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Sporting News, The, Nov 1, 1999 by Dan Pompei

Attrition over the course of an NFL season can turn majestic Alps into piles of dust. It happens every season. That's why this year the Dolphins, as pro football's deepest team, are best prepared to survive the August through January marathon.

"They have outstanding depth at fullback, tight end, offensive line and quarterback," Colts general manager Bill Polian says. "And they have great depth on defense."

The Dolphins are so deep that five players they let go are major contributors for other teams, including Raiders running back Tyrone Wheatley. Already, the Dolphins' depth has been critical to their five victories. Six reserves have replaced starters without hurting the team: quarterback Damon Huard, cornerback Patrick Surtain, fullback Stanley Pritchett, guard Kevin Gogan, offensive tackle Brent Smith and defensive end Rich Owens. Except for Huard, all of those players could start on other teams. So could defensive end Trace Armstrong, defensive tackle Lorenzo Bromell, receiver Oronde Gadsden and safety Shawn Wooden. The one position where depth was considered questionable is quarterback, but Huard has led the Dolphins to two victories in as many tries.

"I've said for two years that Damon Huard is a talent that can win games," Dolphins coach Jimmy Johnson says. "I like him a lot. With preparation and experience, he'll only play better. He's got an outstanding arm, can run, he's got a flair for the game and is very accurate."

Huard didn't show all of his attributes last Sunday against the Eagles. With Dan Marino sidelined with a sore shoulder, offensive coordinator Kippy Brown devised a game plan to protect Huard that led to the Dolphins running 65 percent of the time. The most impressive thing about Huard was his ability to move in the pocket and run bootlegs and draw plays.

"If we're going to go to the Super Bowl, we need Dan in there for the confidence of the team," Gogan said in the locker room after the game. "But Damon got the respect of the players in the New England game. There is not a confidence problem when he is in there."

Huard showed considerably more of his abilities the previous week against the Patriots, throwing a 69-yard touchdown pass and leading his team to a 59-yard, game-winning drive in the final minute. A lot of teams wouldn't mind having a player capable of that as their backup.

Given the salary cap restraints, the Dolphins' depth is highly unusual. The only other team that's anywhere near as deep is the Bills. The Dolphins didn't develop this depth by happenstance.

Every conceivable avenue of player acquisition was used. Guard Kevin Donnalley and safety Brock Marion were high-profile, free-agent signings. Gogan, starting tight end Troy Drayton and reserve quarterback Jim Druckenmiller were acquired in trades. The Dolphins found starting guard Mark Dixon playing for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian League and found Gadsden playing for the Portland Forest Dragons of the Arena League. Olindo Mare, the best kicker in the league, was signed as a free agent after being on the Giants' practice squad.

"Every time there is a value, an opportunity to improve our roster, we do it," Johnson says.

For instance, the Dolphins didn't need a kickoff return man last week, with Marion ranking second in the NFL, but they signed free agent Roell Preston anyway because Johnson thought Preston, a 1998 Pro Bowl selection, would improve their depth at the position.

The Dolphins still would be as thin as the tissue at a budget hotel if they had not drafted well, especially in later rounds. Finding players such as running back Cecil Collins (fifth round), Bromell (fourth), linebacker Derrick Rodgers (third), defensive end Jason Taylor (third), Wooden (sixth), linebacker Zach Thomas (fifth) and Pritchett (fourth) has filled in the roster's bald spots.

Drafting well in the later rounds also has helped the Dolphins maintain depth by giving them salary-cap relief. Players who are drafted in the lower rounds have lower salaries, and their salaries generally stay low for four years. Subsequently, you can find more good bargains on the Miami roster than at a flea market.

The Dolphins have maintained depth without compromising themselves in future seasons' salary caps, as the 49ers became infamous for doing. Johnson is pretty strident about not paying players more than the team thinks they are worth, allowing the Dolphins to spread the cap wealth more evenly than a lot of teams. Director of football operations Bob Ackles says the Dolphins pay no attention to the perceived "market value" of a player.

"We've had to hard-line some of our own players," Johnson says, referring to negotiations with Marino, tackle Richmond Webb and defensive lineman Tim Bowens, among others. "All players are overpaid, but we won't overpay to the point of being ridiculous."

The Dolphins also are fortunate to a degree because Marino and Webb are their only players who are perennial Pro Bowl players and could demand an inordinate amount of cap space. Still, it hasn't been easy to pay so many good players. In order to create cap space in the offseason, the Dolphins moved around money the way some people move around living room furniture. They extended the contracts of Marino and receiver O.J. McDuffie. And they renegotiated or gave pay cuts to Gogan, Donnalley, Marion, linebacker Dwight Hollier, Wilson, center Tim Ruddy, defensive lineman Daryl Gardener, receiver Lamar Thomas and tackle James Brown.