Dolphins Lose Defensive End for 2010 Season, Could Trade for Replacement

Following up on a report by ProFootballTalk.com, The Miami Herald has confirmed that Dolphins’ defensive end Phillip Merling will miss the entire 2010 season because of an injured achilles. The exact injury is not yet known, but the severity is clear as Merling will soon be put in the Reserve/Injured list.

Merling had already been having a difficult offseason as he currently faces charges of assault against his pregnant girlfriend and is facing a suspension from the league. But if there is a bright side for Merling, it’s that his injury was reportedly football-related and he will therefore be able to collect his $600,000 salary.

However, if the NFL does decide to suspend Merling, the Dolphins can choose to cut down his salary accordingly.

While the injury is clearly a step backward Merling’s young career, it is an opportunity for the Dolphins’ 2010 first-round pick, Jared Odrick, to see some time immediately and let the ‘Fins see what they have in him by throwing him into the deep end.

But because of his availability and familiarity with Bill Parcells, many people think Cowboys’ defensive end Marcus Spears will soon be heading to Miami. Spears would fit with what the Dolphins are trying to do, and Parcells was the guy who drafted him in the first round back in 2005.

However, with a slew of veterans and a first-round rookie on the roster, it’s unlikely Parcells will cloud things up further by trading for a guy in Spears who has been only average in his five-year career.

I would expect Odrick to get first crack at the opening, but if he can’t impress during training camp and the first game or so of the preseason, then I could see Parcells pulling the trigger and getting a deal done. But until then, it’s probably more of a case of drawing a connection that makes sense without any real substance behind it.