Dolphins’ offense filled with question marks

By Hugo Guzman  |   Tuesday, July 17, 2007  |  Comments( 21 )

Miami Dolphins
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Now that Chris Chambers is facing a DWI in North Carolina, you can add one more nugget to the load of question marks currently facing the Miami Dolphins' offense.

And, yes, I know that reports out of Charlotte hint at the idea that Chambers' charges are little more than an overblown speeding ticket. The veteran wideout reportedly passed his breathalyser test shortly after being arrested, and if that's the case, it is likely that the Dolphins' No. 1 WR will be spared from any NFL-inspired wrath that might have befallen him. Still, the facts of the case have not been fully released, and Chambers is not completely out of the woods yet in terms of either a team- or league-imposed suspension.

More importantly, Chambers' situation is only one of many reasons for concern.

There are more questions than answers for Miami's offense at this point. In fact, there is only one player who, barring injury, is guaranteed to be a starter at the position he occupied a season ago, and that's running back Ronnie Brown. A few other starters -- like Chambers and counterpart Marty Booker -- should be returning, but Chambers' legal issues and the possible emergence of first-round rookie Ted Ginn Jr. could leave either of the two veterans out of the starting lineup come September. You've also got a few guys who will likely start again, but at different positions. Former right tackle Vernon Carey is moving to left tackle, former right guard L.J. Shelton is moving to right tackle and ex-center Rex Hadnot could be shifting to right guard.

Beyond that, every position along the offensive front will be manned by a new player in '07. There are new No. 1s at quarterback, fullback, center, slot receiver and tight end. However, the most questionable position of all is that of left guard. Currently, rookie Drew Mormino is battling with journeyman Chris Liwienski for starting duties. The Dolphins are also considering free-agent upgrades such as current Jet Pete Kendall or former Cardinal Milford Brown. None of these players is expected to turn left guard into a position of strength in the near future.

While it is true that NFL rosters always seem to be in an endless state of flux, the Dolphins are in a more uncertain position than most. A look at some of the league's most potent and consistent offenses -- teams like the Colts, Rams, and Chargers -- emphasizes the idea that continuity leads to success. Unfortunately, the Dolphins are seriously lacking in the continuity department.

Does this mean that Miami's offense is already being written off before the season even starts? Of course not.

Quarterback Trent Green is a seasoned veteran with Pro Bowl pedigree.

Chambers and Booker are proven veterans, while Ginn may prove to be the lightning bolt that helps spark Miami's withering offensive flame.

Shifty rookie Lorenzo Booker looks like the perfect complement to Brown's bruising style at RB.

David Martin has the athleticism and size that make him eerily similar to All-Pro tight end Antonio Gates, whom first-year Dolphins head coach Cam Cameron helped develop in San Diego.

On the line, Carey has matured a lot as a player and could prove to be a pleasant surprise at left tackle. Shelton and Hadnot have proven to be solid players and should adjust well to their new positions; moreover, rookie center Samson Satele could prove to be the anchor for the revamped offensive line for years to come.

Clearly, then, there are some glimmering reasons for optimism on the roster, but history dictates that it will take something akin to a miracle in order to get all of these new pieces to jell into an effective unit quickly enough to make the Dolphins a legitimate postseason contender in 2007. That scenario is possible, but it is not probable.

Fortunately, Miami's most important offensive turnover did not occur at a particular position. Instead, it was the addition of Cameron that could prove to be the main catalyst for positive change for an offense that has been this team's Achilles for nearly a decade.

The question at hand is simple yet duplicitous in nature: If Cameron is indeed able to right the offensive ship in Miami, how long will it take? One year, two years, three years....

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About Hugo Guzman

Trying to bring an objective approach to NFL analysis.
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