Salguero and Volin Differ but the Dolphins Should Sign Greg Jennings

One touchdown. That's how many touchdowns Brian Hartline amassed in his breakthrough 2012 campaign. His number of touchdowns was matched by seldomly-targeted receiver Marlon Moore. That said, Hartline's 1083 yards dwarfs Moore's 116, but yet, they contributed the same amount of receiving touchdowns. In fact, in 2012, Dolphins wide receivers contributed a meager three touchdowns of the total 13 receiving touchdowns. In 2010, Dolphins wide receivers contributed ten of the 20 receiving touchdowns, and in 2011, receivers  again accounted for ten of the Dolphins 17 receiving touchdowns. It must be noted that the Dolphins rostered Pro Bowl receiver Brandon Marshall in 2010 and 2011.

Nine, twelve, nine, twelve, four...

Those numbers represent the recent history of touchdowns in a given season that pending free agent wide receiver, Greg Jennings has amassed. Even the comparably measly four touchdowns Jennings produced in eight games in 2012 (he was playing hurt in half those eight games) is one more than all of the Dolphins receivers combined, and quadruples the highest output of the leading Dolphins receiver in touchdown receptions.

Greg Jennings has a knack for catching touchdowns, even in the Superbowl

That's why I would dismiss Ben Volin's preference of signing Dwayne Bowe and pass on Armando Salguero's recommendation of signing Mike Wallace, and sign Greg Jennings. In order to find a Dolphins receiver that has even sniffed Jennings touchdown production, we have to go all the way back to 2005 when Chris Chambers compiled an impressive eleven touchdowns. 

The Dolphins inability to find a playmaking receiver in the red zone is one of the reasons why the franchise continues to perennially rank among the bottom of the league in red zone efficiency. Greg Jennings offers a better solution to their red zone woes, more so than Bowe or Wallace. There are great arguments to be made in favour of both Bowe and Wallace; Bowe provides durability, relative youth and consistent production, while Wallace brings youth and blazing, unparalleled speed. However, both free agents are malcontents to their respective locker rooms. Bowe has a season of 15 touchdowns and Wallace hasn't had a season fewer than eight touchdowns since his rookie campaign, but Bowe hasn't surpassed more than seven scores in any other season and Wallace relies too heavily on the deep ball scores, which isn't Tannehill's strength. For every check mark in favour of Bowe and Wallace, there seems to be a big X that is marked alongside the check. 

The Jennings argument is more solid. Not only is Jennings one of the best red zone threats in the league but he won't need time acclimating to the Philbin playbook he learned when Philbin was with the Packers. And, not only is Jennings a locker room leader but he will most likely play with a chip on his shoulder, feeling like he was the odd man out in Titletown. Jennings detractors will look at his age (30), recent history concerns and lack of explosiveness as reasons to stay away from the two-time Pro Bowl receiver; however, Jennings provides the Dolphins and General Manager Jeff Ireland a solution to their number one off-season worry, finding players who score touchdowns. Greg Jennings offers that ability in spades.