Reading between the lines of Miami’s roster

By Jeff Dickinson  |   Tuesday, May 27, 2008  |  Comments( 7 )

Miami Dolphins
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Football rosters aren’t really good for anything except filling space in a team’s media guide, are they? Does anyone really pay attention to the information that is contained on a roster?

Take the Miami Dolphins, for instance. Everyone knows Ronnie Brown and the number he has on his jersey. Jake Long will most assuredly garner attention with whatever number he decides to put on his back once the preseason officially starts.

But, besides a player’s number and pertinent information like his position and where he went to college, what can fans really learn about looking at a team’s roster?

Plenty.

Here are some of the things one can learn while poring over the Dolphins’ 2008 roster:
• The Dolphins are a YOUNG team. There are only three players on the roster (listed at the team's Web site) with at least 10 years of playing experience who were with the Dolphins prior to this offseason. There are only two other teams in the AFC with that few double-digit veterans (Buffalo and Oakland).
• There are an astounding 28 players on Miami’s roster who are rookies or have only one year of playing experience.
• There are 19 players on the roster who are not rookies but are new to the team (via free agency or trade).

So, what should fans gather from these roster tidbits? On one hand, the fact that the Dolphins have 28 rookies and/or second-year players and 19 new players could cause reason for concern. Players who are green sometimes take time to learn the animal that is the NFL before they can make everyday contributions.

The rookies and new players might be a good thing for the Dolphins, though. Losing can be contagious. When you have a season like Miami had in 2007, it can be difficult to maintain a positive attitude. With new players come new attitudes and a desire to prove to the fresh regime of Bill Parcells and Tony Sparano that playing time is deserved. Whether you want to call it being hungry, selfish or whatever, these new players can’t help but bring a different attitude when they step onto the field.

Examining the roster also reveals that of the group of new players who are not rookies, nine of them were signed or acquired to help keep opponents out of the end zone. In 2007, the Dolphins were last in the league (that’s 32nd out of 32 teams for those who aren’t good in math) in rushing yards allowed per game.

The Dolphins gave up an astounding 153.5 rushing yards per game last season. Teams that are able to run the ball control the game clock. Teams that control the game clock keep opposing offenses off the field. Guess what? If your offense isn’t on the field, you’re probably not scoring many points. The Dolphins were also 30th in the league in total points per game allowed. Looking at the roster reveals that Parcells knew that improving on those defensive stats is paramount to a more successful 2008 season.

When you’re flipping through the pages of your favorite NFL magazine this summer, don’t just skim over the Dolphins’ roster page. You never know what kind of information you might uncover.
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About Jeff Dickinson

I have been writing and editing professionally for 18 years. I spent the first three years of my career as a sportswriter for a daily newspaper in Alabama and got to cover sports and get paid for it! It was great until I got married and then it wasn't too much fun being away from my wife every...
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