The first of six new videos today!

Well I've finally gotten caught up and I have six new videos covering trades, draft picks and undrafted free agents involving the Dolphins in recent weeks. This is the first video, so it's where you should start if you reaaaaally want to get the full effect of the six-video run. It is on the acquisition of tight end Anthony Fasano and linebacker Akin Ayodele from the Dallas Cowboys.

Miami's options at No. 1

I'll probably cover this with a video closer to the draft, but I've written an article for KFFL.com on the Dolphins' situation with the No. 1 overall pick, what options they'll explore and what they are likely to do. If you're interested, you can read the article here.

Analysis Video: Cornerback Nathan Jones signed

On March 14, the Dolphins signed cornerback Nathan Jones. Watch the following video for more info and analysis. Enjoy!

Analysis Video: Safety Keith Davis signed

On March 11, the Dolphins added yet another former Cowboy in safety Keith Davis. Watch the following video for more info and analysis. Enjoy!

ERFAs Camarillo, Cobbs and Ndukwe re-signed

The Dolphins re-signed all their remaining exclusive-rights free agents today as wide receiver Greg Camarillo, running back Patrick Cobbs and guard Ike Ndukwe signed their one-year tenders.

Exclusive-rights free agents are players with fewer than three accrued NFL seasons whose contracts had expired. As ERFAs, the three had no negotiating rights with other teams and could only re-sign with the Dolphins or not play football in 2008.

Background & Analysis

Camarillo was claimed off waivers from the Chargers prior to the season opener in 2007. He appeared in 15 games for the Dolphins, catching eight passes for 160 yards and two touchdowns. He also made three special teams tackles.

Despite his heroics in Miami's only win of the season, Camarillo will face stiff competition to make the team. Assuming Miami keeps five receivers, Ernest Wilford, Ted Ginn, Jr. and Derek Hagan are all locks or close to it. Miami could also draft a receiver in the first three rounds which one take up another spot, while players like Tab Perry and David Kircus are more talented receivers than Camarillo. He will likely be in competition with Perry, Kircus, Kerry Reed, Chandler Williams and a couple drafted and undrafted rookies for the last receiver spot. His special teams abilities will help his chances.

Cobbs has nearly all of the past two seasons with the Dolphins after going undrafted in 2006. He is a sub-par rusher and a solid special teams player, and would likely begin the season as fourth on the depth chart at running back if camp opened today. A few more bodies will likely come through cheap free agents or undrafted rookies, and Cobbs will have to earn his spot on the roster with all-around good play. Slowed rehabilitation for Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams would help Cobbs' chances, but he's still going to have his hands full.

Ike Ndukwe was signed by the Dolphins off Baltimore's practice squad in late December after cornerback Andre' Goodman was placed on injured reserve. He was inactive for the season finale against Cincinnati. The 25-year-old Ndukwe has also spent time with the New Orleans Saints Washington Redskins and has bounced between the active roster and practice squad throughout his career. His only regular season game experience came in 2006 with Baltimore. He is also the older brother of Bengals safety Chinedum Ndukwe.

Ndukwe (6-4, 338) is the kind of big-bodied offensive lineman that Parcells loves. He also has a few years of learning experience and is a solid run blocker. Miami is currently lacking a starting left guard, but Ndukwe likely won't get much of a chance at the role. He is, one of only three guards on the roster after Justin Smiley and should have a good chance to compete for a reserve role with Trey Darilek and Drew Mormino, but Miami is likely to add more competition before camp.

Phins Spotlight returns from spring break with a bang!

Sorry for the lack of content of late - I was on spring break and kind of busy with some stuff. When I last published, I was still lacking analysis on a handful of free agent signings from the Dolphins' early spending spree. But fear not my dear readers, because I've caught up and have four new analysis videos on all the players I hadn't done. So here there are, and enjoy!

Josh McCown


Boomer Grigsby


Randy Starks


Reggie Torbor

Holy analysis videos, Batman!

I've finally got some analysis videos up for you on Miami's new roster additions. Here are videos on the signings of Justin Smiley, Ernest Wilford, Charlie Anderson, and Sean Ryan, as well as the acquisition of Jason Ferguson. The rest should come today. Enjoy!

Smiley & Wilford:


Ferguson:


Ryan & Anderson:


Related articles:
-2008 Offseason Preview: Wide Receivers
-2008 Offseason Preview: Tight Ends
-2008 Offseason Preview: Centers & Guards
-Every free agent with Parcells/Ireland history

Dolphins enter bidding for Lions' Rogers

The Dolphins have reportedly entered the bidding for Detroit Lions defensive tackle Shaun Rogers, who is on the trading block. For my thoughts on the prospect of this trade, see the following video. Enjoy!



Also, you can read the full Mlive.com article here!

2008 Offseason Preview: Wide Receivers

I apologize once again for this video being a day late; I've been battling the flu recently. The wide receivers offseason preview turned into two videos based on the stuff there was to talk about (or at least stuff I felt like saying) so be sure to watch both parts. The running backs video will be up tomorrow, followed by the quarterbacks video on Thursday, February 28. Then free agency begins. Well, thanks for watching and enjoy!

Part I:


Part II:


In semi-almost-Dolphins-related news, the Detroit Lions are bringing in recently released offensive lineman L.J. Shelton for a visit Tuesday. I think it's safe to say that if any team is looking for Shelton to start, even on the right side and/or at guard, then they've got problems.

Every free agent with Parcells/Ireland history

I've put together what I think will be an interesting and handy list of players come free agency. Unless I accidentally missed someone, this is a list of every NFL team's free agents that has a history with Bill Parcells and/or Jeff Ireland.

Why is this important? Well as we all know, Parcells likes guys he is familiar with. It's certainly no coincidence of the four guys he's signed this offseason - Matt Baker, Junior Glymph, Trey Darilek and Joey Thomas - all had histories with either him and/or Ireland in Dallas.

A few things to note with this list though. First of all, I included every player that had a history with Parcells or Ireland, no matter how long ago or brief it may have been. This means that some of the players on this list will not be on Miami's radar at all. That's why I've rated each player on a scale of 1 to 10 on how interested I think the Dolphins will be in said player. 1 is obviously no interest, while 5 is moderate/possible interest and 10 is heavy interest. You can figure out the stuff in between. Enjoy!

Flozell Adams, 31, offensive tackle, Cowboys - played for the Cowboys during the entire tenures of Parcells (2003-2006) and Ireland (2001-2007).
Dolphins' interest? 10/10. The Dolphins are guaranteed to be interested in Adams, whom the Cowboys will let hit the open market. Signing Adams would give Miami a reliable left tackle for the next 4-5 years and allow them to move Vernon Carey back to right tackle where he's best suited.

Larry Allen, 36, guard, 49ers - played three seasons under Parcells in Dallas from 2003 to 2005; Also present during Ireland's first two years there in 2001 and 2002.
Dolphins' interest? 7/10. Allen is expected to retire, but that doesn't mean the Dolphins won't try to convince him to hold off on it. Miami needs help at guard desperately and Allen would provide a solid starter for a year.

Rocky Boiman, 28, linebacker, Colts - signed by Parcells-led Cowboys in 2006 as a free agent, but did not make the team out of camp.
Dolphins' interest? 7/10. Although Boiman didn't make the team in 2006, the Cowboys had a lot of talent at linebacker and the team at least thought he'd fit the defense when they signed him. Would be far more likely to make the team over Edmond Miles or Kelvin Smith.

Troy Brown, 36, wide receiver, Patriots - drafted by Parcells-led Patriots in 1993; played all four seasons of Parcells' tenure in New England.
Dolphins' interest? 1/10. Brown is clearly at the end of his road and likely won't attract attention from other teams. Miami needs experience at receiver but there will be plenty of better alternatives out there.

Tedy Bruschi, 34, linebacker, Patriots - drafted by Parcells-led Patriots in 1996 and played one season under him.
Dolphins' interest? 6/10. Bruschi is getting up there in years, but Miami could use another veteran inside linebacker to team with Channing Crowder and this guy has plenty of 3-4 experience. A younger guy would be ideal, but getting Bruschi on a two-year deal would be more than sufficient.

Aveion Cason, 28, running back, Lions -played one season for Parcells-led Cowboys in 2003.
Dolphins' interest? 3/10. Cason had some success in a reserve role for Dallas in 2003, but he's nothing special and Miami is pretty deep at running back. He could be brought in to compete for a backup job.

Terrance Copper, 25, wide receiver, Saints - signed as an undrafted free agent by Parcells in 2004 and played two seasons under him with Cowboys.
Dolphins' interest? 7/10. With 56 games played, the 25-year-old Copper would still be the most experienced receiver on the Dolphins' roster. He's got some talent, would come fairly cheap and could push for the No. 3 or 4 job.

Keith Davis, 29, safety, Cowboys - Davis was present for Parcells' entire Dallas tenure from 2003 to 2006 and was also there in 2007 with Ireland; also played for various Dolphins defensive assistants.
Dolphins' interest? 8/10. Parcells and Ireland have plenty of experience with Davis and the Dolphins are lacking at safety. Davis would be a fairly inexpensive signing, and he'd compete for a starting job and be a strong special teams player at worst.

Ebenezer Ekuban, 31, defensive end, Broncos - played for Parcells-led Cowboys in 2003.
Dolphins' interest? 2/10. Ekuban left Dallas after 2003 because he did not fit the 3-4 scheme. Nothing's changed on that front, so don't expect Parcells' interest to have changed either.

Jason Fabini, 33, offensive lineman, Redskins - Drafted by Parcells in the first round in 1998 and played two seasons under him with the Jets; also played for Cowboys in 2006 under Parcells.
Dolphins' interest? 6/10. Fabini isn't the player he once was and isn't anything more than a veteran backup at this point. However, Miami lacks any veteran backups on the offensive line and Fabini would be an inexpensive pickup that could provide depth at both guard and tackle.

Aaron Glenn, 35, cornerback, Jaguars - Played for Jets during all three years of Parcells' tenure from 1997 to 1999; also played for Parcells and Ireland in Dallas from 2005 to 2006.
Dolphins' interest? 6/10. Miami is lacking at the corner position behind Will Allen. Parcells has plenty of experience with Glenn and although he's not starter material anymore, he'd provide solid veteran depth for our secondary.

Bobby Hamilton, 36, defensive end, Browns - played for Jets during all three seasons of Parcells' tenure from 1997 to 1999.
Dolphins' interest? 7/10. Hamilton's near the end of his career and is not starter material, but he has plenty of 3-4 end experience and would be a great backup on the Dolphins' defense that lacks the right personnel in most areas.

Ken Hamlin, 27, safety, Cowboys - Signed by Cowboys in 2007 with Ireland in the front office; also played for various Dolphins defensive assistants.
Dolphins' interest? 9/10. Hamlin is a talented player at a position the Dolphins are sorely lacking. He'd be a huge boost for the secondary and had a career-high five interceptions for Dallas in 2004.

Nathan Jones, 25, cornerback, Cowboys - drafted by Parcells-led Cowboys in 2004 and played three seasons for him; also played for Ireland and various defensive assistants in 2007.
Dolphins' interest? 8/10. Jones is a solid backup corner and would come at a cheap price. He'd compete for a nickel or dime job in Miami.

ReShard Lee, 27, running back, Raiders - signed by Parcells-led Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2004 and played one season for Cowboys.
Dolphins' interest? 2/10. Miami is set at running back and Lee would have a hard time making anyone's roster.

Matt Lehr, 28, offensive lineman, Buccaneers - played one season for Parcells-led Cowboys in 2003.
Dolphins' interest? 3/10. Lehr has value as a backup at center and guard, but he's been let go by Parcells once and the Cowboys never showed interest the two times he's been on the market since.

Jacques Reeves, 25, cornerback, Cowboys - drafted by Parcells-led Cowboys in 2004 and played three seasons for him; also played for Ireland and various defensive assistants in 2007.
Dolphins' interest: 9/10. Reeves is a talent player that could be a third or fourth corner in Miami. The Dolphins will likely have a strong interest in him and he shouldn't be expensive to bring in.

Jeff Robinson, 38, long snapper, Seahawks - played two seasons for Parcells-led Cowboys from 2003 to 2004; also present in 2002 with Ireland.
Dolphins' interest? 3/10. Miami has no long snappers on the roster and this is least one Parcells and Ireland are familiar with. However, Robinson went unsigned the entire 2006 season and is nearly finished, so the Dolphins might look for a younger guy at the position.

Sean Ryan, 27, tight end, Jets - drafted by Parcells-led Cowboys in fifth round of 2004; played two seasons under Parcells before being traded to the Jets in August 2006.
Dolphins' interest? 9/10. Parcells obviously liked him during his two years, and just because he was traded doesn't mean Ireland didn't either. Dallas simply had two starting-caliber tight ends (Witten and Fasano) and saw an opportunity to get draft picks for a backup. But the Dolphins are severely lacking at tight end so it wouldn't be surprising if he were brought in to compete.

Omar Stoutmire, 33, safety, Redskins -Played one season for Parcells-led Jets in 1999.
Dolphins' interest? 2/10. Stoutmire has just a little history with Parcells, and the Dolphins will likely look elsewhere for backup safety help.

Vinny Testaverde, 44, quarterback, Panthers - played two seasons for Parcells-led Jets from 1998 to 1999; also played one season for him in 2004.
Dolphins' interest? 2/10. Testaverde is almost guaranteed to retire, but then again he was "retired" before last season too. He'd be an absolute last resort for the Dolphins, who will probably be able to pick up a better veteran.

Tyson Walter, 29, offensive lineman, Packers - played two seasons for Parcells-led Cowboys from 2003 to 2004; Tony Sparano was also his offensive line coach both those years.
Dolphins' interest? 6/10. Walter has experience at all the offensive line positions and would provide an experienced backup.

Casey Wiegmann, 34, center, Chiefs - played one season for Parcells-led Jets in 1997.
Dolphins' interest? 1/10. Wiegmann had minor experience with Parcells for one season ten years ago, so there isn't much there. Also, Wiegmann is very undersized for Parcells' taste and the Dolphins don't need a center anyway.

Dolphins release Zach Thomas

The rebuilding process continues and as I expected, the Dolphins have released long-time star linebacker Zach Thomas. One of the all-time Dolphins greats, Thomas played 12 years in Miami and was selected to seven Pro Bowls.

I have put together a video on Zach, which can be found below. It is not a typical analysis video, but rather just a personal tribute to Zach. Thanks for everything, Zach.



Further reading:

• MiamiDolphins.com article on Zach's release: http://www.miamidolphins.com/newsite/news/top_story.asp?contentID=5685
• The Boston Globe's Mike Reiss on the prospect of Zach playing in New England: http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/reiss_pieces/2008/02/tj_on_zach_thom.html
  

Tony Sparano Impact Report

The following is an article about the hiring of Tony Sparano for KFFL.com.

Coming off a dismal 1-15 season – the worst in the franchise’s 42-year history – the Dolphins have will now have their third different head coach in three seasons starting in 2008. Tony Sparano – an assistant under various titles for the Dallas Cowboys since 2003 – takes the reins under front-office honcho Bill Parcells and new general manager Jeff Ireland as the Dolphins look to get out of the NFL’s cellar.

Background

Sparano, 46, joins the Dolphins with over two decades of college and pro coaching experience. After graduating from the University of New Haven in 1982, where he was also the starting center, Sparano served as the offensive line coach at his alma mater from 1984 to 1987. He then served in the same capacity for Boston University for one season, followed by a return to New Haven as offensive coordinator. After running the team’s offense from 1989 to 1993, Sparano spent the next five seasons as the team’s head coach.

In 1999, Sparano made the leap to the NFL coaching ranks as offensive quality control coach for the Cleveland Browns. He held the role for two seasons, after which time he served as tight ends coach for the Washington Redskins in 2001 and then the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2002.

Sparano joined Bill Parcells’ staff with the Dallas Cowboys in 2003 and held multiple titles as an assistant through 2007. He was the Cowboys’ tight ends coach from 2003 to 2004, offensive line coach/running game coordinator in 2005, assistant head coach/offensive line coach/running game coordinator in 2006 and assistant head coach/offensive line coach in 2007.

A Welcome Change

Not only was change enticing after a horrendous season, it become vital after Cam Cameron lost the whole team by season’s end. Reports of the locker room chaos were revealed after Cameron’s departure, painting a more disastrous picture than the team’s record could do alone. Cameron was too strict at times, kicking veteran defensive tackle Keith Traylor off the team to the chagrin of veterans like Zach Thomas and Jason Taylor. He was too soft at others, letting linebacker Joey Porter berate him in front of the entire team for three minutes without so much of a word in defense. By the end, change was not a possibility – it was a necessity.

Sparano appears in some ways to be the anti-Cameron – a hard-nosed, no-nonsense kind of coach who commands the respect of the players and respects them as well. While there is always optimism after a team makes changes coming off a bad experience, the reality is that things really can’t get much worse anyway.

Run, Run, Run

Cameron called the offensive plays himself in 2007 with horrendous results, though that may have been more a result of lack of talent and extensive injuries than the lack of a true offensive coordinator. In fact, a similar strategy remains a possibility during Sparano’s first season, depending on whether or not an adequate coach can be found.

With the Dolphins’ instability at quarterback coupled with Sparano’s history as a former offensive lineman, offensive line coach and running game coordinator, expect a heavy emphasis on the running game for the Dolphins in 2008. The team’s run blocking was far better than its pass protection in 2007 and the Dolphins are deep at the running back position. Ronnie Brown was on his way to a Pro Bowl season before tearing his ACL but should return to full health, and Ricky Williams remains to give the Dolphins possibly one of the best two-head rushing attacks in the NFL. Additionally, rookie Lorenzo Booker showed his versatility with a 4.5 rushing average and 28 receptions – all in the team’s final five games.

On defense, an even stronger push to the 3-4 is likely with Parcells and Ireland building the roster. The Dolphins have attempted to move toward the 3-4 ever since Nick Saban took over in 2005, but have lacked the personnel to run it as their base defense. They have the outside linebackers for the scheme in Jason Taylor and Joey Porter, but lack the bulk on the defensive line. In addition Zach Thomas, while a constant force for the Dolphins for over a decade, has had problems with injuries and is undersized for the 3-4.

Fantasy Impact

As already discussed, the lack of a quarterback will likely mean an emphasis on the run for the Dolphins offensively. As long as he gets help up front, Ronnie Brown should continue to progress and will be Miami’s top fantasy option. Ricky Williams will also be worth a roster spot, given that Brown is coming off an injury and Sparano has a history with a two-back system.

While there’s little to get excited about in the passing game, second-year player Ted Ginn Jr. is probably the most viable fantasy option at receiver. Ginn caught 34 passes for 420 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie despite working with three different quarterbacks – none of which performed particularly well.

For individual defensive player leagues, there are a few possible fantasy options. The Dolphins didn’t always use linebacker Joey Porter in the best way in 2007, but he picked it up in the second half of the season with 4.5 sacks and two interceptions after Week 10. Defensive end Jason Taylor can seemingly always be counted on for double-digit sacks plus some forced fumbles and interceptions. Linebacker Zach Thomas is still a tackling machine, while third-year linebacker Channing Crowder recorded 78 tackles in just 11 games.

Very interesting info about Cameron's last days in Miami

No new content from me today (sorry, cherry up bud!), I just had to point this out. I'm sure many of you have read it already, but Harvey Fialkov of the Sun-Sentinel has a very interesting blog regarding locker room tension between Cam Cameron and some veteran players toward the end of the season. If you haven't read it, I'd definitely recommend taking a look here. It's definitely good for both parties that Cam is gone, regardless of whether it's just because is in town now or not. It definitely appears he totally lost the entire team's respect by the end of it.

Link: http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/sports_football_dolphins/2008/01/camerons-final.html