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Dolphins News: Campbell Signed to Offer Sheet
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Dolphins News: Campbell Signed to Offer Sheet
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*** DOLPHINS NEWS ***
Feb 20, 1998: -- Campbell Signed to Offer Sheet --

According to a report on ESPN, the Dolphins have signed restricted free agent Matt Campbell to an offer sheet for undisclosed terms. Campbell is a very athletic offensive lineman who started 14 games for the Carolina Panthers last season - 4 at left tackle and 10 at left guard.

Originally entering the league as an undrafted rookie tight end in 1994, Campbell attended training camp with the New Orleans Saints and was briefly on the team's practice squad before being waived in September of that year.

The Panthers signed him as a tight end in 1995 and he is one of the 10 original players to make up that team. They converted him to left tackle in the 1996 season and he started 9 games in '96 at that position. In 1997, he started the season at left tackle and moved to left guard.

Since Campbell is a restricted free agent, the Panthers have 10 days to match the Dolphins offer if they want to retain him. However, if they don't match the Dolphins' offer, they will not get any compensation for him.

My Comments:

The word is that the Panthers are unlikely to match the Dolphins' offer for Campbell. What is less clear is where Campbell is likely to fit in on the offensive line.

A lot will depend on who else the Dolphins sign. The current plan seems to be that the Dolphins would like to sign Jim Pyne to play left guard and move Campbell to the right tackle spot.

If Pyne doesn't sign, I would expect that Campbell would play at the left guard position and Jeff Buckey and Brent Smith would fight it out for the right tackle spot. The other alternative is to move Campbell to compete for the right tackle position and let Buckey stay at left guard.

ESPN is reporting that Campbell will play at right guard, but that's baloney. Kevin Donnalley is the right guard at this point and Campbell has never played there.

As a player, I expect that Campbell will be a good addition. As a former tight end, he is probably more athletic than the average offensive lineman. He probably runs better and is lighter on his feet than the average 300 pound guard. He is 300 pounds, though, so size isn't an issue.

My disappointment with this signing comes not from the signing of Campbell, but from the lack of any other signings of note. A lot of excellent players have slipped by the Dolphins and time for signing a major player has just about run out. Other than Donnalley and Randle, it appears that the Dolphins have not set their sights on any real impact players.

I guess we just have to hope that they know what they're doing in regards to free agency.

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Curt Fennell, curt@phins.com, DOLFAN in New Rochelle (almost)
     
   

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DOLFAN in New England