/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/43159146/20121017_ter_su8_863.0.jpg)
Okay @SBNation, this one’s for all teams: Add a football legend to your roster. What happens? http://t.co/ZYWdJccARv #GMCPlaybook
— Marshall Faulk (@marshallfaulk) October 29, 2014
Hall of Fame running back Marshall Faulk is giving you the power to bring back any former Miami Dolphins great and put him on the roster today. How would he fit into the scheme? Who would you choose?
I know the answer nearly everyone will immediately give. Be honest, Dan Marino was your first choice, wasn't he? And, rightfully, that is probably the best choice. Let Marino throw deep to Mike Wallace, hit Brian Hartline on the sidelines, use Jarvis Landry crossing the middle, and Charles Clay working up the seam and this offense would be great. That's not to say Ryan Tannehill is not developing, but any question about any Dolphins legend is always answerable by Dan Marino (assuming the question has nothing to do with running).
Yet, you all should know by now, I typically do not give you Marino as an answer - and most of the time not as an option. I have two other players I would consider adding to this team.
Ricky Williams
Tell me you would not like to see the 2002-2003 version of Ricky Williams lined up in the backfield with the rest of the offensive weapons this team has. Defenses would have to stack the box to make sure Williams was not destroying them, which would free up the receivers and help Tannehill. You could even have Williams and Lamar Miller both on the team, similar to the Williams and Ronnie Brown pairing.
Miller has been running fine this year, and adding Williams to the roster has nothing to do with Miller. It's more about adding another weapon to the offense. Williams was an incredible running back, who, unfortunately, was run into the ground. In this offense, he would not be asked to carry the ball nearly as much, which should keep him healthy and with the team.
Zach Thomas
Everyone agrees, the weakness of the Dolphins defense is the linebackers. Some combination of injuries, younger players, and talent level makes this the area of the defense to attack, and, while Miami still has the seventh overall defense this year, based on total yards per game allowed. They are eleventh in points allowed per game, just two-tenths of a point from being a top ten team. The defense is playing really well.
Enter Zach Thomas. Talk about a player who would immediately solidify the middle of the defense. The undersized Thomas dominated the Miami defense for years, with the speed to chase people all over the field and the ability to get into the line of scrimmage and fill holes. Thomas was an exceptional tackler, something this Miami defense needs.
Thomas would immediately step into the leadership role of the defense. Able to take command of the linebackers and make sure everyone was on the same page and in the correct position. He and Cameron Wake would team up to be two of the strongest leaders on the team.
Join the #GMCPlaybook discussion at sbnation.com/sponsored-gmc-playbook and on Twitter by following @thisisgmc & @marshallfaulk.