Eureka! This one is not about Nick Saban

By Hugo Guzman  |   Wednesday, January 03, 2007  |  Comments( 16 )

Miami Dolphins
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Literally, everyone and their momma is talking about Nick Saban these days. This isn't just an Alabama thing or a Miami thing. Virtually every major national media pundit has taken a turn at waxing poetic about the comings and goings of one Nick Lou Saban.

But I refuse to get sucked into the mania. Instead, I'm going to talk about punter Donnie Jones.

Just kidding.

What I would like to do is go over what Miami has to work with going into the offseason, regardless of who is manning the helm. For example, as everyone knows, the Dolphins' quarterback situation is in a state limbo at this point. Daunte Culpepper is slated to be the starter in 2007, but he is still rehabbing his severely injured knee, and there is no guarantee the ex-Viking will be ready to go by opening day. And the backup situation is equally opaque. Clearly, Joey Harrington is not starting material, but he could prove to be a viable backup option.

Then again, Cleo Lemon seemed to outperform Harrington in limited action and is a much more inexpensive option, but his knock is simply a lack of experience that could prove costly if he is called upon to receive extended snaps.

So obviously, the quarterback position is a dicey-at-best situation.

Fortunately for the Dolphins, the running back corps is looking like a pillar of strength heading into the offseason. Ronnie Brown averaged 4.2 yards per carry in 2006 and looks primed to improve upon a fairly impressive sophomore campaign that included four 100-yard outings in 13 tries. And don't forget that one Ricky Williams is set to return next season. Current reserve Sammy Morris is a solid player, but inserting Williams back into the rotation would almost assuredly make Miami one of the most daunting running teams in all of football.

Fans don't like to hear this, but the receiving corps should stay intact. Chris Chambers definitely had an off year, catching only 59 balls for 677 yards and four touchdowns, but he is only one year removed from a Pro Bowl season and should benefit from a change in offensive philosophy and the insertion of a more accurate deep-ball thrower. Marty Booker is getting a bit long in the tooth, as he is set to turn 31 in the summer, but the eight-year pro is still producing at a high level, actually outperforming Chambers this year with 55 catches for 747 yards and six touchdowns.

Wes Welker has blossomed into one of the most effective offensive weapons on the team, and youngster Derek Hagan showed enough this past year to warrant both his third-round selection and a chance at extended action in the '07 campaign. Tight end Randy McMichael might not be the elite player everyone expected him to be, but he has improved as a blocker and is still a viable threat to make plays in the passing game.

So that just about covers the offense...oh wait. That's right. I forgot to mention the offensive line (ugh).

For the umpteenth offseason in a row, one of the main areas in need of an upgrade will be the O-line. The unit was actually somewhat impressive in protecting the quarterback, once an immobile Daunte Culpepper was shelved; it was also able to open up running lanes for Brown and Morris at certain times. But the fact of the matter is that Miami doesn't have a single Pro Bowl-caliber player along the line, and even a slight upgrade at one or two spots may allow the Dolphins to abandon what was a relatively conservative, quick-throw passing offense in favor of a more wide-open attack that favors Culpepper's strengths (assuming, of course, the Culpepper will even line up behind center next year).

Defensively, the main area of concern is clearly the defensive backfield. Will Allen seemed to hold up his end of the bargain at the cornerback slot, but the rest of the CBs were up-and-down performers. Andre Goodman appears to be a capable nickel back, but if Travis Daniels can't stay healthy and return to his rookie form, the Dolphins may need to shop around for starting-caliber talent on the outside.

The safety position is even more unsettling, especially because it's unclear whether Jason Allen is capable of becoming a legitimate starter after an anonymous rookie year. Renaldo Hill is serviceable and Travares Tillman looks like little more than a backup. While Yeremiah Bell was a nice midseason feel-good story, he is essentially a mediocre NFL safety right now.

The front seven was very solid this year, but could benefit from an infusion of young talent, and possibly a replacement for journeyman outside linebacker Donnie Spragan. Also, Miami fans had better hope Jason Taylor decides against an early retirement. If he decides to hang it up, the team will be left with a major lack of playmaking ability on defense.

The only real weakness in terms of special teams was kicker Olindo Mare. Miami may want to consider replacing his pricey contract, especially when considering that he missed more field goal tries (10) than any other placekicker in the league.

So yes, this article was fairly bland and generic. And yes, it didn't delve too deeply into any one particular topic (a staple of RealFootball365.com columns). And yes, it had a sort of an "overview" feel to it.

But at least it wasn't about Nick Saban.

Get more anti-mainstream Miami Dolphins insight at RealFootball365.com
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About Hugo Guzman

Trying to bring an objective approach to NFL analysis.
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