Showing posts with label Miami Dolphins Blog. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Miami Dolphins Blog. Show all posts

Darren Sproles Might Be The Best Option For The Miami Dolphins

I have noticed a lot of buzz recently regarding Reggie Bush and the Miami Dolphins.

Now, I wouldn't mind having Bush come to the Miami Dolphins, but I don't feel like he would be the best option for Miami. In my opinion, Darren Sproles would be the better choice than Bush for one reason:

Injuries.

Reggie Bush is injured way too frequently. The last time he played a full season was his rookie year in 2006. Sproles has played in all 16 games in each of the past three seasons, and in both 2005 and 2007 seasons he played in 15 games.

Sproles could be a great compliment to Daniel Thomas. He is great catching the football out of the backfield, and he is a small target, which makes him harder to bring down. He is a little smaller than Danny Woodhead of the Patriots, and he caught more receptions for more yards than Woodhead.

Sproles' quickness and receiving ability paired with Thomas' power running style could be a dangerous one-two punch that defenses won't enjoy preparing for. If you want to take some of the pressure off of your quarterback, get him a running back that can break it for a big play at any time off of a short dump off pass. If your quarterback knows that he has a back that can catch the ball really well out of the backfield, then he can be more at ease.

There are so many different things that you can do with a pass-catching back like Darren Sproles. Sure you could do similar things with Reggie Bush, but you won't have him for all 16 games. You know you can rely on Sproles to be healthy and active.

Another great part about Sproles is that he would be very cheap to sign. He isn't a top NFL running back. He is a great complimentary player, but backups obviously don't get paid like starters do.


Now, it's time for you to let me know if there is anyone you would rather have over Sproles, all things considered.

Thanks for reading, and I am still looking for another writer to help me out. If you are interested check it out here: Dolphin Shout Needs A New Writer.

Follow DolphinShout on Twitter

Who Would Be A Good Replacement For Tony Sparano? (Fan Question)

Happy Sunday my fellow Miami Dolphins fans.

Today's question is from Shawn in Connecticut. You guys probably know him from his various comments (he goes by Shawn). Thank you Shawn for the question. It is an interesting one and I am going to try my best to answer it fully.

Here it is:
"My question is if and when Sparano is fired do you think Mike Nolan should be promoted or who do you think would want to come and coach the Dolphins?"
This is an interesting question.

I am going to tell you right now that I do not want Nolan as the Head Coach of the Miami Dolphins, and I have one statistic to show you why:

He is 18-37 as an NFL Head Coach.

While Nolan is a great Defensive Coordinator, he isn't really a great Head Coach. When you first asked me that question Shawn, I thought to myself that he would be a great Head Coach, but then after looking up how he has done before as one I wasn't so confident anymore.

The problem is that if Nolan has another great season like this past one, he will probably get an offer to be a Head Coach for another team. That team may not end up doing so well, but that wouldn't matter to us Dolphins fans. What would matter is that we lost a great defensive coordinator that would be hard to replace.

We could end up in a situation where either we hire Nolan as our own Head Coach or he leaves us to go be a Head Coach somewhere else. That would be a problem, and I would lean toward saying let him go coach somewhere else because his history doesn't make me confident that he would be any good as the main coach.

As for possible replacements, I am sure there will be a bunch of candidates that would like to take the job, but the two I think should be the most strongly are Super Bowl winning coaches Bill Cowher and Jon Gruden. I haven't done any research on coaches other than them, but I am confident that one of those two could help Miami tremendously.

Of course, this all depends on how well the Dolphins do and if Sparano is fired as a result. I am not sure if I have said this before, but I think Sparano and Daboll will be the first ones to go if Stephen Ross starts firing people after a bad season. I can see Jeff Ireland staying even if they do bad because Ross seems to like Ireland a lot.

I do want to say that I don't think Sparano will be fired if they go 8-8 or better. About a month ago Ross said, basically, that he would allow the Dolphins to build a team and that he didn't expect huge success immediately. Whether he really meant that is still to be determined, but I think there is a chance that Sparano keeps his job after a mediocre season if Ross saw some promise in what he did and if Ireland still approves of him.

We will just have to wait and see. I'm just ready for this darn lockout to be over with. The offseason is hard enough as it is. Throw in a lockout with no free agency or contract talks, and it is incredibly difficult to write about new things.

That is why I am doing these Miami Dolphins Fan Questions, though. If anyone has any other questions please do not hesitate to email me at paul@dolphinshout.com or tweet me @PaulDSmythe on twitter.

Thank you everyone for reading and thank you for the question Shawn.

What Do You Want Done Differently On Dolphin Shout?

Ok, so today I am looking for ways to improve this obviously wonderful Miami Dolphins blog.

I want you guys to tell me what you like and don't like about this blog. If there is something you don't like, then please let me know. My goal is to make this an enjoyable site to come to and discuss the Miami Dolphins. If there is something that is making it less enjoyable to you please let me know.

If you don't like the way I write, tell me. My feelings won't be hurt.

If there are certain posts that you really enjoy reading or discussing, let me know. I want you guys to enjoy reading and discussing here. If I know what types of posts you guys like to read, then I can write more of those types.

And finally, I want your suggestions for new things I can add to the blog. I can't guarantee that I will add everything you guys ask for, but I will try my best to add things to make this site better. I am even open to adding a new writer if you guys would like to see that as well.

Also, as you can probably tell I am not the best at choosing color schemes and things like that, so if you have any suggestions for what to do with the site's background, the text, and any other colors please let me know.

I want to thank everyone in advance for whatever advice you have for me. I want to make Dolphin Shout the best it can be, and that will be a lot easier with your input.

So let me know. You can either email me at paul@dolphinshout.com or leave a comment.

Thanks for reading.

Nose Tackle Paul Soliai Might Not End Up With The Miami Dolphins Next Season

The Miami Dolphins defense played exceptionally well last season, and one reason for Miami's success was the surprisingly exceptional play by Paul Soliai, their nose tackle.

Despite his good play, though, the Miami Dolphins aren't going to be able to re-sign him before he becomes a free agent. While it would be possible for Soliai to re-sign before a new CBA is reached, he isn't going to because he doesn't want to be held back by the 30% rule.

In a nutshell, the 30% rule states that once a player's rookie contract expires, his new contract (if he re-signs with the same team that he signed with as a rookie) cannot be higher than 30% more than his original rookie contract.

That was just a short, basic description, and I am honestly not sure what the point of the rule is, but all you need to know is that in order for Soliai to get the big contract he deserves, he needs to become a free agent this offseason. The Dolphins will be able to sign him once he reaches free agency, but they will be competing with other teams to sign the 355-pounder.

According to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald, Soliai wants to stay in Miami, but he also wants to get paid the money that he deserves, which he wouldn't be able to do if he just re-signed with the Dolphins.

I hope that Miami does whatever they can to sign Soliai when he hits free-agency. He really showed up this year, and the Dolphins would be smart to keep him. It is hard to find someone that is his size with his talent, and when a team has a chance to lock up a player like Soliai, they better take it.

Miami's defense was really good last season, and it is important to keep as many players from that group as possible. The old saying goes, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" and I think that applies to the Dolphins defense of last year.

Miami could try the Randy Starks experiment at Nose Tackle again now that Jared Odrick will be back, but that seems to me like a risk not worth taking. They would probably save money by going with Starks instead of Soliai, but if Stephen Ross wants to fill Sun Life Stadium, then he needs to show that he is willing to make investments in talent.

Thanks for reading, and let me know what you think about Soliai.

Subscribe to DolphinShout

Miami Dolphins Work Out OLB Rashad Jeanty

Finally some news.

According to Omar Kelly of the Sun Sentinel, the Miami Dolphins worked out linebacker Rashad Jeanty on Monday. Miami was stop number one of eight for Jeanty.

The Dolphins and Jeanty do not currently have any type of contract in the works, but that may have more to do with the fact that the CBA will expire than anything else.

Jeanty isn't a big name player, and he doesn't have many great stats to speak of, but Miami may be looking to bring in an LB that will be able to step in and replace Channing Crowder in the near future. Crowder's contract will expire in two years, so maybe Jeanty could come in and be ready to replace him if the Dolphins elect not to re-sign Crowder.

From what I gather about Jeanty on his scouting reports, he won't be much more than a consistent contributor, but that could be a good thing for the Dolphins. Not every defender needs to be a star player, and I think he could fit in well with the likes of Karlos Dansby and Cameron Wake.

I know that Jeanty is an outside linebacker, but with a little work I think he could be able to pass Channing Crowder and play on the inside. Crowder isn't exactly the best ILB out there, so we could always use some improvement.

We actually don't even know if Jeanty could be any better than Crowder, but it would be worth taking a chance because Jeanty would be a cheap free agent prospect.

We will see if Miami and Jeanty do come to some sort of agreement that Rashad will sign with the Dolphins when a new CBA is in place, so stay tuned.

Thanks for reading, and let me know what you think about Jeanty and him being a possible replacement for Channing Crowder.

Subscribe to DolphinShout

Confirmation: Yes, The Miami Dolphins Will Address The QB Position For Next Season

According to Omar Kelly's Twitter post, the Miami Dolphins are going to address their QB problems in 2011.

Here is the exact post written by Kelly:
"The Dolphins are WITHOUT A DOUBT going to address the quarterback position in '11 and haven't ruled out drafting one in the first round."
This is good news for me, and I hope that they do end up drafting a first round QB.

I think that there is a good chance that the Dolphins will get Ryan Mallett if they are willing to pick him in the first round, which would be a great move in my opinion. I highly doubt that Mallett will end up being picked before Miami has a chance to get him at 15, and I really hope that the Dolphins will consider taking him.

Thanks for checking in on Super Bowl Sunday. I hope you guys enjoy watching the game, and hopefully next year the Dolphins will be in the same position as the Steelers and Packers.

P.S. I love comments, so don't be shy!

Subscribe to DolphinShout

Why Do Some Miami Dolphins Fans Still Cling To Chad Henne?

Most Miami Dolphins fans have accepted that Chad Henne is not the answer for the Dolphins past decade of quarterback woes. They realize that he has terrible decision-making and poor accuracy. As much as I dislike Bill Parcells and what he did to the organization, he too realized that Henne wasn't looking good this year, and that is why he bailed so quickly to save his own butt.

The thing is, there are a small percentage of Dolphins fans that still cling to Chad Henne and still believe he should be starting. I am not sure why, honestly, but they act surprised when people say that Henne should be benched or cut.

Well, my question is: Why shouldn't he be cut? Why would the Dolphins still start him? He has not improved one bit in the two years Miami has had him as their starter. If anything, you could make a case for his regression from the first season to the second. He may have thrown for three more touchdowns in his second season than he did his first, but he also threw five more interceptions.

In the last two seasons, Henne has thrown more picks than TDs. Why would anyone still believe in that?

Brandon Marshall, who has been around good quarterbacks before, started complaining late in the season about Henne, and I don't blame him. Too many times, Henne would be afraid to let the ball fly or he would audible what was originally a passing play into a running one. Good quarterbacks want the ball in their hands. They don't audible into a run so they don't have to throw it.

This article is a combination of me saying my point, and then you guys countering with yours (whether you agree with me or not). So please, leave a comment with your own point and we can begin a discussion.

I hope to hear from you soon.

Thanks for reading.

Subscribe to DolphinShout

Ryan Mallett And Jake Locker's Stock Have Fallen: Good Thing For The Miami Dolphins?

In Mel Kiper's latest Big Board, which is him ranking the Top 25 prospects in the NFL Draft, he doesn't have QBs Ryan Mallett or Jake Locker on the list. Kiper says that he thinks both could still possibly be taken in the first round, but each has question marks that forced him to drop them off of the list.

This doesn't really concern me, actually. I know that Kiper is obviously not as confident in either quarterback anymore, but I still believe both players can have great careers in the NFL with whoever picks them. I think Mallett can be better than Locker, but Locker still has potential.

If anything, Kiper dropping the two is good for the Miami Dolphins. It's a good thing because if they decide to pursue either, then they could trade down in the draft, get an extra draft pick or player, and then pick Mallett or Locker with their new pick.

Before, I was concerned that Mallet would be taken before Miami would be able to get him with their 15th overall pick, but now it looks like they will be able to trade down and still get him.

While Mallett did fall a lot since the last Big Board, he hasn't fallen nearly as hard as Jake Locker has. Locker was considered by many to be a strong contender for the first pick of last year's draft before he decided to stay another year, but in this year's draft he may not even be taken in the first round. I actually wouldn't be surprised if he fell to late in the 2nd round or early in the 3rd.

Locker hasn't shown much progression at all from last year, and he has been plagued by terrible accuracy. Both those reasons have to be why Kiper dropped him from the list, and I don't blame him. In all honesty, I don't know how much I want the Dolphins to get him anymore. I guess I wouldn't mind if they picked him with a 2nd round pick that they traded down for or a 3rd round pick, but it would be a huge, huge mistake if they took him in the 1st round.

No, I don't actually expect them to take Locker 15th overall, but I am just saying it would be a very bad mistake if they did. I wouldn't put it past the current Dolphins, though.

So, yes, it does seem to be a bad sign if Mel Kiper drops both Mallett and Locker, but I am actually excited by the move because the Dolphins may still end up picking Mallett even if they trade down. I think he is the real deal, and I want Miami to take a chance on him.

Thanks for reading, and please feel free to comment. I know there isn't anything going on with the Dolphins at the moment and the news is really slow, but hang in there because there is bound to be something new happening soon.

Subscribe to DolphinShout

Is Anthony Fasano A Good Enough Tight End For The Miami Dolphins?

Fasano's Famous Fake-out
The Miami Dolphins awarded Anthony Fasano with a $7.75 million extension in the middle of last season. The extension was very well timed because it was announced after Fasano's great game against the Titans.

At the time, most Dolphins fans supported the move because of Fasano's game against Tennessee. Now that we can look at his whole body of work from the year, the extension doesn't look as good. Fasano had 528 yards and four touchdowns, and while those may not be terrible numbers they don't really merit such a rich extension.

But, I still believe he deserves the extension. He is a very good blocker on top of being a consistent receiver, and his numbers don't look very good because of Chad Henne's inaccuracy more than his own fault.

So, to the main question, is Anthony Fasano a good enough TE for the Miami Dolphins?

Yes, I believe he is.

Despite low receiving yardage last season, he still has very high yards-per-catch at 13.5. If he had a better quarterback, he would be able to get more receptions, and, in turn, more yards.

When he had Chad Pennington throwing to him, he had a great season and was among the best in the league numbers-wise. In the last two seasons with Henne throwing to him, he has had much worse numbers and his combined touchdowns from both years aren't even equivalent to his one year with Pennington.

If we can get a new quarterback, Fasano should be able to return to his numbers of three years ago. It's as simple as that, and I hope the Dolphins staff realizes that Henne isn't the one anymore.

Thanks for reading, and let me know what you think about Fasano with a comment.

I apologize for talking about such a random topic, but the Miami Dolphins news has been extremely slow this week, and I didn't have anything to write about.

Subscribe to DolphinShout

Brian Daboll Is At Least A Good Coach For The Miami Dolphins Running Game

While we may question some of Brian Daboll's credentials as an Offensive Coordinator, one thing we can be somewhat assured about is his ability to put together a good running game.

It surprised and angered a lot of Miami Dolphins fans when Daboll was hired as the Offensive Cordinator, and they were upset for good reason. Daboll doesn't have a successful track record as an OC in the NFL, so the decision to hire him obviously came into question.

While I am not sure how good the offense will be next season, I am, at least, pretty sure that the Dolphins will have a good running game. Whoever Miami does bring in as the main running back, Brian Daboll will be able to make him successful.

Daboll turned the little-known Peyton Hillis into one of the best backs in the NFL despite not being one of the fastest, so why wouldn't he be able to do something similar in Miami?

Daboll will probably end up having a better known running back than Hillis at the beginning of next season, but that back should be able to do just as well as Hillis did, and maybe even better.

As much as I would rather the Dolphins get a quarterback with their first pick, I am excited to think about what Mark Ingram would be able to do under Daboll's leadership if the Dolphins do end up drafting him 15th overall.

If Daboll can turn a relatively unkown running back into a premeire back, what would he be able to do with the best available back in the draft?

That's it for now, what do you guys think about Brian Daboll? Are you at all excited about what the running game will look like next year? Let me know with your comments.

Subscribe to DolphinShout

Good News For The Miami Dolphins? DeAngelo Williams Likely Not Happy With The Carolina Panthers

According to the Charlotte Observer, the Carolina Panthers have informed their Running Backs Coach Jim Skipper that they will be going in a different direction that doesn't involve him.

This could potentially be good news for the Miami Dolphins. The following was in an article at the Charlotte Observer's website:
Free agent-to-be DeAngelo Williams said in late November keeping Skipper would go a long way toward convincing him to stay

Note that Williams has not said anything about the matter since November, but that could still be very good news for the Miami Dolphins because it increases the chances that Williams won't be with the Panthers next season.

Let's cross our fingers and hope that the Panthers don't just place a franchise tag on Williams.

Let's also hope that the NFLPA and the NFL reach a new CBA soon so we can get back to football and the offseason.

Subscribe to DolphinShout

You Tell Me: DeAngelo Williams Or Mark Ingram For The Miami Dolphins?

It is Tuesday, so here is today's "You Tell Me."

Continuing the discussion from yesterday, I want to know who you would rather the Miami Dolphins get. Would you rather them draft Mark Ingram or sign DeAngelo Williams?

Drafting Ingram would require the Dolphins 15th overall pick. Signing Williams wouldn't, so take that into consideration when you put your answer.

Thanks for reading, and let me hear what you've got to say.

Subscribe to DolphinShout

Should The Miami Dolphins Pursue DeAngelo Williams?

The Miami Dolphins will most likely be looking for a new running back this offseason because it is doubtful that both Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown will return, and it is also possible that neither will be a Dolphin next year.
So, the Dolphins will have to look to either the draft or free agency to find a new starting running back.

ESPN Draft Expert Mel Kiper has Miami picking running back Mark Ingram with their 15th overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. While that wouldn't be a bad pick for the Dolphins, it isn't the best thing that Miami could do.

What they should do instead is sign pending free agent RB DeAngelo Williams as soon as a new CBA is reached. Williams had a bad season with the Panthers this year, and it is likely that the Panthers won't resign him. So, when the Panthers elect not to re-sign Williams the Dolphins must try and pursue him.

Williams' speed is exactly what Dolphins GM Jeff Ireland claims to be looking for, and Miami would be foolish not to go after him as soon as he is available. The Dolphins lacked breakaway speed this year from R&R, and DeAngelo Williams has that breakaway speed.

If the Dolphins can sign him and retain either Ricky or Ronnie, then we could have an extremely good rushing offense next season. That will, in turn, help take some of the pressure off of whatever young quarterback Miami ends up starting.

Signing Williams will also be beneficial to the Dolphins because it will free up their first-round pick and they will be able to pursue a quarterback instead. I know that Mark Ingram is a really good prospect with a lot of potential, but why not just pick up an experienced running back with a lot of talent instead and then use the pick that they would have used for Ingram to fix another problem on the offense?

As long as we don't have to worry about the running back position in the draft I will be happy. There will be other free agents available, and I wouldn't mind Miami going after one of them instead, but I think Williams is the best candidate for the job.

Hopefully, Jeff Ireland and Tony Sparano do pursue Williams. He would help the team instantly in more ways than one.

Thanks for reading, and let me hear your reactions.

Subscribe to DolphinShout

Miami Dolphins GM Jeff Ireland Better Be Feeling Pressure From Everywhere

Miami Dolphins General Manager Jeff Ireland told WQAM radio that he was feeling "pressure from everywhere" during an interview a couple of days ago.

All I have to say is that he better be feeling pressure, because his job is at stake. If him and Tony Sparano don't put together a winning season next year, then they will both be looking for new jobs in 2012.

I would be worried if he wasn't feeling a lot of pressure to succeed. After such a great season in 2008, the Dolphins have fallen back to mediocrity, and they just can't seem to get everything working at the same time.

In the 2009-2010 season, Miami's biggest problem was their defense. So, during the offseason they hired Mike Nolan and revamped the roster. The result in the 2010-2011 season was a much better defense that ranked among the Top 10 in the NFL. The problem was that Miami's offense was terrible, and now they will have to focus on fixing that.

Another problem is that they hired a coach without a very good resume. When Miami hired Mike Nolan we knew that he would be able to turn the team around, but Brain Daboll doesn't inspire as much confidence in next year's offense.

So yes, Jeff Ireland, you should be feeling "pressure from everywhere." We haven't seen any move you've made this offseason that excites us about next year. Fans of the Miami Dolphins expect success, and they haven't gotten that success in a long time.

Thank you everybody for reading, and please let me know what you think about Ireland saying he's feeling pressure from everywhere.

I am also curious as to whether you guys recognize the quote that I put on the logo at the top of the page. Give me your guesses about who said it and what they were talking about.

Subscribe to DolphinShout

Where Is Miami Dolphins WR Brandon Marshall?

Since the season ended, the Miami Dolphins have been in the news pretty frequently. One Dolphin that you would have expected to be in those news, though, hasn't. That Dolphin is Brandon Marshall, and we haven't heard anything from him since early January.

In all honestly, I don't know if not hearing from him for a while is a good thing or a bad thing. He could just like the moves that Miami has mad so far this offseason and not feel the need to comment on them, but I am not so sure about that. It is possible that he just isn't interested anymore, and that could be a problem.

This is all just me making guesses, though. I just find it a little weird that one of the most vocal players on the team hasn't had anything to say in just under a month, even after most of what he was used to last season is being changed.

My main concern is that he is fed up with the team after they failed to give him an Offensive Coordinator and a Quarterback that allowed him to be successful. One of the last things the Miami Dolphins want is Brandon Marshall to start complaining about the organization, because other players might start listening and agreeing with him, and it would probably mean that the Dolphins would have to release or trade him.

The Brandon Marshall experiment is still young, and I don't want it to end before he got the chance to work with a real OC and QB.

What I hope Marshall does is tell Coach Tony Sparano and GM Jeff Ireland that he wants Miami to go and get a new quarterback. It was obvious that the Chad Henne-Brandon Marshall connection wasn't working this year, so I'm pretty sure that he doesn't want to have to work with Henne as the starter anymore.

It is also possible that he was ordered by somebody in the organization to not discuss what was happening. I wouldn't mind that being the case, because at least we know that he hasn't just given up on the team.

I am sorry for so much speculation on the topic, but it is hard to know what is actually happening when we haven't heard from him in almost a month.

Thanks for reading, and let me know what you think Brandon Marshall is doing.

Subscribe to DolphinShout

Miami Dolphins To Release Will Allen In More Than Just A Smart Business Decision

This might be one of the few smart moves that the Miami Dolphins have made since their season ended in early January. According to Omar Kelly of the Sun Sentinel, the Miami Dolphins are expected to release veteran CB Will Allen next month.

I like this move for two main reasons. The first is that they will save $5.5 million next year, which would have been the second highest salary for a Dolphin next season.

Another reason I like this move is that it shows that Miami's coaches and staff have faith in the young corners on the team.

We all knew that Vontae Davis was one of the best cornerbacks in the league, but there were some questions about the team's second corner: Sean Smith. Smith fit the second corner role very well in the second half of the season after being benched at the beginning of the season, and the Dolphins appear to be confident enough in Smith's ability that they don't feel the need to hold on to Allen anymore.

Most of you guys probably don't know this, but I am a huge Sean Smith fan. Some of you who have been reading my blog since the beginning of the season will remember me talking about him, but those of you newcomers may not know.

The fact that the Dolphins are showing faith in Smith's abilities makes me happy because he is a very talented cornerback with a lot of potential, and his height is definitely a plus.

The move also tells us that Miami's other young corners have developed well enough that they don't need Allen's help anymore. This is a good sign because, while our offense doesn't seem to be making progress, at least we know our defense has been progressing along well.

So, while it may just seem like a business decision to release Allen, it is actually a vote of confidence by the team to a young secondary.

Thanks for reading, and let me know what you think about the move.

Subscribe to DolphinShout

Miami Dolphins Show Interest In QB Colin Kaepernick

The Miami Dolphins have reportedly shown a lot of interest in Nevada's senior QB Colin Kaepernick. Kaepernick is an extremely fast quarterback, and he has been the most impressive quarterback prospect (better than even Jake Locker) at the Senior Bowl this year.

While I would still prefer the Dolphins to take a quarterback like Ryan Mallett with their 15th overall pick, I wouldn't mind seeing them trade down to a second round pick and getting Kaepernick instead.

Kaepernick is in elite company with his passing and rushing numbers. Him, Tim Tebow, and Cam Newton are the only three players to pass for 20 touchdowns and rush for 20 touchdowns in one season. That is a pretty good statistic, and I must admit it would be pretty nice to have a quarterback who can run for a first down, too.

Kaepernick does have a tendency to start scrambling to soon, though, and that is something Miami would have to work on if they draft him. His accuracy can be questionable at times, which is probably the main reason he isn't considered a first-round prospect. He does have height working in his favor at 6'4".

One reason that I wouldn't want the Dolphins to get Kaepernick is that they would probably have to rely on Chad Henne while they waited for Kaepernick to develop enough. I don't want to have to see Henne starting at quarterback again for the Miami Dolphins, but that may be necessary if Miami trades down and drafts Kaepernick.

A good thing about trading down and still getting Kaepernick is that the Dolphins could either get another pick to help improve some of their holes or trade for a player that could step in and help them immediately.

There is still plenty of time until the draft, though, and there will no doubt be more discussion about different QB prospects and Miami's level of interest for each one. So, as always, stay tuned for more.

Thanks everyone for reading today's blog post. I hope you guys enjoy reading, and if there is ever anything you want me to write about please feel free to email me at paul@dolphinshout.com

Also, please feel free to leave a comment.

Subscribe to DolphinShout

You Tell Me: Do You Trust The Miami Dolphins Front Office?

Once again I had to move back the "You Tell Me" to Wednesday, but this is going to be a good one, so it was worth your wait.

There have been a lot of questionable moves by the Miami Dolphins recently, and I want to know what you guys think about the men behind those moves.

I want to know from you: Do you trust Stephen Ross, Jeff Ireland, and Tony Sparano to make the moves necessary to build a winning team? Are they capable of coaching and managing this team well enough to win?

When Wayne Huizenga gave up his ownership of the team, many of us thought that the Dolphins would be able to rebuild again, but now I am not so sure about Ross being much better.

I want to know what you guys think, so let me know.

Thanks for reading, and I look forward to hearing your opinions on Ross, Ireland, and Sparano.

Subscribe to DolphinShout

The Miami Dolphins Need To Draft A Quarterback And Take A Chance

It Worked Before...
The last time the Miami Dolphins picked a quarterback in the first round of the NFL Draft they drafted Dan Marino in 1983. So, why wouldn't they take a chance and pick another quarterback in this year's draft? It has been too many years since Marino's retirement that the Miami Dolphins have had a good, consistent quarterback, and that needs to change quickly if Stephen Ross wants to sell many tickets next year.

The time for trying to find late-round steals and trading for players from other NFL teams is over. The Miami Dolphins NEED to draft a quarterback in the first round of this year's draft.

Stephen Ross seems to be pretty concerned about making more fans come to South Florida and watch the Dolphins play at home, but bringing in celebrities isn't going to make people want to come watch bad football, and neither is hiring an offensive coordinator that many people consider to be a downgrade. I would not be surprised at all if we see season ticket sales drop to the same levels that they were at after the 1-15 season a few years ago.

Most of you guys probably know how much I like Ryan Mallett. I think he has the potential and arm to be one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, and I want the Miami Dolphins to draft him more than anyone else in the draft, but, I also would like it if the Dolphins took a chance on Jake Locker. Both Locker and Marino had a great junior year in college, and they both stayed for their senior year of college and ended up playing very badly.

I am not saying that Locker is the second-coming of Dan Marino, but if it worked for the Miami Dolphins to go after a player who had a poor senior year the last time they picked a QB in the first round, why not try it again and hope for similar luck?

I know that some of you may not think too highly of this year's quarterback prospects, but I actually think that both Locker and Mallett could turn into top 5 quarterbacks in the NFL. Ryan Mallett has the drive and the arm to be among the best, and Jake Locker has an amazing skill set that he could develop into something really special.

I know that there are some later-round quarterbacks prospects that could do well, but I am done waiting on some "diamond in the rough" quarterback prospect for our average front office to find. They couldn't find Chad Henne in the third round, so why must we still rely on them to look into the later rounds for their franchise QB. I want them to go after a quarterback that has already proven that they can have some form of success after a good college career.

It is time to stop sitting around and take action. Mediocrity gets boring and annoying, and Stephen Ross better do something quickly if he wants to sell tickets.

Thanks for reading, and let me hear what you think about what the Miami Dolphins should do.

Subscribe to DolphinShout

The Miami Dolphins Must Not Pursue Carson Palmer

I am not sure whether or not Stephen Ross, Jeff Ireland, and Tony Sparano are actually considering whether or not to try and bring in current Bengals QB Carson Palmer, but I really hope they aren't.

Palmer has been able to put up good numbers throughout his career, but he just hasn't been able to win. He has never won a playoff game after 8 years in the NFL, and bringing him in would only provide a one or two year (at best) bandage for Miami's quarterback woes.

Not only that, but it would keep Miami from a shot at a bunch of other really good quarterback prospects available this offseason. It would be a waste of an opportunity if the Dolphins just decided to settle for Palmer instead of going after a better player like Ryan Mallett, Cam Newton, Kevin Kolb, or Vince Young.

Bengals owner Mike Brown has said that he doesn't want to trade Palmer, but I doubt that he will actually try and force Palmer into retirement. He will try and trade Palmer for some type of value instead of just losing him.

So, cross your fingers Miami Dolphins fans, and hope that we don't hear Carson Palmer and the Miami Dolphins mentioned together in the news at all in the next few months.

Thanks for reading and please be sure to leave your comments.

Subscribe to DolphinShout