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.

2008 Offseason Preview: Inside Linebackers

As mentioned in my previous post, I will be having two new videos today on the Dolphins' inside and outside linebacker situations. The following video is on the Dolphins' inside linebackers, with analysis on the current players under contract and what can be expected at the position during free agency and the draft. Be sure to check out the outside linebackers video as well, which can be found in the post just above this one. Enjoy!

Dolphins add five coaches; Crowder involved in traffic accident

The following is a video I've done on the hirings of coaches Paul Pasqualoni, Todd Bowles, Kacy Rodgers, Jim Reid and David Corrao. I also address the recent traffic incident involving Channing Crowder. Enjoy!

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.

LB Crowder placed on IR; QB Bramlet promoted to active roster

Linebacker Channing Crowder (pictured, right) was placed on season-ending injured reserve today with a knee injury, while quarterback Casey Bramlet was promoted from the practice squad to the active roster to take his place. He wear No. 7.

Crowder background

Crowder, a three-year veteran who was originally drafted by Nick Saban in the third round out of Florida in 2005, has started 37 of the 43 games in which he has appeared for the Dolphins.

Though an outside linebacker most of his career, Crowder had been starting at middle linebacker since Week 8 with Zach Thomas (migraines) out. Crowder has not played since Week 13 due to knee injury, and underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee Tuesday, Dec. 18. He finishes the 2007 season with 78 tackles (61 solo) and half a sack in 11 games (10 starts).

Bramlet background

Bramlet, 26, was signed to the Dolphins' practice squad on October 24 - four days after starter Trent Green went on injured reserve. The Dolphins had been going with just two quarterbacks on the active roster since Green's injury, with wide receiver Marty Booker (a high school quarterback) serving as the emergency third-stringer.

An All-Mountain West selection at Wyoming, Bramlet (pictured, left) was originally drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the seventh round (218th overall) of the 2004 NFL Draft. He served as the Bengals' third-string quarterback most of the season behind Jon Kitna and Carson Palmer, though he finished the year No. 2 on the depth chart after Palmer suffered a sprained knee late in the season. Despite a strong showing for the Hamburg Sea Devils of NFL Europe during the 2005 offseason, Bramlet lost the third-string job to Craig Krenzel in training camp.

Bramlet was out of football during the 2005 regular season and signed a future contract with the Washington Redskins in January 2006. He was cut at the end of the preseason, and again spent the regular season out of football. He was re-signed by the Redskins in 2007 and again played for the Hamburg Sea Devils, this time earning World Bowl MVP honors after going 20-of-27 passes for 347 yards and four touchdowns. Nevertheless, he was released prior to training camp when the team opted to carry quarterbacks.

Bramlet was not unemployed for long, however, signing with the Atlanta Falcons on August 12. He released at the end of the preseason, but was re-signed to to practice squad then promoted to the active roster prior to the season opener. He served as the third-string quarterback for the Falcons' first two games of the season, but was released by the team when Byron Leftwich was signed on September 18.

Analysis

Crowder is the 14th Dolphins player, the third linebacker and second starter at the position (after Zach Thomas) to go on IR this season. While a serviceable starter, Crowder's numbers were quite pedestrian this season and the Dolphins' defense has struggled with or without him. He still has a good upside and a future in Miami, as he is under contract through 2008 and is viewed the potential long-term replacement to Thomas inside.

In his absence, the Dolphins will continue to go with the trio of Donnie Spragan, Derrick Pope (pictured, right) and Joey Porter in the starting lineup. Rookies Edmond Miles, Kelvin Smith and Mark Washington will see action in reserve roles.

Meanwhile, Bramlet is unlikely to play this season barring injuries to both Cleo Lemon and John Beck. As with most practice squad guys promoted to the active roster, it is likely he was signed to at least a two-year deal so that the team may retain him this offseason. (Practice squad players are only under contract for one season at a time.) With Lemon an unrestricted free agent at season's end and Green's future is in doubt, the Dolphins will likely bring in a body or two at the position. It seems unlikely, if Bramlet sticks around for camp at all, that he'll have a chance at anything more than the third-string job.