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The Dolphins have traded running back Lorenzo Booker to the Philadelphia Eagles for a 4th round pick in this year’s draft. Booker played in 7 games (1 start) as a rookie for the Dolphins in 2007 and he carried the ball 28 times for 125 yards (4.5 ypc). He also caught 28 passes for 237 yards (8.5 avg). Booker didn’t fit into the Dolphins new power ball type of offense so this will likely help both the Dolphins and Booker.
The Dolphins couldn’t pass up a chance to draft Chad Henne as they are not confident in Josh McCown and John Beck. Henne has nice size at 6′2″, 228 pounds and he runs a 4.9 40. Henne is a classic dropback passer with a big arm. He started as a freshman at Michigan and he returned last season only because he wanted to win a National Championship. That didn’t happen but it showed what kind of character that Henne has. Henne played in 47 games (all starts) at Michigan and he completed 828 of 1,387 passes (59.7%) for 9,715 yards with 87 TD passes and 37 interceptions. Henne will likely get a chance to start from Day #1 if he can beat out McCown and Beck. This was another very solid pick for the Dolphins.
The Dolphins were very happy to see Phillip Merling to slide to them in the 2nd round as many experts had him graded as a first round pick. Merling is 6′5″, 270 pounds and he can run a 4.8 40 which is pretty impressive. In 38 games (26 starts) at Clemson, Merling made 146 tackles, 31 tackles for a loss, had 12 sacks, batted down 7 passes, forced 4 fumbles and he also recovered a fumble. Merling will likely step right in and play in pass rush situations and he could quickly earn a starting job with the Dolphins as he has a non stop motor. Merling was a great pick for the Dolphins.
The Miami Dolphins have acquired tight end Anthony Fasano and linebacker Akin Ayodele from the Cowboys for a 4th round pick in tomorrow’s NFL Draft. Fasano will battle David Martin for the starting TE job on the Dolphins. Fasano played in 16 games last season for the Cowboys and he caught 14 passes for 143 yards (10.2 avg) with 1 TD grab. Fasano has now played in 32 games in his NFL career and he has caught 28 passes for 269 yards (9.6 avg) with 1 TD grab. Ayodele played in all 16 games for the Cowboys last season and he made 57 tackles and defensed 4 passes. Ayodele has now played in 96 games in his NFL career and he has made 484 tackles, has 9.5 sacks, has defensed 14 passes and he has intercepted 5 passes. Ayodele will battle Reggie Torbor and Channing Crowder for the right to start at inside linebacker. This was a good trade for the Dolphins who get two proven players for a 4th round pick.
The Dolphins will select OT Jake Long with the #1 overall pick in the NFL Draft after agreeing to a 5-year contract with him last night. The deal is for $57.5 million bucks with $30 million dollars in guaranteed money. Long will play left tackle as a rookie with Vernon Carey shifting to right tackle. Long is a 6′7″, 310 pound masher in the running game as Ronnie Brown will be running behind him early and often as a rookie. Long does have some trouble with speed rushers but the Dolphins’ coaching staff will work to improve him in that area. Long won the Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year Award in each of the last two seasons. He also was a AP, two-time first-team All American. Long is Bill Parcell’s kind of player…..mean and nasty. This was the right pick to start the rebuilding in Miami.