Glenn's arrival hinges on knee
The Dolphins can use an experienced receiver such as Terry Glenn, 34, but the Dolphins are unsure if his knee can handle another season.
Posted on Thu, Jul. 31, 2008
BY JEFF DARLINGTON
[email protected]
His arrival is still possible. Maybe even probable.
But if former Cowboys wide receiver Terry Glenn is going to rejoin his old coaches in Miami sometime soon, he is going to first need to prove his surgically repaired knee has the power of old as opposed to being, well, just plain old.
''I've had him for four or five years down there in Dallas, so I know the guy,'' said Dolphins coach Tony Sparano, previously the assistant head coach for the Cowboys. ``But I don't know about him right now.''
What Sparano means, you see, is that Glenn has been forced to endure a considerably rigorous rehabilitation since those not-so-long-ago days when he starred in that same offensive system in Dallas. He once was a major threat. But is he now?
At this point, the Dolphins remain very interested in signing Glenn -- interested enough that they could sign him at any point this week or next. But there still is a strong concern within the organization about Glenn's knee.
There is a belief that Glenn might not be able to fully participate right away in training camp as a result of lingering effects from his rehabilitation, which could also hinder his ability to pass a mandatory physical.
FUTURE SURGERY?
Although Glenn, 34, was able to return for the final two games of last season, his long-term prognosis might not be as optimistic. Doctors reportedly told Glenn last season that he eventually would require microfracture surgery, but they also told him it would be strong enough to still play on.
Nonetheless, those obvious concerns weren't enough to sway the opinion of Dolphins nose guard Jason Ferguson, who watched Glenn's rehabilitation firsthand last year in Dallas when the two were teammates.
''Would I love it? Yeah!'' Ferguson said. ``Why wouldn't I say that? That's one of the best receivers we had in Dallas. He's one of the best receivers I've seen play. He's a guy that would make an instant impact.''
That potential impact, even with a questionable knee, might still be enough to cause the Dolphins to sign Glenn to an incentive-based deal if he is healthy enough to pass his physical. The team is in solid shape with the salary cap, and it could also use some veteran leadership within a wide receiver corps that is laden with youth.
Even Ted Ginn Jr., who would ultimately be giving up repetitions to the veteran, seemed completely on board with the idea of Glenn joining the group.
''It would be great,'' Ginn said. ``Terry Glenn can come in here and give us points about different things. He's been in this league for a very long time, so it would be great to have him come in here.''
With the support of everyone from the wide receivers to the quarterbacks to Glenn's former teammates, the receiver's potential arrival isn't likely to come with any distractions. Instead, those already in Miami seem more infatuated with the idea of adding a player that totaled 1,047 yards in 2006 during his last healthy season.
