lumm0x

Would it not make sense to cheaply address a few holes before or after the draft depending on how things play out. Since we have some problems on defense particularily at LB and DT, here are 2 cheap RFA's that could at least be glanced at:

Jermaine Haley- Miami-compensation right to match or 7th rounder
Brandon Short-N.Y.Giants- compensation right to match or 4th rounder

In my mind both of these players seem to be excellent value at those offsetting losses. The buzz I hear about Haley is that he is on the verge of starting, and Brandon Short is an experienced LB that has been effective in New York.

Thoughts?

WhoDat

I don\'t know anything about either of these guys... can you give some background?

lumm0x

Brandon Sort Bio
Transactions: Originally a fourth round (105th pick overall) draft choice by the Giants in 2000.
NFL: After playing well as a reserve linebacker and on special teams as a rookie, Short stepped into the starting lineup last season and performed admirably…Instinctive, relentless player is always around the ball.

2001: Started all 16 games at strongside linebacker…Finished season with 59 tackles (43 solo)…Also recorded 1 sack, 4 passes defensed, an interception, a fumble recovery and a special teams tackle…Had 2 tackles (1 solo) and 1 pass defensed vs. Green Bay (1/6). Broke up a Brett Favre pass for Ahman Green in the third quarter…Recorded 3 solo tackles, including a stop of Correll Buckhalter for a 2-yard loss, at Philadelphia (12/30)…Finished with 3 assisted tackles, including stops of Shaun Alexander for no gain in the first quarter and a 1-yard loss in the second period, vs. Seattle (12/23)…Had a career-high 10 tackles (9 solo) and a half-sack vs. Arizona (12/15). Teamed with Michael Strahan to sack Jake Plummer for a 9-yard loss in the second quarter. Tackled Michael Pittman for a 1-yard loss in the first quarter and a 2-yard loss after a reception in the fourth period…Finished with 3 tackles (2 solo) at Dallas (12/9)…Registered 7 tackles (5 solo) and a half-sack vs. Oakland (11/25). Recorded the first half-sack of his career when he tackled Rich Gannon after recovering a fumble forced by Strahan in the third quarter…Had 4 tackles (3 solo) at Minnesota (11/19)…Contributed 5 tackles (4 solo) with 1 pass defensed and 1 fumble recovery at Arizona (11/11). Recovered a David Boston fumble that was forced by Jason Sehorn in the first quarter. Stopped Thomas Jones for a 3-yard loss in the second quarter and Pittman for a 2-yard loss in the second period. Broke up Jake Plummer\'s pass to Tywan Mitchell in the second quarter…Finished with 5 solo tackles and 1 interception vs. Dallas (11/4). Recorded the first interception of his career in the first quarter when he picked off a Clint Stoerner pass for Darrin Chiaverini in the fourth quarter. Short returned the interception 21 yards to the Dalllas 18-yard line…Had 3 solo tackles at Washington (10/28)…Recorded 3 tackles (2 solo) vs. Philadelphia (10/22)…Had 1 solo tackle on defense and 1 on special teams at St. Louis (10/14)…Finished with 1 solo tackle vs. Washington (10/7)…Had 5 tackles (3 solo) vs. New Orleans (9/30)…Recorded 3 tackles (2 solo) and one pass defensed at Kansas City (9/23). Broke up Trent Green\'s pass for Priest Holmes in the first quarter. Stuffed Tony Richardson for a 1-yard loss in the third quarter…Made his first regular-season start at Denver (9/10) and recorded 1 solo tackle. Also played on special teams.

2000: Played in 11 games, plus 3 in the postseason…Majority of action came on special teams, where he played on the punt return and punt cover teams and on kickoff return and kickoff cover teams. Finished with 2 solo special teams tackles…Added 2 special teams tackles in the playoffs…Had 3 solo tackles on defense, all in the fourth quarter at Philadelphia (9/10)…Missed five games on the season with an ankle injury…Did not have a tackle in Super Bowl XXXV vs. Baltimore (1/28)…Had 2 special teams tackles in NFC Championship Game vs. Minnesota (1/14)…Saw action on one defensive play in the fourth quarter of the NFC Divisional Playoff vs. Philadelphia (1/7) and tackled Chad Lewis after a 14-yard gain on fourth-and-15, forcing a change of possession on downs…Saw action at strongside linebacker vs. Pittsburgh (12/10) when the reserves replaced the starters late in the fourth quarter. Did not record a tackle…Returned to action at Washington (12/3) after missing 5 games with an ankle injury. Saw some action at middle linebacker…Injured left ankle in practice on 10/23…Had 1 special teams tackle at Atlanta (10/8)…Recorded his first career tackle at Philadelphia (9/10) when he dropped Duce Staley after a 2-yard gain on a pass reception. Credited with 3 tackles on Eagles last possession…Had 1 special teams tackle in season opener vs. Arizona (10/3).

College: 4-year starter at Penn State…All-America first-team selection as a senior in 1999 by SportsPage.com, The Sporting News, Football News, the Associated Press, Walter Camp and the Football Writers Association. Consensus All-Big Ten Conference first-team pick. Served as defensive captain. Led the team with 103 tackles (62 solo) from his middle linebacker position. Had 4 sacks, 12 stops for losses, recovered a fumble and 3 passes defensed…All-Big Ten Conference first-team choice as a junior. Started every game at middle linebacker as he led the team with 67 tackles (49 solo), 5.5 sacks, 15 stops for losses, 2 passes defensed and 1 interception…All-Big Ten Conference honorable mention as a sophomore. Started 8 games at \"Rush\" end, finishing with 55 tackles (42 solo), 2.5 sacks, 12 stops for losses, 3 passes defensed and 1 interception…Started as a redshirt freshman in 1996 and recorded 48 tackles (28 solo) with 3.5 sacks, and 12 stops for losses. Missed spring drills after the season after breaking his left foot in a basketball game…Played in 5 snaps in the season opener vs. Texas Tech as a true freshman in 1995, but suffered a broken bone in his left foot. Missed the rest of the year and was granted a medical redshirt.

Personal: Named to the USA Today Top 25 and was the Associated Press Pennsylvania Big School Player-of-the-Year as a senior at McKeesport (Pa.) High…As the senior captain in 1994, he helped guide McKeesport to the class AAAA state championship, defeating Downingtown High, 17-14, to complete a 15-0 season…Recorded 171 tackles, 98 assists, 8 quarterback sacks, 2 interceptions, 5 forced fumbles, 6 fumble recoveries and 1 blocked punt during his final campaign…Lettered 4 times in both football and basketball…Graduated from Penn State in December, 1999 with a degree in Marketing…Raised by his grandmother, Ozella Wilkes…Born Brandon Darnell Short on July 11, 1977.
BIO CAREER STATS
Weight: 252
Age: 25
Born: July 11, 1977
Birthplace: McKeesport, PA
College: Penn State
NFL Experience: 3

Jermaine Haley Bio I know he doesn\'t sound like much but I hear rumor he could be a starter in this league and has vastly improved technically every year.
Name: Jermaine Haley
Height/Weight: 6-4, 305
Position: DT
Born: 2/13/73
College: Butte College \'98
Acquired: D7a, \'99
NFL: Fourth Season
Dolphins: Fourth Season
Pro
2002 -- Had 37 tackles and one interception without a return this season... Played in a reserve role all 16 games this season... On Dec. 9th vs. Chicago had four tackles and one pass defensed, coming when he intercepted a Chris Chandler pass without a return... It was the first interception of his career... Had five tackles on September 15th at Indianapolis... On September 8th vs. Detroit had three tackles including a half-sack for 3.5 yards, combining with Jason Taylor to sack Lions quarterback Mike McMahon for a seven-yard loss.

2001 -- Played in 12 games, starting five of them... Was inactive for three games, dressed but did not play in another... Finished the year with 26 total tackles (14 solo), a half-sack and a pass defensed... Opened at left defensive tackle in place of the injured Tim Bowens (knee) in the second game of the year, vs. Oakland (9/23)... Tallied four tackles two weeks later in a reserve role in 30-10 win vs. New England (10/7)... Underwent surgery on November 5 to stabilize a fracture in his right thumb, an injury he sustained a day earlier vs. Carolina (11/4)... Dr. Brian Fingado, a hand specialist, performed the surgery at Holy Cross Hospital in Ft. Lauderdale... Was inactive for each of the next two games (at Indianapolis, 11/11; vs. N.Y. Jets, 11/18)... Started games 11-14 at right defensive tackle with Daryl Gardener out of the lineup (back)... Recorded a season-high six tackles in his first start of that stretch, vs. Denver (12/2)... Tallied four stops, including a half-sack, at New England (12/22)... Missed each of the last two regular season games because of a calf injury... Was inactive vs. Atlanta (12/30), dressed but did not play in finale vs. Buffalo (1/6/02)... Started First-Round Playoff game vs. Baltimore (1/13/02) at right defensive tackle... Was credited with one tackle.

2000 -- Signed a three-year contract with the Dolphins on March 2, 2000... Started four of the 15 games in which he played... Was inactive for one contest... Finished the year with 31 total tackles (22 solo), 1.5 sacks for 11.5 yards in losses and three passes defensed... Made NFL debut in season-opener vs. Seattle (9/3) and recorded two tackles... Only tackle vs. Baltimore (9/17) was his first NFL sack, as he dropped Ravens QB Tony Banks... Made first NFL start, at right defensive tackle in place of the injured Daryl Gardener (back), vs. Buffalo (10/8)... Posted three tackles, including one when he tackled Bills RB Jonathan Linton in the end zone for a safety... Haley became the eighth different Dolphin and the fifth defensive lineman to be credited with a safety in club history... He was the first defensive lineman to record a safety since Mike Charles on October 10, 1983 at the New York Jets... Started again the following game at N.Y. Jets (10/23) and came up with a season-high four tackles... Other starting assignments came at Detroit (11/5) in place of the injured Tim Bowens (foot) and at San Diego (11/12) in place of the injured Gardener (back)... Matched his season-high tackle total with four stops vs. Tampa Bay (12/10)... Appeared in one of Miami\'s two playoff games in a reserve role... Saw action in Divisional contest at Oakland (1/6/01)... Was credited with one tackle... Underwent surgery following the season, on January 10, 2000... Had an arthroscopic debridement of the glenohumeral joint and acromioclavicular joint of his right shoulder... The surgery was performed by team physician Dr. George Caldwell at Holy Cross Hospital in Fort Lauderdale.

1998-99 -- Was the first of two seventh-round draft choices (232nd overall) by Miami in 1999... Was still under contract with Toronto of the Canadian League at the time... Played 1998-99 with Toronto... In his two seasons with the Argonauts, totaled 66 tackles, ten sacks, a forced fumble and an interception... Also rushed for 15 yards on three carries... Signed with Toronto as a free agent in May of 1998... Was nominated as the team\'s Outstanding Rookie in 1998 after he compiled 35 tackles and finished second on the club with seven sacks... Had two sacks in a game on two occasions: at Winnipeg (8/27) and against British Columbia (9/12).

College

Played one season (1997) at Butte College, a junior college in Oroville, Calif... Was a first-team JUCO All-America selection that year.

Personal

Married to Paula, with a daughter, Sharmaine, and two sons, Jermaine, Jr. and Abure... Resides in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia... Attended Hanford (Calif.) High School... Played five years of Canadian junior football, with the Surrey Rams (1991-93) and Okanagan Sun (1994-95)... Was a perennial all-star on both offense and defense... Has assisted in building houses for Habitat for Humanity... Participated in the Starbright Video conferencing program that allows athletes and children at one hospital to talk with children in another city\'s hospital... Born February 13, 1973 in Fresno, Calif.