Miami Lands A Trio To Build Future
By Brian Miller
In what many expected to be a wild roller coaster ride of trades and surprises for the Miami Dolphins and the new regime, was quite tame. Still, Bill Parcells and Jeff Ireland found 3 players that will help build a team out of the ashes of the muck the Phins have been mired in for some time.
As expected, shortly after 3 O’clock, Jake Long was announced as the Dolphins number 1 pick. Long, who signed earlier in the week, was paraded to the podium sporting his new Dolphins head-wear where he was presented a Miami Dolphins jersey with the number 1 on it.
It would begin one of the most watched draft for Miami Dolphins fans, as attention turned to the fate of Jason Taylor. Jacksonville, the much rumored destination for the DE traded up into the top 10 from the 26 spot where they drafted DE/LB Derrick Harvey. Thus ending all hopes the Phins and JT may have had for a trade. Dallas passed, Washington passed, Green Bay, and Tampa Bay. Soon enough, the 32nd pick was on the clock and JT was still a Dolphin.
With 32 the Dolphins did little to change the opinion and rumors of JT’s departure when they spent the top pick in round 2 on Phillip Merling. Merling a Clemson Tiger DE/LB was a top 15 rated player on many draft boards who fell due to a recent hernia operation. Parcells and company used the time, but in the end, no trade came.
As the Washington Redskins and Tampa Bay Bucs’ picks approached more JT rumors flooded the internet but as each team went on the clock, so did a player off the board. Jason Taylor had not been traded. When Miami went on the clock for the final time in round 2 and day 1, Michigan QB Chad Henne was a Phin. 6 picks later and the 2nd round and first day of the draft was over, and with it speculation on the future of Jason Taylor. Henne will likely be the 3rd QB and will see much time on the bench as he adjusts to life in the NFL. John Beck will still compete with Josh McCown and the drafting of Henne does not signal a “no faith” relationship in either of the other QB’s.
As the Parcells era begins in Miami, it does so with a new philosophy and a new direction. Big bodies and good attitudes. Football players.
When the dust settled on the day, only one trade had been made by the “trio of power”. Last years 3rd round pick, Lorenzo Booker, was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles for a 4th round pick, number 115. A pick the Phins will likely use on a guard.
As fans gather their thoughts and GM’s and Scouts take a breather, Sunday will do nothing more than breed new speculations and wonder. For now, the 2008 NFL Draft is in the books, and the Miami Dolphins are a better team than they were yesterday…for now.