Merling out for year, Marcus Spears next?

The Miami Herald has independently confirmed that Phillip Merling is out for the season following an Achilles' injury suffered this week.

The report follows an earlier report by profootballtalk.com that Merling's offseason troubles -- that included an arrest for domestic violence on his pregnant girlfriend -- had grown with an Achilles' injury whose extent was not known.  

I have been in contact with a source saying the Dolphins may turn their attention before training camp is over to Dallas defensive end Marcus Spears, a starter who has fallen somewhat out of favor with the Cowboys and whom Bill Parcells drafted in the first round in 2005.

Although Spears finished the season with a career-high 2.5 sacks in 2009, the Cowboys former first-round pick got a lower restricted free agent tender offer than either of his backups. Spears was available in trade just prior to the draft.

The Dolphins also have Tony McDaniel, Ryan Baker, Ikaika-Alama Francis, Lionel Dotson and rookie Jared Odrick slated at defensive end.

Former Jets-Ravens-Saints-49'ers defensive end Marques Douglas might be a possibility based on his history with defensive coordinator Mike Nolan. But Douglas is 33 years old and at 6-2 and 290 does not meet the prototype size the Dolphins like in their defensive ends.

Comments

[Derek]

Nolan will take these young guys and do damn good things. They may not do this or that perfectly, but I bet they fly around the ball. I Bet they attack the offenses and bet guys like Misi, Wake, Dobbins, Dansby, Edds, Spitler and the other LB's will be well coached, fast motivated and will be in teams faces unlike that bunch of slow, non pass covering, non run stuffing old farts and marginal goofs we had here before. Take a group of you guys, many or most of them NCAA Team captains , Big, Smart, High Motors and give them a coach like Nolan... shiznit man... Them guys are going to play tough & Smart. I believe the corners will be just fine, Only one spot on the D leaves me questioning and that is the FS spot. And it may just be a nervous to let um play thing, guy become starts when they are allowed to prove they are. Not because some clown says so.
I am not going to sell this club short for even a second. I believe this team is much better on the field then on paper, The EXACT opposite of the Jests. And I love the fact they are playing from the "3rd rated AFC East Underdog" Position... Give a young team a motivator like telling them the Division is already "sewed up" and that they are just the "Also ran's" and you get seasons like 2008. I hope teams fans and even the fans here in Miami keep talking crap, Because if and when they do get hot, it will be funny to watch the "Band wagon" fill up.
Watch and see "doubters" This team ain't gonna be no joke, teams didn't wanna play um last year, they gave some damn good clubs a scare. This year they will win a few of those close ones they dropped last year.
Let Miami come through this season without a ton of injuries or turnovers and I bet they are right there in January competing with the other teams who did the same in the playoffs.

[Patrick Ali]

This is why you don't diss off proven veterans like Jason Taylor...especially when they are still being as productive and better leaders than guys like Merling.
We'll see what Jarid Odrick is made out of now. That's for sure.

[joeywatts]

Sorry Patrick but last year Jason Taylor was no better than Merling..... he was way more popular but JT has sucked for the past 4 years......
Lets move on is not like we lost a player who was delivering 12 sacks a year.... Merlin was pretty much a bust, unfortunately!.....

[Mojo]

Ya know we were are all in denial over the merling-problem. Always waiting for him to mature, as a person and player. A big package of unrealized dreams. Now we can push it all under the rug and deal with it in a year. Its a practice "move-on". Yes, lets move on and fill the void right now. Just will be frosting on the cake if merling ever does come around. Makes our first round pick just that more significant.

[Fish Boy]

Derek, great comments!! Lost in all of this is the Mike Nolan defense scheme. As you stated, many of these young players were team captains, smart, and with high motors. If they can get Spears for a 4 and a 5, no problem.
We do not have to worry about the offense...WHY....RUN RICKY RUN!!!

[Sunny, Sonny]

According to the Palm Beach Post, the Dolphins signed former Jets-Ravens-Saints-49'ers defensive end Marques Douglas even though is is 33 years old and at 6-2 and 290 does not meet the prototype size the Dolphins like in their defensive ends.

[Gman05]

The last three years Douglas has had better production than Jason Taylor has had in regards to tackles and being involved in plays.. Taylor can only get sacks off of other linemans and linebackers strong play that created holes for him to exploit... I would rather have Douglas over Taylor...