NFL Trade Speculation: 6 Miami Dolphins Potentially on the Trading Block
Although trades are a rarity in the NFL, the Miami Dolphins seem to be the exception to the notion. Last year alone Miami cooked up trades for Brandon Marshall, Tim Dobbins, Benny Sapp and Pat McQuistan. They also shipped off Ted Ginn, Jr. to San Francisco for a fifth-round draft pick.
So while most are concentrated on position battles and roster cuts, Dolphins fans should keep an eye out for trades.
There is almost a guarantee Jeff Ireland will construct a handful if and once the lockout is lifted. But who will the 'Fins send swimming?
Here are the six likeliest candidates.
No. 6 Will Allen
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After anchoring the Dolphins secondary on their 2008 playoff push, corner Will Allen suffered a torn ACL midway through the 2009 season.
Allen missed the rest of the season, and then re-injured the same knee just one week prior to the 2010 season, forcing him to sit out another year.
Now, Allen is primed to return, but he walks into a secondary that looks entirely different than when he left it—kind of like a Twilight Zone episode. Vontae Davis and Sean Smith were both rookies when Allen went down in '09, but both are now rising stars who are rapidly becoming the subject of quarterbacks' nightmares.
Allen beat both out for the number one spot in 2009, but two knee surgeries later, he probably won't be the same player—but we'll have to wait for the verdict
The likelihood of a trade is very slim considering Allen's presence allows Miami to rotate three great corners and put one at nickelback. But if a team desperate for a corner comes calling, Allen could be shipped off.
No. 5 Tim Dobbins
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Linebacker Tim Dobbins was part of the 2010 Draft Day trade between the Chargers and Dolphins. He initially looked like an afterthought in the deal, but hype quickly began to mount around Dobbins as a potential replacement for the oft-injured Channing Crowder.
However, Dobbins was a disappointment in 2010. He failed to dethrone Crowder and racked up a marginal 47 tackles even with Crowder sidelined for some of the season with injuries.
Dobbins should get another chance to prove his worth over the summer, but the return of 2010 fourth round pick A.J. Edds could potentially push him further down the depth chart.
In this scenario, Miami might be able to shop Dobbins to a team in need of depth at linebacker.
No. 4 Lousaka Polite
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In 2009, Lousaka Polite was all the rage in Miami. He was a one-man wrecking crew, paving rushing lanes on the NFL's fourth best rushing attack and, more famously, posting a perfect conversion rate.
But 2010 was a different story.
Miami's running game ranked just 21st (not entirely his fault, obviously), and Polite was nowhere near as effective with the ball in his hands. Polite's job security may have been in question before the Draft, but once the 'Fins selected Charles Clay, things got increasingly gloomy.
Miami will absolutely give Polite a chance to retain his job. He is only two years removed from a Pro Bowl worthy season. But with two potential replacements (Lex Hilliard, Charles Clay) on the roster, Polite will have to great.
If either Hilliard or Clay edges him out, then Miami could shop him to a team in need of a fullback.
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No. 3 Phillip Merling
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Three years into an unspectacular career, Phillip Merling is remembered for two things: Scoring the game-clinching touchdown against the Jets in '08 and beating his pregnant girlfriend last summer.
It's not the kind of byline the Dolphins hoped Merling would assemble when they drafted him in the second round of the 2008 Draft. A sports hernia dropped the former Clemson defensive end out of the first round, and everybody praised Miami for scooping up such a steal.
Now, he hasn't been entirely ineffective. Merling amassed 33 tackles and 2.5 sacks in '09, but missed almost all of last season due to injury, and proceeded to rack up a measly three tackles. The Dolphins already have Kendall Langford, Randy Starks, and Jared Odrick, so unless Merling shows that he is ready to breakout, he could easily become expendable.
No. 2 Tyler Thigpen
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Jeff Ireland and Tony Sparano's infatuation with Tyler Thigpen has granted the 27-year-old quarterback an extended stay in South Beach. Their unwavering dedication to Thigpen probably stems from his similarities to Tony Romo, whom Ireland helped groom in Dallas.
Thigpen has done little to prove he is even worth a roster spot during his allotted playing time, yet the Dolphins slapped a second-round tender on him earlier this off-season. It's possible that a new CBA would wipe out this tender and Thigpen would enter free agency, but if not, it's possible Miami would shop him.
The mobile but inconsistent QB would probably draw no more than a mid-to-late round draft pick, but perhaps he could be thrown into a package deal to acquire a veteran quarterback.
That being said, he should be given a chance to compete with Chad Henne during training camp if he sticks around.
No. 1 Brian Hartline
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Rookies challenge veterans for starting roles all the time, sure. But how often can a rookie push a veteran off of a roster entirely? The arrival of fourth-round pick Edmond Gates just might serve as the end to Brian Hartline's young tenure with the Dolphins.
This will happen if and only if Gates shows he can make an immediate impact. He's going to be faced with the daunting task of transitioning from sub-par Division II competition to the NFL, but other former Abilene Christian alumni like Johnny Knox have done it before.
Gates ran a 4.37, so he is certainly faster than Hartline. His upside is significantly higher and he projects to be a much more lethal vertical threat.
And, if they were able to trade Hartline, the Dolphins would not have to part with either Roberto Wallace or Marlon Moore—a decision they would have to make if Hartline retains his job (don't forget the 'Fins traded Greg Camarillo last year).
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