by
Chris Shashaty, Phins.com Columnist
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If you are hoping, maybe even demanding,
that the Miami Dolphins will make a major move to find their next franchise
quarterback, you are likely to be very disappointed.
As things stand today, the odds are very
high that the starter for 2012 will be incumbent Matt Moore. I say incumbent
because
In the draft, it is well known that the number
of franchise level QBs are just two: Stanford’s Andrew Luck and Heisman winner
Robert Griffin III of Baylor. The Dolphins current draft position (8 or 9,
depending on a coin toss with the Panthers) places them well behind other teams
also in need of a new QB, which means that it would take a mint to move up to
draft either man.
And if you’re hoping for meaningful help in
free agency or via a trade, just remember that franchise caliber QBs don’t
usually fall from trees. Drew Brees is a rare example, though no one could have
predicted his rise at the time the Saints signed him (and the Dolphins didn’t).
And overpaying on potential, as the Dolphins did with AJ Feeley and Daunte
Culpepper, usually ends up badly for the chump who gives into desperation (as
the Dolphins did).
So for those of you swooning over Packer QB Matt
Flynn's 400+ yard, 6 TD performance yesterday, keep in mind that the Lions have
one of the worst pass defenses in the NFL (23rd). In other words, he looked
better than he probably is. So the Dolphins shouldn't toss major money at him,
or the first/second round pick that the Packers will demand, because the upside
over what they currently have (
And, please, do not think about an aging
Peyton Manning. The compensation to get him will be just as high, and his long
term football fitness is a serious concern. The Dolphins know this and will hopefully
shop elsewhere.
So back to the draft. Some say the Dolphins
should pay three first rounders, plus players, to move up and get Luck or
The reality of the situation, however, is
that Jeff Ireland is not a bold GM like
Yet it would be wrong of you to mistake
This brings us back to Matt Moore. Objectively, his performance over the past
nine games has been very good, even great. What else can one say about 15 TDs
versus just 5 INTs? Every single good player on the team has lauded his work. One
could argue, as I would, that
How could anyone justify sitting a player of that caliber?
You can’t.
Now this does not mean that the Dolphins won’t draft a quarterback. They
should hedge their investment in
Again, not the outcome that many of you are hoping for but that’s what I
believe will happen. In fact, the Dolphins are more likely to focus on
upgrading the talent on the offensive line, with three of the draft’s Top 10
prospects being much needed tackles (according to Scouts Inc), versus a trade
up for Luck or Griffin.
It’s not sexy but it’s the sort of move that would fit the modus operandi
of Jeff Ireland. And it would align perfectly with the argument that says
So why should people feel any better about the 2012 Dolphins versus the
version of the past three seasons? The answer