For the third time since the offseason began, the Dolphins will meet with Texas safety Earl Thomas as the draft inches closer and closer. According to the Sun-Sentinel, Thomas will spend two days in Miami meeting with the big three - Bill Parcells, Jeff Ireland, and Tony Sparano. Says the report:
Thomas will begin a two-day visit with the Dolphins on Wednesday, and the main purpose of the trip to Davie is to meet with Bill Parcells and go over film with General Manager Jeff Ireland and coach Tony Sparano.
So what does this mean?
On the surface, it seems like the Dolphins are seriously considering spending the 12th overall pick on the ball-hawking free safety. Quite frankly, I'd be thrilled if that was the case, too. I think he's got all the tools to be a very good safety for a long time and would make this Miami secondary one of the best young secondaries in the league.
But I can't help but wonder if this front office would really be this transparent just two weeks before the draft. Off the top of my head, I can't even recall any other potential draft pick during this regime's time in Miami that they met with three times before the draft. Or, at the very least, that they let get out publicly.
That makes me wonder if this is just a smokescreen; perhaps a ploy to drum up interest in the safety in hopes of trading down a few spots. Or maybe I'm just reading too much into it.
Either way, you have to love this time of the year.