The Miami Dolphins announced today, through the Miami Herald, that starting defensive end Phillip Merling will be out for the season with an Achilles Tendon injury. The injury was suffered during one of the Dolphins organized off-season workouts.
Since the injury took place during a Fins workout, the team would have to pay Merling's salary for the season, $600,00, to be able to release him.
In Merling's absence, rookie Jared Odrick is expected to step in, and be the Opening Day starter, in the case that the Fins do not go out and try and acquire anyone else to fill up the starting spot.
According to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald, the Dolphins could be interested in Dallas Cowboys defensive end, Marcus Spears, who is having a falling out with the 'Boys, and is currently on the trading block.
The Dolphins have connections to Spears in part because Bill Parcells, the VP of Executive Operations for the Fins, drafted Spears back in the first round of the 2005 Draft.
Despite all of the speculation, Odrick is the favorite right now to be the Opening Day starter, which gives his agent leverage in contract talks. The Fins are trying diligently to get Odrick signed, so he will be ready for training camp, and this only motivates the front office even more.
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