do what many expect and simply improve a tad and challenge the AFC East
Or they can moderately surprise and do very well although seriously contending for the division.
Or they could
shock the NFL however again and take it.
Before anything, though, there are a few questions I have as the Dolphins prepare for the grueling month that is camp. These questions are just a few in a
long list and cannot be answered correct away. I will need re-visit them when
we are a few weeks into August.
? Is Brandon Marshall really the missing piece? Well, he must be since the Dolphins
have needed a big play wide receiver since, well, basically their glory days. It has been nearly a
a period of ten years that the Fins have had a WR that got DBs shaking in their pads. Marshall has
the tools, is happy (hopefully) and
has a young strong-armed QB in Chad Henne. So,
the questions are … How’s the hip? How’s the attitude? And how good can it get with a
Henne-to-Marshall connection?
? Who is the MVRB? The most valuable running back on this team is not who you
probably thought. Ronnie Brown is an injury risk as we all have seen. Last year
when Brown injured his foot,Jared Odrick, Ricky Williams stepped up and was a beast in the tail end of the
season. It is going to be very interesting watching the camp progressions, and
see if this is a 50/50 share or not. Williams is the RB to watch this season….as of
the moment.
? Will Chad Henne silence the critics? When asking many fans around the league what
they think about the Dolphins, most say, “They need a QB.” Sure, that was the decade-long mantra until they had Chad Pennington to thank for their 2008 division crown. Now
the other Chad takes the Week 1 snaps instead of the Week 1 clipboard, and it is his
career that is now the focus in South Beach from a football standpoint. Let’s see if he
can become a poor man’s Matt Schaub this season, or, let’s see if he is relegated to
creature a poor man’s Mark Sanchez.
? What young defensive performer will step it up and make Dolphin fans say Joey and
Jason who? We know that Sean Smith and Vontae Davis have already “stepped-up,”
as apparent by their very imnewspapersive 2009 season as a young CB duo. This question
is focusing squarely on the front seven.
Even as Joey Porter and Jason Taylor waltz (yeah,
that’s a DWTS jab at J.T.) to new teams in their career twilights, their presence and
production will be missed in Mike Nolan’s 3-4 defensive scheme. Nolan,Davone Bess, Tony Sparano
and Fins Nation are waiting to see who the next young Dolphins defensive stud will
be. Say what you want about the offensive drafting over the past few seasons, but
defensively, the Fins have found gold in the draft humorh the likes of the aforementioned
Smith and Davis,Mark Gregory, Channing Crowder, and going
back a little further, Sam Madison, and of course the poster boys for the Dolphins
defensive juggernauts in the 2000’s, Zach Thomas and Jason Taylor.
Will Jared Odrick and/or Koa Misi be the next defensive youngsters to make a name for themselves? Both
could, and one better, if this team hopes to contend in the East. Outside of the talented
rookies, look for Cameron Wake to be a solid player for Miami who can appeal some of
the missing sacks lost by Porter and Taylor’s departure.
– JASON SARNEY
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