Miami Dolphins: Was Rey Maualuga the right move at linebacker?
The Miami Dolphins signed Rey Maualuga to be their starting middle linebacker, but was it the right move?
The Miami Dolphins desperately needed an inside linebacker after second-round pick Raekwon McMillan went down with a torn ACL in the team’s first preseason game while covering a kick. Mike Hull is a key special teamer but quite frankly just isn’t near good enough to be starting linebacker on a decent defense. With multiple options to pursue Miami decided to sign former Cincinnati Bengals veteran Rey Maualuga.
Maualuga is a 30-year old veteran and has been a solid force in Cincy his entire career. However, he was relegated to an early-down linebacker last season due to the fact he had lost a step, particularly in pass coverage. The question remains whether or not this was the right move.
There were other options available such as Daryl Washington, Zachary Orr and Mychal Kendricks as I’ve recently touched upon in the link above. The answer is, it wasn’t necessarily right or wrong. It was the conservative move as the team decided to play it safe.
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There is no doubt all of the other three players mentioned have way more upside. Nevertheless, Washington has a ton of baggage, Orr has injury concerns and Kendricks would come at a price both to acquire and against the salary cap.
It really just depends how you look at this one. All the Dolphins really need is for Maualuga to step in and be a thumper, which he is more than capable of doing. Only time will tell how if this was the right move.
If he can step in and be a solid run stopper and rack up about 85-95 tackles it will be a nice move. They can absolutely hide him in coverage. Kiko Alonso and the safeties are more than capable of getting the job done on the running backs and tight ends.
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Currently, Maualuga is working his way back into shape before he can even practice with the team so there is a chance we don’t get to see him in action until Week 1 or at least the final preseason game. It may take him a few weeks back to round into his top form, but he should be a serviceable option early in the season and is certainly an upgrade over Hull. Don’t look for him to be a star, though, as the other options had the potential to be.