Who will rush passer for a Taylor-less Miami defense?

By Hugo Guzman  |   Monday, June 02, 2008  |  Comments( 1 )

Miami Dolphins
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Let’s assume for a minute that Jason Taylor will not be a member of the Miami Dolphins in 2008. Forgetting all the drama and fan-centric hysterics, let’s try to focus on the on-field effect of Taylor’s departure. More importantly, let’s try to figure out who can pick up the slack once the future Pro Hall of Famer packs his bags and heads out the door.

Assuming that the Dolphins play some variation of the 3-4, it’s safe to assume that most of the pressure on opposing passers will come from the outside linebacker position. That’s great news for veteran Joey Porter, who managed to tally 5.5 sacks in 2007 despite playing out of position, and is just a few seasons removed from a 10.5-sack effort in 2005.

Still, Porter is aging and can’t be counted on to be the sole catalyst for Miami’s pass rush, so the bottom line is that other contributors will have to step up.

So who else is there?

One intriguing candidate is rookie Phillip Merling, a second-round pick from Clemson. While he didn’t put up very gaudy numbers in college (seven sacks as a senior), his ability to play both linebacker and end in a 3-4 alignment could make Merling a pick a secret weapon in Miami’s revamped defensive scheme. Fellow rookie Kendall Langford -- a third-round choice out of Hampton -- is another intriguing possibility, although he seems to be more a of a prototypical end in a 3-4, which likely means that he’ll be called on to occupy blockers and stop the run more than rush the quarterback.

Speaking of D-linemen, there are several guys along Miami's front who could turn into key rushers, specifically veteran Vonnie Holliday and youngster Rodrique Wright. Holliday is just two seasons from removed from a seven-sack campaign in 2006, and Wright seemed to be rounding into form last year after sitting out '06 because of shoulder surgery; he could develop into a fearsome pass rusher at either end or tackle.

Of course, there are a lot of other unheralded players who could make an impact under the Dolphins' new regime. For instance, there's Matt Roth, who has never quite lived up to expectations after being drafted in the second round in 2005. Perhaps newcomers like Charlie Anderson or Akin Ayodele, who have never been known as pass rushers, could flourish in new roles on a new team. It could even be a yet-to-be-named rookie or two.

In the end, maybe the answer is as simple as it obvious -- no one player will ever replace Taylor, but perhaps the aggregate effect of various new faces and a completely new scheme will translate into a more effective pass rush and more successful defensive unit overall for Miami. That's the organization's hope, anyway.
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About Hugo Guzman

Trying to bring an objective approach to NFL analysis.
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