as a Dolphin, but that is not to be.

He wants to continue playing, and I wish him the very best of luck wherever he may end up (even if he does go to New England).

Whoever ends up signing him is going to be getting a gem of a player.

Of course, if there was any doubt as to where Thomas' true loyalties lie, he made it clear in his parting statement: "I am healthy and look forward to playing in 2008, but I will always consider myself a Miami Dolphin."

That's class.

Zach, you'll always have a special place in our hearts and minds. Thank you so very much for everything you've given to us as fans and to the Miami Dolphins franchise.

You truly will be missed.

Check out Samuel's site Phinaticism for all your Dolphins news and commentary.

The Purge Begins: What Miami Lost (or gained) in the First Wave

Sam L — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 09:18:02 -0500

The reasonable thing to ask after this first purge of the roster is what exactly did Miami lose, if anything, and were the right decisions made.

In every case, the answer is 'yes.'

The Dolphins have entered a new phase - one of accepted rebuilding. Tony Sparano knows that. Bill Parcells knows that. The prospect of rebuilding can no longer simply be brushed aside and covered up, as older and excessively priced players are held onto in an attempt to give the promise of a winning team. That strategy has led directly the depths of a 1-15 season.

This offseason, the Dolphins will need to adopt a set of guidelines that they should follow no matter what. These guidelines are based around the premise that the team is 2-3 seasons away from contending again for a playoff spot. I honestly believe that Parcells and Ireland can get this ship turned around with two good offseasons, but I'll tack on a third as added insurance.

Thus, given that timeline for contention, any player who won't be able to help out once that period has elapsed should not be considered as a potential Dolphin.

Does that mean that older Dolphins like Zach Thomas and Jason Taylor should now be considered useless to this team. Absolutely not. Both of those guys still can and are (despite Thomas' concussion) playing at All-Star levels. They haven't shown many signs of slowing down, if any. Essentially, it must be asked whether a player will be able to perform at a high enough level two years down the road in order to help this team compete in the playoffs. In the case of stars like Thomas and Taylor, I think the answer is yes. In terms of an old, broken down player like Keith Traylor, I think the answer is a definite 'no.'

The key for any move the Dolphins make this offseason is how it affects the future of the team.

Given that line of thinking, let's look at the nine players who were cut and see what their loss means to the team:

1. QB Trent Green
Green is now coming off two consecutive concussion-marred seasons. That fact cannot be overlooked. There are still some concerns about his doctors fully clearing him to play. Also, by the time the 2008 season begins, he will be 38 years old. An ancient QB with serious concussion issues is not the kind of player that Miami should be holding onto as a starter or backup - especially with the exorbitant $3.6 million amount he'd count against the cap in '08. The Dolphins can't compete with or without him playing this season, and he'll be into his 40's by the time they are in a position to reach the playoffs. All that being said, the team and Green have a mutual interest in rejoining each other, albeit at a much reduced salary. And this, I think, would not be a bad idea at all. Isn't that contradictory to what I just wrote, you might be asking? Well, no, because I would only want him to come back to the Dolphins if he would accept being the third-string QB. It was obvious that John Beck had a very comfortable relationship with Trent, and I think he benefited from having that guidance in his rookie season. Having him around for another year would be a good thing for Beck as he continues his development. It would at least provide him with some sense of continuity in the face of all the other coaching upheavals. As the third QB, there would be only a very slim chance that Green would ever have to take the field, so his role would essentially be as a second QB coach - one who already has a foundation built with Beck. If he'll accept a large pay cut and the position of third QB, I'm all for bringing Green back for at least one more year. If he can help in Beck's development, then that will essentially be helping the team in the long term.

2. WR Marty Booker
Booker can still be of service to some team in the league, but only a team that is already playoff-caliber. At times in Miami, it seemed to me that he was totally unfocused on the game. Hell, he wasn't happy to be traded here in the first place. There was absolutely no reason to keep him around for another season. Not only will he be 32 years next season, but his base salary of $4.3 million is so far out of line with his production that it's not even funny. Those are the kind of contracts that this team cannot bear any longer. If you need further proof that Booker is of no use to this team now or long-term, I need only point out that he caught only 47.6% of his passes last season, dropping 7, and only recording 11.1 yards per reception. His Yd/Rec numbers have been steadily decreasing since 2005. With Booker out of the picture, the path will be cleared for guys like Ted Ginn and Derek Hagan to step up and continue to develop for the future.

3. RT L.J. Shelton
Shelton is another player like Booker who can still probably be of service to a contending team that needs only a few pieces. He can certainly still play at a slightly above-average level, and he is the kind of huge body (6'6", 345 lbs.) that Parcells loves, which is one reason why this move surprised me the most out of them all. Since Shelton played so well at guard in 2006 and struggled at times at tackle in 2007, I was hoping that the team would keep him and slide him over to LG to replace Chris Liwienski. At RT in 2007, Shelton gave up a whopping 7.5 sacks compared to only 2 sacks at RG in 2006. He's a durable player, having started every game over the past 3 seasons. However, the biggest knock against Shelton, as far as Miami is concerned, is his age. He will be 32 years old next season, and while he might be of use in the short term, I can't see him being valuable to the team in 2 years time.

4. DT Keith Traylor
Keith Traylor was born in the 1960s. That should be enough reason to cut ties with him. Even though he possesses the size and skills of a true nose-tackle which are hard players to find, his body is breaking down. There is no point in retaining a guy who hardly practices and can only play about 25 snaps per game. Traylor very well might retire, but if he wants to keep playing, a rebuilding team like Miami doesn't have any space for him.

So those were the four veteran starters to be let go. Here are the five other guys who got the boot:

5. T Anthony Alabi
Alabi is an athletic player, but he's had health issues throughout his time with Miami, and there comes a time when a project player becomes a failed project player. He had three years here and never started a game. It's time to start a new project.

6. T Marion Dukes
Dukes came to training camp with the Dolphins last year as an undrafted college free agent, but after a few months with the team, he decided to return to Clemson to finish his degree and become an assistant coach on the football team there. Miami retained his rights for the year, so cutting him now is just a formality.

7. T Joe Toledo
Miami spent a fourth-round draft pick on Toledo in 2006, and he has been an injury-laden disappointment. He simply can't stay healthy enough to take the field. Why waste the roster space and money on a guy like that, no matter what his potential might be? You can only realize potential if you get on the field.

8. DT Marquay Love
This guy came to camp this year as an undrafted college free agent who played on the offensive line. He was switched halfway through camp to defensive tackle, and I was shocked that he even made the squad. He's barely a practice squad level player.

9. DT Anthony Bryant
Another guy with the prototypical nose-tackle build who simply lacks the skills to be a solid player.

So there you have it. A lot of dead weight got trimmed off, clearing significant cap space, which will allow Miami to go after some young and promising free agents come March.

Check out Samuel's site Phinaticism for all your Dolphins news and commentary.

Brett Favre's Manic Season: More Proof Dan Marino is the Greatest QB of All TIme

Sam L — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 10:27:43 -0500

Here's something to chew on, folks: Brett Favre's record-breaking season this year only proves that Dan Marino is still the greatest quarterback to ever play the game.

You read that correctly, so just follow along with me on this.

Before Marino's records started to fall to Peyton Manning and Brett Favre, it was so simple to call Marino the greatest QB of all time. After all, he had every major passing record locked up. The statistics were there in black and white, and they were indisputable.

Jim Brown, perhaps the greatest running back ever, once remarked, "I hold more than a dozen records and as a result have been turned into a statistic."

Unfortunately, Marino has suffered a similar fate. In the eyes of many people, Marino is little more than his numbers, and now that those have been surpassed, he is no longer relevant.

This reaction is understandable to a certain degree. In his book "From Ritual to Record," Allen Guttmann lays out the seven defining characteristics of modern sports, with the sixth being quantification. He says that "modern sports are characterized by the almost inevitable tendency to transform every athletic feat into one that can be quantified and measured...Despite the elegant rhetoric about playing the game rather than thinking about the numbers, the spectator's attention becomes fixed in a relentless search for quantification."

Now, just so you know - I am a stat guy. I loved the advent of sabermetric analysis in baseball, and I think it's crucial to have an objective way of rating individual players. However, it should never be lost on people that the more subjective means of analyzing players are just as important to the overall rating.

This was never more apparent to me than after the Green Bay Packers season ended with a loss to the Giants and after hearing an incredibly simple but powerful statement by a Hall of Fame QB.

Fran Tarkenton recently called into the Mike and Mike radio show on ESPN, to talk about the Conference Championship games. When asked about Brett Favre's performance, he said bluntly that no great quarterback makes both the kind and number of foolish plays that Favre does.

I couldn't agree more.

And that is what makes his passing of Marino in the record books so frustrating. Because when it really comes down to it, Favre's ability to play the QB position cannot hold a candle to Marino's abilities.

Seeing Marino's records fall has forced me to set aside statistics and look directly to the level of play. I'm talking about a player's pure fundamental ability to play the quarterback position. And suddenly, once the records are set aside, it becomes much easier to defend Marino's title as greatest of all time. Marino had The Release. He had the most impeccable timing, the cannon arm, and the ability to slice up a defense like a block of cheese.

Ironically, many of those same people who dismiss Marino based on his records falling, continue to call him the greatest "pure passer" to ever play, based on those very attributes I just named. I am absolutely flabbergasted that someone could differentiate between the best pure passer and the best quarterback. Aside from making forward passes, the only other areas of consideration that come into play when critiquing a QB are his decision-making abilities and his leadership - both areas that Marino excelled in. Sure, some QBs are great at running the ball as well, but that is not a traditional duty of the position. And while Marino was as dangerous as a slumbering sloth when running downfield, he had some of the best in-pocket movement I've ever witnessed.

The major problem with this subjective way of analyzing a player is that it loses strength over time as fewer and fewer people can remember or care to find out exactly how a certain player actually played the game. Statistics are a much more widely available resource, and numbers are easier to compare than scouting reports.

Normal statistics also fail to point out important differences in the competitive conditions of players' situations.

I can think of no better way to illustrate this point than to show how current players like Brett Favre, Peyton Manning, and Tom Brady have all played their entire careers (or a majority of them) during a period when offensive production has exploded as a result of changing philosophies and altered rules. (As a note, Dan Marino retired after the 1999 season. Brett Favre was drafted in 1991, but did not see regular playing time until his sophomore season.)

In 1994, the pass interference rules were changed by the league in order to do away with intentional contact by a defender against a receiver downfield. According to John Clayton, after the 1994 rule change, passing yardage went up 26 yards per game to 427.2 yards - the second highest total in the modern era. The number of completions and attempts rose and so did the number of passing touchdowns. Favre has played 14 of his 17 seasons post-rule change; Marino only played the final 6 of his 17 seasons in that altered environment.

Then, following the 2003 playoffs, the NFL again looked into its pass interference rules in order to further open up offensive scoring. Clayton again predicted the same kind of statistical results that occurred after the 1994 rule change, and he was proven right. From 2002-03, only one team (Oakland) threw for more than 4,500 yards. In 2004, five teams (Favre's Packers being one) accomplished the feat.

For more information on these rule changes, and their statistical results, see these sites:

Football Outsiders report, John Clayton report

With that historical context in place, it should be quite easy to see that Favre's accomplishments do not add up to Marino's. In fact, in Favre's four seasons from 2004-07 (post-rule change) he posted two seasons with 4,000+ passing yards. In his 13 previous seasons, he had only 3 such seasons.

In a recent article on ESPN.com, Jeffri Chadiha wrote about the effect of the changes to the illegal contact rule and commented that, "If Marino had that advantage going for him, nobody would've ever matched the season he produced 24 years ago."

While I hope to have shown you how such counting statistics as TDs or passing yards can be deceiving in some instances, there are certain rate states which can be helpful when comparing players.

The following are career stats:

	QB Rating	INT%	TD%	Sck%	Y/A	Y/C
Dan Marino	86.4	3.0	5.0	3.1	7.3	12.4
Brett Favre	85.7	3.3	5.0	4.8	7.0	11.5

Getting away from QB stats now, I want to address the popularly held notion that quarterbacks, apart from all other positions, are judged based on the number of Super Bowls won. That is just patently ridiculous. Yes, the QB is the single most important position on a football team, but he is indeed part of a team - a team that employs three distinct and equally critical phases.

According to that logic, Trent Dilfer, Mark Rypien, Jeff Hostetler, Jim McMahon, and Brad Johnson are all better than Marino. Well, those five examples prove how absurd that "logic" really is.

Teams are judged on winning; individuals are not. Throw the number of rings a guy has out the window when judging quarterbacks - it's that simple.

Rather than rings, I think Steve Grogan pointed to an excellent way of determining who the greatest QB of all time is. He recently said that the truly great quarterbacks are the ones who succeed in spite of their surrounding cast. He went on to say that he knew of no other QB who did more with less than Dan Marino.

This argument has been made several times before, but I think it is useful to explore it in terms of the Marino/Favre parameters.

As far as defense goes, Favre consistently benefited from having better defenses protect his leads and get him the ball back. In Favre's 16 seasons as a starter, his defenses have averaged about 12th in the league in scoring defense. Marino's averaged 15th in the league. Also remember that for a majority of Favre's career there were more than 30 teams in the league, while for a majority of Marino's career there were only 28 teams in the league, making his defense's average rank of 15 a bottom-half unit.

In Favre's career, he has benefited from 7 top-10 scoring defenses and a dozen top-15 defenses. Marino had only 5 top-10 and 7 top-15 scoring defenses.

The importance of a running game also cannot be overlooked when judging a QB. If a team is no threat to run the ball, the opposing defense can drop more people into coverage to protect against the pass. Having an effective running game is a QBs best friend.

Well, during Marino's career, the Miami ground game was the prime example of inconsistency. The Dolphins had ten different leading rushers over Marino's 17 year career. Marino had only a single season with a running back who gained over 1,000 yards. Just one season!

In comparison, Favre has benefited from three separate 1,000 yard rushers, who put up a combined nine 1,000+ yard seasons. From 1999-2004, Green Bay had six consecutive years with a 1,000+ yard rusher.

Essentially, I am arguing for the ranking criteria of the greatest QBs of all time to include both statistical achievements and contextual achievements and to throw out team achievements like Championships.

One need only to look at Favre's most recent game against the Giants, in which he played horribly and essentially threw the game away for his team by making the kind of stupid mistakes that have become synonymous with his style of play. Those were not isolated incidents. That is how Favre plays the game. As Tarkenton said, great QBs simply do not play like that.

Marino may not hold the records any longer, but the way he played the game will never change - and that level of quarterback play remains far and away the best this game has ever seen.

Check out Samuel's site Phinaticism for all your Dolphins news and commentary.