Something Smells A Little "Fishy"

The Miami Dolphins have 19 days to convince someone, anyone that they have to move up to the number 1 spot and draft that elusive special player they covet.  19 days to interview, discuss contract numbers, invite for a visit to south Florida, and come to a decision on their top pick.  19 days.  With a short time frame left, something is beginning to smell a little “fishy”.  I know, Dolphins are not fish.

Consider the tight lipped Bill Parcells, equally tight lipped Jeff Ireland, and until now, the head coach, Tony Sparano, who you almost didn’t know was there.  Still, between the 3, nothing.  No word on a Jason Taylor trade, no word on a trade partner, no word on pretty much anything.  They just are.

Yet when you view the limited guest list for rookie visits to Davie, you see names like Quentin Groves.  The LB could be available at the top of round 2, but many believe that he will be gone in the early second half of the 1st round.  So with a limited number of visits allowed by league rules…what gives?

See the Phins are set at LB for now.  They don’t have tremendous depth by any means, but it hardly is the need it was say, 2 months ago.  Chris Long is still a consensus favorite as the top pick, but even if the Phins went with Jake Long instead, would Groves be the best available need or otherwise in round 2?  Not likely.  Groves could be taken anywhere between 22 and 28.  Yes, the Cowboy picks.

Last week it was reported that Miami and Dallas had a trade worked out for one Derek Anderson in a sign and trade that was agreed upon before the official start of FA.  Dallas would swipe DA from Cleveland with a poison pill and then trade him to Miami.  That obviously fell through.

There is another unfounded “forum” rumor making ripples across other forum boards that have Detroit, Miami, Dallas, and Philly to some degree involved in yet another three team trade.  No one can seem to get the story straight on what 3 teams are involved.  Lito Sheppard’s name should surface soon, Roy Williams’ name already has.  Jason Taylor’s has yet to be involved.  The point is this is common and as those 19 days moves closer to 1, more and more rumors will fly.

Still, with all of those rumors, at the bottom is some realization that something is going on and it may very well involve Miami.  The Groves things.  Armando Salguero pointed out today in his blog at the Herald that the visits are too valuable to use on smokescreens.  So if the Phins truly are targeting him, then he would either 1 have to fall to 32 in which case the Phins are planning on taking Jake Long number 1, or 2, the Phins think they will be able to land in the mid to late round 1 in a trade.

As the first scenario seems the most likely, the second one is not without intrigue and even possibility.  Jerry Jones has said all the right things about not wanting to move up to number 1.  When pressed on the issue he has a solid 3 reasons not to, but at the same time, Jones has not once said there is ZERO chance of it happening.  For all the early talk of Marion Barber being involved, the Cowboys have still yet to talk to the RB about a contract extension.  If we add in the new round of rumors…maybe we might be getting somewhere.

Lets start with Roy Williams who is “not” on the trading block, but yet appears to be on the Cowboy radar.  He has one year left on his contract and will likely walk out of the cap strapped Motown city for nothing.  Now, I do not believe that JT would be traded to the Lions, that is called cruel and unusual punishment.  Miami would have to cough up a couple of players, starters at that.  I would think that Ronnie Brown, Ricky Williams, and a few other names could surface as dangling bait for the Detroit WR.

So lets say that Miami makes the trade as the rumors say and Williams is sitting in Miami.  Two teams need a WR.  Dallas and Philly.  Philly has Sheppard, the Phins need CB help.  We could expect to hear their name brought up in that situation.  I however will stick with the Dallas scenario.

Dallas would likely give up one of their firsts for Williams.  Miami is then in position to keep both their 1 overall and the 32 pick.  Lets assume though that Miami wants more, they want Dallas to move up to number 1.

Miami could send Williams to Dallas along with their number 1 overall for both 1’s and Marion Barber.  It is not an even trade on paper and in fact, most fans would probably scream over how the Phins got taken.  Miami however, would be in a pretty good position with a very solid RB…especially if Ronnie Brown was still here, 2 first round picks, and no onus on hitting number 1 overall.

Regardless of what rumor is out there or what rumor has legs (none of them do right now), there is still 19 day window to stir up more talk.  Although it can’t be discounted, it surely can’t be held to any degree of firm foundation.  This is after all the NFL.

I still think that the clues to the draft plans have been outlined in the sense that depending on what side of the conspiracy fence you sit on, they are keeping the pick or trading the pick, there is a swirl in the muck of what is going on.  It makes sense to target Jake Long if you can’t move out freeing up more options later, like Groves.