Dolphins trade for KC quarterback Tyler Thigpen

The Dolphins made an incredibly smart move just moments ago in acquiring a new No. 2 QB and that move could make Pat White obsolete.

The team has traded an undisclosed draft pick to Kansas City for backup quarterback Tyler Thigpen, the Chiefs announced today.

The Dolphins, meanwhile, will announce in a couple of weeks that the regular-season has begun. (Actually, the Dolphins have since also announced the move.) They chuckled when I told them what I wrote.

The trade makes sense for several reasons:

1. The Dolphins have now placed injured Chad Pennington (shoulder) on the injured reserve list. So they need a backup to Chad Henne. Remember, Henne is the starter.

2. Rookie second-round pick Pat White is not ready to be a backup QB in the NFL.

3. Thigpen has experience, having started 11 games last season and thrown 18 TDs and 12 Ints for the Chiefs.

4. The Chiefs have Matt Cassel as their starter and Brodie Croyle is their backup so Thigpen was available.

4. The Miami-KC connection is at work again. Bill Parcells and son-in-law Scott Pioli have already made two other trades since the offseason began.

Thigpen is making $460,000 this season so the Dolphins pick up the prorated portion of his salary for the remainder of this season. Thigpen is also signed for 2010 at a scheduled $550,000 in base salary.

The irony of this trade is that it might make White obsolete. You see, the reason the Dolphins want to run the spread formation this year and, in part, picked White to do that, is because Thigpen carved them up running the spread formation last season.

Guess what?

Thigpen is better at running the spread than White has shown to be. Thigpen can run. He can even catch passes. Just check out the video below.

What I'm telling you is once he learns the offense, expect him to compete with White to be the spread package QB. And given his experience and, frankly, better arm, expect Thigpen not White to be the guy running the spread if it continues.

Comments

[PriceMaster]

Just got off the phone with the Tuna.
He wants us all to make a list of the players we should pick up.
He said he'll look at it later.

[The Bra1n]

Is Dwayne Bowe included in the trade?

[MaulerManny]

Thigpen is a servicable change of pace backup with more experience than white. Fins made a good deal as long as it wasn't higher than a 4th round pick they gave up

[steve]

Can Thigpen catch all of his passes to , because we dont have any receivers that can.
Ted Ginn may go down as one of the worse first round picks by the Dolphins in recent history.
I am sure Mcdonalds will love to have him when the dolphins cut him and no other team even looks at him. Can he catch the burgers if he flips them ??

[JackPhinFan]

I am not thrilled with this, unless the draft choice we give is very low. I am a bit upset with the Trifecta for dumping John Beck and taking Pat White. Beck would be useful now. I am not saying he is great, just useful. I am not sold on Pat as the regular QB, we should have made him a WR, we could use some help there. If they did that, Beck and Pat White would be available now to QB. If the pick is the ones not speciified from Alleman deal, that is OK. It better not be a 3rd round pick. I hope this does not mean the trifecta is down on Henne.

[Dan'l]

Born on a mountain top in Tennessee
The greenest state in the land of the free
Raised in the woods so's he knew ev'ry tree
Kilt him a b'ar when he was only three
Tyler, Tyler Thigpen, king of the wild frontier

Fought single-handed through many a war
Till the enemy was whipped and peace was in store
And while he was handlin' this risky chore
He made himself a legend forever more
Tyler, Tyler Thigpen, the man who knew no fear

He went off to Congress and served a spell
Fixin' up the Government and the laws as well
Took over Washington, so I heard tell
And he patched up the crack in the Liberty Bell
Tyler, Tyler Thigpen, seeing his duty clear

When he came home his politic'ing was done
And the western march had just begun
So he packed his gear and his trusty gun
And lit out a-grinnin' to follow the sun
Tyler, Tyler Thigpen, leading the Miami Dolphins

[Flipper]

Well I want to be clear that although I strongly disagree with the move, I do want to welcome Pigpen to Miami and wish him the best of luck here for the next two seasons...

The video clip above shows me that he has wide receivers that make plays, and I am now beginning to realize that we have the worst receiving corp in the league including tight ends.

So I guess we wasted that pick on Pat White??? Nahhh I still believe in him...I think he will be fine IF given the opportunity...I would start off with letting White run the same exact spread offense he ran at WV for four years and slowly bring him into more conventional/traditional type of offenses.

Just don't force feed the kid...

Good luck once again to Pigpen (his actual nickname in college per wikipedia)!!!

Sorry for our lousy receivers you will have to work with...May I suggest pushing for Hartline into the lineup. ;-)

[odinseye]

You guys are worried about QB's and WR's?

What about the middle of our D. Our ILB's and Safties are the SOLE REASON were not 3-0.

[BP]

NT, ILB, Safety.

[Porpoise Bill]

Mando,

Can he play any wide receiver? Anybody is an upgrade over Ginn at this point. Seriously though, I've seen him (Thigpen) play and he's not that bad. I bet he is starting by week 7. Tuna is already regretting the Pat white pick. That pick should have been on a wide receiver who can actually get open and catch. Maybe we send Ginn to Cleveland for Edwards (our bust who can't catch for theirs). At least Edwards is big enough to block downfield. Maybe Mangina will do us that favor before he gets run out of town.

[Mikegut]

Woah. NFA. Hope the pick isn't to high.

[steve]

Anybody who trades us for Ginn would be giving us a gift.

[dln265]

Living in KC, I saw Thigpen up close more than I cared to last year. After the Chiefs and their wretched O-line got two QB's knocked out for the season (I guess Huard just kind of gave up) Thigpen was inserted into a "pistol" formation offense because he has absolutely no business trying to be dropback passer. He may succeed (using that term loosely) in a spread option package, but he is merely a stop gap in case there is more bleeding, nothing more, nothing less. The joke around here last year was that Thigpen wouldn't have started for several Big XII teams (Texas/Colt McCoy), (Oklahoma/Sam Bradford), (Kansas State/Josh Freeman), (Missouri/Chase Daniel or Blaine Gabbert), (Kansas/Todd Reesing).

[Mikegut]

Ya right. The Bowns will trade Edwards for Ginn. Do you actually watch football?

[J.A.T.]

Pat White is looking like a bust. I usually don't like making judgments of players who haven't had an adequate opportunity to show what they can do on the field, but in the few glimpses we've seen from Pat White in-game, he just doesn't have "it". He may have big-time college stats and records, but that doesn't always translate to success in the pros... just ask Tommie Frazier or Eric Crouch.
I like the Thigpen deal, but I prefer Henne. Thigpen is a solid #2 QB though. Thigpen tore the Dolphins defense up with the spread formation last year. Good or bad, always and forever a die-hard Fins fan!

[odinseye]

Ginn's a Fin, get used to it.

At least with Henne's arm Ginn SHOULD be able to keep the 8th and 9th man out of the box.

How ironic, Ginn's main contribution will be in the running game.

[perspective]

In Parcells words...you build a tean from the inside to the outside. Rebuiliding a 1-15 teams isn't an easy task. He's doing fine. Why draft a quarterback with no line to protect him? That is why Pennington was signed as soon as he was cut. We're going to see if Henne is ready. If Henne comes ready to play and proves worthy of his draft slot, I'm sure all will be fine with the world. As for the receivers, that is a good question. They drafted 2, who both seemed to be drafted to early. But we all know the draft is no guarantee the player is worthy of his pick/slot. Romo was undrafted. So is Bess. Brady was a 6th.rd. pick. I could go on, but why bother.

[severinno]

odindeye, we are 0-3 because of turnovers.....remember.

[Elchano]

OK, but still no WR. Thigpen and Henne have arms but no one to trow it. Last year in KC Thigpen had T, Gonzalez , he can catch even a flying brick ,

[perspective]

Severino, you're right. Discipline has got to be restored. Stop the turnovers and penalties.

[odinseye]

Perspective

I think your 100% right. When Parcells and co took over we had question marks everywhere.

Their first move was signing Ricky to compliment Ronnie. Then Draft Long and "rebuild" the O-line.

They did this with Henne in mind. As long as he has a strong running game he'll do fine!

[odinseye]

Severino,

The turnovers are inexcusable. Just the same, other than Ronnie's, I believe the others would have been inconsequential, had we played any kind of D.

Ryan, Manning and Rivers repeatedly gutted the middle of our D.

[Brian]

as disgusted as i am with this season so far, i actually like this trade. this kid played pretty good last year and i was pretty impressed with him. between henne, white, and thigpen, there HAS to be a nfl-caliber starting qb in there somewhere.

[lakecityfan]

Ok with Thigpen as long as they stick with Henne as the starter.....If management screws up Henne's chance to take over this team for the rest of the year.....they need to go away! We need to make sure Henne has the job the rest of the year....

[perspective]

Would anyone be surprised if we saw either Clemmons or Jason Allen playing safety this week? I'm thinking Wake may be spelling or playing for Porter also.

[odinseye]

Now that Penny's out and were 0-3, we should let the kids out to play.

Start Clemons and let Turner get on the field. They can't hurt us more than Ginn or Wilson.

Start Smith and Davis with Allen in the nickle.

Let Wake and Moses spell Porter and Taylor to keep them all fresh.

Hell, why not try Moses at one of the ILB spots?

[Ken]

I agree with Odinseye on who to play. I am not saying just give up the season but the reality is we need to see what we have in some of these young guys, especially Turner.

[Ace]

fasano screwed this team with his turnovers .no one else .

[fishypete]

Actually I see Thigpen and White both playing in the spread offense at the same time like Ronnie and Ricky. They both can play QB...Run and both can catch. Seems to me that could be a very dangerous pair.

[Ace]

mosses looks like a bust .
i would play hillard .

[carm]

how about sending us some of those sure handed receivers as well.

[finfan23]

he sure doesnt throw the ball very well on that video. Henne throws with zip and accuracy. Running with it is interesting. Thats about it. Looking great against Miami as a quaterback last year is a given. We made a lot of unknown nobodies look like all pros. I hope he offers some backup but Henne is the future here. What I don't get is why they dont trade for a receiver and shake things up. There are at least 100 better in the nfl than what we have

[Mikegut]

Fishypete, if that ever happens then Henne can't come back in the game. If the 3rd QB plays befor fourth quarter the other 2 are done. That why we list white as 2 and Henne as 3.

[n]

"Thigpen is better than running the spread than Pat White"

And you base this on all four snaps that White has had??? I checked the replays and White made the right read on all the running plays but bad blocking screwed up those plays and he overthrew Ted Ginn on the one pass play. You have some serious Pat White hate.

Thigpen is simply another pedestrian QB who looked great against our defense and average against the rest of the league.

[carlito from golfito]

This good move for solid backup qb. Nothing more, nothing to make big deal for. Henne is the man and Dan Marino Jr.

Now go eat mofongo and wait for sunday.

or wait for more news.

[Jaxy Joel]

The best news is that he isn't named Chad Thigpen!

[dolfan4life]

This is a very wise and safe trade for the Phins. Thigpen will challenge Henne and keep him on his heels. Every player plays better when they know there is competition. Thigpen is much better than people make him out to be. I am starting to think that the Pat White pick may have been a waste.

[Shepherd D. Book]

The only people who are liking or loving this pickup are the ones who have irrational hatred towards Pat White, like Armando does.

This is (thigpen) is a JAG and nothing more, we needed an experienced backup, I understand that, but is this the best that they could do? I mean woohoo, he has a whole 11 games started, break out the band and to immediately start crowing about Thigpens ability to run the spread offence better than White, when you have even seen White given a chance to run the spread only speaks to your bias Armando and that is very very sad. You can couch it any way you like, but your words bear out those facts. This is a wasted move.

BTW JAG = Just Another Guy.

[Smaknstein]

Don't look now Pat White, but guess who's new job-title is wide receiver. See the equipment manager for a new jersey number and start practicing your routes.

[robert]

i love this trade..we are back thigpen is da answer.very talented and smart qb.my family are chiefs fan,so i watched this guy name thigpen alot last year.hey he should of been starting in kc

[Jaxy Joel]

The best part of this trade is that he isn't named Chad thigpen!

[ALoco]

i can't wait to see all these fans to jump on Henne and Ginn'e wagon on sunday .the fins if not for FASANO fumbles they would be 2-1 at worst .

carlito...i hope you keeping track of the people who don't like HENNE so we parade on monday .

[Mike Jones]

MANDO, CAN YOU ASK THE PHINS IF THE KC-MIAMI CONNECTION COULD BE CONSIDERING A TRADE OF DWANE BOWE?????? PLEASE????

[israelzion]

Carlito from golfito:

your post are entertaining but lets see what Henne can do before we label him Marino Jr. We may be raving about him next week but we may also keep seen he’s inconsistency, let’s hope for the best

Henne: your Time is now sink or swim but we will find out about you soon enough

[ALoco]

Dolphins4life,

nice to see you posting .we miss your football mind .

[RoLa]

Armando you are SUCH a Pat White hater its unbelievable. If they would have thrown White into the game instead of Henne im pretty sure the results would have been the same if not better. What has thigpen accomplished in his college career that white hasn't? White has to be given a chance before you can make such bold statements as to him not being a suitable backup.

[carlito from golfito]

Henne going to show us something what a good qb to look like. Throwing pass with zip and power and in place where receiver can run after catch not dink and dunk 20 play drive that take 10 min and we no even score.

[perspective]

fasano screwed this team with his turnovers .no one else .

Posted by: Ace | September 29, 2009 at 04:23 PM

Ace, Have you already forgotten the fumble by Pennington in the same game? Plus the interception? Ace, there is also the fumble in San Diego that stopped R. Brown at the goal line and loos of possession? There was also the interception from Henne for a touchdown. Care to rethink this comment about it only being Fasano?

[RoLa]

Just read a couple comments and happily realized I'm not the only one who thinks Armando has Pat White hate issues. Thank god.

[carlito from golfito]

I think Tyler Thigpen a good backup for rest of season, but after Pat White develop there is no need for thigpen as #2. Opposite of what Armando say. Pat White is a winner with skill and good instinct. Only reason he not good number 2 is because he only rookie, learning new offense and need to gain a little weights. He have potentials to be better to Thigpen in long run, but for this year Thigpen safe back up qb while Henne learn to be master of this offense.

[dolphinpasser]

i agree that was Fasano the reason for this team to go 3-0. he set the tone for the hell this team have now .

[perspective]

mosses looks like a bust .
i would play hillard .

Posted by: Ace | September 29, 2009 at 04:24 PM

Ace, I only have one problem with this comment. Moses is a linebacker. Hilliard is a running back/special teams player. wher is it you would play one over the other?

[robert]

i love this trade..dolphins fans we are back in business.this guy they name thigpen is a talented and a smrt qb.my family are chief fans so i watched alot games of this guy.hey,he shouldve been starting in kc.love the move parcells.we jus need now a good wr nad come on cornerbacks from the dolphins,we go to cover better.

[Ericatl]

We should have kept the undisclosed draft pick and tradded The Ginn Family

[Finfan in Orlando]

From the video it seems like he has better has than Ginn.....:-)

[perspective]

Right now, the Dolphins have three quarterbacks. one is 22, another 24, another 25. This team is definitely getting younger. They are keeping it interesting.

[Ace]

all i know if you play hillard he will not fumble the fu..ing ball and if he played instead of WILSON the toddler he would do a better job tackling .

[robert]

yea but ginn got to step up.bess is palyin well.we needed a strong arm qb.maybe it happen for a reason with c.pennington.i mean he was only suppose to be with us another year.so after him then what.thats when henne comes but it came sooner.the future is now.thigpen give him a year to know this playbook and this guy is going to take over.mark my words

[bobbyd12]

Bill Parcells pulls out another piece of outstanding talent....Excellent job on Thigpen

[carlito from golfito]

this obvious impostor ace trying to take his good name through dirt

Chad Henne!