Upon Michael Vick's reinstatement by Commissioner Roger Goodell, the Washington Post decided to pose a question asking where Vick might end up in 2009. And because it's likely that some in the media will try connecting the Dolphins to Mike Vick, they asked me to write a piece for them. I did just that - and you can see my piece right here. I've also included my piece below.
But in a nut shell, the idea that the Dolphins are going to show interest in Vick is going to prove to be all bark - and no bite. And I explain my reasoning why below.
MICHAEL VICK A DOLPHIN? ALL BARK, NO BITE
It was about one month ago when former NFL head coach Dennis Green went on Sirius NFL Radio and declared that he would have "a hard time believing Michael Vick is not going to wind up with Bill Parcells" in Miami with the Dolphins.
Now that Vick has been "conditionally reinstated" by the NFL, I'm sure we'll all hear Miami's name thrown in the ring as a potential suitor for the quarterback. Much of this talk will likely be centered on two things - the 'Wildcat' and Bill Parcells. We'll hear about how Mike Vick is the ideal 'Wildcat' quarterback because of his ability to run and pass. We'll also hear about how Bill Parcells is just the guy that would be willing to take a chance on a talent like Vick because Bill has a way to help "troubled" athletes get back on track.
But this is faulty logic. The Dolphins spent an early second-round pick back in April on a potential 'Wildcat' quarterback. His name is Pat White and he's the antithesis of Michael Vick - he's a quiet, humble person off the field who has no "character issues." With Chad Pennington and Chad Henne also already on the roster, does it really make any sense for the Dolphins to keep a fourth quarterback on the 53-man roster?
As for the idea that Parcells would be interested in Vick, we need to remember one of the key quotes from Bill's introductory press conference with the Dolphins back in December of 2007. The exact quote from Parcells is as follows: "I'm interested in good character people. I don't want thugs and hoodlums on the team. I really don't. I don't want bad character guys. I don't want problem children."
I think it's fair to call a convicted felon who spent over a year and a half in federal prison a "bad character guy" and a "problem child."
We also need to take into consideration that Vick hasn't even played football since 2006. And when he was playing, he was far from a good passer. He's a guy who has completed just 53.8% of his passes throughout his career to begin with. He's never completed more than 56.4% of his passes in a single season. And for those who want to point out his ability to run the ball, Vick is a guy with more career lost fumbles than rushing touchdowns.
In fact, for his career, Vick has just 13 fewer turnovers than he does combined touchdowns. In fact, Vick averages over a turnover per game for his career. Meanwhile, probably the most important aspect to Miami's offensive philosophy is not turning the ball over. You'll remember that the Dolphins tied the NFL record for fewest turnovers in a single season last year and are one of just eight teams ever to average less than a turnover per game for an entire season.
So while you may hear people in the media speculate that the Dolphins could be interested in Vick, don't count on it. It just doesn't make any sense.