Fins Release Phillip Merling
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – The Miami Dolphins appear to have finally lost their patience with defensive lineman Phillip Merling.
The Dolphins released Merling Monday with general manager Jeff Ireland telling profootballtalk.com, "Wwe're just going in a different direction."
Merling was taken with the 32nd pick in 2008, which essentially made Merling the Dolphins' second first-round pick that year. Unfortunately, he's performed nothing like a first-round pick.
For his career, Merling has started a total of five games for the Fins and pulled own a total of 50 tackles, 3.5 sacks and 8 passes defused. Merling has also been in trouble with the law in South Florida.
According to Darlington, Merling had a lack of discipline with the Dolphins and he hasn't been attending workouts with the team.
With the loss of Merling and Kendall Langford this offseason, the Dolphins are left with Jared Odrick, Paul Soliai, Randy Starks, Tony McDaniel, and Ryan Baker along the defensive line.
If the Fins are intent on putting in a 4-3 defensive front most of the time, the team may have tipped its hand which way it's leaning with the number eight pick in the draft. But, the draft is also loaded along the defensive line, so the Fins may wait until the later round to add defensive linemen.
