Mueller gets vote of confidence, but questions linger

By Hugo Guzman  |   Thursday, June 28, 2007  |  Comments( 17 )

Miami Dolphins
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"What if Brady Quinn ends up being a superstar?"

This is perhaps the most vexing question facing Miami Dolphins general manager Randy Mueller. Fortunately, the answer likely won't materialize for years to come; in the meantime, the Dolphins have decided to extend Mueller's contract through at least the 2010 season.

This is not a bad move considering that Mueller's contract was set to expire in June 2008, and the former NFL Executive of the Year (he won it with New Orleans) was sure to get his fair share of competing offers from other teams.

However, the two-year extension does not guarantee smooth sailing for Mueller. The fate of Quinn -- whom Mueller passed over in the first round of April's draft -- is just one of several key factors that will determine the GM's level of job security over the next few years. For while fans and media will never forget that Mueller was part of the brain trust that steered clear of Quinn, Dolphins owner Wayne Huizenga is likely more concerned with the fate of the QB Miami did select this past April -- BYU's John Beck.

Beck certainly has the right character attributes while displaying an agile mind and body in minicamps, but if he doesn't pan out as a legitimate starter it will be Mueller's status as a talent evaluator that will take a hit.

"With the ninth pick in the 2007 NFL Draft, the Miami Dolphins select ... Ted Ginn Jr."

Few sentences have created a larger shockwave in South Florida than that one did back in April. When NFL commissioner Roger Goodell uttered those words, it appeared as if the grand majority of the Dolphins' fan base immediately turned against both head coach Cam Cameron and, to a lesser and more subtle extent, Mueller. But remember, it is Mueller who's in charge of personnel decisions on the team, so if the speedy ex-Ohio State wideout fails to live up to expectations, it will be the GM who takes a public relations hit.

Never mind that Cameron is seemingly in love with Ginn and his entire family. It is the general manager's job to override sentimentality and make decisions based on the long-term welfare of the organization. It is also the GM's job to know that over the past 10 years or so, more than half of the wideouts taken with a top-10 pick have not panned out as expected. So if the human missile that is Ginn fails to launch, the buck will and should stop at Mueller.

Onto the good news...

Cameron appears to have already hit a home run in second-round center Samson Satele. The former Hawaii standout is versatile enough to play two positions (guard as well) but already appears to have the inside track on becoming the new centerpiece of a revamped offensive line. That's great new for Mueller, because if there has been one overwhelming area of ineptitude for the Dolphins, it is has been the O-line.

In addition, both Ginn and Beck have already had flashes of brilliance during offseason minicamps, and Ginn in particular looks ready to contribute immediately. Beck, a second-round pick, likely won't see the field for another year or two, which is actually a good thing when you consider that QBs who are slowly groomed to take over the helm fare much better than guys who are thrown into the fire as rookies.

This brings us to perhaps the most pivotal decision that Mueller has signed off on -- the trade which brought Trent Green to Miami and the inevitable jettisoning of a still-rehabbing Daunte Culpepper. Clearly, this was more of a Cameron decision, because it's Cameron who had a preexisting relationship with Green, and it was Cameron who ultimately decided that Culpepper did not fit his offensive system. But again, it is the GM's duty to evaluate these factors and make a decision based on the best interests of the franchise (and not necessarily the head coach).

If Green stays healthy and regains at least some of his prior Pro Bowl form that he possessed in Kansas City, Mueller and Cameron will look like geniuses. On the flip side, if Green gets hurt or flounders, and if Culpepper returns to prominence playing for another team, Mueller and Cameron will be crucified by the media and Miami's fans.

The underlying theme in all of this is that it will take at least another year or two to get a feel for how Mueller is handling his more prominent GM status. And don't forget that he still has an opportunity to make a positive and lasting impression via the '08 and '09 drafts. So for now, the vote of confidence that has been extended to Mueller seems valid.

Dolphins fans now need to hope that's still the case once some of these questions turn into definitive answers.
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About Hugo Guzman

Trying to bring an objective approach to NFL analysis.
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