After catching a Pro Bowl record four touchdowns — two less than he had during the entire regular season — to go with 176 receiving yards, Marshall had his wish, driving out of the stadium with a brand-new SUV as his prize. Marshall joined Ricky Williams (2002) and Garo Yepremian (1973) as the third Dolphin to earn the honor.

Sure, Marshall’s impressive statistics can be viewed as meaningless when the two teams combined to score 100 points, but just look at the highlight-reel catches the Dolphins wide receiver made in the game. One TD came when he was able to keep his concentration after the ball sailed through two defenders and bounced off Marshall’s own foot. On his final score, he once again caught the ball in traffic, twisting his body in the back of the end zone and dragging both feet inbounds while being held by the defender.

When he was interviewed mid-game by NBC sideline reporter Alex Flanagan, Marshall wasted no time in crediting the Pro Bowl quarterbacks for making spectacular plays, simultaneously throwing every Dolphins signal caller under the bus.

“Down in Miami, getting a feel for different quarterbacks — had three or four of them throughout my two years there — and the (Pro Bowl) quarterbacks make it easy for me,” he said. “These guys are just putting it in the right places and I’m making the plays, so it’s easy right now.”

If you’re counting, the “three or four” Miami QBs would be Matt Moore, Chad Henne, Tyler Thigpen and Chad Pennington (for a few snaps), as well as J.P. Losman, for good measure. And just in case he wasn’t abundantly clear the first time around, Marshall reiterated that the Pro Bowl quarterbacks were responsible for his MVP performance after the game.

“Since Jay Cutler (with the Denver Broncos), I’ve had a few different quarterbacks, and being in the Pro Bowl, you have these elite quarterbacks you’re playing with,” he said. “It’s all them — they put (the ball) in the right spots and it’s easy for me to make the catch.”

It’s not that Marshall is factually wrong, since the five Dolphins QBs he’s played with were mostly mediocre. But Marshall didn’t exactly help matters, dropping 12 passes (officially) during 2011 season and making countless mistakes on the field. It should also be noted that Moore finished 12th in the NFL in Passer Rating, and that Marshall caught 59 passes for 901 yards and five TDs in Moore’s 12 starts.

It’s obvious that Marshall, as well as owner Stephen Ross and every Dolphins fan, want an upgrade at the QB position. But calling out his teammates on national television with a wide grin — especially since there’s still a chance that Moore could be back next season — isn’t the right time or place to make his point or help the organization in its search. Marshall’s acrobatic catches and record-setting numbers speak much louder than his words for any interested free agents.

Marshall also chose to praise former Dolphins head coach Tony Sparano while referring to Joe Philbin simply as, “the new coach.” Make of that what you will.

“When you look at what Coach Sparano was able to do, the foundation was built. A lot of people don’t give him enough credit, but we have a solid locker room, high character guys and leadership there,” said Marshall when asked about the Dolphins’ future. “The new coach coming in, he’s inheriting a strong team.”

It’ll be interesting to see who that team will add to throw the ball to the never-outspoken MVP-winner.

Henne finishes the year with a 4:4 touchdown-to-interception ratio, a career-best 79.0 QB rating, and a career-worst 57.1% completion percentage. Considering he’ll be free agent after the season, it’s possible that he’s played his final game as a Dolphin.

Matt Moore, who threw for 167 yards and a pick in relief of Henne last week, will almost surely start against the New York Jets next week (we do have a few tickets available, if you’re wondering). Since the only other QB on the roster is practice squad rookie Pat Devlin, Miami will sign another veteran back-up in the coming days; according to reports, the team has reached out to David Garrard, Jake Delhomme, and Sage Rosenfels, and worked out Brodie Croyle and Trent Edwards.

While Garrard, a 2009 Pro Bowler who was unexpectedly released by the Jacksonville Jaguars, inspires the most confidence from that list, the Dolphins have thus far balked at giving him a guaranteed contract and a starting job.  Rosenfels spent the first four years of his career with the Dolphins — throwing for 278 total yards, one TD and five picks in two starts — and his career “highlight” is this ridiculous helicopter hurdle.  I’d rather not even think rooting for Delhomme, who’s thrown 10 TDs and 25 INTs in 16 games over the last two years.

Meanwhile, Moore, like Henne, has been frustratingly inconsistent during his four-year career, throwing 16 TDs and 18 interceptions in 13 starts. After throwing eight TDs without a pick over the final four games of 2009 — including 299 passing yards and three TDs in a win over the 11-2 Minnesotta Vikings — Moore sported a 5:10 TD-to-INT ratio and lost his starting job to rookie Jimmy Clausen last season.  Perhaps Moore can still develop into a serviceable starter, but it’s looking more and more like Dolphins may be in the thick of the Andrew Luck sweepstakes.

Update: The Dolphins did indeed bring back the 33-year-old Rosenfels on a one-year contract, after also working out the likes of Kellen Clemens, Charlie Frye, J.P. Losman, and Jim Sorgi. Hey, at least it wasn’t Delhomme.

The Dolphins are off to an 0-3 start following a heartbreaking loss to the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, and Ben Volin of the Palm Beach Post joins us to talk about the team’s future. The topics up for discussion include conservative and questionable play-calling; continued defensive breakdowns and poor chemistry between Chad Henne and Brandon Marshall; and the status of the coaching staff and front office.

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Music Credit: Solo D, “DolfansNYC Anthem”

Last week, DolfansNYC attended Web Weekend, an annual event hosted by the Miami Dolphins for the team’s top fan websites. Prior to Sunday’s game against the Houston Texans, Coach Tony Sparano addressed the crowd and spoke about a number of key topics, after which we he took time out of his busy schedule to answer a few questions for our podcast.

Below are the main portions from the group Q&A, followed by our exclusive one-on-one interview with Coach Sparano, in which he talks about his football playing career, the decision behind hiring offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, and his thoughts on New York and DolfansNYC.

On under-the-radar players to watch for:

I think a guy that you should watch out for, predicated on what I’ve seen throughout training camp – and I don’t like singling any players out, as I’m sure you guys know – I’ll tell you that Reshad Jones is a guy I would watch.   This guy had 13 tackles (against the Patriots), and has had a really good training camp, has really good range and ball skills back there.  I think he’s a guy that could have a really good year as a young player for us.

I’m hoping that Jared Odrick will continue to get better.  He needs to play, and he obviously hasn’t played in a long time.  So, Jared would be a guy that I would say the same thing about.  And then maybe a young guy like Daniel Thomas.

On the roster decision-making process:

The first thing we identify, is where the need is – obviously, just because there’s a player out there, he might not satisfy our needs at that particular time.  There were a lot of good players out there when free agency hit at the end of the lockout, but we had a particular plan in mind, knowing what we had coming back and knowing maybe a little bit about what we needed.

This year, business was done a little bit differently, only because the draft was done before free agency.  So, in the draft, we got to fill some needs like Clyde Gates, in getting speed, or Mike Pouncey, in finding a center, and Daniel Thomas, in finding a (running) back.  At that point, it became, “okay, we’ve got Daniel Thomas – what’s the next piece?  Well, there’s this Reggie Bush that might be out there.”  That was a scenario there where (it was) a hunch on our part, only because Reggie had made a lot of money where he was, (and could have been) a cap casualty.  And we had all of those things – our scouting department has a list of players that we think are going to be released, a list of players that are free agents, and potential cap casualties.  And this was a scenario where we were able to get a good player in that situation and bring him to our team.

But the way the process works, is identifying the problem first, then Jeff (Ireland) and I will sit down and go over the possibilities.  We’ll have what we call a “short list,” a list of players in that area, that we’ll start putting together, we’ll go through, and if we feel like there’s a chance that we can strike a deal with somebody there that might be a good deal for us, then we’ll push towards that.  So, it’s mutual, both of us together, but most of the time, it’s about me bringing a need first.

On his thoughts about bringing back the Wildcat:

No, no real thoughts about the Wildcats right now.

The reason the Wildcat originated, was that at that particular time, we didn’t have the personnel that we have on our football team right now.  You look at Brandon Marshall, and Davone Bess, and Brian Hartline, and Clyde Gates, and Reggie Bush, and (Anthony) Fasano, and these types of people that you can get the football to – we didn’t have that necessarily; we had Ronnie (Brown) and Ricky (Williams) at the time.  So, (with) Ronnie and Ricky, how can we get them on the same field at the same time and maybe get the ball in their hands enough times?  That was kind of the reason why we went with something like that.  I don’t know that the Wildcat is something that we’re really too interested at this time.

(After audience applauds) You weren’t clapping way back when – it was genius at that point.

On the biggest difference in Chad Henne this season:

I would say that the biggest difference isn’t necessarily in Chad – the difference is in how the team perceives Chad.  Chad is the same Chad that I know from the previous years.  The difference is, if the lockout was good for anything from my end, as a football coach, the lockout was good because Chad had to be out there running these workouts on his own.  He had the keys to the closet and he was the only guy that really knew about the offense, contrary to popular belief out there.  The players needed him – they had to come to him for the answers.  So, in these player-only workouts that took place out there, Chad had all the answers for them, so obviously he got them lined up, he organized the practices, he did everything from that standpoint.  So now, when Chad says something, it isn’t, “well, let me go find somebody else to get the answer,” it’s, “I got it, Chad.”  At the quarterback position, he drives the bus, and at the end of this thing, it really sets on his shoulders.  So he needs to have that respect, and I think that Chad clearly has the respect right now.

DolfansNYC Podcast with Coach Tony Sparano:

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Music Credit: Solo D, “DolfansNYC Anthem”

In the aftermath of Sunday’s home loss to the Houston Texans, Brian Biggane of the Palm Beach Post joins us to break down the reasons behind the Miami Dolphins’ early struggles. The topics up for discussion include poor red zone execution and Chad Henne’s miscues; the backfield split between Daniel Thomas and Reggie Bush; and defensive adjustments.

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Music Credit: Solo D, “DolfansNYC Anthem”

SOTT answers DolFansNYC questions

The Dolphins have never beaten the Texans. You guys are the only NFL team we have never defeated, Think this will be the year?

I hope it is not the year, but you never know. The Dolphins have been embarrassed and are now on a mission to prove they are a good NFL team. The Texans have to prove they can come back from a good win and continue the success as the season continues. It is up to head coach Gary Kubiak to make sure there is no let down, but that has always been an issue since he has been here in Houston. I think with the addition of Wade Phillips to the staff, he has relieved Kubiak of some unwanted pressure of a faltering defense. We will see if it makes a difference.

Who was the biggest off season acquisition for the Texans in 2011?

I have said it before, even though Johnathan Joseph is the biggest signing in the team’s short history, but it has to be Wade Phillips. Bringing him back to his home state, Phillips has always been successful as a coordinator in his previous stops. He and Gary Kubiak make a nice team together, both have been ok as head coaches, now they almost co-exist as a joint head coach with Kubiak overseeing the team and offense and Phillips with total control over the defense. When I went to training camp, the pace for the defense was considerably different that previous years. Players look like they knew what they were doing and Phillips, LB coach Reggie Herring and DB coach Vance Joseph are not scared to tell players how it needs to be. It has translated to the field since the first preseason game, and Houston fans are in a frenzy because of it.

How has Mario Williams adapted to his new position change?

He seems to be one of the hot topics on Houston sports radio talk shows and fans were very hard on him. When you are the #1 overall pick in the draft uneducated fans expect him to have 20 sacks a season, but he doesn’t play like that. What he does for the Texans doesn’t show on a stat sheet, and as he has played for the Texans he has slowly turned himself into a complete football player in the pass rush and his run defense. Against the Colts he had two sacks and a forced fumble, but Dallas Clark (Colts tight end) was blocking one on one with him, It wasn’t William’s fault the Colts decided to do that, he took full advantage of the opportunity and made two huge plays. Williams will continue to grow and learn in this defense as the season carries on, but I really like the progression of him getting better since his first day of camp.

Andre Johnson is one of the best receivers in the game, besides the obvious what does he provide to the Texans?

Andre Johnson has to be one of the most well rounder players and individuals that play in the NFL. Texans fans knew last year when he put the “beatdown” on Titans Courtland Finnegan that something must have been said for Johnson to go off like that, because he is so soft spoken and rarely shows emotion. At training camp, he never takes a play off and constantly runs routes like you see them in the game, and sets a bar for his other teammates to achieve. He is the true leader of the Texans, and this game against the Dolphins is important because he is returning to his old stomping ground in Miami. He says buying all the tickets is a pain, 150 total to be exact, and that he just wants to go down and win the game with no distractions. Johnson is a once in a lifetime athlete and gives us Houston fans someone to be proud of.

I keep hearing of J.J. Watt and the noise he is creating on the defense, what can you tell me about him?

When the Texans drafted him #11 overall the fan base was dumbfounded with all of the talent left on the board. Watt has done nothing but good things for the franchise and has worked hard since day one. He instantly upgraded a defensive line unit and has actually made other players around him better. I know we talk about impact rookies, he definitely is one and against the Colts he had 5 solo tackles and a fumble recovery. He could have had close to 8 or 9 tackles if he would have not missed them in the backfield. He provides some great run technique with some pass rush skills but he will be tested by the better Dolphins offensive line than the previous one he lined up against. J.J. Watt is a great piece to the puzzle for the Texans, and at this rate he should be in the mix for defensive rookie of the year honors.

What is the biggest question mark with the Texans right now?

I think there are more than one, but the fact we cannot keep running back healthy has to be one and the fact that our defense needs a real test especially the secondary. In camp the hamstring bug got to every running back on the roster, Arian Foster, Ben Tate and Steve Slaton, then Derrick Ward had a concussion and is now ruled out on Sunday with an ankle injury. One of the positions we considered healthy is now a question mark with all of the injuries. One of my fellow bloggers, Mike Kerns, said the Texans would keep 4 running backs because of this heading into the season and he was right and proved to be a great decision.

As for the secondary the Colts haven’t tested them and I expect the Dolphins to put pressure on them with their size with Marshall and speed with Bess at the slot. This will prove if the Texans have overcome the bad memories of a terrible 2010 defensive year. I think it will be a great match up to see if the Texans are ready to take the next step as a team.

Who on the Dolphins, do you think, will give the Texans the biggest issues on Sunday?

I hate to say this but Reggie Bush and Cameron Wake. Bush scares me with fact on what he can do catching the ball. I don’t know if DeMeco Ryans and Brian Cushing and match up with him is pass coverage so Glove Quin will have to help with this task. Bush poses a real threat and with his 20+ touches he will give the Texans D something to worry about. As for Cameron Wake he will probably be rushing from Eric Winston’s side and Winston has had some issues dating back to last year with his overall game. The offense needs Matt Schaub to stay upright and it will depend on Winston and Duane Brown’s ability to control Wake. It should be interesting on Sunday.

Have to ask the question is the year the Texans make the playoffs?

I will be bold and say yes. This year has been the perfect storm with all the change in the AFC South. That is how the NFL is, beggars can’t be choosers and we will take it the way we can, but it is a long season and anything can happen. I still the Texans have what it takes to finally get it done.

DolFansNYC answers the SOTT Questions

What do we make of the defense after the first game disaster against the New England Patriots?

The Dolphins are only one starter removed from the #6 defense last year and that defense would have been a lot closer to #1 if it weren’t for the hurt the Patriots put on them last year. The Dolphins have troubles with tight ends which is one of the reasons Kevin Burnett was brought into replace Channing Crowder but clearly they have not solved that problem. Honestly I think this defense will come around sooner rather than later. We brought back Will Allen and released Benny Sapp after last week and I think that will help a lot. I am positive this is a good defense and I think by week 8 people will realize that the New England game was a fluke.

Has Reggie Bush, in your opinion, made a big enough difference on the Dolphins offense?

Absolutely. Can he be the full time answer at running back? I doubt it. But he makes “Checkdown Chad” Henne much better instantly. Henne loves to dump it off to a running back and having Bush there makes even a little 3 yard dump off a possible big play. Ronnie and Ricky were pretty good inside runners but you never got the idea they were going to go the distance. Reggie also makes it a lot harder to double Brandon Marshall because if you put a safety on him you have to cover Bush with a linebacker and that spells trouble. Let’s just hope he can stay healthy.

Has Chad Henne made the step to become a better quarterback? He looked pretty good on Monday night.

I think a number of small things have come together to make him a better quarterback but he had some flashes of greatness the last two years he just couldn’t do it consistently so only time will tell if he can keep this play up. He led the team in off-season workouts and everyone has been talking about his leadership this year. He was elected captain for the first time in his career. He played four years at Michigan and was never a captain so I have to think that is a pretty big deal. As I mentioned before having Bush is going to make him a lot better and his relationship with Brandon Marshall has improved greatly. They didn’t have an off-season together last year and had a falling out towards the end of the season. Their chemistry seems to be there this year. They also have a new system under new offensive coordinator Brian Daboll that Henne seems to love and Daboll trusts Henne and is letting him call audibles at the line. All of it have made Henne a lot more confident and if his brain can work with the outstanding arm he has he should be a force.

To me the strength of the Dolphins offense had to be the offensive line, what can we expect from them on Sunday?

I have to say that you are way off on this one. Tony Sparano was an offensive line coach before he was a head coach and his biggest failing so far has been the offensive line. He has invested a ton of money and draft pics on players that haven’t worked out at all. It’s been a disaster. This year he moved Vernon Carey from RT to RG and signed Dallas cast off Marc Columbo who has been awful so far. The left side of the line is a lot better with Jake Long, our undisputed best player at LT and Ritchie Icognito at LG. Ritchie has had a history for being a total scumbag but he was always a pretty good player. So far in Miami he hasn’t tried to stab anyone yet so I have to say he is working out pretty well. Mike Pouncey looks like he is going to be a pretty good player but he is still a rookie and has a lot to learn. He also has issues with shot-gun snaps going too high so look out for that. I would say over all that the Texans will be able to get a lot of pressure on passing downs on the right side and we are not really built for running between the tackles but if Bush gets behind Jake Long… watch out.

Mike Pouncey, the team’s 1st round pick, how has he made the Dolphins better and is there added pressure on him because of his brother’s play and being from University of Florida?

I am sure there is a lot of pressure on him as a competitive twin but honestly the Dolphins have a lot more to worry about than Pouncey. I think he is fitting in nicely and the kid seems to have a lot of confidence. I think with him and Jake moving forward our line could be pretty special for the next decade or so… Assuming we can figure out the right side…

Brandon Marshall had a big game against the Patriots, how has he adapted to the Dolphins entering his second year with the team?

Brandon Marshall had a pretty intense off-season. His wife got arrested for stabbing him but he refused to press charges and they were eventually dropped. It came out later that it was pretty clear he was responsible for the fight and he decided he would do anything he could to get his wife back. He got therapy and was diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder which everyone should google to find out more about it. I don’t want to gloss over it, but it is a pretty serious condition that tends to lead to suicide and physical violence. Marshall held a press conference and was very open about it and is working on a documentary to help shed light on the disease. It was a pretty impressive move on his part and I think a lot of people understand him a lot better now but of course we are all worried that something bad could happen at any minute. Having these realizations about his disease has helped him deal with coaches and players a lot better and that seems to be paying off. On the pure football side Marshall had his first healthy off-season since he came into the league and is in the best shape of his life. He worked all off-season on improving his speed and quickness and everyone in camp has been really impressed with his new-found burst.

Who are some players on the Dolphins that the Texans fans should keep an eye out for?

As a pure dark horse have this fourth string receiver named Clyde Gates who is just flat out fast. If he gets behind your defense and Henne hits him he could break for some big plays. It’s going to happen at some point this season but I don’t know when or how often. Some of the more established players that Texans fans might not be aware of is another one of our receivers Davone Bess. Marshall calls him D Bess as in The Best because he is one of the best route runners Marshall has ever seen. The guy is an amazing slot receiver and always shows up on third downs. He will move the chains a lot. On defense if you guys don’t know about Cam Wake already you should. He got beat up pretty bad last week and still had our only sack. I have a feeling he is going to be looking for blood this week.

Is this a make or break year for Head Coach Tony Sparano?

Last year was a make or break year and he broke. Our owner Stephen Ross tried to get rid of him and failed much to the embarrassment of the franchise. I would say that if Sparano doesn’t win 10 games he is a goner. Personally I like the guy and the players seem to be behind him. I just don’t think our owner agrees with me.

What is it like without Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams in the backfield in 2011 and how has the offense changed without them?

The whole philosophy of the offense has changed after Sparano decided that he needed to adapt to a post Parcells era. The Dolphins are going to be a lot more pass heavy this year and that starts with a much more agressive offense installed by Daboll. As much as I loved Ricky and Ronnie they were slow and this team has done everything it can to get faster. I am sure everyone wants to know about the Wildcat and I think it still has a place in Miami. We didn’t see it last week but I think that’s because Daniel Thomas was injured. He is back this week and Daboll ran the Cat with Josh Cribbs. I am pretty sure Bush has it in him to run it… he just needed a guy like Thomas to give the ball to. This week could be interesting…

A special thank goes to State of the Texans for helping out, you can visit their homepage or visit the Facebook page.

We’re excited to introduce the official DolfansNYC Podcast, which will feature special guests, including many of the team’s top writers and media members, players, and most passionate fans, as well as the return of our weekly fantasy football feature.

On the premiere episode, MiamiDolphins.com senior writer Andy Kent joins us to talk about Chad Henne’s remarkable improvement, Brandon Marshall’s season outlook, Reggie Bush’s workload, the most impressive players in camp, and much more.

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Music Credit: Solo D, “DolfansNYC Anthem”

With that in mind, the Miami Dolphins have yet to officially name a starting quarterback, have two new running backs to integrate into the offense, and no less than three players vying for the fifth and likely final wide receiver spot.  Let’s take a look at how the position battles have gone so far.

• After a poor preseason opener (4-of-8 passing for 77 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions) against the Atlanta Falcons, Chad Henne looked better against the Carolina Panthers (who doesn’t?) in the second contest, completing 15-of-24 passes for 194 yards with no turnovers. His biggest problem so far has come with the deep ball, as he has continued to miss open receivers downfield.
• Even though Matt Moore outplayed Henne in the opener (11-of-18 passing for 123 yards and two TDs)  and has posted a higher QB rating two games, Coach Tony Sparano has so far made it clear there is no competition for the starting quarterback job. Moore hasn’t played with the first-team offense in the preseason at all, indicating he will enter the season as the primary backup, barring a couple of disastrous outings from Henne.
• The battle for the third quarterback spot is shaping up to be epic:  Pat Devlin is 0-of-2 with two sacks in clean-up duty, while Kevin O’Connell has more kneel-downs (two) than pass attempts (0).

• Playing one half, Reggie Bush had eight carries for 48 yards and caught two passes for 33 yards in his Dolphins debut on Friday. Early reports indicated the coaching staff planned to give Bush, who averaged only nine touches per game over the last two years with the New Orleans Saints, a heavy workload on offense without using him as a punt returner, and so far, the RB looked quicker and more exciting than any RB the Dolphins have had in years.
• Daniel Thomas has sported an unimpressive 3.6 yards per carry average, busting out just one run of 10 yards.  Expected to be a power-back capable of breaking tackles and moving the pile, he couldn’t get into the endzone on two carries inside the five-yard line early against the Panthers (Lex Hilliard scored on the next play).  Thomas did have a four-yard TD run in the second quarter, and while he’ll need time to get used to the NFL, his workload should increase as the season progresses.
• Hilliard all but solidified his hold on the number three RB job after scoring at the goal line, while Kory Sheets managed only 43 yards on a team-high 17 carries against second-stringers.
• The Dolphins released Sheets on Tuesday and unexpectedly signed veteran Larry Johnson, who hasn’t played a down in the NFL since Week 2 of last season with the Washington Redskins. Johnson had five carries for two yards in 2010 and a terrible 3.2 YPC in 2009; at age 31, he makes little sense for Miami.
• Undrafted rookie Nic Grigsby hasn’t done much (2.1 YPC) to suggest he’s in the team’s immediate future.

• Concerns over Brandon Marshall‘s health were alleviated after he caught five passes for 46 yards in one half  on Friday.  He has reportedly tried to establish a better relationship with Henne, and looks prime to break O.J. McDuffie’s team record for receptions (90), considering Marshall racked up 86 catches in 14 up-and-down games last season.
• Davone Bess will work out of the slot and should catch between 70-80 passes (he leads the team with seven receptions in two games), while also serving as the team’s primary punt returner.
• Brian Hartline is fully recovered from a finger injury that cost him four games last season, and should return to being the team’s main downfield deep threat.  He picked up right where he left off, catching a 44-yard TD from Henne in the opener.
• Roberto Wallace leads the team with 60 receiving yards, 28 of which came on a TD catch from Matt Moore in against the Falcons.  After catching just six passes for 62 yards all of last season, Wallace could be used in more four-WR sets as another deep threat in 2011.
• Third-round draft pick Clyde Gates is all-but-assured a final roster spot, and caught a nice six-yard TD against Atlanta.
• Presuming the Dolphins carry five WRs on the roster, that would leave Marlon Moore, who has three catches for 39 yards, and undrafted rookie Phillip Livas, who had a 75-yard punt return TD in the opener, on the chopping block.

• Anthony Fasano is the Dolphins starting TE and Mickey Shuler, who is currently out with a foot injury, should return as the primary backup.
• Sixth-round pick Charles Clay could see some action at TE later in the year, though he’s expected to be used as an H-back and fullback. Nothing more to see here.

It would be an understatement to say that the Miami Dolphins have not had much success in finding a franchise quarterback since Dan Marino’s retirement over a decade ago.  Consider that Jay Fiedler, who led the team to two playoff appearances but finished his Dolphins career with an uninspiring 66:63 TD-to-INT ratio, and Chad Pennington are the only Miami quarterbacks to start all 16 games over the last 11 years.

The team has consistently tried and failed with 13 other QBs, banking on the likes of John Beck, A.J. Feeley, Joey Harrington, 37-year-old Trent Green, and Cleo Lemon. And of course, the decision to sign Daunte Culpepper over Super Bowl MVP Drew Brees will forever haunt every fan’s nightmares.

The problem is that besides Brees, nearly every top-tier NFL QB – Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Philip Rivers, Tony Romo – was drafted, groomed, and since re-signed to a long-term contract by his respective team. The readily-available players are either well past their primes, pose serious character concerns, or come off season-ending injuries.

With that in mind, if the Dolphins are truly in win-now mode and looking to upgrade from the inconsistent Chad Henne, the best options are likely trading a first- or second-round pick for an up-and-coming talent (a la the Houston Texans dealing for Matt Schaub in 2007), or taking a chance on a veteran QB who might have enough left in the tank to guide the team to glory (the next Pennington, per se).

So, which QBs are out there and which of them are worth pursuing? Here’s a look at 15 players (2011 contract in parenthesis) who could be on Miami’s radar this offseason.

Kyle Orton, Denver Broncos ($9 million) – It’s still hard for me to accept that Kyle Orton is not only an unquestioned NFL starter, but a QB who drew some consideration for the Pro Bowl. Over the first 11 games of the season, Rex Grossman’s one-time backup completed 61.8% of his passes, threw for 3,370 yards (306 per game), and compiled a 20:6 TD-to-INT ratio.

Then again, he was dreadful over the final two games while dealing with arm and rib injuries – 40.6% completion percentage, 283 total passing yards, no TDs and three picks – before getting shut down in favor of Tim Tebow. High-priced WR Brandon Marshall, who played with Orton in 2009, also didn’t exactly give his former QB a glowing endorsement, which could make the front office think twice about reuniting the duo that led the Denver Broncos to an 8-8 record.

Kevin Kolb, Philadelphia Eagles ($12.26 million) – It’s hard to know if Kolb is as good as his 2009 numbers once suggested (64.7% completion percentage, 718 passing yards, 4 TDs in two starts) or as mediocre as he was in 2010 (1,197 yards, 7 TDs, 7 INTs, sacked 15 times in seven appearances), when he lost his starting job to Mike Vick.

The 26-year-old has drawn favorable comparison to Schaub, who shined once he became a full-time starter after, ironically enough, sitting behind Vick in Atlanta. Kolb offers plenty of upside and carries value around the League – Arizona Cardinals star WR Larry Fitzgerald has already urged his team to trade for him – and will surely cost a first-round pick.

Donovan McNabb, Washington Redskins ($10 million option) – A five-time Pro Bowler who posted a stellar 92.9 QB Rating in 2009, McNabb was bad enough in Washington to get benched for Grossman (yes, him again). The 34-year-old QB threw for 3,377 yards through the first 14 weeks of the season – higher than Aaron Rodgers, Joe Flacco, and Matt Ryan – but also threw at least one pick in 10 straight contests. He finished the year with the fewest TD passes (14) since his rookie season and the higher number of picks (15) of his career in only 13 games.

McNabb will almost certainly become available once the Redskins release him, but it’s fair to wonder how much he has left in the tank and whether his reportedly-questionable work ethic would have a negative impact in the locker room. He could, however, serve as a reputable one- or two-year stopgap while the team develops (or likely continues searching for) his successor.

Vince Young, Tennessee Titans (Free Agent) – Young made the Pro Bowl in 2009 after leading the Titans to an 8-2 finish when he was named the starter over Kerry Collins. In addition to always being a threat with his legs (12 career rushing TDs), he posted an excellent 10:3 TD-to-INT ratio and the highest passer rating (98.6) of his career last season.

Young’s off the field problems over the course of his five-year career and his public fall-out with ex-coach Jeff Fisher last season have been well documented, so the Miami nightlife is probably not the best place for a 27-year-old with so many lingering maturity concerns.

Carson Palmer, Cincinnati Bengals ($11.5 million) – Palmer, a two-time Pro Bowler, reportedly wants out of Cincinnati and still carries name recognition despite his declining skills. Ever since a torn elbow ligament ended his 2008 season, Palmer’s passer rating and completion percentage have been the lowest since his rookie year. Even more alarming is his decline in throwing the ball deep – only 574 of his 3,970 yards last season came on passes of 20 or more yards, compared to 1,013 of 4,035 yards in 2006.

That said, Palmer still ranked sixth in the NFL in passing yards and ninth in TD passes (26), while throwing the third-most INTs (20). The 31-year-old would be an obvious upgrade for the Dolphins, but his downward spiral and the hefty price tag make him a less appealing option.

Matt Flynn, Green Bay Packers ($555K) – Aaron Rodgers is clearly not going anywhere, but his talented backup could be looking for a chance to lead a team of his own. Flynn started only one game in three seasons, in which he completed threw for 251 yards and three touchdowns in a near-win against the New England Patriots. The 25-year-old could be precisely the type of potential breakout candidate the Dolphins need if the Packers were to make him available.

Matt Hasselbeck, Seattle Seahawks (FA): The 35-year-old Hasselbeck hasn’t played a full season since 2007 – the last time he made the Pro Bowl – and has thrown 34 interceptions over the last two years (third in the NFL and one more than Henne). He was, however, surprisingly impressive during Seattle’s playoff run, throwing for 530 yards, seven TDs and just one INT in two games. A veteran leader with close to 30,000 passing years on his resume wouldn’t be the worst addition to a team hoping to make it back to the postseason, though it’s a given that Henne would get a handful of starts in place of the oft-injured Hasselbeck.

Brady Quinn, Denver Broncos ($700K) – Dolphins fans were irate when the team passed on Quinn, who was perceived as a can’t-miss-prospect worthy of the top overall selection, in favor of WR/KR Ted Ginn, Jr. Four years later, neither player has done much to justify even a first-round selection, as Quinn has thrown for just 1,902 yards, 10 TDs, and 9 INTs in 14 games (66.8 QB Rating) during his career (he didn’t take a snap as the emergency third-string QB in Denver last year).

The only reason his name has been mentioned is because the Miami’s new offensive coordinator, Brian Daboll, has history with Quinn from their time in Cleveland, where Quinn couldn’t beat out Derek Anderson and Charlie Frye for a starting job. Hopefully, Miami fans won’t be subjected to a Henne-Quinn training camp “battle.”

Matt Leinart, Houston Texans (FA) – Leinart entred the 2010 season as the presumed starter in Arizona following Kurt Warner’s retirement, but continued to display poor leadership and (marginally) worse skills than the afore-mentioned Anderson. Much like Quinn, he ended up serving as the inactive third QB behind Schaub and Dan Orlovsky in Houston after getting released by the Cardinals.

The 10th overall pick the 2006 Draft has posted an uninspiring 70.8 career passer rating and a14:20 TD-to-INT ratio in 17 starts. He’s highly unlikely to suddenly put it all together and wouldn’t even be the unquestioned starter over Henne, but I suppose anything is possible.

Marc Bulger, Baltimore Ravens (FA) – It seems like eons ago that Bulger replaced Kurt Warner as the starter on the St. Loius Rams and put up perennial Pro Bowl-caliber seasons.  But he started only eight games in 2009, winning one, and didn’t take a snap as Joe Flacco’s backup on the Ravens last year. With his best days squarely behind him – he’s thrown 27 TDs and 34 INTs since 2007 – the Dolphins can safely pass on the 34-year-old QB.

Dennis Dixon, Pittsburg Steelers (Restricted FA) – Dixon didn’t throw a TD passes in his two starts last year, but completed 68.8% of his throws and displayed his athleticism and mobility with 32 rushing yards on five scrambles. He’d be worth a flier for a mid-round pick, but will almost surely be kept as Ben Roethlisberger’s backup over aging veterans Byron Leftwich and Charlie Batch.

Tarvaris Jackson, Minnesota Vikings (FA) – T-Jack appeared in three games (one start) in place of Brett Favre last season, throwing three TD passes and four INTs. Once anointed as the Vikings’ franchise QB by ex-coach Brad Childress, Jackson’s career mark of 110.7 passing yards per game is the fewest of any QB who’s made at least 20 starts since 2006. For comparison’s sake, JaMarcus Russell threw for 131.7 yards per contest. No, thanks.

Bruce Gradkowski, Oakland Raiders (FA) – Speaking of JaMarcus, his former backup on the Raiders is on the market, too. I’ve always liked Gradkowski – and not just because his name makes me think of the dreamy Kelly Kapowski – and felt that he’s a viable NFL starter. He moves an offense well down the field, and two years ago, he led the Raiders to a win against the Pittsburg Steelers with an impressive 308-yard, three-TD performance. Gradkowski wouldn’t be an exciting addition, but at the very least, he wouldn’t single-handedly lose games for Miami.

Alex Smith, San Francisco 49ers (FA) – Another former top pick who hasn’t lived up to expectations, Smith appears likely to return to the 49ers. Besides, Dolphins defensive coordinator Mike Nolan, who was fired as the head coach in San Francisco after the 2008 season, would probably advise Miami to look elsewhere.

Drew Stanton, Detroit Lions (FA) – Stanton somehow managed to win two of his three starts for the Lions, throwing four TDs and three picks in the process. He also scored a rushing TD and then inexplicably danced “The Dougie”in the end-zone.  For that reason alone, I can’t take him seriously.

Honorable Mention: Kerry Collins, Tennessee Titans; Troy Smith, San Francisco 49ers; Seneca Wallace, Cleveland Browns

Anyone who watched even a handful of series doesn’t need to look at advanced metrics to know Miami’s offense was dreadful. The Dolphins, expected to be a dominant run-first team after having the fourth-best rushing offense in 2009, tied for 29th in rushing TDs (8) and 21st in rushing yards (1,643), while also coming in 27th in passing TDs (17) and fourth in interceptions (21). While WRs Brandon Marshall, Davone Bess, and Brian Hartline, as well as TE Anthony Fasano (signed to an extension through 2012), form a solid and dependable aerial attack, the same can’t be said for just about every other member of the offense. So who should and likely will be back in 2011?

Chad Henne, QB

2010 Prediction: 4,161 passing yards, 25 TDs, 13 INT
2010 Statistics: 3,301 passing yards, 15 TDs, 19 INT

It turns out I – as well as everyone who threw away money on a Henne jersey – was wrong about the supposed QB of the future. After showing promise at the end of the 2009 season and having a Pro Bowl WR at his disposal, Henne was expected to take a step forward and improve his decision-making. After throwing three picks in a crushing loss to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 9, Henne was benched in favor of Chad Pennington, and was then once again pulled for Tyler Thigpen in an embarrassing season-ending loss to the Patriots. Over the last 12 games, Henne threw 12 TDs and 18 INTs, and posted a QB Rating under 60.0 in four of his final eight appearances.

While most Dolphins fans never want to see him on the field again, it’s almost a given that Miami will keep the still 25-year-old QB for another year. It’s even possible that he’ll get a chance to compete for a backup spot with a veteran QB – Kyle Orton? Donovan McNabb? Er, Brady Quinn? – in training camp if the team doesn’t draft a QB in the first round of the Draft. Either way, it’s become clear that Henne is not the long-term solution as the Dolphins starter.

2011 Prediction: 1,127 passing yards, 5 TDs, 6 INT

Tyler Thigpen, QB: Thigpen was horrendous in his lone start against the Bears, a 16-0 shutout at home (albeit he was missing half of his offense), and finished the year with 435 passing yards (53.2% completion percentage), two TDs, and two picks. While he has mobility and can make plays out of the pocket, he’s unlikely to receive anything more than a training camp invite from Miami.

2011 Prediction – signs with Tennessee Titans: 1,630 passing yards, 9 TDs, 7 INT

Chad Pennington, QB: I wish Pennington all the best with his return from a fourth shoulder surgery, but considering that he played two snaps in 2010 before getting hurt again, the odds aren’t in his favor. In an ideal world, he’d become the Dolphins’ QB coach, but I have a feeling he’ll go back to where it all started and take Mark Brunell’s clipboard job in New York.

2011 Prediction – signs with New York Jets: 110 passing yards, 2 TDs, 0 INT

Ronnie Brown, RB

2010 Prediction: 893 rushing yards, 135 receiving yards, 7 TDs
2010 Statistics: 734 rushing yards, 242 receiving yards, 5 TDs

On the surface, my prediction looks fairly accurate, since Brown gained only 58 fewer yards from scrimmage and managed to play all 16 games for only the second time in his career. The problem is that Brown averaged a career-low 3.7 yards per attempt, didn’t have a single 100-yard rushing game, and his 45.9 yards per game were the lowest of any player with at least 200 carries. The soon-to-be-30-year-old is an unrestricted free agent who hasn’t been offered a contract by the Dolphins and has probably already cleaned out his locker

2011 Prediction – signs with Cincinnati Bengals: 697 rushing yards, 213 receiving yards, 4 TDs

Ricky Williams, RB

2010 Prediction: 906 rushing yards, 211 receiving yards, 9 TDs
2010 Statistics: 673 rushing yards, 141 receiving yards, 3 TDs

No one expected Ricky to even come close to matching his gaudy 2009 numbers (1,121 rushing yards, 13 TDs), but 2010 was certainly a disappointing season for the 33-year-old running back. Still, Williams averaged 4.2 yards per carry and busted off a 45-yard scamper, showing he has plenty left in those legs. After he recently bashed Coach Sparano and the organization, it doesn’t sound like he’ll be back in Miami next season either, and I’ll be shocked if he doesn’t sign with the Jets or Patriots just to stick it to the Dolphins.

2011 Prediction – signs with New England Patriots: 479 rushing yards, 96 receiving yards, 3 TD

Patrick Cobbs / Lex Hilliard / Lousaka Polite, RB:  Forget what I projected — guess who was the Fins’ third-leading rusher last season? Yep, Thigpen with a whopping 73 yards. Short-yardage specialist Polite managed to get 62 rushing yards and his first career TD, while Cobbs and Hilliard played mainly on special teams and combined for exactly zero rushing yards on four carries. The coaching staff reportedly loves Cobbs, and Polite converts on third-and-one situations as well as anyone in the league, so their roles are unlikely to change in 2011.
Hilliard, however, could opt for more playing time, especially with the impending return of the speedy Kory Sheets.

2011 Prediction – signs with New Orleans Saints: 132 rushing yards, 160 receiving yards, 2 TDs