Dolphins Cut 9...Let the Fun Begin

On Monday the Dolphins' initial roster purging eliminated...

QB Trent Green -Last 2 years impacted by concussions
WR Marty Booker-Dolphins Leading Receiver last year. former pro bowler with Chicago
OT L.J. Shelton
OT Anthony Alabi
OT Marion Dukes
OT Joe Toledo
DT Keith Traylor-16 year Vet, Dolphins NT the last 3 seasons
DT Anthony Bryant
DT Marquay Love

With the upcoming draft only two months away, these cuts have clouded my perception of what I originally anticipated to occur on the first day of the draft.

The Offensive and Defensive lines are where games are won and lost( See Superbowl XLII, and two years ago Divisional playoff game Pittsburgh at Indy). The two best QBs in the game (Tom Brady and Peyton Manning) looked like incompetent rookies without protection from their respective offensive lines. On the flip side, the defensive lines controlled every aspect of both of these games.

We already know that the Dolphins offensive line has been mediocre at best for several years, and the top 5 defense from two years ago got very old overnight this past season. We also knew that Parcells likes his players very very large, and it has been a safe assumption that the Dolphins would address OT, DT, and QB during free agency and the upcoming draft.

I think the off season is going to be perhaps the most exciting in the history of the Dolphins franchise. The next couple of years will be very dramatic as well.

But to have clarity of what Sparano and Parcells will do on day one of the draft will remain a mystery to me until I hear the commissioner announce the pick on April 26th at 3:10Pm ET.

As far as the free agent QB market is concerned, Culpepper is among what is generally considered a thin free agent quarterback lot that includes Chicago's Rex Grossman. Cleveland's Derek Anderson, who did much more than keep the Browns' quarterback seat warm for 2007 first-round pick Brady Quinn, is a restricted free agent whose negotiations with the Browns reportedly have stalled. Depending on Cleveland's qualifying offer to Anderson, it could cost the Dolphins upward of first- and third-round picks to go after him.

Perhaps Miami will work out a deal to trade for a vet such as Donovan McNabb. After all, Parcells knows McNabb very well being that he coached against him for several years with Dallas. Word these days is McNabb is not too happy in Philly. I guarantee you this, I just can't see this staff start out the 2008 campagin with either almost rookie John Beck or rookie Matt Ryan. At the very least, they will acquire a veteran QB to come in to aid in the development for the future Dolphin starter. Who that will be, well, your guess is as good as mine.

My favorite draft scenario involves the Dolphins trading their number one pick to the Dallas Cowboys for their two first rounders (#22 and #28 overall) and a couple of players such as big ass 6-7 340 lbs OT Flozell Adams, and RB Julius Jones.

Considering the fact that the Dolphins already TECHINICALLY have two first rounders(#1 overall and the #32 pick overall due to Patsies losing a pick from Spygate) and assuming the Cowboys trade works out as mentioned above, The Dolphins would pick up 4 quality starters in round one of the draft.

RB is a need for Miami. Yes I think Ronnie Brown is a stud and keep sending me the hate mail announcing I am a idiot. The concern about Brown coming out of college has been his fondness of losing paying time due to injuries, and Brown has done nothing to shack this theory in three years. If anything, he has done nothing but confirm it because he has missed more and more time each of his three years(2005 Missed 1 game, 2006 missed 3 games, 2007 missed 9 games).

Have not even mentioned that he is trying to come back from a badly torn ACL in 9 months to report for training camp, an injury to RBs that on average we should see Brown return to 2007 form in 2009 not 2008. SO the Dolphins need depth at RB, Parcells likes the 2 RB by committee approach, and if the staff feels like Rookie Booker or Chatman can not supplement Browns efforts next year, then look for the issue to be addressed via free agency or the very deep draft pool of RBs this year.

But we all know this franchise has stronger needs at the now depleted QB position, the offensive and defensive lines, and corners. I expect they will all be addressed in the free agency market and the draft, but do not be suprised to see McFadden selected