Brandon Marshall Old News…More Please!
By Brian Miller
The news of Brandon Marshall is hours old and yet it still feels like it’s old news. Okay, maybe that is because it really hasn’t sunk in yet. I keep repeating to myself over and over again…“The Dolphins DO have a number 1 WR”. So while my digestive system slowly absorbs the enormous reality of today’s events, I can’t help but feel like little Oliver asking for some more please!
Is there anyone right now that doesn’t feel the Miami Dolphins are far from done? Seriously, Bill Parcells and Jeff Ireland loathe trading draft picks but today they traded two. And they were high picks at that. Very few fans are really arguing over the compensation but still, you have to wonder what the plan is. These guys always have a plan and I honestly can not believe they don’t have one here or that Marshall simply was the plan. Maybe I’m wrong, but I doubt it.
With all that being said, here is a list of what could happen within the next 10 days.
Trading Down: I have to believe that this is plan number 1 regardless of what happens with what I have listed below. Trading down in round 1 is the easiest way to get back picks. Jeff Ireland said last week that they have had discussions with teams about moving up (won’t happen now) and moving down. The latter is my focus here.
Moving down once may get the Phins a 2nd round pick depending on how far they move down. It’s not unrealistic to see them drop from 12 to the early 20’s and pick up a 2nd and a later pick. They could then drop again and pick up a 2nd round pick next year and a mid-round pick this year.
Selecting in the late 20’s will still get them a solid player they covet. A LB, NT, RG, or Safety. Plus, if they do in fact make those moves to recoup those picks, then you can say that Brandon Marshall was a freebie…o.k. 50 million is far from free.
Justin Smiley – The Dolphins announced way back at the owners meeting that Smiley was on the block. And he is. The Phins supposedly want a 3rd but in all likelihood he will only garner a mid-rounder, say a 5. I would guess that either before the draft or on draft day, Smiley will be gone. (He could also be packaged with another player for a higher selection…but I doubt it.)
Greg Camarillo – The Dolphins have 10 WR’s on their roster now and they will only keep 5. Davone Bess, Brian Hartline, and Patrick Turner will make 3. Ted Ginn I will cover in a minute and of course Brandon Marshall. The Phins may keep one of their other WR’s who are young and talented if they choose to part with Ginn. Either way, Camarillo is looking in and wondering where his future is. A manageable contract and Cam could find himself part of a draft day or draft eve trade.
Ted Ginn – Yesterday, fans applauded that Ginn was on the trading block, after this morning, many are saying that Ginn needs one more year in Miami. I’m actually torn. A rumor circulated earlier today that the KC Chiefs were interested and that 3rd round pick had been thrown around. I laughed and then realized it was bogus. Ginn would probably net the Phins a 6th rounder next season. In any case, I really don’t know what the Phins are going to do with Ted Ginn after the Brandon Marshall signing and frankly, I’m not sure what I want them to do with him.
Ronnie Brown – Word is that the Dolphins really want to move Brown. The problem is that he is in the final year of his contract, has until tomorrow to sign his tender, and is recovering from a serious foot injury. All that leads up to a mid-round selection for a former pro-bowl player. I think that Ronnie could very well be traded especially given the money the team has locked into Dansby and Marshall. I doubt they want to pay that out to Brown next season.
If Brown goes, he will likely be part of a trade rather than the trade itself. Meaning look for him as part of a package deal.
Jason Taylor – Taylor is close to signing with the Jets but believe me after today the DE is probably thinking his best best is to wait out the Dolphins. There has been no word of a meeting between him and the team but the Phins will likely keep the DE unless Taylor doesn’t want to wait until after the draft for the Phins to pursue him.
Tyler Thigpen – Thigpen is reportedly being shopped but don’t expect any immediate bites. There are still some veteran QB’s on the street that would make perfect back-ups for little money and no compensation to someone else. Thigpen is young and has starting experience but he has hardly lit up the field and there really isn’t much that differentiates himself from some of the other QB’s out there. Thigpen, if he moves, will either go on day 3 of the draft or not until the middle of training camp when some QB goes down.
Pat White – White doesn’t want to play WR or so he “tweets” and it’s obvious that his QB skills are NFL lacking. White has little chance of being traded because frankly even the worst rookies have at least completed a pass. To be fair, running the WC in Miami’s offense hardly sets up a player for early success or game experience. That doesn’t however mean that White is secure in his job. If he can’t beat out the rest of the roster or make a legit move to WR, he may very well be cut.
Channing Crowder – Has his name been mentioned or linked to a trade rumor? No, not that I have heard but that doesn’t mean that the Phins may not take a look at moving the middle linebacker who will switch to the weak side now that Dansby is patrolling the middle. Crowder is a solid if unspectacular LB and that is something that carries with it some value in the NFL. His problem is his inability to stay healthy wich is exactly why the Dolphins may offer him up in a trade. The Phins could easily find a replacement in rounds 3 or 4.
In the end, what I believe is this. Justin Smiley and at least one WR will be gone by the end of next weekend. The Dolphins will somehow find a way to recoup the picks doled out for Brandon Marshall and will draft at least 2 player in the first two rounds of this years draft. How it happens is a good question, but I do believe these guys have a plan. Whether or not that plan works or not is a different story.