NFL Draft Info - Miami Dolphins

2009 Miami Dolphins Report Card

By Keith Beebe

A year removed from a surprising AFC East crown, the Dolphins spent much of the 2009 season battling injuries to key players and lackluster play from supposed "veteran" players. Having to play one of the league's toughest schedules certainly didn't make things easy for the upstart Dolphins, but this squad seemed to have a knack for losing the games they should have won -- a problem the 2008 didn't have.

A rebuilding era is not often pleasant for a franchise or its fans, but Miami's 11-5 record in 2008 caused a lot of people to forget that the Dolphins had a long way to go before they could become a perennial contender in the AFC.

So how did the Dolphins look in year two of the Parcells era? Let's take a look.

Quarterback

In terms of the quarterback position, I am not sure the Dolphins could've asked for anything more from Chad Henne, who took over the starting spot after 2008 savior Chad Pennington went down with yet another shoulder injury in late-September. Henne had fits where he was wildly inaccurate, but he's got the big arm opposing defenses fear and the cerebral approach offensive coordinators love. He should also get better with off-season workouts and preparation, which means the Dolphins' gamble on the second-round pick out of Michigan could very well pay off.

Pat White's ability as an NFL quarterback is still a mystery, but Tyler Thigpen looked decent in his second-half appearance against Pittsburgh.

Grade: B-

Running back

By far their greatest strength entering 2009, the Dolphins' running game was consistently good during the season. Ronnie Brown was red hot the first five weeks of the season (out of both base and wildcat formation) and was a nightmare for defensive coordinators to scheme for before suffering a season-ending foot injury. And when Brown went down, Ricky Williams picked up the slack with an unbelievable (and age-defying) performance during the second half of the season.

Patrick Cobbs, a favorite of the coaching staff, was decent in the five games he played before suffering a season-ending injury (noticing a trend here?) Lex Hilliard, in his second year out of Montana, looked impressive at times, but was caught in the backfield far too often.

Grade: B

Offensive Line

The Dolphins' offensive line was a bit disappointing when you consider just how much it cost. But as individuals, Jake Long and Jake Grove played outstanding football this season. Long is already one of the best left tackles in the game and rebounded nicely from a rough Week 1 performance against the Falcons' John Abraham. Grove, replacing Samson Satele, was an ox at center before getting hurt at Carolina. He returned to action a few weeks later but looked limited by the injury.

The Dolphins' line did a fine job of run blocking this season, but really struggled in pass protection, which had Henne getting to know pass rushers on a first-name basis during the last three games of the season. Not good.

Nevertheless, this unit has shown a ton of promise and should be much improved before the 2010 season begins.

Grade: B

Wide Receivers

This is where things start to get ugly for the Dolphins. Despite having an outstanding slot guy (Davone Bess) and an ultra reliable possession receiver (Greg Camarillo), the Dolphins have no players that even resemble a No. 1 receiver. Ted Ginn Jr., supposedly a solid No.2 wideout, played poorly this season and displayed a pair of stone hands even Braylon Edwards would find offensive. When Ted gets behind a receiver and turns on the jets, it's breathtaking. Unfortunately for Dolphins fans, Ted struggles to get off of jams at the line of scrimmage, which negates Ginn's mach 3 speed.

The Dolphins drafted big-bodied wideout Patrick Turner in the third round, but have yet to see him get on the field. Fourth-round pick Brian Hartline was a nice surprise, however, and became one of Henne's favorite targets.

A No.1 wideout is an absolute must for the Dolphins in this draft, regardless of whether they are using a second-round pick or a sixth-round pick on the position.

Grade: C-

Defensive Line

Aside from the offensive line, this is the area where the Dolphins have improved the most since, 2007 (aka "the season that shall not be named.") Randy Starks has become an absolute beast at defensive end after being tossed aside by the Titans organization, and '08 draft picks Phillip Merling and Kendall Langford have both developed into outrageously talented ends in the 3-4 scheme (though Merling does suffer from "I play when I want to play" syndrome.)

The Dolphins have a TON of depth at the defensive position, and may have to cut a few players before next season.

Nose tackle, however, remains a position the Dolphins need to address sometime soon. Jason Ferguson has been solid at the position, but suffered a season-ending knee injury against Carolina. He's also 35 years old and could be headed for retirement (although preliminary indications suggest he might make one more go of it.)

Paul Soliai has been decent as a backup nose tackle, but struggled in the starting role after Ferguson went down.

Miami could use a mid-round pick on a nose tackle to anchor their 3-4 defense, but whether or not they are willing to use a first or second-round pick on either Dan Williams or Terrence Cody remains to be seen.

Grade: B+

Linebacker

Oh boy, where to begin. The Dolphins chose (perhaps wisely) to focus on the cornerback position during the 2009 draft, but putting off the linebacker position for a year cost the Dolphins dearly in several games this season. It seemed like Miami was struggling to contain opposing tight ends in just about every game they played, and their linebackers were absolutely abused in coverage. Joey Porter followed up his stellar 2008 campaign with an absolute dud in '09, and moving Jason Taylor to outside linebacker wasn't as effective as the Dolphins hoped.

Channing Crowder has been solid at the inside linebacker position, but is non-existent against the run. Akin Ayodele seemed to miss more tackles than he made and was routinely toasted in coverage. Reggie Torbor and Charlie Anderson looked OK at times but aren't players this defense should be built around.

And then there's CFL recuit Cameron Wake, who lived up to his off-season hype by consistently shedding blocks and getting to the quarterback. Wake is a liability in coverage, but I don't see the point in putting the reins on a thoroughbred pass rusher like Wake. Just let the man put his hand in the dirt and go to work. The results are usually spectacular ...

The Dolphins need to draft linebackers early and often in the 2010 draft. If you told me Miami had the worst linebacker corps in the league, I would say you're being too generous.

Grade: F

Secondary

Miami used two high draft picks on cornerbacks Vontae Davis and Sean Smith, with the intention the pair would learn under veteran cornerback Will Allen before eventually becoming the team's starting corner tandem. Smith earned a starting spot in training camp, while Davis took over Allen's starting spot after the veteran went down with a knee injury against New Orleans in Week 7.

Both rookies has their share of burns and biffed plays, but both rookies also looked phenomenal at times. Davis notched four interceptions (two of which came off of passes intended for Randy Moss), and Smith, standing 6'3 and possessing an incredible wingspan, seems to be an early candidate for "Asomugha syndrome," which means teams typically shy away from throwing in his direction.

The safety position isn't as bright for the Dolphins right now. Gibril Wilson has been a complete disappointment at the free safety position and lacks the ideal speed necessary to attack throws over the top. Fifth-round draft pick Chris Clemons, an absolute speedster, looked decent in relief of Wilson, but needs to see more action before the Dolphins can gauge whether or not he's the answer at free safety.

As usual, Yeremiah Bell was solid at the strong safety position, laying the wood to opposing receivers while also showing an improved ball-hawking sense. The Dolphins need to pair him with someone who isn't an absolute liability in coverage.

Grade: C

Special Teams

Both kicker Dan Carpenter and punter Brandon Fields have been outstanding for the Dolphins. Carpenter doesn't have the big leg that can get it done from 50+ yards, but he is incredibly accurate from anywhere inside of that range.

Fields was also exceptional for the Dolphins in 2009, which could be why Bill Parcells supposedly loves the guy so much. Of course, Fields' 26 punts pinned inside the opponent's 20-yard line this season might also have something to do with that ...

Grade: A-

Bottom Line

Although the Dolphins finished the '09 season with a disappointing 7-9 record, it's important to note that their record could've (and probably should've) been 10-6. Blown opportunities against the Colts, Saints and Titans cost the Dolphins a chance to repeat as AFC East champs and return to the playoffs, but there's several things to like about this team.

A No.1 receiver and a few linebackers in the 2010 draft should get Miami back on track in 2010.