Chad Johnson and David Garrard Added to Miami’s Problems

Less then a week ago Quarterback David Garrard had won the starting job as Miami Dolphins’ starting QB of incumbent starter Matt Moore.  Chad Johnson started to look like the Johnson of old and easily won the starting WR position and raised the hopes of the team and the fans with his great practices( even though he didn’t look so good in the preseason opener).  Now thing have changed and changed for the worse.  Garrard decided to have a “maintenance” knee surgery to remove debris from his knee and will now miss the next month and probably the season opener at least.  Johnson was arrested last night on domestic violence charges when  he allegedly head-butt his wife in the face.  Nothing has been proven in his case but unfortunately Johnson has a history of domestic violence from his college days so now he has a pattern of behavior against him.

Personally I don’t understand why Garrard waited until a month out to have he surgery.  First off he just spent an entire off season sitting around after back surgery and being cut by the Jacksonville Jaguars so why didn’t he come to camp perfectly healthy? I find it hard to believe that the pain in his knee didn’t surface at all until training camp.  I, personally, was rooting for Matt Moore anyway but I did want the best man to win even if it wasn’t Moore.  Even more confusing is the fact that even though Garrard knew he would lose the starting job for sure, put an unneeded strain on the team and the coaches, along with endanger the chances of winning the first few games, and was told that he could easily play with his knee the way it was he decided to step down and have the surgery.  To me, it doesn’t make sense, I thought he had something to prove.  So now the race is left to Matt Moore and 1st roud pick Ryan Tannehill who looked good in the preseason opener but is far from ready to start in the NFL.

Chad Johnson was brought to Miami to help a less then average receiver corps and help sell tickets.  Fan favorites Devone Bess and Brian Hartline are still on the squad but Hartline has practiced once this off season and training camp and it is unknown when he will return to form.  Bess is strutting his stuff and earning his starting spot with his hard work and great route running.  After those two, there were no definites on the roster until Johnson was signed.  Legedu Naanee was signed to the team as well but was barely known until the start of training camp where he has really shown his skill.  There are other names floating around camp like Clyde Gates, Roberto Wallace and Julius Pruitt, but none are viewed as real threats in the passing game.  Now with Johnson possibly on the verge of a suspension or even being cut my the Phins, the receiver corps is once again in need of help.  Even though the West Coast style offense does not need a “star” receiver to work it sure does help to have at least one to pull the safety over or at least back up the secondary.

So what does Miami do now?  The passing game is in serious danger at this point from both the receiving and QB side.  Does Miami bring in a QB coach like Chad Pennington to help Moore get better?  Or do they push hard and go after Pittsburg’s Mike Wallace to beef up the receiving game.  In truth, I have no idea why they never went after Wallace to begin with.  Not a trouble maker, dangerous weapon, and a seasoned veteran that secondaries fear.  So why not give up a couple of draft picks for him, he’s definitely worth it.  Miami needs to come up with something to make the offense more powerful and make defenses have to plan for the throwing game as much as the running game.