*** DOLPHINS NEWS ***
Mar 03, 1998: -- Brock Marion To Sign --
** Dolphins Agree to Deal with Brock Marion
According to reports, the Dolphins have agreed to a deal with
free agent safety Brock Marion and he will sign that deal today in
Miami. According to the Miami Herald, the deal is reported to be for
3 years at a total salary of $8.25 million, including a $3 million
signing bonus.
Marion has played his entire career with the Dallas Cowboys
after being drafted by JJ in the seventh round of the 1993 draft.
He played mostly on special teams his first 2 years, but took over the
starting free safety position in 1995. That year, he had 80 tackles
and 6 interceptions as the Cowboys won the SuperBowl.
In 1996, Marion was the starting free safety until he was
sidelined with an injury in the 10th game of the season. In 1997, he
returned to the starting position and recorded 117 total tackles and 6
passes defensed, but no interceptions for the best pass defense in the
league.
The deal with Marion became possible on Friday when the
Carolina Panthers matched the Dolphins' offer to offensive lineman
Matt Campbell. This freed up some money that the Dolphins used to
boost their offer to Marion by approximately $2 million over the
weekend according to the Miami Herald.
** Dolphins Also Get James Brown
The Dolphins have also reportedly agreed to terms with
offensive tackle James Brown on a 5 year deal for a reported $10.5
million with a $3.1 million signing bonus. The Dolphins upped their
offer to Brown over the weekend by $2 million with the rest of the
money freed up by the loss of Matt Campbell.
Brown started every game for the Dolphins last year at right
tackle and has consistently graded out as one of the best Dolphins'
offensive linemen over the last 2 years, according to Dolphins'
offensive line coach Larry Beightol. It was originally thought that
the Dolphins would not be able to keep Brown, but with the loss of
Campbell to the Panthers, Brown's signing became more important to the
team.
** Bernie Parmalee Re-Signs and Kevin Alexander Signs
The Dolphins re-signed running back Bernie Parmalee yesterday
to a 2 year deal worth approximately $1 million. Parmalee has been an
important part of the Dolphins' offense since he made the team as a
walk-on back in 1992. Parmalee reportedly received better a better
offer from Seattle and was going to visit Denver, but has elected to
stay in Miami.
The Dolphins also signed the contract that they agreed to last
week with wide receiver Kevin Alexander, formerly of the New York
Giants, yesterday. Alexander did start in 8 games for the Giants last
year and had a 5 catch, 100 yard game against the Bengals, but the
Giants decided that they wouldn't make him a contract offer this
spring.
** Sean Gilbert to Visit the Dolphins
According to Sean Gilbert's agent, Gilbert will visit the
Miami Dolphins next week. Gilbert is involved in a struggle with the
Washington Redskins to have his franchise designation removed and if
he does get it dropped through arbitration, he wants to leave the
Redskins for another team.
Last year, Gilbert sat out the entire season in a contract
dispute with the Redskins. Before that, he was one of the better
defensive linemen in the NFL.
My Comments:
Whew!
I get pissed off last week and look what happens! Maybe I
should get pissed off more often...
By the way, I am informed by my English friends that "getting
pissed" in Britain refers to getting drunk, while getting "pissed off"
refers to getting mad. Apparently, I said that I was "getting pissed"
in my last report and that caused some confusion across the pond.
Just to clear up any confusion, when I said that I was getting
pissed in my last report, I meant "pissed off". I do get "pissed" now
and then, but in this case, I was simply mad.
I'm sure that JJ and Bob Ackles took that into account this
weekend when they used the money that they saved by not signing
Campbell to boost the offers to Brock Marion and James Brown. That
seems to me to be a sensible use of the extra money and I applaud them
for it.
You have to be happy with the signing of Marion. Arguably the
best free agent safety available, Marion has a reputation for playing
smart, steady, aggressive football. I know that some people are
worried about the fact that he had no interceptions last year, but I
think that the fact that he had 6 picks in 1995 says that he can play
the ball when he has to.
Another facet of Marion's abilities is his special teams
play. Last year, he returned 10 kickoffs for 311 years - a 31.1 yard
per return, which is an outstanding average. Of course 10 kickoffs is
not a lot, but it may be an indication that he can fill in as a kick
returner.
Whether or not he's a "great" player, he will certainly
upgrade the secondary. In all likelihood, he will start at free
safety opposite Shawn Wooden. T-Buck will continue to play the left
corner spot and Sam Madison will probably keep the right cornerback
position, while Calvin Jackson goes to being a permanent nickel back.
Of course, this may spell the end for Corey Harris and/or
George Teague. It's possible both could stay on as backups, but I
doubt that that will happen. When June 1st comes around, one or the
other will probably be cut.
The signing of James Brown is good, now that the Dolphins have
lost Campbell. In the current market, I think that they cut a pretty
good deal for him - about $2 million a year - and he'll be a steady
player at that right tackle spot. It also allows the Dolphins to
concentrate on looking for a left guard to supplement or replace Jeff
Buckey.
As for Bernie Parmalee, here's a guy that you just have to
love and love to have. He works hard, doesn't complain, signs with
Miami for less money and does almost everything well. He'll never be
Barry Sanders or Larry Csonka, but every successful team needs a
couple of Bernie Parmalees on them.
Hell, Parmalee even gave up a chance to sign with the Super
Bowl champions to stay in Miami. I'm very glad he's back.
As for Sean Gilbert - well, he might be able to play at left
defensive end and help out there, but I can't imagine that he'd be a
cost effective player. He's going to want a lot of money and hasn't
played in over a year. Plus, there's the whole question of his
attitude, which is apparently stuck in the money-grubbing mode.
No, I don't think that Sean Gilbert needs to be in Miami
unless the Dolphins can get him as a bargain. The word on him is that
the Redskins are trying to trade him for a 1st or 2nd round draft pick
and I don't think that the Dolphins should give up that high a pick
for him, especially considering the fact that he'll want a new
contract as soon as he is traded.
On a completely unrelated note, it now appears that the
Dolphins are not going to go after Robert Smith of the Vikings after
all. They are concerned about his durability and don't want to spend
the money on him if he won't be likely to play all year.
Related Info:
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Curt Fennell,
curt@phins.com, DOLFAN in New Rochelle (almost)
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