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Blogging the National Football League, Blogging the NFL
After three months of trade talks, Trent Green is now officially a Miami Dolphin. And it looks like QB Daunte Culpepper is on his way out of town despite receiving news that he has been cleared to test his surgically repaired knee. Miami will give up a conditional 2008 fifth-round draft pick that can increase to a fourth-rounder if Trent meets certain performance standards (he just needs to play in 70% of the offensive snaps this season). So why not keep Daunte as an insurance policy at the quarterback position? Here’s why. He’s due to make $5.5 million in base salary this season. Plus, they just resigned backup QB Cleo Lemon to a one-year deal and drafted Brigham Young quarterback John Beck. You do the math.
The questions that remain are: 1.) is Trent 100% after missing half of last season with a serious concussion? and 2.) does Trent have enough talent around him on offense to make that much of a difference?
Only time will tell if there are any lingering effects from last season’s brain trauma, but Trent will be the starter and a great teacher for the aforementioned John Beck, the supposed QB of Miami’s future. But let’s look at the offensive line. Trent’s protectors in Kansas City were some of the best to ever play the game (eg. Will Shields and Willie Roaf). I like the “skill position” players in Miami (Ronnie Brown, Ted Ginn Jr., Chris Chambers), but I’m not sold on that O-line. Why would I be? They gave up 40+ sacks last season. Kudos for drafting center Samson Satele from Hawaii, but that’s not good enough. Miami’s offense isn’t going to set any records just because they signed Trent. He’ll help, but he’ll also need help. And I don’t think he’s got enough of it.
