Training Camp Preview Part 1: Quarterbacks

Now until training camp opens August 1st, Miami Dolphins Nation will break down every position starting with Quarterback. This has been a position that has haunted the Dolphins ever since Dan Marino retired. If the QB woes would have gone on much further I would have gone as far as to say we were under the curse of Marino. However, last season relief finally came, and from all places the Jets. Chad Pennington brought stability to a position that had been under scrutiny for nearly a decade as he led one of the greatest turnarounds in NFL history.

Projected Depth Chart

1. Chad Pennington: There is no question Pennington will be back under center but, next year might be another story. But for right now Chad is the perfect fit for this offense because he is model of consistancy and if you forget about the Wild Card round he does'nt turn the ball over. Some may say, he will have a down year because of his history in New York, but a lot of that had to do with the shoulder and that pretty feathery spiral he throws had a hard time in the windy conditions of the Meadowlands. So continue to expect great things out of Chad this year, and expect the offense as a whole should improve thier 21st in the league points per game ranking from last season.

2. Chad Henne: This is probably one of the biggest storylines of this years camp, as everyone will be keeping a close eye on the development of Chad Henne. With the Dolphins staff already hinting that they would like thier second round pick to be the starter for the 2010 season as everyone knows that Henne is the future for this franchise. Henne had a very solid pre-season last season and when he spelled Chad Pennington in week 2 vs. the Cardinals, he moved the offense right down the field. Under Henne the Dolphins offense has the potential to go places Pennington will never be able to take them. Yes, under Pennington the Dolphins can be a very good offense but, with 8 guys in the box all the time the running game takes a pretty big hit. However, Henne has the arm strength to really stretch the defense. Not saying that Henne will make this offense elite, but only under him do they have that potential, but for now Pennington is still the guy.

3. Pat White: Most people would probably say that the Dolphins only drafted Pat to play in the wildcat formation or move him to wide-out, but Miami has said all along that they drafted him to be a quarterback. This might not make much sense to most people, with the Dolphins already having Chad Henne waiting in the wings, but I say why put your whole future on one guy. Why not get an insurance policy for the most important position in the game? Pat White is the perfect insurance policy for Miami, because if they never need him and Chad Henne is the guy, then he is'nt a waist there are plenty of ways to utilize an athlete like White. They can put him in the wildcat, move him to wid-out, or have him return kicks. Pat White will be a great weapon for this offense.


Position Battles to watch

Widcat QB
Ronnie Brown/Pat White: With all the hype about Pat White running this formation it seems like everyone has forgot about Ronnie Brown. Listen, Ronnie Brown made the wildcat. Ronnie had the patience and vision to find the whole and had the ability to make something out of nothing. Ronnie also, had enough of an arm to make the defense respect it. Ronnie Brown was what made it work thats why everyone kept trying to copy the phins but no one had the type of success Miami did. However, having said all that Pat White is obviously a much better passer than Brown and would open up the formation that much more. The best guess is that the Dolphins will give both of them time in the formation. Look for them to run it a little bit in the pre-season but, you won't see any of the new or old wrinkles until it counts.

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