Day After Camarillo Trade
By Brian Miller
Quick update: The Phins released OG Randy Thomas. Look for them to add one or two lineman in the next 3 weeks.
So by now the news has sunk in that Greg Camarillo is no longer a Miami Dolphin. The sure handed WR is now a Viking and will be catching balls from Brett Favre. Similar to Wes Welker leaving to haul in passes from Tom Brady. At least it’s not the same division. In return the Dolphins received some veteran talent for a suspect secondary unit in Benny Sapp. So did the Phins make the right decision?
In my opinion the answer is undeniably yes.
Camarillo became and instant fan favorite for his catch and TD run 3 years ago to give the Dolphins their one and only victory in Cam Cameron’s one season. Following that season he became Chad Pennington’s go to guy and together they took the team to a Division title. Cam was awarded a 3 year multi-million dollar deal that season but a week later was placed on IR with an ACL tear. While he came back last season, he had already lost his job to rookie Brian Hartline and slot guy Davone Bess. This season, he was 4th on the depth chart and the Dolphins had 3 young WR’s who have shown potential. Patrick Turner, Roberto Wallace, and Marlan Moore. The Dolphins are now expecting to keep 2 of those 3 and possibly stash the 3rd on the practice squad.
While Phins fans have been wondering if this is the right move for the team, up in Minnesota, they think the Vikings made a “panic” move. Yesterday I received an Email from one of our readers, let’s call her Sarah, regarding the trade’s after effects.
According to “Sarah” the trade is not going over as well up north. Vikings media and fans alike believe that Camarillo is very much like Percy Harvin who has returned to practices but still has issues with migraines. Harvin is their possession guy and let’s face it so is Camarillo. What the Vikings needed was someone to replace injured Sidney Rice.
Sarah believes that the local media feel this is a panic mode and that may be, but with the problems surrounding Harvin and the “Bernard Berrian is a bust” as she put’s it, Camarillo very well could become the best target that Brett Favre has on the roster. With one caveat. Brett Favre loves to throw up top and down field. An area that Camarillo is not fast enough to get to. Will Favre slow his game down and hit Camarillo over the middle and underneath to move the chains or will his gunslinger all or nothing mentality over look a likely open target?
In terms of what the Vikings got, they got the guy they need to move the chains. Will they use it?
As far as Benny Sapp goes, most fans don’t know enough about him. Still, he is a 7 game starter on a very good secondary unit last season. He has playoff experience and likes to hit. Sapp will allow the Phins to move Nolan Carroll along at slower pace and let him develop. They will allow Will Allen to get healthy. They also now have a legitimate contender to push Sean Smith.
This is about as even a trade as you can get in the NFL. It’s really as simple as that.