Dolphins should see Taylor and Wake as dangerous duo

By Adam Sweeney  |   Thursday, May 07, 2009  |  Comments( 7 )

Miami Dolphins
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We talked recently about why Jason Taylor's return to the Miami Dolphins made sense, but it seems someone lies in the path to his return to South Beach. Linebacker Cameron Wake has been grabbing the attention of a lot of Dolphins fans this offseason after coming to Miami from the Canadian Football League. RotoWorld issued some info on the Taylor situation and why Wake matters in the scheme of things.

Head Coach Tony Sparano said, "We're going to watch Cameron this week and see what Cameron does ... I know the Jason [Taylor] thing is out there."

RotoWorld added, "Bill Parcells reportedly went over Taylor's 2008 season and determined that he belongs in the NFL even if his play has fallen off. The Dolphins just don't want him to be a "progress stopper" for Wake."

Is it impossible to have the best of both worlds? Wake has made a good impression on Sparano so far, but it is yet to be determined how big of an impact he will have this season. Meanwhile, Taylor had a rough 2008 season with Washington, which released him, and needs to accept that he made a mistake asking to leave the Dolphins last summer. Because the perception is that he has slipped in performance, and perception is reality, Taylor should swallow his pride and take a contract with smaller figures to rejoin the Dolphins. Meanwhile, Wake should accept the fact that he has to prove himself on this team. He looks hungry and would be in a great position if the Dolphins took on Taylor as a mentor.

Sparano has said you can never have too many outside linebackers, so why would he want to let Taylor get away? If the Dolphins bide their time, it only gives Taylor motivation to go to the New England Patriots, who would happily corral him. They make a living out of getting the most from players considered past their prime. The last thing the Dolphins need is for an AFC East rival to gain more depth.

Taylor also protects the Dolphins should there be an injury in the linebacking corps. Yes, Taylor struggled to make an impact last season because of this very issue, but it's a new yer. Neither Taylor nor Wake is a sure thing right now. In this case, two players are better than one. Let them lean on each other and benefit from competition.
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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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