Marshall and Wake among the NFL's Top 100

If you're still paying attention to football these days -- and the assumption is you are because, well, you're on a football blog -- then you're probably aware of the fun exercise the NFL Network is undertaking in ranking the league's top 100 players.

The countdown started at No. 100 and is down to No. 61 so far with more installments on the way until we reach No. 1. I have the feeling Aaron Rodgers, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady will find themselves vying for No. 1, and if they don't something is definitely wrong.

Dolphins players in that elite group?

Cameron Wake hit No. 63 in the released list of top 100.

"They asked me and when I voted, I didn't put myself in there," Wake said.

Riiiight.

Wake definitely deserves the recognition. But that which is most exciting about Wake is that while other pass-rushers such as Pittsburgh's LaMarr Woodley will already find themselves rated behind Wake, there is so much further Wake can go.

I see Wake becoming every bit as dominant as Woodley's running mate in Pittsburgh, James Harrison. Harrison isn't as big, isn't as quick or as explosive as Wake. He is much more refined in his technique, he's slightly stronger in the upper body and his work ethic is beyond reproach.

DeMarcus Ware also will be ranked among the league's top 39 players.

So Wake, with one great 14-sack season on his resume, can definitely improve. (I would tell you he'll be a lot better if Koa Misi or another Dolphins rusher offers a counter-balancing rush threat as Woodley does for Harrison.)

Interestingly, Wake rates ahead of Houston defensive end Mario Williams on this list. Williams, you'll recall, was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2006 draft. Think of the bargain the Dolphins got in adding Wake as an free agent out of the Canadian Football League.

Wake isn't the only Dolphins player on this list. Brandon Marshall is the NFL's 61st best player, according to the voting by his peers.

I have no problem with the ranking. Marshall, when he's right, when he's healthy, when he's feeling confident and engaged and enthusiastic, can be elite. Unfortunately, if you pay attention to the video of Marshall on the NFL Network site, most of his highlights come when he's in a Denver uniform.

Now, I recognize Marshall played most of his career in Denver and only one season in Miami. But the point I'm making is I still haven't seen in Miami the WR that Marshall was in Denver. Just look at his running ability in the Broncos uniform. Watch Marshall's ability to cut once he has the ball to make the defense miss. I didn't see that in Miami last year.

I saw Marshall break tackles on sheer strength and power. But I didn't see that kind of quickness. Not even close.

Marshall was working toward getting back that kind of quickness this offseason when he was stabbed by his wife in a domestic violence incident that is still unsettled. And although Marshall is expected to recover from the incident with his wife, he has not yet returned to working out fulltime.

NFL.com senior columnist Vic Carucci writes that Marshall deserves to be higher on the list of the Top 100 if one accounts for talent alone. But talent is not the only thing that decides a player's success in the NFL. So Carucci points out that Marshall is ranked where he is based on the fact other players didn't trust his him off the field.

Carucci goes on to outline the off-field issues Marshall has had and makes the point that if one is not on the field or free of off-field worries, it is tougher to reach one's potential. That, the columnist hypothesizes, is the reason a talent of Marshall's scope is pushed down the list of the top 100.

I would tell you the Dolphins have two more players with significant hope of being in the Top 100 -- ILB Karlos Dansby and LT Jake Long.

Dansby might or might not make it. Long is a certainty.

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Karlos Dansby dishes on Pats, prep, past

I am convinced Karlos Dansby was an amazing offseason pickup for the Miami Dolphins. He means nearly as much to the Dolphins defense as fellow offseason acquisition Brandon Marshall means to the offense. And I am convinced because of his even-keel nature and consistency, he might become a better investment for the Dolphins long-term than Marshall.

I am not, however, convinced I've done a good enough job of letting you hear from Dansby so far this season. So let me attempt to correct that a little bit.

What follows is the transcript of the conference call Dansby did today with the New England media. Enjoy:

(On what he’s seen from the Patriots on film this week) – “They’re pretty efficient. They do a lot of things to get defenses off balance and then like say they…they attack - they’re an attacking style offense and like I say they don’t hold anything back. Tom Brady is an efficient quarterback and he’s going to get it to the right guy at the right time.”

(On if this week’s preparation is more complicated due to how much is being thrown at him) – “No, not at all. You just have to be sound at what you do and go out and try to execute better than the opponents. That’s what you have to try to do every week and there’s nothing different this week that I wouldn’t do in the past weeks.”

(On what it’s like preparing for the tight ends and the receivers) – “They got two guys that could block very well and then you got a receiver. They say, they’ve been making a lot of plays on their offensive side of the ball. Like I say, they’ve been getting down the field and scoring touchdowns left and right and making big plays left and right. So, like I say, we just got to be sound in our technique and finish plays. I think that’s what we didn’t do against Dustin Keller and it allowed them to have a lot of success out on the field. Like I say, we were playing with bad technique and the communication was off - it was a lot of things that allowed him to have success out on the field.”

(On if he’ll carry the adjustments that he has made after the last game against the Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski) – “Definitely, those (are) two great guys right there. Like you said, they are efficient in they offense and like I said, Tom Brady gets those guys the ball a lot. And like I said, those guys tend to get open a lot and he tends to find them. We got to be…we got to be in position and be in place to…in order to disrupt some of the balls being thrown to them or knock the timing off a little bit.”

(On if he’s ever played with Jonathan Wilhite in the past) – “Nah, I don’t think I played with Jonathan Wilhite. I haven’t had the opportunity to play with him.”

(On if the last time he played with the Patriots sticks with him going into this week (due to it not being a successful game for him)) – “Nah, I kind of left that where it was. (You know) that’s the year we went to the Super Bowl I think and like I say, we left that game there in New England. Like you said, it was a bad outing by our team. We didn’t get an opportunity to finish the way we…well it didn’t seem like we got a chance to start that game (you know what I’m saying) (laughing). They put a beating on us pretty bad. And like I say, they taught us a lesson though and it showed and it carried over through the playoffs when we had that opportunity, so. This year it’s a totally different team, totally different personnel right now and like I say I’m just looking forward to this opportunity to get our opportunity to play against these guys, so. After, like I say, after seeing them play for so long and seeing some of these guys - like I say I never had the opportunity to play against Tom Brady, I played against Matt Cassel, so, I think it’ll be fun for me.”

(On the defensive unit and if he sees some of his personality in this defense) – “Right now our unit is…I think we’re tough, we’re smart and we’re disciplined. Last Sunday we didn’t have a great outing and we knew that. Like I said, we’ve been here working for the last couple days; we’ve been getting it in, and guys have been putting in extra time. Like I said I think they’re following suit right now. I’m always in, always trying to get the information, always trying to figure out what it is that I can do to make this team better and make the guys around me better. Like I said I think the guys are starting to catch on and pick up, the intensity is starting to pick up in practice and in the weight room and in the film room asking questions just all around. We’re simply just trying to get better as a team and as a unit and hopefully we can show Monday that we, that we have done that.”

(On Brandon Marshall and what he brings to the Dolphins offense) – “He’s very dangerous, he’s very dangerous. Like I said we’re doing a good job of getting him the ball right now. Chad Henne and him are trying to build their relationship as the season grows and goes on. Like I said, we’re just trying to get better as a team all the way around. The offensive line is doing a great job of protecting and giving him an opportunity to get the ball down the field, and Brandon is making plays left and right. He’s an awesome addition to this team. Like I said him, just bringing him in the locker room has made us ten times better.”

(On if signing with the Dolphins has been everything he’d hoped for) – “And more, and more, and more. Everything I hoped for and more. Like I said, I checked the personnel out. I knew exactly what I was getting myself into. Having the opportunity to play for Bill Parcells and under Coach Sparano, it couldn’t be a better two, two guys to play for and represent. Like I said the history of the Miami Dolphins period; you have to be perfect man. You got to live up to this perfect atmosphere day in and day out, you know what I’m saying? You guys went what, 16-0 the 1972 Dolphins; you got to live up to that day in and day out. That’s what we’re working to; we’re just trying to be great in every aspect of the game on and off the field. I knew exactly what I was getting myself into and it’s been everything I expected and more.”

(On how he and Mike Nolan getting along and whether he likes his aggressive style) – “Oh definitely man, definitely Coach Nolan has a lot of trust in me right now. I’m always in his ear always picking his brain trying to figure out what he’s thinking. Not only what he’s thinking, I’m trying to add a little bit of myself to him also just to let him know, hey coach we, we got your back. Whatever you want to call, we can get it done and just letting him, having the confidence in us to go out and execute his plan. Like I said last night we kind of let him down a little bit and I know that so we’ve been here working and grinding just trying to build his confidence up so he can call anything he wants to call and let us go play.”

(On whether he has kept track of his old team, the Arizona Cardinals) – “Well you know, I talk to Adrian (Wilson) on a regular basis. Like I said he’s, he’s kind of frustrated over there a little bit I think, but he’s playing hard. He’s not going to lay down, and like I said he’s just trying to rally the guys just like I’m trying to do, rally the troops. We got to play at a whole other level in order to have success in this league because it’s getting better week in and week out. Like I said guys are around you, man your peers are definitely getting better day in and day out. He’s got a good head on his shoulders, so he’s trying to lead his team over there also.”