While the Dolphins have signed a handful of no-names to fill out their training camp roster for next summer, they also need to address the retooling of the defensive coaching staff after the firing of defensive coordinator Paul Pasqualoni, plus the exodus of both linebackers coaches -- George Edwards and Jim Reid -- to respective college gigs at Florida and Virginia.

The rumors include the hiring of former Giants defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan either as a linebackers coach or defensive coordinator, with the possibility of recently fired Virginia coach Al Groh in the running for defensive coordinator. Groh coached linebackers for Bill Parcells and the Giants in 1989-90 and with the Jets from 1997-99. He was also the Patriots' defensive coordinator under Parcells from 1993-96 and the Jets' head coach when Parcells became the director of football operations. It's possible that Dolphins secondary coach and assistant head coach Todd Bowles could be promoted.

UNIT-BY-UNIT ANALYSIS

QUARTERBACK
Starter -- Chad Henne. Backups -- Pat White, Tyler Thigpen. Injured reserve -- Chad Pennington.

In his first season as a starter after Pennington went down with a shoulder injury in Week 3, Henne showed flashes of greatness with his arm strength and fourth-quarter leadership. He put together three 300-yard games in his five games. However, he also played like a rookie in several games, making poor decisions and ending up with 14 interceptions and just 10 touchdowns while posting a 7-6 record as a starter and a mediocre 75.2 passer rating. White showed quickness but very little else in several cameo appearances in the 'Wild-Pat,' which was more of a straight college running option then gadgetry. Thigpen, making his only appearance in the season finale after Henne sustained an eye injury/concussion, proved he can be a solid No. 2 next season. Pennington's shoulder should be fine by training camp. However, his contract is up, and he isn't expected back.

RUNNING BACKS
Starter -- RB Ricky Williams, FB Lousaka Polite. Backups -- Lex Hilliard, Kory Sheets. Injured reserve -- Patrick Cobbs, Ronnie Brown.

The trendy Wildcat was scrapped once Brown, the triggerman, went down with a season-ending foot injury in midseason. At 32, Williams proved he's still a top-line player, becoming the first running back to post a 1,000-yard season six years after the last time he did so. Gaining a lofty 4.7 yards per carry with 13 TDs overall, Williams did seem to wear down in the final three games but should be an ideal backup for one more season. Brown, a restricted free agent, was having another Pro Bowl season, but he continues to be injury prone, making it unlikely that the Dolphins will sign him to a long-term deal. Young Hilliard displayed strength and good hands as his playing time increased down the stretch. Sheets could become a kick return specialist but is still a project at running back. Polite should be starting in the Pro Bowl after converting every short yardage situation he was asked to do (league-leading 16 of 16) and paving the way for the league's fourth-ranked rushing attack. Cobbs' knee and Brown's Lisfranc foot fracture should heal by training camp.

WIDE RECEIVERS
Starters -- Ted Ginn Jr., Greg Camarillo. Backups -- Davone Bess, Brian Hartline.

Ginn regressed and desperately needs a change of scenery if he's ever to live up to his first-round draft status. He had at least nine drops with just one touchdown catch, leading to a temporary demotion in which fellow Ohio State alum Hartline stepped in and displayed the savvy, hands, toughness and a team-leading 16.3 yards-after-catch average that Ginn seems incapable of. Camarillo made steady progress in his return from knee surgery and continued to prove he's a dependable possession receiver, while Bess improved on a fabulous rookie year with a team-leading 76 catches for 758 yards to become the Dolphins version of Wes Welker, the league's best slot receiver whom they let get away to the Patriots three years ago. Bess, an exclusive rights free agent, led the AFC with 35 receptions on third down. An elite receiver is desperately needed.

TIGHT ENDS
Starter -- Anthony Fasano. Backups -- Joey Haynos, Kory Sperry. Injured reserve -- David Martin.

Whether it was Dan Henning's play-calling, Pennington's absence, Martin's preseason injury or the emphasis on run blocking, this unit regressed from last season regarding the passing game. Last year the group combined for 67 catches for 927 yards and 11 touchdowns. This year they combined for 53 catches for 542 yards and just five touchdowns. Fasano, a restricted free agent, disappeared for long periods of time and was just an average blocker. Neither Haynos nor Sperry proved he could be an impact starter, so there will be a major upheaval at this position in the offseason.

OFFENSIVE LINE
Starters -- LT Jake Long, LG Justin Smiley, C Joe Berger, RT Vernon Carey, RG Nate Garner. Backups -- LT Andrew Gardner, LT Lydon Murtha, LG Nate Garner, C Jake Grove, RT Andrew Hartline, RG Donald Thomas.

After a shaky season opener, Long was an absolute stud, and this time he truly deserved his Pro Bowl spot by protecting Henne's flank all season. However, on the right side, Carey was clearly limited by back and knee issues all season, which must be addressed in the offseason. Most of the Dolphins' running plays went to the left behind Long and Smiley. Grove's toughness and blocking against the AFC East's star-studded array of nose tackles created a huge boost in the fourth-ranked rushing attack, but he once again limped to the finish line with an ankle injury. Fortunately, his replacement, Berger, proved to be a quality interior lineman down the stretch, although the rushing yards did decline. But that was partly due to the early deficits in the final three losses in which Miami had to abandon the ground game. Dolphins quarterbacks were sacked 34 times, but several of those were due to Henne holding onto the ball for too long. Smiley continues to be Miami's best run-blocking lineman, but his chronic shoulder ailments are limiting his effectiveness and dependability. Garner displaced second-year sixth-rounder Thomas because Thomas isn't as effective as Garner when pulling. Thomas is solid at the point of attack, but he's still raw after missing most of his rookie year with a foot injury.

DEFENSIVE LINE
Starters -- DLE Kendall Langford, NT Paul Soliai, DRE Randy Starks. Backups -- DLE Phillip Merling, NT Ryan Baker, DRE/NT Tony McDaniel, DRE Lionel Dotson. Injured reserve -- NT Jason Ferguson.

Starks was arguably the team's defensive MVP, as he blossomed in his first full season as a starter to earn Pro Bowl alternate honors. He set career highs with seven sacks and 56 tackles, and he was the most disruptive force on Miami's line. Langford ended his second season with six tackles, a forced fumble and a QB hit, but he disappeared at times. Merling needs work with his hands but still has the potential to start. Smiley raves about Dotson's practice habits, but he hasn't convinced the coaching staff yet. McDaniel was well worth a seventh-round pick and was a valuable cog in the rotation once Ferguson went down. Ferguson's absence was keenly felt in the run defense, as a nicked-up Soliai remains too inconsistent to be a starter in a 3-4. Baker impressed his teammates with his strength in the five games he played. Ferguson, an unrestricted free agent, would love to play another season in Miami, and he would also like to return in time for the last few exhibition games because of his dislike of training camp.

LINEBACKERS
Starters -- WLB Joey Porter, ILB Akin Ayodele, ILB Channing Crowder, SLB Jason Taylor. Backups -- WLB Charlie Anderson, Cameron Wake, Erik Walden, ILB Reggie Torbor, SLB Quentin Moses. Injured reserve -- MLB Channing Crowder.

Crowder's knee and foot should be fine by next summer, but his tackle total dropped more than 50 percent from a year ago. Porter led the team with nine sacks, but his run support was nonexistent. His roster bonus and salary leave his return in doubt. Ayodele remains sturdy and dependable, but too many missed tackles might lead to his change of address. Torbor and Anderson are valuable reserves, while Walden's injury-prone season adversely affected his special teams prowess. Wake displayed phenomenal speed off the edges, as his 5.5 sacks in limited playing time indicate, but his pass coverage and run-stuffing skills are still raw. Moses, an unrestricted free agent, didn't make many strides this season and was left behind in Wake's wake. Taylor, an unrestricted free agent, showed enough flashes of play-making (seven sacks, INT, 3 forced fumbles and a recovered fumble for a TD) and leadership skills that he figures to be brought back for another season.

DEFENSIVE BACKS
Starters -- LCB Vontae Davis, RCB Sean Smith, SS Yeremiah Bell, FS Gibril Wilson. Backups -- CB Jason Allen, CB Nate Jones, SS/FS Chris Clemons, FS Tyrone Culver, CB Evan Oglesby. Injured reserve -- LCB Will Allen.

The loss of Allen gave Miami its first rookie cornerback starting tandem, Smith and Davis. Both steadily improved. However, Davis needs to get better with his neck swivel with the ball in the air, and Smith failed to display the play-making skills he did in Utah, finishing with no picks. He also hit the rookie wall far too soon. Davis led the team with four INTs and was a ferocious tackler (49) in run support. Bell led the team with 113 tackles to go with three interceptions and nine passes defensed, but he struggled against some of the premier tight ends. Wilson's 91 tackles are deceptive because most were his responsibility in pass coverage. He proved that he's out of position and needs to be a strong safety on another team. Clemons' playing time increased as Wilson became less effective, and he displayed better pass coverage, but his tackling was fair at best. Jones, an unrestricted free agent, is an outstanding nickel and special teams stalwart, as well as an excellent locker room presence, all qualities that this regime admires. Culver is a quality dime back and special teams coverage ace. Allen, 31, was committing too many penalties before sustaining a season-ending knee injury in Game 6, but he should continue to be an excellent role model for Davis and Smith next season.

SPECIAL TEAMS
K Dan Carpenter, P Brandon Fields, KR Ted Ginn Jr., PR Davone Bess/Ted Ginn Jr., LS John Denney.

Carpenter was steady in converting 25 of 28 field goals, but he had only seven touchbacks. Fields had a Pro Bowl season, nailing 25 inside the 20-yard line with a 39.8-yard net average, fourth best in the AFC. Bess averaged just 7.5 yards per punt return, 21st in the NFL. Ginn had those 100- and 101-yard touchdown runbacks vs. the Jets but struggled for most of the year, finishing 13th with a 24.9-yard average.

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