Dolphins QB Battle a Three-for-all

According to various reports from Dolphins sources, the blogosphere, and other insiders, the Dolphins QB battle is looking pretty competitive right now.

The good news: John Beck, Josh McCown, and Chad Henne have all looked good so far. Whether this is more representative of a weak secondary than their skill remains to be seen, but this has to be encouraging.

The bad news: Why is Josh McCown in the running at all? I don't care how good he looks in training camp. He's absolutely, certifiably, unquestionably NOT THE ANSWER at QB beyond being a steady backup. At least there's hope with Beck and Henne that they could actually become a franchise QB.

It has also been rumored that Chris Simms could become a Dolphin, if he gets released by the Bucs. I'm not really buying that story, simply because there would be no place to put him. People say Parcells likes Simms, though, so we'll see.

Dolphins Draft Picks of the Good Variety

The NFL is famous for its drawn-out draft holdouts, which often cripple salary caps after long periods of strife. The system flat out sucks.

Fortunately, the Dolphins have done a great job of signing their draftees. According to Phinsider, only three are left unsigned: Phillip Merling, Chad Henne, and Kendall Langford.

The good news, though, is that the players seem to be expressing an interest in showing up to camp. Here's what Chad Henne said:

"I know my agent approached them probably about two or three weeks ago...to get it started. I'm sure they're going to get it done before training camp, because they want me in camp and I anticipate being in camp."

It also helps, apparently, that Henne employs the same agent as Bill Parcells. A match in heaven?

Dolphins Expectations

According to Phinsider, the first over/under on the Dolphins season is 5.5 wins. That comes from sportsbook.com, which pits the 'Fins as second lowest in expectations (Atlanta is at 4.5).

I've been ridiculed by my own colleagues at The South Florida Fan, but I've been mentioning the word "playoffs" lately. I'm not backing down. Call me a hometown optimist, but I really like what Parcells has done with this squad.

My biggest concern is obviously the QB position where the perenially mediocre Josh McCown, uncertain John Beck, and completely inexperienced Chad Henne will have to perform well. Of course, it helps when you have a monster like Jake Long blocking for you.

Do I really think the 'Fins are going to the playoffs? No. But I see 7 wins, and that, my friends, is OVER. At least according to this prognosticator, go out and bet OVER on the Dolphins (no death threats accepted should it happen to be poor advice).

Phinsider Looks at Chad Henne, Akin Ayodele

The term "outsourcing" has developed a negative connotation in the American vernacular, but there are some cases where it ought to be applauded. Taking that to heart, Phinsider consulted outside sources to get local reads on Chad Henne and Akin Ayodele.

Here's the Chad Henne take from a Michigan perspective. A highlight:

"Dolphins fans, what you will get with Chad Henne is someone that is tough both mentally and physically, has four years of starting experience at Michigan, and has the mechanics that can make him very successful in the NFL. There will always be the occasional time where a throw will go nowhere near the receiver as Michigan fans saw many times during his career, but if he can work on getting touch on his passes, then that should happen far less often. Also, his mobility isn't great and his pocket presence is not always pretty to watch, but the latter is something that can be corrected. Personally, although I am biased, to me Henne is twice the quarterback that John Beck will ever be, and he is a steal to get in the second-round as late as Miami did."

That sounds fairly encouraging, and I'd have to agree that Henne's chances of surpassing Beck are pretty strong. Of course, that perspective is biased.

And now, an excerpt from the Akin Ayodele analysis, courtesy of a top Cowboys blogger:

"I never had any major complaint about Ayodele on defense; he was never the guy who I thought was terrible or blew the game for us. But he was never the guy who I thought helped us win the game or did anything special. All in all, an average player but not a playmaker."

Not exactly what you want to hear, but then what else should be expected? If Ayodele plugs a defensive position with adequate skill, that might be all the Dolphins ever wanted.

Major praises to Phinsider for putting these together. You can find all their pieces by clicking the left side link. As I've said before, they should be a part of your daily viewing.

YOUR thoughts on the Dolphins draft....

As for MY view of the draft:

J Long - Safest pick but also the biggest need! Does not make mistakes (penalties/sacks) and that is a Parcells kind of guy.

P Merling - Was projected as a 1st rd pick w/o the hernia. He is the first of MANY Dolphin picks this year that beg the question: The problem is figuring out where he fits? DE?OLB? THAT is where I have to trust Parcells.

C Henne - Good value! I hope both he AND Beck become quality QB's so we have some depth (or, better yet, trade fodder for the future). Tough kid with intangibles but he doesn't stand out in any area.

K Langford - Another pick that experts love but is he the next Jason Taylor or the next Matt Roth? Sounds like he can rush the passer but does nothing to anchor the end against the run.

S Murphy - Are we supposed to believe he is our starting LG? I think Miami wanted Greco and settled for Murphy. This pick surprised me because he is known for his finesse, not power, which makes him the Anti-Parcells guy! Also, am I supposed to be impressed that his father is Dale Murphy?

J Parmele - I like this pick because I don't trust our R&R Team (Ricky & Ronnie) to be fully healthy by training camp. I was surprised we got rid of Booker, since he was a PLAYMAKER whenever he got on the field, but we needed a third every down back. I believe that Parmalee has the ability to get the 3.5-4.0 yards/carry until the starters are healthy. (I don't believe Brown will be 100% till 2009.)

D Thomas - Major project that hit a fast food worker for slow service? It's the 6th rd but this just doesn't seem like a Parcells guy (bad character/major project).

L Hilliard - New Fullback or poor man's HB? (BTW, I thought Parcells didn't like small school players: 4 picks were from smaller schools)

L Dotson - NT project? 7th rd pick that I am not going to pretend that I know anything about.

I guess, in summary, what I am saying is that I like this draft only because I want to give Parcells the benefit of the doubt. I want to believe that this jumble of players will strengthen our roster. I wish we had traded JT and got some decent value (either in 2008 or 2009 draft) and I hope we sign a couple of impact college FA (DJ Hall, Highsmith, Robertson, and/or Henderson).


Matt

Post-Draft Thoughts Around the Blogosphere

The general feeling, at least locally, is that the Dolphins rocked the draft. Perhaps it's a bit of hometown optimism, but I think we can safely assume that wasn't the case last year (nobody thought Cam Cameron deserved anything above an F). Maybe it's more polarization than homerism that occurs. Regardless, here's a quick summary of what's being said.

FinsNation was so pleased with the draft, they likened Parcells' performance to a comic book character. Phinsider seems pleased enough that Parcells and Ireland have a plan for this team. Phin Fever gives a breakdown of each draft pick. Here's the full draft board if you missed any picks.

We at The South Florida Fan are also pleased with the draft, with the lone exception of Lorenzo Booker being traded and Jalen Parmele/Lex Hilliard replacing him. I have my doubts on Chad Henne, but it was a very solid pick for the end of the 2nd round. We want to thank everyone who followed along with us. Congratulations also to FinsNation, Phinsider, and Phin Fever, for providing such excellent coverage throughout the weekend.

Did that just happen?

We somehow just managed to make it through the entire first round without having a team draft a single wide receiver. To make it worse, there was even a TE taken before any WRs.

The Dolphins almost have to go with the best available player here. Devin Thomas at #32 would be an absolute steal.

Of course, we also have to replace Jason Taylor now because of the Tampa Bay trade, so Quentin Groves is still a possibility. Brian Brohm and Chad Henne are also both still available, though I'd hate to see us take a QB right now.

More Dolphins draft tidbits

As recently reported on espn.com, the Dolphins are seeking a 1st round pick for DE Jason Taylor. Apparently Jason has been seeking a trade, and the 'fins have a list of players they want who may not be available come 2nd round (Florida DE Derrick Harvey, Auburn DE Quentin Groves, Michigan QB Chad Henne and Delaware QB Joe Flacco).

It seems as though Parcells is looking to go young. Personally, if they can pull of a trade, I think it would be an amazing deal for the 'fins. They'd then have 2 first round picks (one being Jake Long) and the first pick in the 2nd round. The Dolphins defense was old 3 years ago... Channing Crowder has been a nice touch, but he's still a couple season away from being a solid MLB. Zach Thomas and Jason Taylor have been the face of the Dolphins D for 11 years (Thomas started with Miami in '96, Taylor in '97). I think Harvey or Groves would be a great 2nd pick for the 'fins, even at the cost of losing a veteran captain like Taylor. Preferably Harvin; as a Gator alum, I'd love to see Crowder and Harvin together. Then maybe in round 4 or 5, they could pick up Bubba Caldwell!

Jake Long and Beyond

My favorable opinion of Jake Long has been clear since The South Florida Fan's inception. Could it be that Bill Parcells was persuaded by our unwavering support (I certainly hope not, or the Dolphins are in real trouble...then again, I hope he reads the blog). All joking aside, I love what Parcells did here.

Offensive line is the most underappreciated position in football, and yet it plays such a critical role. Look at the time Tom Brady and Peyton Manning have had the last few years. It's all due to the pass protection of their offensive line. A great line can make an average quarterback and a mediocre running back look extraordinary. Jake Long doesn't just prevent sacks; he pushes the line forward.

Not everyone agrees with my analysis. Our friend Pasik (who always claims to be right) is woefully wrong here. He thinks the AFC East caught a break, his Buffalo Bills in particular. Just wait, I say.

As for what happens now, the Dolphins can go in a number of directions. Do they take a quarterback with the #32 overall pick? Chad Henne, Joe Flacco, and Brian Brohm would be the leading candidates. I'd prefer they address their other needs, such as CB and Defensive Line. I know Rate agrees with me.

The even bigger question, however, surrounds Jason Taylor. As Phinsider reports, the Dolphins are trying desperately to trade their all-pro ballroom-dancing sack machine for a 1st rounder. Why? He's 34, unhappy, and probably at peak value. As a hardcore Taylor fan, I'd like to see him stay, but if the 'Fins can get an early 1st rounder and replace him with a Chris Long type, it would be hard to complain. Don't expect that to happen, though. From what I'm hearing, no team has shown that kind of interest.

The Later Rounds

So much attention has been focused on what the Dolphins will do with the #1 overall pick, and rightly so, but it's usually the later rounds that define a draft. The Dolphins happen to have a full slate of picks this weekend, which should be ample opportunity for Parcells and Co. to place their stamp on the team.

Phinsider examines those other rounds, focusing on the Fins' previous draft struggles. It's hard to argue with the label "a decade of ineptitude" after all that's gone wrong with this team. Let's hope this year commences a decade gone right.

Special note: Rumors are swirling that the Dolphins like Michigan QB Chad Henne. He certainly played well in the Capital One Bowl, but I question his decision making. A Jake Long/Chad Henne 1/2 combo might be a bit too Wolverine for my blood too.