I'm Renaming Dallas Miami West...

So, Rotoworld is reporting that Jason Taylor would redo his contract in order to expedite a trade to Dallas.

Ok, Where the hell would they put him? Currently, They have Anthony Spencer and DeMarcus Ware lining up on the outside. They just got Zach Thomas from the Dolphins to play inside.

It would definitely mess up the development of a promising prospect if they chose to replace Spencer with Taylor, and I don't think it would be the best of moves.

Draft Grades: AFC East - Miami Dolphins!

Armed with many early draft picks and a rebuilding blue print (from the Big Tuna himself) the Dolphins were one of three teams (the others being K.C and ATL) who really had a chance to remake their team in one fell swoop.

Were they successful? Yes and no.

1 1(1) Jake Long OT MICHIGAN

I've always questioned Long's ability to play left tackle. To me the jury is still out till he proves he can do it. However the fact that Parcells, Ireland and Sparano (an offensive line coach) gave Long their blessing certainly is an indication of his ability. On the positive side, I always say that continuity is the most important part of an offensive line (See; Kendall, Pete) and with Long at LT, Carey slides over to a more natural RT position (instantly making him better.) When you add in Smiley and Setale they all of a sudden could have one of the best young offensive lines in football. B

2 1(32) Phillip Merling DE CLEMSON

Merling had fallen cause of a sports hernia but he was said to have had a very solid pro day just mere days before the draft. He was a mid first round talent before his injury so you can't argue with the value at the top of round two. He's going to be a 5 technique 3-4 end in Parcells defense and should excel at it. B+


2 26(57) Chad Henne QB MICHIGAN

You know Jon Beck's going be 27 years old this season? I mean, Wow. How could he even be expected to be a "franchise" QB. We all know how I feel about Henne. I love him, he's going to need work...but any young QB does. With all due respect to Joe Flacco I'd rather my toolsy QB with his share of issues come from a big program with big game experience. Love the fit and love the value. A

3 3(66) Kendall Langford DE HAMPTON

Continuing the building in the trenches theme. Parcells really knows what he's doing, and I'm trying not to just sound like a Parcells homer, but building inside out is the way to go. Langford is not a sexy pick by any means. But he's going to be another 5 technique run stopping end. In fact his body is more naturally suited to it than Merling possibly. B+

4 11(110) Shawn Murphy OG UTAH STATE

Murphy is a small-school prospect with good quickness and size. However he is going to be a project. I like the fit pairing a raw offensive line prospect with an offensive line minded coach but I question the value. On the baord still at this point were Anthony Collins, Lavelle Hawkins and Red Bryant all who fit needs for the Fins and presented better values. C-

6 10(176) Jalen Parmele RB TOLEDO

Interesting player. Could be a workout warrior but had two very productive years at Toledo. I know it's the late rounds so it's hard to nitpick but the Dolphins totally neglected other needs with this pick. At RB they had Brown, Cobbs and Williams. D+

6 29(195) Donald Thomas OG CONNECTICUT

Another developmental lineman. Scott Wright likes his upside and had him as a mid rounder. He was arrested in 2006 for assault which would go against Parcells's no bad apples theory. B-

6 38(204) Lex Hilliard RB MONTANA

Another RB? Once again, I know 6th round but no CB or WR taken at all this draft? Hillard's only significant impact would come as a versatile fullback D+

7 38(245) Lionel Dotson DT ARIZONA

If he makes an NFL Team it'd be with a 3-4 team. However he has more of an end body than a NT body and the Fins drafted now three of the same type of player. D


My biggest problem I had with the Dolphins draft is the fact that they didn't trade Jason Taylor. Look if you only get a late second or a third for him it's ok. When this team is going to be good enough to compete for a championship he still be playing for them. They didn't address needs at CB or WR and trading Taylor could have helped that. Wouldn't the addition of Reggie Smith or Charles Godfey really make this draft a ridiculous haul?

In the end I don't have a lot to gripe about. I liked most of Parcells picks and when you factor in that they basically stole Anthony Fasano and Aykin Adoyle from Dallas for a 4th rounder it's a very nice draft for a rebuilding team.

Final Draft Grade: B+

Thank you Lord...

Kenny Phillips. I don't know what's better...

a) The Jets sucking ass.
b) The Giants being smart, and taking a play making safety. He will immediate compete to start with overrated Sammy Knight.

Awesome.

The Dolphins then select Phillip Merling. That is a great pick. He wasn't supposed fall this far, and he will add to a defense that is beginning to come together. Bill Parcells, smart guy.

Dolphins Sign Jake Long!

The First pick of the NFL Draft is signed, sealed and delivered.

Jake Long will receive a six year deal that includes 30 million dollars in guaranteed money, and a total of 57.5 million dollars. The deal can be voided by Long after five years in order to enter free agency.

The St. Louis Rams are now on the clock...

And There it is...

NBCSports.com is reporting that a Deal is Imminent between Michigan OT Jake Long and the Miami Dolphins that would make him the number one overall pick and end all of the guessing.

More to Follow...

And the Award for...

Strangest trade rumor ever goes to...

The Miami Dolphins and Jason Taylor.

Yahoo! is reporting that Jason Taylor will just leave football behind and begin an acting career if the Dolphins don't trade him. The Jags have offered a third round pick.

Well, this is interesting. I know that a lot of people like Taylor on Dancing with the Stars so I guess this is feasible, but this would definitely create a huge hole in the Miami defense.

Enter Vernon Gholston? Stay Tuned.

Back to the Draft...

Sports Illustrated's Peter King is reporting that the Miami Dolphins have given Jake Long a deadline on which to agree to a contract to become the 1st overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft.

Fourth Down host Jordy Lauterbach's favorite NFL writer is also reporting that the Dolphins haven't seriously spoke with anyone else about numbers, which disputes reports from last week that Miami spoke with Vernon Gholston.

At this point, It's probably a matter of time until Jake Long is your number one overall pick.

And Falling...

Matt Ryan will not be the first overall pick in the 2008 NFL draft.

Now, The Palm Beach Post is reporting that Ryan is not in the Dolphins conversation anymore, confirming a previous Rotoworld.com report.

However, don't assume this means that John Beck will be starting in Miami next year. There should be plenty of value at the position with the 1st pick in the second round. Andre Woodson, Joe Flacco, and Brian Brohm are all options.

They Just Keep on Falling...

According to Rotoworld, The Dolphins are now in talks with Vernon Gholston. They also believe that Matt Ryan and Darren McFadden are out of the picture.

Can't help but think Parcells would just love Gholston....

It Can't Be That Hard To Put Together An NFL Team...Can It?

Is it really that hard to turn around a football team? Look at how many teams have been doormats for years now; The Niners, Lions, Texans, Cardinals, Dolphins, Raiders and so on. I understand rebuilding and the need for it. But a five year rebuilding project? That shouldn't happen.

The Ravens are a perfect example of a team that needed to rebuild. They've had a bunch of aging stars for years now, but a nucleus good enough to compete for a championship. Why would they tear it down when they can still win?

Well they clearly paid the price for that line of thinking this year.

Here's what I don't get. Why is it that Bill Parcells can come in and and right a ship in two, three years at most, and yet many of the aforementioned teams haven't righted the ship in the better part of a decade?

Is he really just that much smarter than everyone else? I find that hard to believe.

This is a bold statement but I've made it before, I feel like I could go in and turn around a team quicker than some of these GM's.

That's my dream job, some people dream of being president or a musician, I dream of being an NFL GM and sleeping in my office.

Dolphin fans should be thrilled to have the Big Tuna aboard.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Can it really be that hard to run an NFL team?

Here's some mistakes you can expect your favorite NFL team this off season and how I would solve them.

Problem:

The QB Situation is terrible league wide. If you don't have one of the big stars your sunk. The need is so much greater than the supply and that's what's causing there to be so many busts.

It would be a terrible mistake to go with a young QB this year. If you go back to 2005 and look at the Draft, Alex Smith went first and Aaron Rodgers went 24th. Remember it was never clear cut who the better QB was. Smith got pushed up the board because the Niners needed a "franchise QB." Well...I'm pretty sure you know how this story ends.

Tbe same thing is going to happen this year with Ryan, Brohm, and Woodson. I doubt any of these QB's fall past the 15th pick. Too many teams need QB's, the Falcons, Bears, and Ravens come to mind as potential homes for said QB's.

All I see with these QB's is disaster and bust. There not worth what there going to cost.

Solution:

1) Kick the tires on veterans.

Why not?

Pop quiz who gives you a better chance to win for next 4 years. McNabb or Matt Ryan?

For a team close to contending like the Ravens, Vikings or Bears trading for McNabbb makes perfect sense. So what if it costs a first rounder? Wouldn't you rather go for a sure thing than a guy who could be the next Ryan Leaf?

Besides McNabb here's some other intriguing veteran options

Chad Pennington: Laugh now, but for a 4th rounder who many more wins do you think Minny would have right now.

Billy Volek: Currently backing up Philly Rivers. Still only 31 years old and has shown flashes, like in 2004 with the Titans.

Brian Griese: Clearly needs a change of scenery. Seems like he's been on the verge of breaking out his whole career. Still only 32 years old and had some very good games this year.

Other intriguing guys; Quinn Gray, Rex Grossman, Kurt Warner, JP Lossman, Sage Rosenfels, Damon Huard, Josh McCown, Kerry Collins and Shuan Hill.

Call me crazy but remember before Tony Romo was Tony Romo and Matt Hasselebeck was Matt Hasslebeck you'd probably find them on a list similar to this.

2) Do NOT trade for Derek Anderson.

It's ironic because I like Derek Anderson yet I'm saying not to trade for him.

Here's why.

He's got the size, the arm, and he has proved himself at the next level. Some may think he's established himself as a franchise QB type. I disagree, strongly. In Cleveland he has, a great offensive line, a tight end who can dominate and cause mismatches everywhere, a legit number one WR, with Randy Moss like play making skills and a solid running game.

He's able to air it out and let his guys make plays. What's been lost in his magical season is his accuracy only 56.6%. I think he's great in Cleavland, and he'll be great as long as he's on a team that has a vertical passing game with weapons. If you take that away from him he falls back to earth.

3) Yawn...Sleep(in!)

There's a reason QB's that are drafted in the 6th and 7th round succeeded. Once is a anomaly but look at all the starless college prospects currently tearing it up in the NFL. Romo, Warner, Garcia, Brady, Anderson, Garrad and so on. These guys exist it's just a matter of finding them.

Problem:

So the QB's suck. Let's just draft Darren McFadden and we'll make the playoffs no matter who starts at QB. Hey! It worked for the Vikings!

Solution:

The NFL is a copy cat league. Always has been always will be. Any team trying to carbon copy Minnesota except by replacing A-Pete with RUN DMC is going to have a world of trouble.

What came first the running back or the offensive line?

Is it really as much A-Pete as it is McKinne and Steve Hutchinson (personal man crush)?

Look at how much sucess Chester Taylor had running behind that offensive line. I feel like while A-Pete is a rare, rare talent any decent RB can secede as long as the offensive line around him is dominant. Look at the cast of misfits the Broncos trot out every year. Look at the sucess Brandon Jacobs, and now Ahmad Bradshaw is having in NY.

This is a gem of Parcells wisdom. He never ever drafts RB early. Remember in Dalls he passed on Steven Jackson and Kevin Jones, instead he ended up with Marion Barber and Julius Jones and a significantly less steep cost.

Run DMC is going to be good. But you can't expect him to single handily turn around a team the way A- Pete did.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So what would I do if I was El Grande Tuna?

I would trade down as much as possible. Many teams are leery of trading up now but Run DMC should be worth a bounty.

I would spread a great deal of time evaluating Jake Long. If the scouts believe he can be a franchise left tackle (ala Joe Thomas) I would snap him up.

I would then sign in free agency Alan Faneca.

All of a sudden the Dolphins line looks a whole lot different and a whole lot better.

Long, Faneca, Samason Satele ( a promsing center drafted last year), Vernon Carrey (a former first rounder who's had to play out of position and LJ Shelton.

If Ronnie Brown could succeed behind a junk O-Line imagine what he could do with real talent in front of him. (assuming he came back healthy)

At QB I would trade for one of my aforementioned veterans. I think Billy Volek intrigues me the most.

So all of a sudden the Dolphins have some semblance on a nucleus on offense. They have an extra 2nd rounder from Chargers (acquired in the Chris Chambers trade) and were also assuming they have some extra picks from trading down.

With these picks you can rebuild and aging defense as well as adding some depth at WR. After cutting overpriced veterans you might be able to add another impact free agent like Terelle Suggs.

All of a sudden a one win team because a 7 win team, with a bright future as opposed to no future.

Someone hire me....now.

C.W. Post Pioneer Column 11: Why Having the First Overall Pick in 2008 is a Bad Thing...

As John Beck through up yet another interception on Sunday, The Miami Dolphins sealed their fate as the first overall pick in the NFL Draft. The gift and the curse of getting to select any player coming from the college game you like is the consolation prize for being the worst team in the league, and anyone who has watched the Dolphins know that they fall into that category.

However, there’s one problem with drafting a franchise savior in 2008. There isn’t one to be had.

That’s right ladies and gentlemen; we are looking the worst draft crop since the days of Alex Smith being drafted first overall by the 49ers. There isn’t a single player in this draft that is worth drafting first overall, and that creates a problem on many fronts. If the use their pick to take any player, they are using money on a player who probably isn’t worth the money that they are paying them. The other option is to try to trade their pick and move down in the order, but with no one who teams covet at the top of the class, it will be hard to find a buyer to sell to.

Let’s look at the options that Miami has come April:

1. Take a Quarterback: The first overall pick has been a quarterback 6 out of the last 8 years. The logic is that the quarterback has more impact on the game than any position on the field, and they are always in short supply. Off the field, the quarterback is always the face of the team, and probably it’s most marketable player.

Well, that’s all great, but if he isn’t any good then you’re setting your team back anywhere from five to eight years. This year, there is not a true top quarterback in this draft. The closest thing to it is probably Boston College’s Matt Ryan. He was somewhat of a one year wonder, as he lead a BC team back from obscurity this season. The problem with Ryan is that he seems to be somewhat of a finished product. He doesn’t have great ability, but has solid leadership skills. By taking him first, people will be expecting Peyton Manning, and getting Matt Hasselbeck. Which they may already have in Beck, last year’s second round pick.

2. Take the Best Available Player: This sounds like a slam dunk, but really isn’t. The best player in this crop is LSU’s Glenn Dorsey. Dorsey dominates one side of the ball and is a factor in every game that he plays in. The only problem is that he is a defensive tackle. While a position of importance, it’s not something that is considered a priority with the first overall pick. To make it worse, Dorsey would be out of place in the 3-4 defense that the Dolphins currently run. His strength is creating havoc in the backfield, while he would be asked to take up blocks to free linebackers in Miami.

3. Trade Down: There is a huge, Hail Mary, shot in the dark, band is on the field miracle that the Dolphins can pull off. If Arkansas running back Darren McFadden comes forgoes his senior year and enters the draft, there just may be a team that is willing to trade up to grab him. After all, look at the success that Adrian Peterson is having in Minnesota, and he was a highly touted rookie like McFadden. This would be ideal for Miami, as they could draft several more players and speed up the rebuilding process that they are going through.

While there is no doubt that situation three would be the most beneficial to the Dolphins, it’s more likely that situation number two will happen. That means that Miami will be left with an overpaid defensive tackle playing in a scheme that doesn’t fit his talents. It’s a recipe for disaster and something you never want from a top-5 draft pick.

Just ask Jets Fans.