DAVIE—

Jeff Ireland prefers to be coy during his annual pre-draft press conference, and finds enjoyment in sending out smoke screens that throw other NFL executives off the scent of his true intentions.

That’s why the Miami Dolphins’ General Manager opened his press conference by saying “you can think what you want to think,” when asked about trading Miami’s first-round pick. “I like the speculation!”

When asked about offering up the No. 8 pick and possibly extras to acquire a draft pick that’s earlier, or possibly moving down to pick up extra selections, Ireland gave his typical message that Miami’s open for business.

“Anything is possible,” said Ireland, who has made at least one draft day trade since joining the franchise in 2008. “Trading back, trading up.”

Ireland believes there are elite players available within the top 10 picks, which puts Miami in an ideal spot.

However, there’s widespread speculation Cleveland might pick Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill with the fourth pick in next week’s draft, or a team like Minnesota (which possesses pick No. 3) or Jacksonville (No. 7) might trade their first-round selection to another club pursuing Tannehill.

Ireland didn’t seem too fazed by the elevated draft stock of Tannehill, the draft’s third-best quarterback, whom the Dolphins are high on.

Ireland labeled Tannehill “a great kid. Smart, tough,” and pointed out he comes from a good family. But his comment Thursday about the team’s draft needs didn’t make it sound like taking a quarterback with the No. 8 pick was a lock.

“I’m certainly not going to get into that decision here today from a strategy standpoint,” Ireland said. “There are times that you should try to go after one, but I certainly don’t feel like you should be pressured into doing that either.”

Ireland said the Dolphins’ draft board is set, and the team has a list of possibilities with the No. 8 pick. The goal is to take the highest rated player who fits a team need. Ireland said Miami has contingency plans for their contingency plans.

“Depends on if the guy you think is going to be there,” Ireland said. “Obviously there could be a scramble. I’ve been in a couple of scrambles before and it is always interesting. When you’re picking high in the draft every pick leading up to that is anticipation.”

According to Ireland, the trade value chart most teams use as a framework for draft day-trades “is really ambiguous,” and should be used as a starting point for discussions. But Ireland points out that a pick’s value typically depends on the team that wants to move up “and what they are willing to give up, and how bad they want it.

“How bad do you want to keep it? If you’re trading back you’re looking for value,” Ireland said. “You’re trying to get more than what you think the pick is worth. Sometimes it is for the future. … The circumstance has to be the right circumstance.”

There’s also a possibility that the Dolphins could trade back into the first round using the team’s second round pick (No. 42), and possibly one of a combination of Miami’s two third-round selections, which are picks No. 72 and 73. Ireland labeled the back-to-back third-rounders “extremely valuable.”

Home opener moved up

To accommodate the start of Rosh Hashana, a Jewish holiday, the NFL has moved the Dolphins’ home-opener against the Oakland Raiders to a 1 p.m. kickoff.

When the NFL schedule was released earlier this week, the Sept. 16 game against the Raiders was the only home contest on the schedule that started at 4:15 p.m.

SALT LAKE CITY — Former Westminster College men’s basketball player Les Brown has signed a contract to play with the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League.

Brown spent three years playing basketball for Westminster from 2006-2009. He left after his junior year to take a job with private equity firm Huntsman Gay Global Capital. He returned to Westminster to finish his degree before leaving in October to work toward a shot in the NFL. Brown participated in BYU’s last month where he was seen by scouts from around the NFL, including the Dolphins.

Brown played in 91 games as a Griffin, including 34 starts in his junior year during the 2008-09 season. He averaged 1.8 points and 2.3 rebounds in his career and he ranks eighth in school history with 23 blocked shots. Brown made one of the most memorable shots in school history when he tipped in a rebound before the buzzer to defeat Carroll in a Frontier Conference Tournament game in 2009.

Football was played at Westminster from 1929-1978 except during a five year span from 1943-47. Westminster has had a few players make it into the NFL, but Brown is the first to make it since athletics was fully reinstated in 1999.

Matt Moore could not avoid blanket news coverage of the Miami Dolphin’s pursuit of a free-agent quarterback even living in California.

Despite guiding the Dolphins last season to a 6-3 finish, he said Wednesday on the Joe Rose Show on WQAM-560 he understood Miami’s position.

Dolphins general manager Jeff Ireland explained Miami’s quarterback situation, Moore said. With Chad Henne gone, Moore and Pat Devlin were the only quarterbacks on the roster before David Garrard signed a one-year deal.

Moore said he tried not to watch the television coverage, but found it a challenge during the height of the Peyton Manning pursuit.

“I just tried to play it cool,” Moore told Rose. “I knew that they were gonna go after some guys, but it was all out of my control. I’m here now, and I’m working. We’re moving forward.”

Moore said he was not deterred by the pursuit of Manning or Matt Flynn. Manning signed with the Denver Broncos, and Flynn signed with the Seattle Seahawks. He said he understood the Dolphins’ interest in both cases calling Manning “one of the greatest, if not the greatest, of all time.” He also recognized Flynn’s pre-existing relationship with Dolphins coach Joe Philbin. The two worked together for several years in Green Bay.

Regardless of who the Dolphins signed, Moore said he was ready to battle.

“I was fully expecting a quarterback competiton. I still am,” Moore said. “…I get it, I understand and in any case as a player you just want a fair shot to show your talent and prove to the coaches you can win or lead this team to win. That’s all I was hoping for, and I think that’s the situation we have here.”

Rose also asked about former teammate Brandon Marshall, who created a minor dustup at the Pro Bowl. Marshall, who was traded to the Chicago Bears last month, earned MVP honors after four touchdown catches at the Pro Bowl.

At the time, he was asked how he could pull down four touchdown catches after getting just six in 2011.

“Since Jay Cutler [in Denver], I’ve had a few different quarterbacks,” Marshall said at the time. “Being in the Pro Bowl, you have these elite quarterbacks you’re playing with. It’s all them. They put them in the right spots, so it’s easy for me to make the catch.”

Moore said once again blanket coverage, this time of Marshall’s comments, was hard to ignore. Moore, who did not watch the Pro Bowl, first heard of Marshall’s comments from some buddies.

“I don’t know if it was taken out of context, or what was really meant there,” Moore said. “No hard feelings toward Brandon. I think he was praising the guys that he was playing with. I hope he was. Taking nothing away from me, who knows?

“He’s in Chicago. I wish him nothing but the best, and we’re gonna kind of move on and get some guys to step up and it’ll be good.”

Rose then asked, “Was he a pain in the ass from time to time? …Did it ever get frustrating, or was it part of the job?”

Moore said each player is different, and it’s part of his job to work on relationships.

“Brandon was a spectacular player, is a spectacular player, but he’s different,” Moore said. “…I’ve really got nothing bad to say. Him and I, obviously I wasn’t the guy coming into last year. We were kind of forced into this little marriage here. It ended up being good. Brandon went to the Pro Bowl. Both of us had a little bit of success. You can’t say too much bad things about that.”

Moore also talked briefly about the Dolphins’ first day of organized training activities, which began Tuesday. He said he has seen some of Philbin’s new offense, and he likes it. He also said Philbin stressed the word “teammate.”

Moore said there was great turnout the first day, and that the Dolphins have “turned the page.”

“He just wants to let it be known things are going to be different here,” Moore said. “At one point, the Miami Dolphins were one of the best franchises in sports. There’s no reason they can’t be again. He just wants to work to win and get back to that level.”

For Twan Russell, helping the annual Miami Dolphins Girls High School Flag Jamboree, presented by Under Armour, is a rewarding experience. As the director of youth and community programs, Russell got it done on March 31 at the Dolphins Indoor Training Facility in Davie.

“It was an amazing day,” Russell said. “Any time you get 400 ladies in a room playing football at the Dolphins’ facility, it is a great day for the organization.”

Since the event’s inception in 1997, Russell has seen everything take off.

“We started with five to six teams, and now we have over 20 teams in the county playing football,” Russell said, “and it is because of the partnership between the Miami Dolphins and the BCAA [Broward County Athletic Association].”

The Dolphins hosted a girls’ high school football clinic in February to help prepare teams for their season and jamboree tournament. Russell was one of 12 former Dolphins who helped provide instruction during the clinic.

The jamboree tournament featured Broward high schools teams, as the sport continues to become a popular one for girls to participate in at the varsity level.

“We had no idea it would turn into this,” Russell said. “This is one of our prouder achievements, because we were here since the beginning. It is just exciting to see how women’s football has evolved and changed. I really believe in the next 10 years that women’s football is going to be a collegiate sport and it is going to explode because women really want to play the game.”

The Dolphins’ involvement has pushed the clinic and event to new heights.

“This is a great opportunity for the kids to come out and compete at the Miami Dolphins Training Facility,” said Rocky Gillis of the BCAA. “This day was very important, because it gives our students great exposure. They were very excited to walk through the door and go onto the field.”

In the morning, Coral Glades defeated Plantation, 13-0; Monarch edged Miramar, 7-6; Coconut Creek beat South Broward, 20-0; and Northeast upended Flanagan, 7-0, in two overtimes.

Subsequent action saw Pembroke Pines Charter knock off Deerfield Beach, 18-6, and in a triple-overtime thriller, Boyd Anderson defeated McArthur, 24-18. Fort Lauderdale then cruised past Cooper City, 32-6.

Later in the day, Taravella edged Cypress Bay, 12-6; Blanche Ely squeaked out a 6-0 win over Stranahan, Everglades defeated South Plantation, 32-0; Hallandale earned a 7-0 victory over Nova; Western defeated Coral Springs, 44-0; and West Broward knocked off Piper, 26-6.

The jamboree was a tournament of regular-season games without a champion crowned.

For the players involved, the chance to step onto the field in the Dolphins’ facility was something they will never forget.

“It was an incredible experience to be here knowing this is where all the action is with the Miami Dolphins,” said Northeast High School’s Chelsea Mills. “It was just an honor to play a competitive sport. A lot of people say that girls shouldn’t play football, but we get to show that we do belong and can take part in the game.”

Miami Dolphins linebacker Koa Misi was arrested at his residence in Florida on Friday for battery charges stemming from an incident that occurred last year on the 6500 block of Trigo Road.

Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s deputies responded to an altercation at 2:35 a.m. on April 15, 2011, between Misi and residents on the balcony of their Trigo apartment. Then-25-year-old Misi allegedly broke into the residence and assaulted one of the inhabitants after the altercation.

According to a Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office press release, witnesses said Misi punched a hole through the wooden door to force his way into the residence. Misi allegedly punched a 19-year-old tenant — previously asleep on the couch — in the eye after the resident stood up.

According to the press release, Misi cooperated with authorities and agreed to pay for the damage when officers arrived at the scene. However, the 19-year-old victim filed charges the next day and the Sheriff’s Dept. recommended the District Attorney file for battery with serious bodily injury.

Santa Barbara County Sherriff’s Fugitive Felony Unit detectives collaborated with Florida’s Broward County officials to arrange Misi’s arrest on a felony warrant. According to the Miami Herald, Misi is still being held at the Broward County Jail on $10,000 bail as of Friday afternoon.

Miami Dolphins Senior Vice President of Media Relations Harvey Greene released a statement on the Miami Dolphins website and said the team will continue monitoring the issue.

“We are aware of the situation and are in the process of gathering information. As a result, we will refrain from any comment,” the statement said.

The Sheriff’s Dept. will not release any further information on the case until it is adjudicated.

arrest, koa misi, miami dolphins

About Staff Report

Free agent linebacker Rocky McIntosh, who spent the first seasons of his career with the Washington Redskins, had a visit with the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, told Miami’s FOX affliate.

McIntosh, whom the Redskins drafted out of the University of Miami in 2006 as an outside linebacker, recorded a career-high 110 tackles for Washington in 2010 — his first season at inside linebacker. He re-signed to a one-year deal last July. But, he fell out of favor with the coaching staff and lost his job as a starter after eight games.

McIntosh played primarily on special teams the next seven games and then was inactive for the final game of the season. The Redskins seem content to allow McIntosh to depart via free agency.

The emergence of 2010 fourth-round pick Perry Riley is a big reason why the Redskins aren’t expected to retain McIntosh. Riley made eight starts and recorded 68 tackles and a sack. He is expected to remain a starter at inside linebacker for the Redskins as he enters his third season out of LSU.

Riley currently is the only inside linebacker under contract for the 2012 season. London Fletcher, who led the team in tackles and serves as captain of the defense, remains unsigned, but coach Mike Shanahan said last week that negotiations remain ongoing.

Keyaron Fox served as a backup at both inside linebacker positions last season, but also is a free agent.

Read More: nfl free agents 2012, Alex Smith (QB – SFX), Miami Dolphins, San Francisco 49ers

With Peyton Manning headed to the Denver Broncos, the San Francisco 49ers probably have a top priority to resign Alex Smith to ensure stability at the quarterback position. However, they may have contenders for his services: The Miami Dolphins.

Smith did visit Miami extensively this week and things went pretty well. David Fucillo of Niners Nation has the total report, and it could be good news for the Dolphins or good news for the 49ers.

A couple posts ago, I noticed a comment from NinerFanTuscon in which he said NFL Network reported that Alex Smith is on his way back to the Bay Area without a contract with the Miami Dolphins. Smith flew to Miami early yesterday morning for a meeting and then had his agent Tom Condon fly in for a round of negotiations earlier today. Chris Mortensen indicated on ESPN that Smith really liked Miami and the 49ers might conceivably be prepared to move on without him.

Smith liking the Dolphins is interesting, but it’s clear that with no contract in place, Miami still might be a ways off from convincing him to come to South Florida. Meanwhile, with Manning off the table, San Francisco clearly knows its best option is Smith, and the deal they have out there is really great. Plus coming off an NFC Championship appearance, taking a risk and picking Miami for a better deal might not be worth it.

To talk about the Smith situation with 49ers fans, hit up Niners Nation.

MIAMI (AP) — San Francisco 49ers free agent quarterback Alex Smith is meeting with the Miami Dolphins, which could affect the Peyton Manning sweepstakes.

A person familiar with the negotiations confirmed Smith’s Miami visit to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team had not announced Sunday’s meeting.

San Francisco is among three finalists for Manning, along with the Denver Broncos and Tennessee Titans.

The 49ers had been working to re-sign Smith, the No. 1 overall 2005 draft pick who enjoyed his best season in 2011 under first-year 49ers coach Harbaugh, a former NFL quarterback. Smith and Manning have the same agent, Tom Condon.

The Dolphins’ unexpected courtship of Smith came after they were spurned by Manning and then hosted former Green Bay Packers backup quarterback Matt Flynn for a weekend Saturday.

Smith’s arrival Sunday morning raised the question whether the Dolphins were trying to pressure Flynn to sign soon. He visited the Seattle Seahawks earlier in the week.

Flynn left South Florida on Sunday morning, but a deal with the Dolphins remained a possibility, said his father, Alvin.

Smith struggled early in his career but threw for 3,150 yards and 17 touchdowns with only five interceptions last season as San Francisco went 13-3 and made the NFC title game after an eight-year playoff drought. He orchestrated six comeback wins, four on the road.

Smith has been weighing a three-year offer from the 49ers.

He landed at the Fort Lauderdale airport Sunday morning and arrived at the Dolphins complex at 11 a.m. EDT in a car driven by trainer Kevin O’Neill. New coach Joe Philbin, new offensive coordinator Mike Sherman and general manager Jeff Ireland arrived earlier.

All were also on hand for Flynn’s 5 1/2-hour meeting Saturday.

Flynn was a backup the past four years for Green Bay, where his offensive coordinator was Joe Philbin, the Dolphins’ new head coach. Flynn has only two career NFL starts, but in last year’s regular-season finale he set franchise records with 480 yards passing and six touchdowns to help the Packers beat Detroit 45-41.

The Dolphins have started 16 quarterbacks since Dan Marino retired and are looking to make another change. While incumbent Matt Moore played well last year, there are doubts he’s a franchise quarterback. Chad Henne, who started 31 games for Miami over the past three seasons, signed Wednesday with the Jacksonville Jaguars as a backup.

The 49ers emerged as a contender for Manning when the news surfaced that he worked out Tuesday for Harbaugh at Duke. The four-time NFL MVP also worked out for the Broncos on Friday at Duke, and for the Titans on Saturday in Knoxville, Tenn.

Manning has been rehabbing in North Carolina following a string of neck surgeries, which led Indianapolis to release him.

San Francisco running back Frank Gore, who works out each offseason in Miami, said Sunday he hadn’t spoken to Smith. Gore has long supported Smith through the quarterback’s up-and-down seven NFL seasons.

Now, Gore and the 49ers are sitting tight to see what happens next.

“It’s crazy,” Gore said. “I’m waiting for whatever happens. I know coach Harbaugh and (general manager) Trent Baalke feel good about what they’re doing.”

Manning’s whirlwind free agency tour officially kicked off soon after he bid farewell to the Colts in an emotional press conference.

MIAMI (AP) — Former Green Bay Packers backup quarterback Matt Flynn is being courted by the Miami Dolphins.

Flynn visited the Dolphins on Saturday after they were eliminated from consideration by Peyton Manning. Flynn was a backup the past four years for Green Bay, where his offensive coordinator was Joe Philbin, the Dolphins’ new head coach.

Miami added former New York Jets linebacker Jamaal Westerman, who tweeted that he signed with the team. Westerman, a pass-rush specialist, had 3 1/2 sacks last year.

Flynn has only two career NFL starts, but in last year’s regular-season finale he set franchise records with 480 yards passing and six touchdowns to help the Packers beat Detroit 45-41. He visited the Seattle Seahawks earlier this week.

Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Peyton Manning informed the Miami Dolphins on Thursday that he will not sign a free-agent contract with the team, according to a source. A source also said that despite previous reports to the contrary, Dolphins owner Steve Ross did visit with Manning.

Reports that former Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino got Miami an interview with Manning are “overstated.”

Manning was released recently by the Indianapolis Colts after 14 seasons. He visited with the Dolphins this week, and was considering Miami as well as the Denver Broncos, Arizona Cardinals and Tennessee Titans.

The Cardinals issued a statement Friday saying they are no longer in contention to sign Manning.

“We’ve said it many times: if there’s an opportunity to make our team better, we’ll explore it,” Arizona coach Ken Whisenhunt said. “We view the potential of adding a first-ballot Hall of Fame quarterback as one of those. The organization quickly put together an aggressive plan to go after it. We’re proud of that and feel very strongly about what we have to offer as a team and as an organization. In the end, it didn’t work out, but from our perspective it was very positive and we certainly don’t have any regrets about it.”

The Dolphins turned their focus to a pursuit of free-agent quarterback Matt Flynn, who is scheduled to visit Miami this weekend. Flynn visited with the Seattle Seahawks this week, and his arrival in South Florida is possible at any time.

The Dolphins had been in contact with Flynn, but kept their courtship soft while still in pursuit of Manning.

Flynn, who worked with the Dolphins’ first-year coach Joe Philbin in Green Bay, is widely considered to be the top free-agent quarterback available other than Manning.

Flynn, drafted as a seventh-round pick out of LSU in 2008, has played all four seasons of his NFL career with the Packers. Last season, he started one of the five games he played in as a backup to Aaron Rogers. Flynn completed 33 of 49 passes for 518 yards, with six touchdowns and two interceptions.

If Flynn does not sign with Miami, the Dolphins could still opt to select a quarterback in the NFL draft, with the eighth pick. Reports that the San Francisco 49ers are also in pursuit of Manning could make pursuit of free-agent quarterback Alex Smith an option.

Anderson visits

Free-agent defensive end Mark Anderson visited with the Dolphins on Friday, according to a team spokesman.

Anderson played for the New England Patriots last season, the seventh of his NFL career. In 16 games, he had one start and a total of 18 tackles, including 10 sacks.

Reports out of Boston indicate talks between Anderson and the Patriots stalled, leading to his latest visit. Whether Anderson is using a visit to the Dolphins, an AFC East rival of the Patriots, as negotiating leverage is unclear.

Anderson was used in a rotation-type role in New England. One of his better games came in December, a 41-23 victory over the Denver Broncos. Anderson had three tackles, including two sacks of Tim Tebow, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

Signings confirmed

The Dolphins confirmed Friday they have signed offensive lineman Artis Hicks to a contract and tight end Jeron Mastrud to an exclusive-rights contract.

Hicks has 71 career starts in his 10 seasons, which included stops in Philadelphia, Minnesota, Washington and Cleveland.

Sun Sentinel columnist Dave Hyde contributed to this report.

FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. Peyton Manning informed the Miami Dolphins on Thursday that he will not sign a free-agent contract with the team, according to a source. A source also said that despite previous reports to the contrary, Dolphins owner Steve Ross did visit with Manning.

Reports that former Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino got Miami an interview with Manning are “overstated.”

Manning was released recently by the Indianapolis Colts after 14 seasons, but he apparently is not ready to retire. He visited with the Dolphins this week, and was considering Miami as well as the Denver Broncos, Arizona Cardinals and Tennessee Titans.

The Cardinals issued a statement Friday saying they are no longer in contention to sign Manning.

“We’ve said it many times: if there’s an opportunity to make our team better, we’ll explore it,” Arizona coach Ken Whisenhunt said. “We view the potential of adding a first-ballot Hall of Fame quarterback as one of those. The organization quickly put together an aggressive plan to go after it. We’re proud of that and feel very strongly about what we have to offer as a team and as an organization. In the end, it didn’t work out, but from our perspective it was very positive and we certainly don’t have any regrets about it.”

The Dolphins turned their focus to a pursuit of free-agent quarterback Matt Flynn, who is scheduled to visit Miami this weekend. Flynn visited with the Seattle Seahawks this week, and his arrival in South Florida is possible at any time.

The Dolphins had been in contact with Flynn, but kept their courtship soft while still in pursuit of Manning.

Flynn, backup quarterback in Green Bay previously, worked with the Dolphins’ first-year coach Joe Philbin in Green Bay. He is widely considered to be the top free-agent quarterback available other than Manning.

Flynn, drafted as a seventh-round pick in 2008, has played all four seasons of his NFL career with the Packers. Last season, he started one of the five games he played in as a backup to Aaron Rogers. Flynn completed 33 of 49 passes for 518 yards, with six touchdowns and two interceptions.

If Flynn does not sign with Miami, the Dolphins could still opt to select a quarterback in the NFL draft, with the eighth pick. Reports that the San Francisco 49ers are also in pursuit of Manning could make pursuit of free-agent quarterback Alex Smith an option.

Anderson visits

Free-agent defensive end Mark Anderson visited with the Dolphins on Friday, according to a team spokesman.

Anderson played for the New England Patriots last season, the seventh of his NFL career. In 16 games, he had one start and a total of 18 tackles, including 10 sacks.

Reports out of Boston indicate talks between Anderson and the Patriots stalled, leading to his latest visit. Whether Anderson is using a visit to the Dolphins, an AFC East rival of the Patriots, as negotiating leverage is unclear.

Anderson was used in a rotation-type role in New England. One of his better games came in December, a 41-23 victory over the Denver Broncos. Anderson had three tackles, including two sacks of Tim Tebow, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

Signings confirmed

The Dolphins confirmed Friday they have signed offensive lineman Artis Hicks to a contract and tight end Jeron Mastrud to an exclusive-rights contract.

Hicks has 71 career starts in his 10 seasons, which included stops in Philadelphia, Minnesota, Washington and Cleveland.

This is a time when sports obsession revolves around the Final Four. Wait. Not that one. Not the college basketball version that will end March Madness. I mean the NFL version under way now in which the four teams seen as finalists for Peyton Manning wait with desperate patience, praying to be tipped a wink or a nod by the superstar quarterback who is this year’s free agency grand prize.

Arizona, Denver, Miami and Tennessee are the order alphabetically, with Denver and Tennessee reportedly the leading contenders. Only Manning knows the real order, and he wasn’t ready to say it Wednesday after making the Titans the fourth and presumably last visit on his 2012 Woo Me & Wow Me Tour.

Three teams will be very public losers in this, and Dolphins fans calloused by years of disappointment must be bracing themselves that Miami might be one of them.

Somewhere along the line, the franchise that stands for Perfection became the club known for Rejection. (Or Dejection, as long as we are in a rhyming mood.)

Nary a long-suffering Dolfan could have been surprised as Miami withered — at least by consensus media perception — from early favorite for Manning to long shot.

The ghosts of Cam Cameron and Daunte Culpepper, of bad decisions past, haunt the halls of a club seemingly cursed. Belief in karma invites the notion that Don Shula surely must have sold the franchise’s soul to win those back-to-back Super Bowls in 1972-73, because payback has been hell, especially the past decade-plus.

Who else but Miami is forced to give away its best receiver at bargain prices because the man can’t stay away from police and from trouble? Speaking of whom, I think it might be time to remove the “borderline” from Brandon Marshall’s personality disorder, a condition apparently full-fledged.

Who else but the Dolphins fail publicly not once but twice to get the coach they want to replace Tony Sparano, rebuffed first by Jim Harbaugh and more recently by Jeff Fisher. The consolation prize, Joe Philbin, might turn out to be the next great head coach, but for now he is just a rookie at this job with only everything to prove.

Settling. Why does it seem this franchise is always settling and forcing its fans to do the same?

Miami needs Manning not only for what he would bring to this team on the field, but maybe more so for how he would lift a club whose reputation has sagged, and how he would reanimate a fan base turned somnambulant.

Settling. If Manning rejects Miami, it means the Dolphins will be doing that again, and at the one position they had properly targeted for massive improvement.

The Dolphins face taking a chance with the unknown behind Door No. 3 again, just as they did for a coach when rejections by Harbaugh and Fisher left Philbin.

For a quarterback upgrade, the top two available options clearly were Robert Griffin III in the draft or Manning through free agency.

Trading up to the second overall pick to get RG3 took immense gumption and belief, not to mention two future first-round picks and a second-rounder in addition to a swap of 2012 first-rounders. Washington might have been dumb to have that much nerve. Miami might have been smarter to be more conservative and say “no thanks.” It will take years to know. But, right now, the Redskins look like they have a franchise quarterback into the next decade while the Dolphins are still searching for theirs.

Brandon Marshall’s two year Dolphins career — filled with highs, lows, and plenty of off-field drama — ended unceremoniously Tuesday when the Dolphins traded him to the Chicago Bears for two third-round draft choices.

The deal frees up $5.8 million in cap space, leaving Miami less than $15 million under the cap and with multiple needs to fill.

The Dolphins are saving much of that space for a quarterback, which they hope will be top choice Peyton Manning or second choice Matt Flynn. As of Tuesday afternoon, they believed they were alive in the Manning sweepstakes after Monday night’s meeting with him, but were not especially optimistic.

ESPN’s Chris Mortensen named Tennessee and Denver as the favorites for Manning, and ESPN’s Bill Polian, the former Colts’ executive, said he believes Manning will not end up with Miami. Unlike Denver, which contacted Reggie Wayne, the Dolphins made no attempt Tuesday to sign players close to Manning. Wayne re-signed with the Colts late Tuesday.

The Dolphins engaged in serious talks with the agent for Flynn, making Flynn aware of Miami’s strong interest if it doesn’t get Manning. Coach Joe Philbin called Flynn and there were plans to discuss parameters of a contract, so that Miami can pounce on Flynn once it knows for sure it is out of the Manning race.

Flynn has high regard for Philbin, his former offensive coordinator in Green Bay. But he also is expected to consider interest from Cleveland and Seattle.

“The team that gets Matt is going to be very happy,” Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers told NBC’s Peter King.

“They’ll be getting a top-15 quarterback.”

Winston meeting

Meanwhile, the Dolphins booked a meeting with former University of Miami standout offensive lineman Eric Winston, who was released by Houston on Monday. Winston, 28, considered the best right tackle available in free agency, said he will visit the Dolphins on Wednesday but does not yet have an offer from Miami. Winston, whose brother is a Dolphins scout, will also visit the Chiefs and Rams.

The Dolphins are also bringing in veteran cornerback Richard Marshall, who has 17 career interceptions, including three last season for Arizona. Marshall spent his first five seasons with the Carolina Panthers, starting in every game in the 2009 and 2010 seasons. He started in nine games for Arizona last season and had 69 tackles with two sacks to go along with the three picks. The Dolphins have made finding a No. 3 cornerback a priority. Marshall can also play free safety, where the Dolphins would not mind upgrading over Rashad Jones, Chris Clemons and Tyrone Culver.

The Dolphins also reportedly have shown interest in Packers free-agent center Scott Wells, 31, who made the Pro Bowl last season. If Wells signs, the Dolphins would have the option of moving Mike Pouncey to guard.

As for Brandon Marshall, Philbin did not see him as a great fit. Marshall likes to be the clear cut No. 1 receiver, and the Dolphins reportedly were concerned about how he would adjust to their desire to spread the ball around to a lot of targets.

The Dolphins will receive the Bears’ third- round picks in 2012 and 2013.

Marshall, due a combined $27.5 million over the next three seasons, caught 81 passes for 1,214 yards last season. He had six touchdowns but dropped at least five.

The trade leaves a gaping hole at receiver, with Brian Hartline and Davone Bess the only veterans with more than six NFL receptions. Clyde Gates, Marlon Moore and Roberto Wallace also are under contract.

It does not look like the Dolphins will land an established No. 1 receiver in free agency. Pierre Garcon signed with Washington and Vincent Jackson with Tampa. Free agents still available include Brandon Lloyd, Robert Meachem (Miami hasn’t called) and Mario Manningham. The Dolphins have expressed interest in Cowboys free-agent receiver Laurent Robinson, who had 54 catches for 858 yards and 11 touchdowns last season despite starting only four games. He will visit the Jacksonville Jaguars on Wednesday.

Acquired from Denver for two second-round picks in April 2010, Marshall made headlines in Miami for unusual reasons: He was stabbed during a domestic incident involving his wife (charges against her were eventually dropped); spoke openly about his battle with Borderline Personality Disorder; angered teammates by saying he planned to get ejected from a game against the Jets (he didn’t); and threw a ball off teammate Vontae Davis’ head during a confrontation last season.

One teammate said last season that Marshall behaved oddly at times, and that the former staff often looked the other way. But Marshall was nevertheless generally well-liked. “Hate to see my boy, B-Marshall, go,” Reggie Bush tweeted. “Chicago’s getting one hell of a player.”

Dolphins center Mike Pouncey tweeted: “Brandon Marshall out of Miami? Tell me this ain’t true.”

The trade reunites Marshall with Bears quarterback Jay Cutler, his former teammate with the Denver Broncos.

MORE MOVES

The Dolphins used some cap space Tuesday by placing tenders on offensive tackle Lydon Murtha ($1.9 million) and defensive lineman Phillip Merling ($1.26 million) and by re-signing linebacker Austin Spitler and tight end Jeron Mastrud for $540,000 apiece.

The Dolphins did not tender Lex Hilliard and Ryan Baker, who become unrestricted free agents. They could return on minimum contracts, though former CFL standout Jerome Messam will compete for the fullback job.

–The Dolphins made an offer Tuesday to Paul Soliai, but other teams are believed to be offering more. The Dolphins maintain interest in Kendall Langford but couldn’t come to an agreement Tuesday.

–Though the Dolphins badly want pass rushers, they do not have the cap space to afford Houston’s Mario Williams, who is meeting with Buffalo. And they cannot afford the top guards: Carl Nicks, who is talking with Tampa Bay; and Ben Grubbs, who is meeting with Baltimore.

–Chad Henne, who will not return to Miami, will visit the Seahawks and Jaguars.