FrankTheTank
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http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=pasquarelli_len&id=1645736
Miami coach Dave Wannstedt is playing coy about his choice of starting quarterback for Monday night's game at San Diego and won't announce whether Jay Fiedler or backup Brian Griese will get the nod. Neither player is completely healthy, with Fiedler trying to gut his way through a sprained knee ligament, and Griese still not fully recovered from the toe injury he sustained in preseason. But while the Dolphins remain cryptic over the identity of this week's starter, there is no camouflaging the fact the franchise intends to upgrade the position in the offseason. Fiedler has regularly missed wide-open receivers, most notably in the last two games, and hasn't had a 40-yard completion in four weeks. Griese, in his limited practice time, hasn't convinced coaches or personnel people that he is a long-term solution. So book this one: No matter how the rest of the season plays out, the Dolphins will make upgrading the quarterback spot their top offseason priority. Even though the coaching staff goes to great lengths to defend Fiedler, it knows that he isn't going to be a guy who ever gets the franchise to a Super Bowl. There has been plenty of rhetoric about Mark Brunell wanting to play in Miami, but don't count on it, for any number of reasons. The preference is to get a veteran for a year or so, maybe even Griese if he reduces his financial demands. But the push will be to get a quarterback in the draft, perhaps even the first round, or to trade for a young guy, like Drew Henson. There are financial ramifications with both quarterbacks. Fiedler is due a $2 million option bonus by next March 14, is scheduled to earn a base salary of $5.775 million, and has a cap charge of $7.57 million. Griese is due a roster bonus of over $5 million.
So basically this season is a wash...we do need a young guy badly and I'm not talking about Sage.
Miami coach Dave Wannstedt is playing coy about his choice of starting quarterback for Monday night's game at San Diego and won't announce whether Jay Fiedler or backup Brian Griese will get the nod. Neither player is completely healthy, with Fiedler trying to gut his way through a sprained knee ligament, and Griese still not fully recovered from the toe injury he sustained in preseason. But while the Dolphins remain cryptic over the identity of this week's starter, there is no camouflaging the fact the franchise intends to upgrade the position in the offseason. Fiedler has regularly missed wide-open receivers, most notably in the last two games, and hasn't had a 40-yard completion in four weeks. Griese, in his limited practice time, hasn't convinced coaches or personnel people that he is a long-term solution. So book this one: No matter how the rest of the season plays out, the Dolphins will make upgrading the quarterback spot their top offseason priority. Even though the coaching staff goes to great lengths to defend Fiedler, it knows that he isn't going to be a guy who ever gets the franchise to a Super Bowl. There has been plenty of rhetoric about Mark Brunell wanting to play in Miami, but don't count on it, for any number of reasons. The preference is to get a veteran for a year or so, maybe even Griese if he reduces his financial demands. But the push will be to get a quarterback in the draft, perhaps even the first round, or to trade for a young guy, like Drew Henson. There are financial ramifications with both quarterbacks. Fiedler is due a $2 million option bonus by next March 14, is scheduled to earn a base salary of $5.775 million, and has a cap charge of $7.57 million. Griese is due a roster bonus of over $5 million.
So basically this season is a wash...we do need a young guy badly and I'm not talking about Sage.
