*** DOLPHINS NEWS ***
Feb 20, 1998: -- Campbell Signed to Offer Sheet --
According to a report on ESPN, the Dolphins have signed
restricted free agent Matt Campbell to an offer sheet for undisclosed
terms. Campbell is a very athletic offensive lineman who started 14
games for the Carolina Panthers last season - 4 at left tackle and 10
at left guard.
Originally entering the league as an undrafted rookie tight
end in 1994, Campbell attended training camp with the New Orleans
Saints and was briefly on the team's practice squad before being
waived in September of that year.
The Panthers signed him as a tight end in 1995 and he is one
of the 10 original players to make up that team. They converted him
to left tackle in the 1996 season and he started 9 games in '96 at
that position. In 1997, he started the season at left tackle and
moved to left guard.
Since Campbell is a restricted free agent, the Panthers have
10 days to match the Dolphins offer if they want to retain him.
However, if they don't match the Dolphins' offer, they will not get
any compensation for him.
My Comments:
The word is that the Panthers are unlikely to match the
Dolphins' offer for Campbell. What is less clear is where Campbell
is likely to fit in on the offensive line.
A lot will depend on who else the Dolphins sign. The current
plan seems to be that the Dolphins would like to sign Jim Pyne to play
left guard and move Campbell to the right tackle spot.
If Pyne doesn't sign, I would expect that Campbell would play
at the left guard position and Jeff Buckey and Brent Smith would fight
it out for the right tackle spot. The other alternative is to move
Campbell to compete for the right tackle position and let Buckey stay
at left guard.
ESPN is reporting that Campbell will play at right guard, but
that's baloney. Kevin Donnalley is the right guard at this point and
Campbell has never played there.
As a player, I expect that Campbell will be a good addition.
As a former tight end, he is probably more athletic than the average
offensive lineman. He probably runs better and is lighter on his feet
than the average 300 pound guard. He is 300 pounds, though, so size
isn't an issue.
My disappointment with this signing comes not from the signing
of Campbell, but from the lack of any other signings of note. A lot
of excellent players have slipped by the Dolphins and time for signing
a major player has just about run out. Other than Donnalley and
Randle, it appears that the Dolphins have not set their sights on any
real impact players.
I guess we just have to hope that they know what they're doing
in regards to free agency.
Related Info:
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Curt Fennell,
curt@phins.com, DOLFAN in New Rochelle (almost)
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