Tin Bits - First of the New Year! 1/05/09

Below are the latest stories from the Miami Herald and The South Florida Sun-Sentinel with additional notes from the folks at Rotoworld who clearly have the best weed...

• Ronnie Brown (Lisfranc surgery) confirmed Monday that he will not opt out of his contract this offseason.
  Brown is locked in through 2010 with a $5 million salary, barring an unexpected CBA deal. He says getting a contract extension would be "ideal," but the Fins won't go that far with Brown coming off such a serious injury.
  

• Impending free agent Anthony Fasano says he's been given no indication that the Dolphins want him back in 2010.  Fasano struggled badly this season, even before he was sidetracked by a hip injury in November. Miami will add tight end to its list of offseason priorities, which includes No. 1 receiver, nose tackle, inside linebacker, and free safety.

• Davone Bess' team-leading 76 receptions are the fourth most in franchise history.
  Bess is a pre-eminent slot receiver, but his lack of touchdowns makes him a fantasy asset strictly in PPR leagues. While the Dolphins will look to bring in a playmaking No. 1 receiver, Bess' job in the slot is safe for 2010.
   
• Dolphins FS Gibril Wilson was replaced by Chris Clemons in nickel and dimes situations for Sunday's season finale.
  Clemons struggled mightily, getting burned for two touchdowns and shying from contact on a Rashard Mendenhall tackle. It's the second time this season that Wilson has been benched, and Clemons isn't the answer. Miami will have to address the position this offseason, with Wilson likely on the outs.

• The Dolphins are expected to make nose tackle a priority this offseason.
  Impending free agent Jason Ferguson (torn quadriceps) is 35, but wants to re-sign for 2010. The Fins' run defense slipped from No. 7 to No. 14 with Ferguson out of the lineup in the last six weeks. Ferguson may return, but Miami needs to target a long-term solution at the position in the early rounds of the draft. Alabama's Terrence Cody would be an ideal pick.

• Dolphins RT Vernon Carey is scheduled to undergo surgery on his right knee.
  The Dolphins have not detailed the severity, but it's likely just a routine scope. Though Carey merited Pro Bowl consideration this season, his play had slipped of late with the nagging knee and back injuries.
  

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  Impending free agent Jason Taylor remains undecided about his plans for 2010.
  Taylor signed a one-year deal for $800,000 plus incentives before the season. The 35-year-old outperformed the deal as the Dolphins' best linebacker, so the team may have to up the ante to bring him back.
  
  
  
  

Ok, obviously these guys look only at stats and not at actual games. 

To say Vernon Carey merited Pro-Bowl consideration is like saying Rachel Ray is a top chef.  

And did Jason Taylor outperform his deal? We don't know what his incentive bonuses were, so how could we know if he outperformed it? 

Bess is a pre-eminent receiver? Someone needs a dictionary.  Yes, Bess managed to put up the 4th most receptions in a season for the Dolphins, but they don't have a history of huge seasons by individual receivers.  He also had 6 fumbles, and despite mysteriously not being included in the NFL stats for dropped passes, I counted 10 on the season, which was one more than Ted Ginn Jr is reported to have had.

• Coach Sparano, when asked if Chad Henne was the definite starter heading into 2010, said he'd "need to look at the whole body of work" which to me suggests that they intend on bringing back Chad Pennington to compete next year.  

• He also said he 'hadn't decided anything yet' on whether or not the whole coaching staff would be  back in 2010, which to me suggests that they won't be.  Or at least that he's thinking of letting someone go.

• The entire Buffalo Bills coaching staff has been told to look for work elsewhere.  They choose 9th in the 2010 draft, and recently hired an 80 year old GM who has no GM experience (honestly, if it takes you that long to get to be the boss, perhaps retirement is a better option).  It's pretty much guaranteed that the 9th pick will either be a QB or an OT two areas we won't be targetting in the 1st round, so that's one in our favor when we choose 12th.

• Either today or tomorrow, we will find out which practice squadders will be kept on to stay with the team through the off-season program as the Dolphins will sign worthy candidates to 'Future' contracts.  It's essentially just a formality so they can use the facilities/hold on to the playbook/etc.  Last year they signed the entire squad initially, but there is only one 2008 practice squadder left on the current team - Lex Hilliard.