Daniel Thomas: Miami Dolphins Should Sit RB To Suck for Andrew Luck

Daniel Thomas is listed as questionable for the Miami Dolphins' matchup with the New York Jets on Monday Night Football, though, in all honesty, there should be no question as to whether or not he'll play.

Not because he's not injured, which he is, but rather because the Dolphins, at 0-4 and with no realistic hope of winning much of anything on the field this season, need to do anything and everything they can to ensure their future success.

And by that, I mean they need to throw this campaign in the tank so they can "Suck For (Andrew) Luck".

Yeah, I know, teams should try to win now to satisfy their veterans and their fans and blah blah blah who really cares? Miami hardly had any hope for a solid season with Chad Henne under center. What are the odds of any success in South Beach now that Matt Moore is the one handling the snaps?

How about slim to none?

At this point, the Fins owe it to their organization and to their fans, who've now seen 16 different quarterbacks calling the shots under center since Dan Marino retired following the 1999 season, to at least try to land one with the talent and ability to last for—I don't know—more than a season or two.

Is that too much to ask? What's another terrible season, anyway? The Fins have finished with a losing record in four of the last five years, with a fifth in six all but guaranteed just six weeks into the 2011 season. If one more nets them the top pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, and the superstar quarterback out of Stanford that comes with it, then it'll all be worth it.

Heck, as long as they're at it, why don't the Dolphins go ahead and do everything they possibly can to secure the dubious distinction as the worst team in the league? They'll need to if they're going to finish with a worse record than the 0-6 Indianapolis Colts. Fire Tony Sparano, perhaps, like they've been talking about doing for months. Encourage Brandon Marshall to get himself kicked out of EVERY game.

And, of course, keep Thomas out, not only to screw things up now, but also to safeguard the potential for future success. Thomas has shown considerable promise, posting 202 yards and a 4.9 yards-per-carry average in two starts as a rookie. The last thing Miami needs to or even should do is run Thomas out there on a strained hamstring, thereby putting their promising young running back at risk for further injury in a game that the team will probably lose anyway.

Because the 2011 season is all about the future for the Dolphins, a future in which Daniel Thomas will play a prominent part, hopefully with Andrew Luck conducting the handoffs.