Sunday, November 30, 2008

Fins/Pats: The biggest loss

Yes, the Dolphins lost a huge game to the Patriots on Sunday, but the biggest lost of the day was that of Greg Camarillo for the rest of the year. The good news for Greg is that he just got his contract, so good for him that he is set personally. However, this is a huge loss for the rest of the season, and he will require a speedy recovery in the offseason to get ready to play next year. Camarillo was on pace for 80 catches this year.

Looking ahead, this will mean a few things for the Dolphins. First of all, Devone Bess should be the starter for the rest of the year along side of Ted Ginn. Bess is coming off an excellent game against the Patriots, and it will be interesting to see how he fares in a larger role.

Moving down the line, this will also mean more playing time for Brandon London, who is a lively force for the Dolphins (certainly their number one cheerleader on Sunday) and has shown a lot of upside. Sparano has said he'd like to see more consistency out of London.

As for Ernest Wilford, this means that he will finally reenter the active roster. He will be active against the Rams, and look for him to get some opportunities in the passing game as well. He will fit in as the big guy as the Dolphins will probably get back to their "different receivers for different situations" strategy of early in the year.

There was speculation that Anthony Armstrong would be promoted from the practice squad, but the roster spot vacated by Camarillo was filled by center Al Johnson.

The only other thing to expect is even more involvement of the tight ends. Martin has come alive recently, but after a very strong start to the season, Fasano has had only one catch in his last three games. Look for lots of two tight end sets as the Dolphins get back to trying to establish the running game, and these two guys should also be very active in the passing game for the rest of the season.

Nevertheless, no matter the changes and adjustments that the Dolphins make, the loss of a player like Camarillo hurts badly. Let's hope for a full recovery in time for next season.

No comments: