Dolphins select Jason Allen with first pick

With the #16 pick in the first round, the Dolphins selected Tennessee safety Jason Allen. Allen will be tried at both safety and cornerback. In the third round, the Dolphins picked up WR Derek Hagan from Arizona State.

I was a bit surprised at the selection of Allen. Most draft reports I'd seen had him going in the late first round or even the second round. Also, the defensive backs and wide receivers targeted for the Dolphins' pick before the draft were all still available when the Dolphins chose. It does seem a bit of a reach for the Dolphins to take Allen. They could have traded down a little, gotten another draft pick (they don't have any in the 2nd, 5th, and 6th rounds this year), and still gotten Allen. The only comfort in this pick is that Nick Saban knows Allen well and tried to recruit him out of high school for LSU. We'll see how it pans out soon enough.

2006 Draft

Unlike last year, when the Dolphins had the #2 pick in the draft, there's no overwhelming consensus on who the team will pick this year with their #16 pick. Most mock drafts I've seen predict the Dolphins will pick a WR such as Chad Jackson or Santonio Holmes, or a CB such as Jimmy Williams. Either of those choices make sense, since they fill a need. The wildcard will be if a good player falls to the Dolphins' spot (e.g., recent rumors have QB Jay Cutler possibly falling to #16) or if the Dolphins move up/down through a trade. One thing is fairly certain; Nick Saban will pick the best available athlete rather than reach to fill a need, a wise move IMHO, since the Dolphins have multiple needs.

Ricky suspended for one year

Ricky Williams lost his appeal and will be suspended for the 2006 season. He also will not be allowed to train at the Dolphins' facility during the year.

This may mark the end of Ricky's checkered career. I can't remember so many what-ifs surrounding a player in recent years. He could have been one of the all-time great running backs, but....

The suspension also means the Dolphins are likely to draft a RB this weekend. I doubt they'll take one in the first round, but that's OK because good RBs can historically be found late in the draft.

Joey Harrington to be a Dolphin?

The Dolphins are negotiating with the Detroit Lions for a trade involving QB Joey Harrington. The Lions initially wanted a sixth round pick in the upcoming draft, but since the Dolphins don't have one, they offered their seventh round pick. The Lions countered by asking for a fourth round pick. (Now I see why the Lions are such a messed up organization.)

The Dolphins aren't expected to offer a higher pick unless another team gets involved in the bidding because the Lions will likely release Harrington by June 14 due to salary cap reasons.

Despite the stall in trade talks, Harrington himself looks forward to being a Dolphin. In a statement released through his agent, Harrington said, "I look forward to joining the Miami Dolphins whenever I am released or a trade is completed."

Herald writer Armando Salguero's blog

I just found out that Miami Herald sports writer Armando Salguero started a Miami Dolphins blog called Dolphins In Depth. One of the gems in this new blog is an interview with Daunte Culpepper that didn't appear in the Miami Herald. I'm looking forward to more nuggets in the future!