http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/dolphins/home.htm DEFENSIVE LINEMEN: Starters — LDE Phillip Merling, NT Jason Ferguson, RDE Kendall Langford. Backups — NT Paul Soliai, T/E Tony McDaniel, T Joe Cohen, E Lionel Dotson, E/T Randy Starks, T/E Rod Wright. Langford started from Day 1 and was outstanding with 31 tackles and two sacks. Fellow rookie Merling hit the rookie wall, but had a huge interception/TD in the season finale win over the Jets. Their potential allowed Miami to save cap money by releasing veteran leader Vonnie Holliday. Starks provided experience and big-play ability, coming up with timely sacks (3.0) and pass deflections. His offseason arrest has clouded his status. Anchoring the 3-4 is massive nose tackle Jason Ferguson, who often occupied two linemen and helped improve the run defense from 32nd to 10th. However, the Dolphins did allow opponents to gain 100 or more rushing yards in nine games. The Dolphins are hoping the late-blooming Soliai gets his act together this season and is able to eventually succeed Ferguson, who turns 35 this season. Cohen, the former Gator, could pass him by. Rookies Orion Martin and Louis Ellis are practice squad candidates. Let's see if Soliai progresses or stays the same.
That is good article there. Even though Training camps is only a mere few days from now, it appears that we have a strong unit going into the new season. We might have a few questions going into camp but it should be all answered by September. We have more depth than we had last year and it is only getting better. I would like to see this team get stronger and stronger and more healthier as the season goes on. I believe this team can be more dominate as the weeks go by.
Good read John, thanks for the link. We certainly are deeper and stronger than last year going into TC. If Thomas comes back and stays healthy @ RG, our OL should enable us to have an effective running game in our standard offensive sets. That will go a long way towards getting back in the playoffs and going deeper once there, it will also bode well for what we can do with the WildCat, since the WC will be more as a confuser than a necessity due to poor running game. And our halftime entertainment should be far stronger too What do you think of having Jimmy Buffet write a new theme song for the Dolphins? I don't care for the old one, so I'm all for it, but a lot of fans who've been fans far longer than I have, may not be too happy with that idea. I like the thought of a Dolphins theme song that sounds more like a Miami/Conch Republic type thing. Discuss?
I respectfully disagree with Soliai at NT. If one of the undrafted rookies bring there game and play better then Paul, then show Paul the door. We keep waiting on him to turn the corner, and finally bring it, and we are still waiting.
Solai will step up or step out, that simple. there is a opportunity for McDaniels to enter into the fray