Meet Your 2008 Miami Dolphins - Part 1 - The Starting QB

[Jim Gray]

Can you pick out the starting QB for Miami from a line up?  I bet most people couldn't.  He looks a little like the young Biff from the Back to the Future movies.

Josh McCown
Height: 6-4   Weight: 215   Age: 29
Born: 7/4/1979 Jacksonville , TX
College: Sam Houston State
Experience: 7th season

McCown was drafted in the 3rd round by Arizona in 2002.  He has played 7 years in the NFL and Miami will be his 4th team (Arizona, Detroit, Oakland).   When you get cut by Arizona, Detroit and Oakland, I guess it makes sense that you end up in Miami.

Josh has a career QB rating of 71.  In the 44 games he has played,  McCown has 35 TDs and 40 INTs.  You can go look up the rest of the stats if you want, but suffice it to say - McCown is a backup QB that has started enough games to prove that he shouldn't be starting.   I assume that McCown is a stop-gap measure for the Dolphins, here until Beck or Henne is ready to play.  I've read that McCown is valued for his vetern experience and game management skills.  This seems odd, since McCown is known for being inaccurate and making poor decisions in the pocket.

After seeing the career stats, I was a little surprise to see how much McCown is being paid.  Josh McCown has agreed to a two-year, $6.25 million contract with the Dolphins. He will receive a $2.5 million signing bonus.

I guess the best thing I can say about McCown is that you know what you are getting.  There's not a lot of upside, but McCown has shown that he can lead an NFL team to a win......just not very often.   The biggest news McCown has made so far is a chainsaw accident that came close to removing the index finger of his throwing hand.  It's difficult to predict how the coaches will react if McCown plays poorly early.  Will they go back to Beck who was pretty bad last year?  Will they throw Henne to wolves as a rookie?  I think McCown will do just enough to hold on to the job.

[YoFuggedaboutit]

So you think McCown will be starting Opening Day?  Why not do profiles on Beck and Henne?

[StL FinFan]

The only way Henne starts is if the other two get injured.

[DolFan619]

So you think McCown will be starting Opening Day?  Why not do profiles on Beck and Henne?

  I agree.  If you're going to do a profile on one, then include the other two as well.  Because from the past two days none of the three quarterbacks has stood out from one another.

[Jim Gray]

Maybe you would like me to do the practice squad too? 

McCown is listed as the starting QB, so that's who you get.  I'm going to do a piece on each unit of the offense (QB, RB, FB, TE, OL, WR), then move to the defense and special teams.  Let's get to know our starters before we start worrying about 2nd and 3rd.

I know it's just the 2nd day of camp, so things could easily change.  If Beck or Henne breaks into the starting line-up, I'll do a profile on them.

[DolFan619]

Maybe you would like me to do the practice squad too? 

McCown is listed as the starting QB, so that's who you get.  I'm going to do a piece on each unit of the offense (QB, RB, FB, TE, OL, WR), then move to the defense and special teams.  Let's get to know our starters before we start worrying about 2nd and 3rd.

I know it's just the 2nd day of camp, so things could easily change.  If Beck or Henne breaks into the starting line-up, I'll do a profile on them.

  Well, when the practice squad is named, you can do that if you like.   

  Anyways, if you're going by the "tentative" depth charts that's fine.  I look forward too your other previews!

[YoFuggedaboutit]

I wonder who Jim thinks the starting RB will be?  Ronnie or Ricky?

[CF DolFan]

I wonder who Jim thinks the starting RB will be?  Ronnie or Ricky?

From what I hear it is Ricky.  Ronnie is going to be brought back very slowly.

FRom ESPN:

Regular Offense
POS STARTER 2nd 3rd 4th
WR Ted Ginn Jr.  Greg Camarillo  Davone Bess  Selwyn Lymon 
TE David Martin  Anthony Fasano  Sean Ryan  Justin Peelle 
LT Jake Long  Dan Gore   
LG Justin Smiley  Shawn Murphy  Donald Thomas   
C Samson Satele  Mike Byrne  Matt Spanos   
RG Steve McKinney  Ikechuku Ndukwe  Trey Darilek   
RT Vernon Carey  Julius Wilson  Daren Heerspink   
WR Ernest Wilford  Derek Hagan  David Kircus  Jayson Foster 
QB Josh McCown  John Beck  Chad Henne   
FB Reagan Mauia  Boomer Grigsby   
RB Ronnie Brown (Q)  Ricky Williams  Patrick Cobbs  Jalen Parmele 

[CF DolFan]

I guess the best thing I can say about McCown is that you know what you are getting.  There's not a lot of upside, but McCown has shown that he can lead an NFL team to a win......just not very often.   The biggest news McCown has made so far is a chainsaw accident that came close to removing the index finger of his throwing hand.  It's difficult to predict how the coaches will react if McCown plays poorly early.  Will they go back to Beck who was pretty bad last year?  Will they throw Henne to wolves as a rookie?  I think McCown will do just enough to hold on to the job.

I don't see this coaching regime playing McCown as the starter who just barely holds on to the job when the two guys behind him are the ones tapped with all the potential.  While I don't think Henne plays until the other two die out there I think it will be Beck's on starting day.  If Henne plays he will have to "clearly" show that he can do it immediatley and not be a project in the works.  I've read too many quotes from Parcells about not playing rookie QBs in the past.  Bledsoe was the exception and I don't think anyone would disagree that he did well similar to that of Dan who was another exception.

McCown is the known variable but I really don't think he will be our starter. Obviously I could be wrong but he doesn't even seem to get any respect from our coaches let alone the media.

[Denver_Bronco]

From what I hear it is Ricky.  Ronnie is going to be brought back very slowly.

Really ? Hmmmmmm, I couldn't possibly be right ? See ya in week 6 Mr. Brown...

[fyo]

Really ? Hmmmmmm, I couldn't possibly be right ? See ya in week 6 Mr. Brown...

I'm willing to bet Ronnie gets at least a handful of carries in week 1.

[Jim Gray]

If I was a betting man, I'd put my money on McCown being our starter on opening day.  I don't see Beck being in the mix based on his inexperience and lack of success in the games he started last year.  The Dolphins will only turn to Henne if McCown has a complete meltdown or injury.   There are another 6.5 million reasons to think that McCown will be under center on opening day.

But, it's so early.  We have all of camp and 4 pre-season games to go.  So much can happen that I wouldn't really be surprised to see any of these guys start on opening day.   

While I think McCown will be our starter, I featured him because he is listed as the starter on most depth charts.  My plan is to use published depth charts to identify the players on each unit.  I will make an exception for the RB story.  Since Miami will play both if healthy, I'm going to look at both Ricky and Ronnie.  But of all units, RB is the one place where you know the players, so a "Meet the Dolphins RBs" story is less interesting.......at least to me.