Roth’s days as a Dolphin are numbered

By Hugo Guzman  |   Monday, May 12, 2008  |  Comments( 5 )

Miami Dolphins
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Defensive end Matt Roth will probably be a good fit in a situational role for some NFL defense. It just won't be with the Miami Dolphins.

Since arriving in South Florida via Nick Saban’s 2005 draft, the short-armed bull rusher has struggled to find his niche in the Dolphins’ defensive front. The former Iowa standout has had limited success in pass-rushing situations, tallying just 7.5 sacks in three seasons. Roth’s career high of 3.5 sacks came in 2006, and when coupled with three forced fumbles, it represents by far the most productive campaign of his career.

Unfortunately, that’s just not enough for a starting-caliber defensive end, especially when you consider that his run-stopping abilities are far from legendary. The former second-round pick has just two tackles for a loss in three seasons and hasn't been an immovable object on running plays.

However, Roth's underachieving against the run is not the main reason why he will be handed his walking papers sooner than later.

Roth’s biggest impediment to success will be Miami’s not-so-gradual shift to a true 3-4 alignment, and whether that transition is complete in 2008 or thereafter is of no real consequence. After all, the Bill Parcells regime has no allegiance to Roth, and there’s really no room for a player who's too small to play end in a 3-4 but lacks the athleticism to play linebacker in that same alignment.

Parcells has made no secret of his desire to bring in big bodies, especially at the point of attack, so it’s unrealistic to think that Roth -- who weighs in at roughly 275 pounds -- will be able to bulk up enough to play a 3-4 end position that is often occupied by guys approaching the 300-pound mark.

As for his linebacking prospects, Roth was considered to be a relatively unathletic defensive end, so there’s really no chance of him moving to a position that would require him to shadow running backs and tight ends in the open field.

Roth will likely land on his feet quickly, because he has shown signs of developing into a steady power rusher and run stopper; and at age 25, he still has plenty of time to develop his repertoire.

It’s just that said development won’t occur in a Dolphins uniform.
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About Hugo Guzman

Trying to bring an objective approach to NFL analysis.
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CommentsComments: 5  |  Sign Up  View all comments
No.1
Fish		10:59 AM
05/12/2008
Roth will not be cut. They will like his toughness. He played behind Kevin Carter for years and last year was hurt for most of...
No.2
phintim		11:18 AM
05/12/2008
Roth's rookie season was OK. He played well behind Carter and was effective in the beginning of the seasonlast year before...
No.3
JimmyD		11:45 AM
05/12/2008
I agree with the author. I think Roth will be out sooner than you think. He just doesn't have the skills needed to play DE in a...
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