Dolphins’ CBs must create more takeaways

By Danny Dabiri  |   Tuesday, June 26, 2007  |  Comments( 23 )

Miami Dolphins
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The Miami Dolphins' pass defense ranked fifth in the NFL last season, allowing 187.9 yards per game. On the surface, it would appear that the team is set in the secondary. However, when analyzing the defensive backfield more carefully, there is clearly a lot of room for improvement.

Now that perennial AFC East powerhouse New England has added wide receivers Randy Moss, Donte' Stallworth, Wes Welker (an ex-Dolphin) and Kelley Washington to its receiving corps, Miami's secondary will be under a lot fire in 2007.

The Dolphins only managed eight interceptions last year, two of which came from defensive end Jason Taylor. With six picks, the Washington Redskins were the only team with fewer interceptions.

Of the Dolphins' eight interceptions, only two of them came from cornerbacks. One came from veteran Will Allen, a former first-round pick of the New York Giants in 2001. Travis Daniels, a fourth-rounder in 2005 out of LSU, secured the other INT.

Joining Allen and Daniels at the top of the depth chart is Andre' Goodman, who signed a three-year contract before the 2006 season. Unfortunately, after injuring himself during the team's minicamp in early May, Goodman underwent his second surgery on his left shoulder in the last four months. The timetable for Goodman's return to the field is uncertain, but he will likely be ready before the start of the season.

Currently, the Dolphins only have two other cornerbacks with previous game experience on their roster. Michael Lehan, a former Cleveland Brown, appeared in 10 games in the secondary, notching seven tackles last year. In his first four seasons in the league, he has yet to intercept a pass. The fifth CB is Shirdonya Mitchell, an undrafted free agent who signed with the Dolphins in 2005. The former Missouri Tiger appeared in only one game in 2006, the season finale against the Indianapolis Colts.

The prognosis for the cornerback unit is cloudy at best. While Allen, Daniels and Goodman are all serviceable players, none of them even approach the level of a shutdown corner. To make up for that weakness, the team needs its defensive backs to force more interceptions. Considering the historical lack of takeaways from their current crop of corners, there is a strong likelihood the Dolphins will remain near the bottom of this crucial category while likely looking up at the Patriots in the division standings.

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