by Alan Lupiani (Scribe) Written on August 18, 2009 One year ago, Bill Parcells and his staff came marching into Miami and completely re-structured the Dolphins. At that time, second year QB John Beck manned the ship for the Fins. Parcells proceeded to cleaned house faster than a hurricane making it's way through the South Florida panhandle. As a result, Beck and many on the Dolphins roster were either cut, traded, or released. Wasting little time to fill the quarterback void, the Dolphins grabbed free agent veteran Chad Pennington from the Jets. Parcells had originally drafted "The Chad" back with the 18th overall pick in the first round of the 2000 draft, and knew that Chad was just what the Dolphins needed: A game-hardened leader possessing superior game management skills. The rest is history. The Dolphins went from a 1-15 record in 2007 to a 11-5 playoff team in 2008. And this story only gets better. The Dolphins then drafted sure armed quarterback Chad Henne with the 57th overall pick in the second round of the 2008 draft out of the University of Michigan. Right now, Henne looks like the starter at quarterback for the 2010 season. To make things even more interesting, the Dolphins were able to snag all-world college quarterback Pat White with the 44th overall pick in the second round of the 2009 draft. White appears to be a perfect fit for the Dolphins, because he has great presence in the pocket, can play the pro-style, and has the athleticism required for newly designed offensive sets such as the "single wing." Call me crazy, but I believe Pat White can be a starting quarterback in the NFL. White will need to develop more upper body strength to improve his passing effectiveness and durability, however, when all said and done, this guy can flat out play. True, Henne and White have contrasting styles. On one hand, Henne possesses the stronger arm of the two, whereas White has more overall play-making ability. Both appear to have what it takes "between the ears" to be successful quarterbacks. Therefore, a number of factors will contribute to who will start in 2010 for the Dolphins as this team's personality takes shape, including: 1) Will the Dolphins evolve into a more classic pro style offensive set which includes a vertical passing game and a smash mouth running attack? If so, Henne appears to be the better fit. -OR- 2) Will the Dolphins continue to implement more single wing offensive type strategies in an effort to keep the rest of the league guessing? White gets the nod here for being the more versatile of the two quarterback's. Overall, I am leaning more towards option No. 2, as Parcells and his coaching staff like to keep folks guessing, as witnessed time and time again in recent history. And what if papa bear Chad Pennington leads the Dolphins to Super Bowl victory in 2009? Chad's $11.5 million, two-year contract runs out after this season. By NFL standards, Chad is in his quarterbacking prime at 33 years of age. Will "The Chad" be back in 2010 with continued success this year? The "element of surprise" has always been considered a key tactical element while engaging in battle, and Parcells has mastered this strategy to perfection. Stay tuned as this Dolphins story plays out with all the drama and surprise of a pulp fiction thriller.
