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.

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.

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 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
  

Lance Briggs to Dolphins? Don't bet on it.

Earlier this week, Peter King of Sports Illustrated wrote an article about the Dolphins' recent cuts and how the team should have close to $40 million in cap space this offseason. In said article, Chicago Bears linebacker Lance Briggs is the first potential big-name free agent King mentions, and there is even a picture of Briggs at the top of the page with a caption that reads: "Bill Parcells and the Dolphins have the money to land a marquee free agent like Lance Briggs."

While true the Dolphins will have the money to land a high-priced free agent on Briggs' level, my advice to Dolphins fans would be to not get your hopes up about that free agent being Briggs himself.

Briggs, 27, has spent his entire five-year in Chicago's Cover 2 system and has thrived. But as I've said repeatedly this offseason, all indications are Miami is converting from the 4-3 defense to the 3-4. In such a defense, the 240-pound Briggs would almost certainly move inside. It would be a very different thing for Briggs, and it'd be a change that would not benefit him.

But don't take my word for it. Take a look at how Briggs himself feels about the prospect of playing in the 3-4. The following is an excerpt from a Boston Globe article from just over a year ago.

"The 3-4 is a whole different scheme," he said, noting that he played in the middle of a 3-4 at the University of Arizona.

Asked if he liked playing in that scheme, he said: "Not really."

Briggs believes he's a good fit in the Bears' scheme, which is a 4-3 that features smaller, athletic players.

"It allows me to play ball, the weakside position in this defensive scheme, you're

kind of called on to make play after play after play," he said. "When Lovie [Smith] came here, he said 'I want you to play the weakside, I want you to be the Derrick Brooks of this defense.' In this defense, you are relied to make play after play."

Asked how that would transfer to a 3-4, playing inside linebacker, he said: "Not real well."

The full article can be found here. It is a blog entry by Globe journalist Mike Reiss, who in my experience is one of the sports writers that is most on top of things. Even if he does cover the most evil team ever.

The point is, there is more to signing free agents than simply matching up a player with a team that has cap space. Briggs is a good player, but a player more suited for a system that the Dolphins will not be running. He is not a prototypical 3-4 linebacker because it is not a scheme that utilizes his strengths, and as you've clearly read he does not seem too keen on the idea of playing in it either. Briggs is a free agent that can go anywhere he wants, and as one of the top players in his position will have plenty of options that will all pay him handsomely.

The Dolphins do not need Briggs, and Briggs does not need the Dolphins. That is why you should not expect to see him in aqua and orange come September, and why you shouldn't necessarily be bummed about it, either.

2008 Offseason Preview: Outside Linebackers

As promised, here is my second video of the day - this one on the Dolphins' current situation at outside linebacker. The defensive line videos should be out in 2-3 days, but for now enjoy this video, the inside linebackers one below or any of the others in case you've missed them! Enjoy.

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!

Two more offseason preview videos coming today!

Free agency is just over two weeks away, and while my defensive back videos were a little late I'm getting back on track with videos on the Dolphins' linebackers today. As was the case with the defensive backs, there's just too much to talk about at linebacker (especially given the move to the 3-4) so once again I'm splitting it up into two videos. I will have one on inside linebackers and another on outside linebackers. Both should be completed this afternoon and will almost certainly be up by this evening, so be sure to check back for those!