Dolphins signing of Chad Pennington makes little sense
The Miami Dolphins signed former New York Jets quarterback Chad Pennington to a two-year, $11.5 million contract. Pennington was cut by the Jets after they acquired Brett Favre via a trade with the Green Bay Packers.
“I have enjoyed it,” Pennington said Friday in his first public comments since his release. “I’ve learned a lot, become a better professional and a better man because of my experience and my time in New York. I don’t regret or feel ashamed about anything that happened to me in my time in New York.”
One of the hardest-working and most cerebral quarterbacks in the league, Pennington is the perfect fit to tutor the youngsters on the Dolphins’ roster who could eventually become a successor.
That’s a pretty expensive tutor. Far be it for me to question anything Bill Parcells does, but this signing makes little sense. Word out of Miami is that John Beck and Chad Henne haven’t looked good this summer, but it’s only mid-August. Wouldn’t the Dolphins (a team that probably won’t compete for two years at the earliest) be better served if they got their young quarterbacks some playing time and used the $11.5 mil to upgrade their defense or skill positions?
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Posted in: NFL
Tags: Chad Henne, Chad Pennington, John Beck, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets
Not sure I agree. The Dolphins have nothing at QB, and going with the two youngsters could result in a disastrous season. The team is rebuilding, and getting a competent QB to run the offense as they fugure out what they have makes sense to me. Throwing a youngster out there to get killed would stifle the development of the whole team.
Fantasy-wise, this is a boost for Ted Ginn and Ronnie Brown. Pennington gives the Dolphins a capable passer who will keep defenses somewhat off balance.
Gerardo Orlando says:
Not sure I agree. The Dolphins have nothing at QB, and going with the two youngsters could result in a disastrous season. The team is rebuilding, and getting a competent QB to run the offense as they fugure out what they have makes sense to me. Throwing a youngster out there to get killed would stifle the development of the whole team.
If the Dolphins were a quarterback away from making a postseason run, I would say the Pennington signing is productive. But they’re not. They’re not anywhere close to a playoff team and why not allow Beck (a former 2nd round pick) and Henne to get some experience why the rest of the team takes their bumps and bruises too?
What’s more productive, winning four or five games with Pennington (and paying him $11.5 mil)? Or winning two or three games with Henne/Beck and getting them some experience?
I understand you want to try and win every year, but this seems like a latteral move to me and one that Parcells only made because he drafted the guy in NY and wanted to prove that one of “his guys” could play.
This tells me that they don’t think Beck or Henne are ready. They’re also putting in a new system. I think it makes sense to have a veteran get things started. If you have a whole new coaching staff, lots of new players AND an inexperienced QB, you might have a disaster and the whole team will regress. You might also destroy the young QB as well.
I don’t think you ever start a rookie when you have a new or unstable situation. They can always bring these guys in as the season progresses, but they’re trying to get the team going first.
By bringing in Pennington, you have a pro who can run the offense as the young team learns how to play together. The unit can develop and they can evaluate what they have.
I think you could go either way. I agree that you don’t want to start a young QB on a bad team (Henne is a rookie – Beck isn’t though), but you can’t expect that every young QB is going to turn out like Joey Harrington either (i.e. he craps himself for the rest of his NFL career because he was thrown into the fire too soon).
And what if Henne or Beck play well and the team comes together? There’s no guarantee Pennington is the better option just because he’s a veteran.
But again, you could go either way and I see your points about ruining a young QB. I’m also playing devil’s advocate a bit…
First and last game of the year:
Farve vs. Chad
Think ‘ol Brett is a little stressed?????
btw…..what happened to all the Brett fans that were here 2 weeks ago????
B.R.E.T.T……Brett Brett Brett!
Is our boy Farve4ever OK ? Will he get a Jets Jersey ?