Miami Dolphins talking points: Injuries catch up to Jake Grove and Justin Smiley again

Center Jake Grove and guard Justin Smiley were among the top free agents at their positions when the Dolphins signed them. Both came with high price tags, as well as an injury history that has caught up each player in recent weeks. The Dolphins’ decision to invest $24.5 million on Grove on Smiley kicks off today’s talking points. 1. Will Grove and Smiley prove to be worth the risk? When Grove and Smiley are on the field, the Dolphins’ offensive line has the potential to be one of the better ones in the NFL. Grove’s physical style in the middle and Smiley’s ability to get out in front of plays and run are tough to match. Keeping each player healthy could be difficult, too. Grove missed last week’s loss at Buffalo with an ankle injury and hasn’t practiced this week, leaving back-up Joe Berger in the line of fire for Sunday’s visit from Pro Bowl NT Vince Wilfork and the Patriots. Grove, who signed a five-year deal last March with $14.5 million guaranteed ($29 mil overall), has completed a 16-game schedule just once in six seasons, 2006 with Oakland. Smiley’s history of shoulder problems date to 2007, when he missed the final eight games in San Francisco after season-ending surgery. Ranked second among FA guards to Alan Faneca in 2008, Smiley signed with the Dolphins for $9 million guaranteed ($25 mil overall). Smiley, 27, had surgery in January to clean up his shoulder and sat out Nov. 15 against Tampa Bay with a shoulder injury. While Smiley recovered, Nate Garner started at left guard and won the job. With

five games remaining, that leaves two of the major pieces of the Dolphins’ high-priced O-line out of the starting lineup. 2. Where’s Greg Camarillo? A few weeks ago at New England, Camarillo looked like he’d rediscovered his quickness and confidence for the first time since his 2008 season-ending knee injury. In three games since then, Camarillo has disappeared, with three receptions for 21 yards. In Sunday’s loss at Buffalo, Camarillo didn’t catch a pass for the first time since Week 14 of 2007. No Dolphin has better hands or runs better intermediate routes than Camarillo, who was on the some page with Chad Pennington from Day 1. Chad Henne should get Camarillo involved during the coming weeks. 3. Don’t sleep on the Pats running game. The forgotten half of New England’s AFC-leading offense, the Patriots’ running game has been solid enough this season to keep defenses honest. The Pats are 17th in the NFL in rushing with 114.5 yards a game, including 121.3 in seven wins, and 13 rushing TDs. To have a chance to pressure Tom Brady and slow down Randy Moss and Wes Welker, the Dolphins will need to contain the the Pats run game. New England established No. 1 back Laurence Maroney in the team’s first meeting – a 27-17 Pats win – and he finished with 82 yards and a TD on 20 carries. “It is like gold to them because it sets up an awful lot of what they do,” Dolphins coach Tony Sparano said.

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Miami Dolphins talking points: Injuries catch up to Jake Grove and Justin Smiley again

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