Im-Polite-ly Discarded?
By Brian Miller
Lost in all the ramblings of rulings, free agents, wide-receivers, starting running-backs, and trading for a QB is Lousaka Polite. It’s safe to say that Polite is one of the top fan favorites on the Miami Dolphins roster. A solid go to guy for first downs. After all, all he does is get first downs. 3rd and short? Give it to Polite. 4th and inches? Give it to Polite. Need a yard? Give it to Polite.
Now, it looks more and more like the sound of “Louuuuuuuuuuu” being generated from Sun-Life Stadium may be nothing more than an announcement from a stadium patron that they need to take a leak. The addition of FB/TE Charles Clay makes Lousaka Polite not only expendable but likely a discarded fan favorite that Miami fans are starting to grow accustomed to.
While it’s been going on for years, Wes Welker and his trade to the Patriots really set the masses into a firestorm against the team. It was a good trade that simply was never realized thanks in part to the duo of Cam Cameron and Randy Mueller who did nothing with it. Then of course we sat and watched as his replacement, Greg Camarillo headed off in a trade with the Vikings. Now, another favorite is likely seeing his playing days in the aqua and orange dwindling.
I would love to say that Polite has a spot on this roster but numbers don’t like and the fact that Miami is without three running backs as of the start of free agency, Ronnie Brown, Ricky Williams, and Patrick Cobbs, the powers that be drafted their next starting back and a replacement for Polite. Yes, Clay is a TE/FB hybrid but when it comes down to making cuts, you only hold so many at any given position. 4 or 5 WR’s, 3 QB’s, and 4 RB/FB. We know Daniel Thomas is one of those four and we know that Lex Hilliard will likely stay around as well.
Charles Clay is listed as a FB/TE. As a TE he is a project. As a FB he can step in day one and play the position. He is tough and is a solid blocker something that Polite struggled with last season. Assuming that the Dolphins add two more runners VIA FA later this off-season, Polite is the odd man out. Even if the Phins simply add one more runner to the mix, the short yardage value of Polite is replaced with the bruising styles of Clay and Daniels. Which means that Polite is facing number issues this year as well as an escalated salary from the extension he signed last year…and it’s not guaranteed.
The Miami Dolphins offense could possibly look very very different come the start of the 2011 season. From the WR formations, to the starting QB, the offensive line, and of course the running back position. It could also be without, yet again, a fan favorite who simply got that one or two yards that the team needed to get into field goal range…sorry, I really couldn’t resist that last part.