Time for young Dolphins DTs to step up

By Hugo Guzman  |   Thursday, June 21, 2007  |  Comments( 7 )

Miami Dolphins
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Earlier this week, the Miami Dolphins officially severed ties with MIA defensive tackle Dan Wilkinson; and while his release is of little significance in terms of the existing depth chart, his exit got me to thinking about the current state of the position.

And, honestly, the word "old" comes to mind.

The only two guys with any real starting experience, Keith Traylor and Vonnie Holliday, have a combined age of 69. The younger of the two, Holliday, is 31, while Traylor will turn 38 just prior to the start of the regular season. Beyond that, the four youngsters vying for playing time have exactly one game of experience between them.

That being said, Traylor and Holliday aren't exactly over the hill. Traylor has anchored what has become one of the league's stingiest run defenses in a Tim Bowens-like fashion, helping the Dolphins finish eight in the NFL versus the rush and holding opposing offenses to just seven ground touchdowns in 2006.

Holliday, in the meantime, has proven to be a versatile defender who is stout against the run but still nimble enough to generate a formidable pass rush, tallying seven sacks last year.

Still, both of these players are due to succumb to the ravages of age sooner or later, so now is the time for Miami's young crop of defensive tackles to step into a more prominent role up front.

The most likely candidate to fill that role is second-year man Fred Evans. The former Texas State standout was impressive right away, shining throughout last year's minicamp. And though he only managed to make it onto the field in the team's final regular-season contest, against the Indianapolis Colts, Evans has already received a vote of confidence from both general manager Randy Mueller and high-profile defensive mates Jason Taylor, Zach Thomas and the aforementioned Traylor.

Another player who might step to the fore is rookie D-tackle Paul Soliai. This monster of a man, who measures 6-foot-4 and somewhere between 315 and 340 pounds (depending on whom you ask), was not expected to last into the fourth round of the 2007 NFL Draft but somehow slipped all the way to the 108th selection. The Dolphins wisely picked him up, hoping that draft gurus like Mel Kiper were correct when they asserted that Soliai could make an immediate impact as a rookie.

Speaking of draft slides, second-year man Rodrique Wright was considered a possible first-round selection in 2006 after an outstanding career at the University of Texas. However, a previously undetected torn rotator cuff, which Wright amazingly played through during his senior season, made him somewhat of a draft afterthought. Consider this as a kind of a Nick Saban parting gift, because, when healthy, this seventh-round pick boasts a combination of size and pass-rushing prowess that could catapult him into the NFL's elite at DT.

Now, if you're one of those people who's always rooting for the dark horse, keep an eye on Chase Page. Who is that, you ask? Page is a former sixth-round pick who was originally drafted by the San Diego Chargers but was released after suffering a knee injury during training camp. And in case you're wondering, Dolphins head coach Cam Cameron -- a former Bolts assistant -- was not responsible for bringing Page to Miami. Instead, Page was signed last December to fill a roster spot when Wilkinson was placed on injured reserve.

Ironically enough, that brings us full circle, because it was Wilkinson's release that served as the impetus for this current line of thought. Now, is Page going to be a big factor in 2007 and beyond? Probably not. Is he even going to be on the 53-man roster come September? The odds are against it.

And that's actually a good thing as far as the future well-being of the Dolphins is concerned. It means that there will be plenty of legitimate talent waiting in the wings when Traylor and Holliday finally decide to retire.
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About Hugo Guzman

Trying to bring an objective approach to NFL analysis.
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