Dolphins Draft Recap - What they didn't do...

With their late round picks, the Dolphins addressed the tight end position, depth at offensive tackle, and added a safety. None of these moves were surprises. Cheap, young players, but little more, was called upon to fill these positions.

However, the Dolphins made important decisions on the future of the linebacker and nose tackles positions by what they didn't do.

Specifically, the Dolphins didn't spend a high round draft pick on a pass-rushing outside linebacker and didn't draft a nose tackle to groom into the starting role when Jason Ferguson runs out of gas. The only thing they did do was draft JD Folsom, a seventh round Weber State inside linebacker project. The moves the Dolphins didn't make tell us a lot and will have great ramifications on the team now and into the future.

At nose tackle, I don't take the Dolphins not drafting anybody as a definite sign that they are happy with Paul Soliai to eventually take over for Jason Ferguson. I think they are happy enough with him that they felt confident leaving him as the #2 guy for another year, developing him in the process, but I don't think they are set on him as the answer.

The most likely reason the Dolphins passed on a nose is because there aren't many great noses available. People just don't come that big very often, so when there is a big body like that who is good enough to consistently eat up two gaps, they are hard to miss. The Dolphins had greater needs to take care of in the early rounds, and my best bet is that as opposed to drafting somebody mediocre now, they plan on drafting a first round nose in the next year or two, somebody who can come in and star(t) right away once Jason Ferguson is done. I think this is sound logic on the part of the Dolphins.

As for the lack of an outside linebacker, it takes a closer look at what the Dolphins currently have to get an idea of what's going on. On one side, they have Joey Porter, who figures to hold down the Will job for another couple of years. On the other, Matt Roth is a strong first and second down player, but the Dolphins didn't have good production from Charlie Anderson on third downs last year. So, that leaves the Dolphins looking for somebody to play on third downs and eventually succeed Joey Porter as the Will.

Anderson will certainly be in the mix for that role, but I believe that Cameron Wake will be given every opportunity to show off his considerable talent in that position. If you look at Wake as a sort of high round draft pick equivalent, it makes a lot of sense that the Dolphins felt less of a need at outside linebacker than they did at wide receiver or corner. You can never have too many pass rushers, but I think the Dolphins are putting their stock in Wake for a reason.

Meanwhile, the fact that the Dolphins didn't draft a linebacker can only be a positive sign for those hoping to see Jason Taylor in aqua and orange again. For the right price, bringing JT back makes a lot of sense, and I think we will find out in the coming days whether or not Parcells, Ireland, and Sparano agree. With him in the mix, the Dolphins pass rush could be downright scary once again.