Miami Dolphins Re-Sign Suspended NT Jason Ferguson

Chris J. NelsonMar 15, 2010

(Sorry for the lack of content this past week. I've been sick and just not feeling up to it. Obviously this is no longer breaking news, but I figured I should have something about it up here.)

In a somewhat surprising move, the Miami Dolphins re-signed free agent nose tackle Jason Ferguson to a one-year contract.

The move came just three days after it was announced that Ferguson would be suspended the first eight games of the 2010 regular season due to a violation of the league's performance-enhancing drugs policy.

The Dolphins' starting nose tackle the past two seasons, Ferguson appeared in all 16 games in 2008 and the first nine in 2009 before suffering a season-ending quadriceps injury.

With Ferguson unavailable for the first half of next season, Paul Soliai is projected to start for the Dolphins at nose tackle.

Analysis

Although this move is a bit surprising, it's certainly not a bad one for the Dolphins.

The team obviously needs a long-term solution at nose tackle, but Ferguson is still effective when healthy and will be a valuable asset during the second half of the 2010 season.

The bigger issue for the Dolphins is whether or not Paul Soliai can handle the starting job. He was adequate in 2009, but isn't the dominating presence you look for in a 3-4 nose tackle and has had some maturity issues during his career.

With the elite free-agent nose tackles all being re-signed or slapped with the franchise tag, it seems possible the Dolphins will address the position fairly early in next months NFL draft.

Strong possibilities include Tennessee's Dan Williams in the first round, North Carolina's Cam Thomas in the second round, and Central Florida's Torell Troup in the third round.