Tony Sparano on free agency

[DolFan619]

http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/sports_football_dolphins/2009/02/tony-sparano-on-free-agency.html

Tony Sparano on free agency

It's a fine line NFL teams must tightrope when it comes to addressing a position need. Do they knock off the issue in free agency, or tackle it in the draft?

According to Miami Dolphins coach Tony Sparano, his team clearly will go young and cheaper, which means filling needs in the draft will be the Dolphins' first choice.

What is your philosophy on balancing how you tackle some of those needs when it comes to free agency vs. the draft?

Sparano: "From our end, it starts with the free agents. That's the phase we're in right now, and the closest to. We need to be careful. We're not going to be able to address all our needs from a free agent standpoint. That really isn't our philosophy. It never has been. Our philosophy is we want to build it through the draft. That's always been Bill's philosophy. It's always been Jeff's philosophy, and that's what I've been raised in.

"You build it through the draft with as many pieces from the draft. Then you add a couple of components that are available in free agency, whether they are your own or someone else's that you might be able to get, helping you save a must pick during the course of the draft process. That's the way we've attacked it. The draft is always first and foremost."

How desirable do you feel the Dolphins are to prospective players?

Sparano: "I would think that when you are 1-15, and now you're 11-5, and you've started to turn the corner...You are not there yet, but you've started to turn the corner in changing the culture that it would be attractive to the free agents. The players on our team right now probably have a pretty good message to potential free agents that might be out there, one way or another, so that also helps."

Come back for more from Sparano at the combine as I'll be sprinkling in more nuggets of Trifecta thinking to the masses.

In cased you missed it the Dolphins don't plan to franchise any of their five free agent starters, which means they'll all likely hit the open market on Feb. 27 until the Dolphins improve their present offers.

Deuces.

> Posted by Omar Kelly at 4:56:32 PM