Mooche
Bench Warmer
Key questions
1. Can football operations boss Bill Parcells work his turnaround magic again without coaching?
The players might not admit they're in a massive rebuilding phase, but Parcells doesn't take over established teams. He's enamored by reclamation projects. And he has a track record of seeing them through -- even if he doesn't stick around long afterward.
"They have a plan," Holliday said a couple of days after making comments that criticized the logic of trading Taylor. "You just gotta believe in those guys upstairs. Parcells has done it before. I have to believe that he knows what he's doing."
Parcells assumed control of a reeling New England Patriots franchise and guided it to the Super Bowl. He took over a 1-15 Jets team and went to the AFC title game. After the Cowboys went 5-11 in three straight seasons, he put them in the playoffs immediately.
But Parcells isn't coaching. This time he's pulling the strings from an office. Declaring it's a young man's game, he brought in a pair of acolytes from his Dallas Cowboys days -- general manager Jeff Ireland and head coach Tony Sparano -- to do his bidding.
2. Will a newfound commitment and all that time away help Ricky Williams turn back the clock a few years?
Of the many adjectives applicable to Williams, "dependable" hasn't been one of them. So far, however, the former Heisman Trophy winner and NFL rushing king has been the definition of responsible.
The front office and coaches have raved about his offseason dedication. Parcells has taken a particular shine to him because of Williams' commitment to the conditioning program. Williams has been explosive and focused in open workouts.
He hasn't rushed for 1,000 yards since 2003, but he looks as though he could do it again. He's 31 years old with low mileage, having carried only 283 times (more than a third of those in the CFL) over the past five years.
3. Will John Beck or Chad Henne emerge as the quarterback of the future?
The Dolphins have been searching for their franchise quarterback since Dan Marino retired in 1999. They'll need to keep looking at least a little while longer until Beck or Henne emerges as more than backup-quality.
Veteran Josh McCown was brought in to hold down the fort until that time.
The safe bet is that the eventual QB will be Henne, who was carefully scouted and chosen by the current administration with the 57th overall draft pick. Beck was somebody else's 40th overall pick.
4. Can outside linebacker Joey Porter rebound from a confounding season to lead the defense now that Zach Thomas and Taylor are gone?
There's a lot of slack for Porter to gather, and some of it will be his own. The Dolphins made the three-time Pro Bowler their marquee free-agent acquisition last year, giving him a five-year contract worth $32 million, including $20 million guaranteed.
Former defensive coordinator Dom Capers couldn't decide how to use him in mishmash schemes (six sacks, two interceptions), but in Paul Pasqualoni's 3-4 alignment, Porter's role will be clear.
1. Can football operations boss Bill Parcells work his turnaround magic again without coaching?
The players might not admit they're in a massive rebuilding phase, but Parcells doesn't take over established teams. He's enamored by reclamation projects. And he has a track record of seeing them through -- even if he doesn't stick around long afterward.
"They have a plan," Holliday said a couple of days after making comments that criticized the logic of trading Taylor. "You just gotta believe in those guys upstairs. Parcells has done it before. I have to believe that he knows what he's doing."
Parcells assumed control of a reeling New England Patriots franchise and guided it to the Super Bowl. He took over a 1-15 Jets team and went to the AFC title game. After the Cowboys went 5-11 in three straight seasons, he put them in the playoffs immediately.
But Parcells isn't coaching. This time he's pulling the strings from an office. Declaring it's a young man's game, he brought in a pair of acolytes from his Dallas Cowboys days -- general manager Jeff Ireland and head coach Tony Sparano -- to do his bidding.
2. Will a newfound commitment and all that time away help Ricky Williams turn back the clock a few years?
Of the many adjectives applicable to Williams, "dependable" hasn't been one of them. So far, however, the former Heisman Trophy winner and NFL rushing king has been the definition of responsible.
The front office and coaches have raved about his offseason dedication. Parcells has taken a particular shine to him because of Williams' commitment to the conditioning program. Williams has been explosive and focused in open workouts.
He hasn't rushed for 1,000 yards since 2003, but he looks as though he could do it again. He's 31 years old with low mileage, having carried only 283 times (more than a third of those in the CFL) over the past five years.
3. Will John Beck or Chad Henne emerge as the quarterback of the future?
The Dolphins have been searching for their franchise quarterback since Dan Marino retired in 1999. They'll need to keep looking at least a little while longer until Beck or Henne emerges as more than backup-quality.
Veteran Josh McCown was brought in to hold down the fort until that time.
The safe bet is that the eventual QB will be Henne, who was carefully scouted and chosen by the current administration with the 57th overall draft pick. Beck was somebody else's 40th overall pick.
4. Can outside linebacker Joey Porter rebound from a confounding season to lead the defense now that Zach Thomas and Taylor are gone?
There's a lot of slack for Porter to gather, and some of it will be his own. The Dolphins made the three-time Pro Bowler their marquee free-agent acquisition last year, giving him a five-year contract worth $32 million, including $20 million guaranteed.
Former defensive coordinator Dom Capers couldn't decide how to use him in mishmash schemes (six sacks, two interceptions), but in Paul Pasqualoni's 3-4 alignment, Porter's role will be clear.
