Word is that the Dolphins regard Lemon as the guy who can take over the starting job in 2006 -- and hold it indefinitely into the future. The Fins, we hear, had been scouting Lemon for months. They regard the deal as a steal.
And they should. They gave up a six and a guy whom they would have dumped after the 2005 season anyway, especially since his salary is poised to make a significant jump upward in 2006.
In San Diego, the decision to squeeze Lemon out didn't go over well. A league source tells us that multiple members of the organization were "livid" about the trade.