Dolphins look to draw the line in free agency

By Adam Sweeney  |   Wednesday, February 18, 2009  |  Comments( 1 )

Miami Dolphins
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It isn't true in every situation, but size matters in the NFL, especially on the offensive line. The Dolphins, well aware of that, are looking to grab center Jason Brown from the Baltimore Ravens in free agency. Brown's physical nature would be a change from Samson Satele's style, which isn't a bad thing. Satele was viewed by the Dolphins as a potential Pro Bowler when he was a 2007 second-round draft pick. Alas, that has yet to happen, so Miami has its eyes set on the bigger Brown -- a 6-foot-3, 320-pounder.

The question is: Should the Dolphins stop at Brown? It would make sense to add depth to a line that was hit hard last year by injuries, but at what cost will that approach be? We have discussed to no end the need for improvement in the secondary, but a running attack capable of wearing down the opposing defense and dominating time of possession could serve the defense well. Fresh players are better players, and every extra set of downs on offense is critical. Taking a guard in the draft could help the Dolphins achieve that goal.

Moving Satele to guard or trading him for a draft pick or other lineman is also always an option, but the likelihood of getting higher value on a player the Dolphins clearly want out is unlikely. As long as they continue to emphasize youth, they will be OK. The current economy is going to dictate that few teams want to throw big contracts at aging players. It just doesn't make sense financially to do it anymore.

We recently touched on the need for playmakers to be added to the Dolphins' offense, but that doesn't mean tunnel vision is necessary. It doesn't matter if you have the second coming of Jim Brown. A weak offensive line means you aren't scoring points. Look at the difference between Emmitt Smith and the Dallas Cowboys versus what Barry Sanders and the Detroit Lions brought to the table in the 1990s. In fact, think about the recent drop-off in rushing yardage players like Edgerrin James and Shaun Alexander had with the Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks, respectively, after the holes closed up. Players like Steve Hutchinson can change everything.

You get the point.
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About Adam Sweeney

Adam Sweeney spent 4 years as an opinions and arts & entertainment columnist with the Lone Star Lutheran, also working with Sports Illustrated.com. Along with his work on Realfootball 365 he currently is a contributor for Film School Rejects, SLAM Online, Talkhoops.net, and C-Heads ...
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