QB Josh McCown traded to Panthers

Although the Dolphins have spent recent weeks shopping second-year quarterback John Beck around the league, it was veteran Josh McCown who was given the first ticket out of town. A day before final cuts, the Dolphins traded McCown to the Carolina Panthers in exchange for an undisclosed draft pick in 2009.

Background

A third-round pick by the Arizona Cardinals in 2002 out of Sam Houston State, McCown played four seasons for the Cardinals through the 2005 season. He spent the 2006 season as a backup in Detroit before heading to Oakland in 2007. During the first six years of his career, he completed 57.9 percent of his passes for 6,582 yards and 35 touchdowns along with 40 interceptions.

An unrestricted free agent in 2008, McCown was signed by the Dolphins to a two-year, $6.25 million contract with $2.5 million guaranteed. He was expected to compete for the starting job with 2007 second-rounder John Beck, but the arrival of free agent Chad Pennington and emergence of rookie Chad Henne pushed McCown down the depth chart. He did not appear in the team's final three preseason games.

Analysis

McCown was brought in this offseason to provide a veteran presence on a team that had none at quarterback, but Chad Pennington was an upgrade in that department and therefore made McCown expendable. McCown would have been relegated to third string this season if he were to make the squad at all, so it is good the team was able to get something in return. The compensation is likely in the area of a conditional seventh-rounder, as is often the case with these types of deals. If McCown were to be cut by Carolina prior to the regular season, Miami would likely get nothing. (I do, however, expect McCown will earn a roster spot over Brett Basanez.)

Dolphins fans have to be happy with this move because the organization was able to get something in return for a player that could very well have been cut. While it is true the team did pay $2.5 million guaranteed to a player they kept exactly six months, the team has plenty of cap space and the money is really a non-issue.

The trade of McCown leaves the team with three quarterbacks: Chad Pennington, Chad Henne and John Beck. Pennington and Henne are entrenched in the top two spots on the depth chart. Meanwhile, Beck's status is not totally secure even with the departure of McCown. Beck will remain with the team beyond tomorrow's final cuts, but I expect the Dolphins will still try to deal Beck and pull the trigger if they get what they deem enough in return. It would not surprise me to see Beck moved sometime between now and the trade deadline (usually in mid-October), so that is something to keep an eye on.

Dolphins at Jaguars: Thoughts & Observations (Offense)

The following are my thoughts and observations from the Dolphins Week 2 preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. At the risk of their being no pattern or organization to these random notes, I've decided to at least group them by position.

Quarterback

• Dolphins fans have to be pleased with the way the quarterbacks performed in this game. Chad Pennington, in what little passing he did, was a very efficient 5-for-6 and looked as good as any Dolphins quarterback has in a long time. Sparano might not be willing to name a starter at this point, but there's no question Pennington is the best guy for the job.
• Speaking of Pennington starting, I have to say that I am cautiously yet increasingly optimistic about the Dolphins' chances to win games this season. I do not believe they will be contenders for a playoff spot, but Pennington's ability to manage the game and avoid mistakes will keep the Dolphins in games, which could even propel them to around .500 for the season.
• Rookie Chad Henne looked very good as well and certainly didn't look like a rookie. He is very poised in the pocket and confidently delivers his throws with poise and accuracy. He knows when to use touch on his throws but has the arm to really gun it in there. All indications are he's ready to be the No. 2 quarterback out of the game.
• As for the quarterbacks that didn't get to play, it's becoming increasingly obvious that the team has little use for McCown and Beck outside of a third stringer. While I am an advocate of keeping Beck and cutting McCown lose, it certainly appears like the team is ready to part ways with Beck now if they can get something for him. There's a good argument for the move and I wouldn't be too upset, as Pennington is the now and Henne is the future.

Running back

• Ricky Williams continues to run the ball well and it is a welcome sight given Ronnie Brown's rehab. I am confident Brown will still get his touches before being eased back into the starting role in 2009 (I will address Mort's Brown rumors in a future post) and it certainly looks like the Dolphins will have a hell of a 1-2 punch at tailback.
• Boomer Grigsby continues to outplay Reagan Mauia and the second-year Cameron draft pick is in danger of not making the roster. Grigsby is a fine blocker, a better receiver and a special teams ace.

Wide receiver/Tight end

• Second-year receiver Ted Ginn, Jr. had a very impressive game (4 catches, 58 yards) and showed what he can do as a receiver when he has a good quarterback throwing to him. Ginn has a great attitude and work ethic to go along with extreme talent. He's going to prove a lot of haters wrong if the Dolphins build a good offense around him.
• Speaking of Ginn, I was disappointed to see a catch he made along the sidelines ruled in complete upon review by the referee. The play, which was a semi-long pass from Henne to Ginn down the right sideline, occurred with about 2-3 minutes left in the second quarter. Ginn made a beautiful over-the-shoulder grab and, in my view, was able to secure the ball prior to taking two steps in-bounds. While it is true that he did bobble the ball initially, he had one foot on the ground when he gained control and took another step in bounds, thus giving him two feet and possession. There is no doubt in my mind the refs blew this one.
• Derek Hagan also had a couple of good catches and appears to be the best candidate for the No. 2 job. That still isn't a good thing, however, and receiver remains a thin position for the Dolphins.
• It was sad to see Ernest Wilford playing in the fourth quarter against the Jaguars. I was a big fan of his entering free agency and glad to see the Dolphins sign him, but he's really been losing ground lately. If he didn't have so much money guaranteed and if the Dolphins weren't so thin at the position, I think he'd be in danger of losing his job. His problems might be might though because I know he has the ability to be a good NFL receiver.
• Davone Bess remains the team's best undrafted rookie receiver and will likely make the team, but Sparano isn't going to put up with careless mistakes like his false start on the second offensive play of the game.
• Speaking of which, there was no excuse for the delay of game penalty following the false start. It was a sloppy start to the game and it was nice to see the Dolphins rebound.
• The Dolphins could really be lacking any kind of receiving threat at tight end. If Anthony Fasano doesn't show he can be a starter this season, the position will be a high priority in 2009.

Offensive line

• I can't remember the last time I saw a Dolphins quarterback have time to throw like Pennington and Henne did in this game. The line started off slow early, forcing Pennington to scramble a few times as the pocket collapsed, but for the most part they really let him sit back their and let his receivers get open. A good line is the key to a productive offense and it will help mask the team's weaknesses at other positions.
• Rookie first overall pick Jake Long had another very strong performance. He had only one poor play in my view where he complete whiffed on a block and let Patrick Cobbs get eaten up in the backfield, but other than that he was very good.
• Sixth-rounder Donald Thomas also had a good showing and is seemingly entrenched as the starting right guard. He'll make some rookie mistakes here and there, but he's a massive mauler with a lot of upside.
  

Dolphin add ex-Jets QB Pennington

The Dolphins' quarterback competition gained a whole new twist Friday as the Dolphins signed former Jets quarterback Chad Pennington to a two-year, $11.5 million contract. The Dolphins did not have to make a roster move to add Pennington as they were two players under the 80-man roster limit to begin the day. Pennington was released yesterday after the Jets' acquisition of he who shall remain nameless here because I'm sick of hearing about him.

Pennington entered the NFL as the 18th overall pick out of Marshall in 2000. He was drafted by then-Jets head coach Bill Parcells, who currently serves as the Dolphins' vice president of football operations. After backing up Vinny Testaverde for two seasons, he stepped into the starting role in 2002. That season war arguably the best of his career as he passed for 3,120 yards and 22 touchdowns with just six interceptions. In his eight seasons with the Jets, he completed 65.6 percent of his passes for 13,738 yards and 82 touchdowns with 55 interceptions.

Analysis

We all know the scouting report on Pennington. Smart and accurate but lacking in arm strength. Regardless of his inadequacies, I am ecstatic with this move and think it's definitely a positive. In my mind, anyone that is against it simply doesn't understand the situation .

Essentially, Pennington is just a replacement for McCown in the role of placeholder. Whether it's McCown, Pennington or Beck, the Dolphins' starting quarterback in 2008 is essentially just keeping the seat warm for Chad Henne. The front office drafted Henne to be the quarterback of the future and will likely give him a shot to start in 2009, if not sooner. Anyone that starts before then is not viewed by the team as the likely long-term answer.

For that reason, it's silly to be upset about the addition of Pennington. As I said when McCown was acquired, it really doesn't matter who the guy is because he's not viewed by the team as the long-term answer. He's simply a guy with experience to start for the time being, because the Dolphins didn't have one coming into the offseason.

Pennington is simply an upgraded placeholder and that cannot be a bad thing. He does not have the arm McCown does, nor does he have the mobility in the pocket, but he is a solid NFL quarterback and will not make as many mistakes as McCown would. He won't light up defenses for 400 yards, but he'll keep his team in games more times that not by managing the game and avoiding costly mistakes.

The Dolphins a little better today, and that's something fans should be happy about. With (hopefully) a solid defense and a ridiculous tandem at running back, Pennington gives the team a chance to not be one of the league's bottom feeders. The season opener against the Jets just got a little more interesting as well.

Dolphins sign G Riley, waive T Wilson

The Dolphins made another pair of roster moves today, adding free agent guard Rueben Riley while waiving second-year offensive tackle Julius Wilson.

A college teammate of Dolphins rookies Jake Long and Chad Henne at Michigan, the 23-year-old Riley was signed by the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He failed to make the cut following the preseason, but was added to the team's practice squad. Re-signed this offseason, Riley waived by the team on July 23.

Wilson, 24, was signed by the Dolphins as an undrafted free agent out of UAB last year. He spent the entire season on the practice squad before being re-signed this offseason. He was expected to compete for a backup tackle job in camp.

While there's no apparent talent loss with this move, the curious thing about it is that it leaves the Dolphins with only three listed tackles on the roster (Long, Vernon Carey, Daren Heerspink). I emphasize listed because obviously there are other players on the team with tackle experience, such as Trey Darilek. In fact after a little investigation, it appears Riley (6-4, 305) played right tackle his senior season at Michigan. With the undrafted Heerspink headlining the backup offensive tackles, one has to assume there are other guys on the roster that will get looks there as well.

All in all, this seems like a solid (though not hugely significant) signing. Riley has plenty of experience at a college powerhouse (37 games, 27 starts from 2003-2006) and clearly has some versatility as well. With plenty of bodies at guard, it will definitely take some of that versatility for him, or anyone, to secure a roster spot. He should not be considered likely to make the team at this point.

Most Intriguing Training Camp Battles, No. 1: Starting QB

I'm not going to go through all the failures at quarterback the Dolphins have had since Dan Marino retired because, well, I have plans this weekend. I think we're all aware lack the of a franchise quarterback has been a burden on this team for nearly a decade now. The team hopes that franchise signal-caller is already on the team, but who will start in the immediate future?

Many Dolphins fans weren't too thrilled with the signing of Josh McCown, but I feel that's only because they didn't understand the reasoning behind it. McCown was not signed to be the future of the team, nor was he necessarily signed to even start at all. While I'm no McCown fan by any stretch, I realize the absolute necessity of having at least one quarterback on the team with legitimate NFL experience. Maybe he was the best out there, maybe he wasn't. I actually believe the latter. But quite frankly, it doesn't matter if he was the best or not because he's merely a placeholder for John Beck, Chad Henne or some yet-to-be-acquired quarterback prospect. Remember: there are no Peyton Mannings or Tom Bradys on the free agent market. It just doesn't happen.

As a quarterback, McCown can probably best be described as mediocre. His accuracy and decision-making are questionable at best, and during stints in Arizona, Detroit and Oakland he's pretty much proven he's not a legitimate starting quarterback. That being said, he's probably the best quarterback on the team right now and as the only veteran is the safe pick to start in 2008. He's also a serviceable sixth receiver, so he's got that going for him, which is nice.

While McCown is the safe pick and he definitely has a legitimate chance at starting, he is not the guy I hope starts. I do believe McCown would probably be the most productive in 2008 out of the players on the roster, if only because of Beck's and Henne's inexperience. However, I feel is simply little risk in starting 2007 second-rounder Beck.

Though Beck is holdover from the Cam Cameron era probably not the team's quarterback of the future (if only because he's not "Parcells' guy"), it seems to me that you should at least find out what you have in a guy that was one of the best quarterback prospects in the draft only a year ago. McCown won't light to world on fire and Miami is unlikely to be competitive this season anyway, so why not give Beck a year to show what he can do before Henne is ready to take the reins?

The way I see it, there's no risk. If Beck emerges as a productive NFL starter, then your quarterback search is over. Perhaps in such an event, Henne becomes your own version of the Falcons' Matt Schaub and you can get some value for him in trade a few years from now. If Beck shows some skills but Henne's still your guy, maybe it's Beck that you trade somewhere down the line. If Beck flat-out fails, you still have Henne waiting in the wings.

I won't complain if McCown starts because I understand the reasoning behind it. If you're trying to field the best possible team in 2008, then he's the right choice. But as someone that's not optimistic about the team's chances this season and who would like to see what we have in some of our prospects, I'm hoping that Beck is given a year under the new regime to prove his value.

The position(s): Starting quarterback

Number of spots: One

The contenders: Josh McCown, John Beck, Chad Henne

Predicted winner(s): Beck

Reason: I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Beck gets his shot in 2008 while McCown fills the No. 2 spot in the event Beck struggles. I don't feel Henne is a legitimate contender at this point, as I think the team would rather sit him for a season before letting him for the gig in '09. That being said, we could see a glimpse of Henne late this year if the season is lost and Beck and McCown haven't produced.

Rookie G Shawn Murphy signs

According to KFFL.com, fourth-round draft pick Shawn Murphy has signed with the Dolphins.

Murphy is the sixth drafted pick to sign with the Dolphins so far, and the first in the top four rounds after first overall pick Jake Long. His signing leaves only second-rounders Phillip Merling and Chad Henne and third-rounder Kendall Langford unsigned.

I have to say, I'm really pleasantly surprised with how quickly we've gotten our rookies under contract. In my experience following the league this is quite early in the offseason to have so many draft picks signed, and looking around the league this is quite apparent. By my count looking at the 31 other teams, only three other draft picks have signed. If I'm not mistaken, that means the Dolphins have twice as many draft picks under contract than the rest of the league put together.

As for Murphy, the signing of Steve McKinney takes pressure off him to start from Week 1. I would prefer a veteran to fill the open guard spot for now and I think McKinney can handle the job, so if he's healthy he should be the guy. Murphy probably isn't far away from really pushing for a starting job however, and if he doesn't crack the lineup in 2008 he will have a good shot at it in 2009.

Dolphins release Matt Baker, Steve Fifita, Derreck Robinson and Abraham Wright

One thing I failed to mention in any of my six videos from today was the release of four players by the Dolphins in recent weeks. The Dolphins parted ways with quarterback Matt Baker and nose tackle Steve Fifita on April 29, while defensive end Derreck Robinson and linebacker Abraham Wright were let go on May 5.

I'm not sure these transactions are really video-worthy (though that hasn't stopped me before!) so I'm just going to provide a little analysis on each one in good ol' text form. 56k users rejoice!

Matt Baker

Baker was the fourth and final quarterback on the roster after Casey Bramlet was let go and Chad Henne was picked up on Day 1 of the draft. Because the other three - Beck, McCown and Henne - are essentially all locks to make the team, there was really no point in keeping the guy around. On a side note, he was later picked up by the Buffalo Bills, where he'll compete for the No. 3 job with former Dolphin Gibran Hamdan and undrafted free agent Luke Drone.

Steve Fifita

Easily the most surprising of these four cuts, given our lack of depth at nose tackle and the fact that he out-played 2007 fourth-rounder Paul Soliai, who remains with the team, last season. Hopefully, this is a vote of confidence for Soliai and our undrafted rookies (Kory Robertson and Anthony Toribio). Fifita was later picked up by the Patriots (surprise, surprise) and he could have a shot at securing a backup nose tackle job behind Vince Wilfork.

Derreck Robinson

A prototypical 3-4 end, but one from the previous regime in a now very crowed position. After we took three defensive ends on the draft, there was simply no way Robinson was going to make the club even if he did fit the scheme. It wouldn't be surprising if he landed in Baltimore, another 3-4 team that also features Cam Cameron as it's offensive coordinator.

Abraham Wright

Wright is another guy that fit the scheme, but he too had quite a few guys ahead of him on the depth chart. Our seventh-round pick from 2007 was a prototypical 3-4 outside linebacker, but he struggled with injuries as a rookie and wasn't going to beat out the likes of Reggie Torbor, Junior Glymph and Quentin Moses.

2008 Draft Analysis: Part II

This is the second four videos covering the Dolphins' 2008 NFL Draft selections, with this one discussing the selections of Michigan quarterback Chad Henne and Hampton defensive end Kendall Langford. Be sure to check out the rest of the draft analysis videos as well as the rest of my videos from the day!

2008 Offseason Preview: Quarterbacks

Free agency is just around the corner (10 minutes and counting) and I'm getting my final offseason preview video out just in time. This video is on the ever-important quarterback situation. I'm sure there will be a lot to post about in the coming back, so keep checking back for up-to-date news and analysis. Enjoy!