David Garrard joins the Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins this evening added a 34-year-old veteran and prepared to cut a 34-year-old veteran.

David Garrard has agreed to a one-year contract with the Miami Dolphins various media outlets are reporting, led by Foxsports.com which broke the story on twitter.

Garrard, who played 10 seasons in Jacksonville and has been a solid performer, obviously brings veteran experience in a backup role, assuming he does not win the starting job. It is unclear if he's been told he will able compete for the starting job or simply be the backup.

This much seems clear: It makes sense for the Dolphins to add at least one more quarterback, with that player probably being a draftee that can be groomed as the club's future franchise quarterback. It is also possible the Dolphins are still talking to Alex Smith but this is much less likely -- indeed, unlikely -- as Smith seems to be a better fit back in San Francisco.

The Dolphins did for all intents and purposes clear $4.3 million of cap space this afternoon by outlining to agent Drew Rosenhaus its intent to cut strong safety Yeremiah Bell. Bell has led the Dolphins in tackles in recent years but was seen as declining last year. While widely expected, this move was a departure from two weeks ago when general manager Jeff Ireland told Rosenhaus the team did not intend to cut Bell.

Garrard undoubtedly takes up some of the cap space created by the Bell move.

The Dolphins did not announce any of these moves. In truth, the Dolphins declined to confirm the fact Garrard visited Monday because he is a street free agent and the club does not announce visit from street free agents -- players that hit the open market because they were cut by other teams.

Garrard last season declined a chance to join the Dolphins in October after he was waived in Jacksonville. Two weeks later, while waiting to join the Oakland Raiders, he learned that he had a bulging disc injury in his neck and required surgery.

One assumes the Dolphins both worked out and gave Garrard a full physical before offering a contract. I also further assume Garrard's head did not fall off his shoulders during the physical because that would mean the Dolphins signed a headless quarterback.

Kidding. I personally like the addition. Worst-case scenario, the Dolphins have a better, more experienced backup QB than anyone else in the AFC East.

Comments

[Dan]

You guys are idiots Garrard is a starting QB in the NFL he's was great in Jacksonville and will do great for the fins. We actually have a chnce of winning the divsion now that we have a QB who is capable of leading a team with no reciving help, just like he did in Jacksonville.

[Tube Salvation]

No Teabow No Ticket Renewal ;(

[maoriii]

Well there is always next year. Wait, this is next year...

[wolfman13]

Is this a joke? You guys didn't even look at Tebow? Another losing season!

Posted by: Debbie | March 19, 2012 at 09:18 PM

I have never read a more depressing Football Headline....

______________________________________________________________________________

You mean Tebow with the 46% completion rating and 72.9 QB rating....17 TDs and 16 turnovers? That Tebow? No thanks.....I'll take Garrard as a backup any day to the fraud that is Tim Tebow.

[ozkar]

David Garrard is not that good folks.He'll be just like Larry Johnson was last year.More head-scratching moves by a once proud franchise.Woe-be-Us! Are We fueling up the chopper to go pick Tim Tebow up.WHAT THE F UCK IS HOLDING US UP?

[Oscar]

No comment until the time limit is up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oopps! Time's up.
What the f)*%?! I've been a Dolphin fan since Auer ran the opening kick off in '66. Die hard, true and true. But what the f#^(? If this is all leading to getting Ryan Tannehill, then I'll back off. But if the front office expects to sell tickets with Garrard, then they need to call 911 and get Ireland to ER because he just had a brain f#$%. This is how you get the faithful fired up about our team?

[Phins78]

Dusty thanks for that link. It's pretty funny that Ireland is so despised but I don't thin Clark speaks for everyone. The guy is kind of a cry baby and is still mas the Dolphins didn't throw boat loads of cash at him. I believe he never has any intention of signing with the Phins. I think he wanted more than anything to stay with the Steelers and was using the Phins as leverage. If not why did he sign with the Steelers for basically the same we offered him? I think there's some sour grapes there.

[dolfdan13]

I say we draft seven QB in all rounds. One has got to give.

[TC]

What a joke this franchise is. David Garrard?? Are you kidding me!
Wow.... what a great move to shore up the BACK-UP QB position. Hey why don't you release our best defensive player while you're at it......oh wait , you already did.

Good thing the Patriots didn't make any moves so bold!

Thank God for baseball season.

[finfanmek]

https://www.facebook.com/pages/FIRE-JEFF-IRELAND/119416248154671

pleaseee, this is a disgrace to OUR franchise! like and share!

[Sigh]

What exactly is the plan?

Manning? No.
RGIII? No.
Flynn? No.
Smith? No.
Gerrald? Who was cut last year by Jacksonville.

The Dolphins must really be down on Matt Moore.

They also got rid of Marshall and now Bell.

They sign Hicks instead of Winston.

They now lack:

QB, TE, 2 WR, OG, OT, DE, OLB, FS, SS, and maybe CB.

Ten players. At least.

They have NOT EVEN ONE playmaker on offense. Wake is the playmaker on defense and he is paid quite modestly. Yet, the Dolphins are at the limit of the cap.

The OL is a joke. The pass defense is awful.

Maybe they know what they are doing? I mean the stunning progress from 7-9 to 7-9 to 6-10 show that this team is a dynasty.

[austin]

ryan clark will go down in infamy for letting tebow beat him with a PASS to win a playoff game.

[papahem]

"I just want to see my team win. Why is that man hurting our team daddy?"

Ireland is upsetting my kid....HELP!!!

[generrio harris]

I'm so fu*king mad!w

[finfanmek]

https://www.facebook.com/pages/FIRE-JEFF-IRELAND/119416248154671

PLEASEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE LIKE AND SHARE!

[Phins78]

But Dusty, to add on to that. I also believe that Ireland does have a problem. IMO Ireland acts too much like Parcells. Parcells trained him in his mold so Ireland is cranky,abrasive, cheap, and everything else Parcells was.

Problem with that is Ireland has nothing to back him up. Parcells had turned a couple of franchises around and won a super bowl. Ireland has accomplished nothing, zilch, squat. He has no right to act arrogant and I'm sure it bothers veteran players. This is why we get second tier and draft picks in my opinion. REALLY starting to dislike this guy.

Hey Jeff, you going to go behind Philbins back and get him fired like you did Sparano when your "plan" goes no where?! You f***ing idiot!!!!

[ALoco]

What the f)*%?! I've been a Dolphin fan since Auer ran the opening kick off in '66. Die hard, true and true. But what the f#^(

Posted by: Oscar | March 19, 2012 at 09:25 PM

OSCAR,TELL US ABOUT TIME BEFORE FOOTBALL,AND DID PEOPLE ACTUALLY RIDE HORSES?

(BUFFET OF ACORNS,KNOWLEDGE)

[Dolphin in Georgia]

NFL Network said it, Ireland is not trusted or respected by top players after his comments to Bryant about his mother. No NFL top players are going to come to Miami on their own until Ireland is gone. Please Mr. Ross bring in a real GM like Ron Wolf. You want to become the Packers of the AFC, bring in the final piece in Ron Wolf.

[Clean Fresh Start]

Lose gnarly for matt barkley! is it too early to hope to suck big for next year's prize? nope

[finfanmek]

LIKE AND SHARE IF YOU DONT LIKE JEFF IRELAND AS A GM:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/FIRE-JEFF-
IRELAND/119416248154671

[dolphin mike]

This team has gone to hell in a handbasket.I've seen the Dolphins make some pretty bad moves but this might take the cake.For all the hype that surrounded some of the possible signings,they sign Garrard and let Bell go.It does't that guys like Marino or Shula or anyone of any name sake don't want anything to do with this franchise.2-14 here we come.

[Tracy474]

It's that "dead fish" smell that turns everyone off. Miami reeks of "The Tuna"! Parcells could never get past Miami back in the day. Marino owned him! The Miami Dolphins were his great nemesis. So, he made sure he would pay back the mighty Fins. He destroyed them from within. And, took their money while doing it! He's still laughing!

Ireland still reeks of the smell of the Tuna! Fire him!

Let us be "Tuna-free Dolphins" once again...

[Ziggy]

Free agency doesn't win games so I'm going to hold negative comments til preseason. I do want to believe in Philbin and I'm all for rebuilding in draft with our own young talent.

[Phins78]

TC, I don't agree on Bell being the best defensive player. He was a SS who couldn't read the ball. Never made interceptions or big plays. Great leader, great SS when playing on the line but always a step slow to the ball. Had a lot of tackles but how many from behind after someone burned him. I know you're upset and rightly so, but imo for other reasons. The Bell thing was expected by a lot of us before free agency even started. Too much money wrapped up in a mediocre play maker.

[jimnyc2000]

good move! Garrard if healthy can push Moore..we draft a qb...not much else out there so this is good! Smith and Tebow a no no!

[Phins78]

We shouldn't be mad they didn't sign Winston because they didn't have enough money to do so.

But we SHOULD be mad they didn't have enough money to do so after going 6-10!

[generrio harris]

What kind of junk is this?U trade Marshall for 3rd founders?Pro bowl mvp?We haven't had a quarterback since Marino.Had a chance to get Drew brees but got culpepper a few years ago.Let Ricky go......DAMN u Dolphins!U make it so hard to stay a fan because y'all keep doing dumb s#!t.I'm tired of project QB's!Garrard is servicable but damn What about Vincent Young ,hell I'd even take McNabb!We got a O -line for another sorry ass season.

[wolfman13]

People are looking at this signing all wrong. At most, he's being brought in to compete for the starting job. At minimum he is a good veteran backup. My guess is that they will also draft a QB....probably Tannehill if he gets passed Cleveland.

IMO, this FO.....or maybe it's just the coach, has learned at least something from the past. You don't just make somebody the starter without competition if they're not verifiable franchise guys. Personally, I think there should be a QB competition every year until they find a true franchise guy.

And yes....despite what I just wrote, I do believe Ireland has to go at some point.

[Garo von Stoyanovich]

Well, at least my autumn Sundays are free now.

[buckeyephinfan]

We need a leader at qb and Tim tebow is that guy. He'll b wearing a dolphins uniform next year unless jacksonville overpays for him. Garrard only signed for 1 year and other than luck or rg3 there are no other qbs worth a first round pick let alone the 8th overall pick. Shore up the secondary and o-line and make this team attractive to a qb next year. Who knows maybe tebow will win like he seems to do no matter what.

[Sigh]

Peter King mentioned the Dez Bryant fiasco today too. I always wondered why Ireland was not fired on the spot. He is in personnel and he has to know to be more careful and respectful. In any case, it is affecting his ability to do his job and the only way to fix it is to resign and rebuild his image and then get back in the game at another team.

The Parcells/Ireland era has just been a disaster and Ross should have fired both Sparano and Ireland at the same time before that trip to San Fransico last year.

[SOD]

Y. Bell rated #74 of 87 safeties in 2011 with a cap figure of 6.2 mil for 2012. This according to pro football focus. Also, what class acts warren sapp and joey porter are. I take what they say as gospel.

[slutsky]

the hits just keep on coming with this team. Every time you think these guys couldnt do something worse they (ireland and ross) out do themselves just so the fans cant forget what a disaster they are. Lets see, cut our SS to make room for a damaged 34 year old back up. I have idea since we are in rebuilding mode lets trade Jake Long, Reggie Bush, Devone Bess, Cameron Wake and Karlos Dansby for a pair of 2015, 2016 4th round picks. WTF is going on with these jokers. We are the only team in the AFC east that is making off season moves to make us worse. Instead of filling holes we are creating new ones. speechless

[finfanmek]

https://www.facebook.com/pages/FIRE-JEFF-IRELAND/119416248154671

hope this page can help ross see what step #1 is...
step #2 is for him to sell the team!

[Bong_Santos]

Cut the leading tackler and team captain and sign a 34-yr old who couldn't make the Jags roster last year.

Ah....good plan.

[The Crusher]

this is a rebuilding team.all the "i hate everyone"lemmings please hit the beach. garrard and moore are 3/4 to 1 year stop gaps while 2 of the men who helped favre and rodgers get where they went develop tannehill,cousins,or osweiler. i know each of these qb's has a weakness,but favre was a 2nd rounder who turned mike holmgrems hair grey and rodgers was a late 1st rounder no one wanted.have faith in philbin.he has a backbone.ireland for ALL his faults did not do so bad once the EGO left the dolphins. he got us pouncy,clay(who can become a tom rathman like beast in the wc offense),bush/thomas(2 very under-utilized pass catchers who should get more chances in the wc offense),wilson & gates(young guys who showed flashes last year),and he did not waste money on smith,flynn,or orten. he also hired a 21st century hc who has an offensive mind.i will give this staff the benefit of the doubt.your pissed because they dont talk to us...so what.you all talk up bill b.,you think he gives a shite what the fans know? or would you prefer a d#ckhead like ryan who cant stop talking?

[Asogue]

All these new bloggers commenting negatively on everything. Are you a screen for your real names? Dusty Bottoms always complaints about everything so I am not surprised. He does not have anything else to do. The others, stop crying and look ahead. The Phins are going to play better than what you are presently saying, and then, what? If you are so good in football, why don't you guys do it for a living? Just saying...

[Phins78]

Does everyone know it is against the blog rules to impersonate people or are only the smart people aware?

Armando I wrote you about my impostor at 8:49 and 9:07. He has done it again at 9:37. Please remove the posts. He might also need a spanking, seems pretty upset over something and he's breaking things in your house.

[finfanmek]

https://www.facebook.com/pages/FIRE-JEFF-IRELAND/119416248154671

Like and SHARE SHARE SHARE! especially if you live in miami unlike me :P

[dolphin mike]

This just in the Dolphins are looking to sign "Snowflake" tomorrow. Anyone who has seen Ace Ventura will know exactly what I'm talking about.Die hard Dolphin fan having a hard time ingesting some of these moves.

[rich from phoenix]

WTF We are and will always be a laughing stock with Ireland at the helm.

[72fins]

wow every time i look at whats going on it gets worse
i cant beleive we let bell go the fa we picked suck
if ross didnt really want this team he should have never bought it i wish marino would take over for the gm

[Turd Ferguson]

I'd rather have Gerrard than Smith. But with a one year contract Miami will not have a qb under contract for 2013.

[JohnC.]

Philbin has to be thinking - "what have I done?!"

[thavafin]

You can't claim to KNOW what will materialize with the Garrad signing.
The move itself doesn't seem so dumb.
They wanted him last year but I think he wasn't physically where he needed to be as he played no where.
Don't think they thought they had a great shot at Manning and privately knew he wasn't coming. But you still make a push. 11 other teams did too.
Flynn wasn't coming here for the price. They gave him a price based on their evaluation and he took Seattle. Oh well, who else was chomping to get Flynn?
A Smith I think they made a push for, if Manning goes to 49ers Smith is a Dolphin.
So who's next? Need to bring in someone, right?
Not stupid.

[Sigh]

There's not much else to say except that the Dolphins are just terrible. They stink in the season and in the off season.

[finfanmek]

https://www.facebook.com/pages/FIRE-JEFF-IRELAND/119416248154671

Share. Please. I can't stand this.

[GlennRices'12incher]

There must be pictures of puckered anus face MS. Ross naked with goats floating around. Jeff the drunk has them.

[markb]

So...guessing the brain trust ...Mr. Ross and Mr. Ireland, sat down and interviewed Manning, Flynn, Smith, passed on all quarterbacks in last years draft, decided not to trade up for the top two in this years draft...and choose David Garrard?

I still think we should have Ross as the quarterback and Columbo as the right tackle.
Wouldn't you pay to watch that.....hey, we would have a sell out!

[thavafin]

Maybe you wait it out and someone falls in your lap ala Pennington. Or maybe you end up bringing in JP Losman to fill a hole in a few months.

[Swamy]

I believe McNabb and Young are the only FA that have been to the Pro Bowl.

My depth chart.

1)Young - wins competition with Moore
2)Moore
3 & 4)Devlin or late round pick (or FA,Jacory Harris, UM)

[The Crusher]

garrard:last 3 years with a piece of shite offense with no pass catchers:
63% completion//53-38 td to int//7yds per attmpt//about 10k yds passing...not bad for a 1 year stop gap to compete with moore.they must hit on cousins,tannehill,or osweiler. i like cousins. he's smart and he is a leader.

[finfanmek]

https://www.facebook.com/pages/FIRE-JEFF-IRELAND/119416248154671

we need people in miami to share this with all their friends on facebook, please help save us all!

[cookiestat13]

guy come on we are are going to the Superbowl we got our franchise qb hell yea dick ross u r the best owner lol dick

[PhightinPhil]

Any move, or lack thereof, that makes our owner & GM look like bumbling fools, well, I'm all for it.

[thavafin]

They "passes" on Flynn, that's it.
Glad they didn't give up the redskins package AND some to draft RGIII. You think Fisher would have dealt that to use anyeay? No way.

[The Crusher]

markb at @ 950pm...too funny. i will pay top dollar to watch that.you could put the 72 phins offense out there and one of archie manning's 70's era defenses that sucked and ross would still get killed because of co-bumble at RT.maybe sparano will convince the jests to sign him.

[thavafin]

*d

[Sigh]

The Dolphins past four drafts have not been what one would call successful.

They have yet to build an O-Line; it was ranked 30th.

They cannot stop the pass.

Parcells and Ireland passed on QB for four long years while trying to find 'value' at the position. Guess what? The only QB's left are 'values'.

The only All Pro the Dolphins have drafted in four years is Jake Long.

Draft a QB next year? It will be nearly impossible to get one unless the Dolphins finish 4-12 or worse.

[finfanmek]

https://www.facebook.com/pages/FIRE-JEFF-IRELAND/119416248154671

like and SHARE, its our time to end this madness