Free agency is not about making a lot of moves, it’s about making the right ones at the right time, and in my opinion the Dolphins have done just that. A lot of fans have been worried about all the moves the Jets have been making, but the truth of the matter is, our team has holes that only we can fill and if we do that the right way, whatever moves other teams have made won’t matter. I also know that when it comes to Brandon Marshall, the fans have been split on whether to bring him on board or not, but the truth of the matter is, we have now picked up the best ILB available and the best WR available and we are going into the draft with a plan, because make no mistake about it, this front office has a plan and they have been following it all along.
The Karlos Dansby move on opening day of the draft had all of us fans excited and hopeful that this would be the offseason were we would finally see some changes, but as the days kept passing and news kept getting slower and slower, some people started to panic and feel that maybe not enough have been done, Boldin had been traded to Arizona, A. Rolle to the Giants and the Jets have picked up a number of players, including Cromartie and most recently Santonio Holmes. But Parcells and company have been doing this for a long time, and I believe that the Marshall deal was something they were planning to do all along, they were just waiting for the right time. Remember Marshall had visited with the Seahawks and they were still interested, yet the Dolphins went for the trade straight away and managed to come out on top.
The Broncos will trade Brandon Marshall later today in exchange for a second round pick in 2010 and a yet undisclosed pick in 2011, rumored to also be a second round pick. This means that not only did we manage to get the wide receiver that we desperately needed, but we also have kept that first round pick which allows us to fill one of the holes we have left. At # 12 Eric Berry still seems to be a possibility as far as a safety, the issue is whether he will fall that far down; another possibility is Dan Williams at nose tackle, which can be done even if we trade down.
Brandon Marshall is still a young player, but he brings a lot to Miami, sure he has had problems in the past, but I think if anyone can deal with that it’s Bill Parcells, if not they wouldn’t have brought him. The addition of Marshall to the roster will make a significant impact in our offense, among other things, Henne now has a solid reliable target to throw to deep down, giving the Dolphins those chunk yards we have been missing, he also opens up the field which provides a lot more space for our other wide receivers, and the sheer number of good WRs that we have allows for some innovative 3+ WR schemes like the Colts run at times, which would provide a definite edge over teams like the Jets who we will surely have something in store for.
Marshall also benefits enormously from this deal, and, in my opinion these benefits will be enough to keep him in check. Now, I’m not providing excuses because there are none, everyone is responsible for their own actions, but I am also a firm believer in second chances. I do believe though, that the work environment in Denver and McDaniel’s attitude have played a part in all the drama surrounding Marshall, remember he also had problems with Jay Cutler who ended up going to the Bears. Whatever the situation might have been, Marshall now has the opportunity to come to a team and make an impact that will be appreciated, he can win the fans over because as a whole we are suckers for guys who play their hearts out and he has the opportunity to develop and grow along a young QB who is a star in the making. Marshall has a clear opportunity to leave a mark on the sport and the team if he indeed comes in with a different mentality; because there is no doubt that he has the natural ability.
I am now more excited than ever for the draft to come, the front office has proven that the offseason is really like a game of chess, and it is best to keep your quite and not give out your next move, and as I said before, I believe there is a next move, just turn to the draft next week and be surprised as the plan unfolds… Next season is promising to be one we can’t miss a minute of!