MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The Miami Dolphins‘ decision Tuesday to release veteran defensive tackle Teair Tart Tuesday sent an unmistakable message: Effort is just as important, if not moreso, as talent.
Tart isn’t nearly good enough of a player to only try part of the time. Not on this team, or almost any NFL team, for that matter.
Why the Miami Dolphins Cut Teair Tart
Defensive line coach Austin Clark hinted at the team’s thinking 11 days ago, when he said this of Tart:
“He has some power to his game. That’s definitely the thing that Teair has, I think for him [it’s] consistency. … Let’s eliminate the flash plays, and let’s be consistent in both the run game and the pass game, and that’s what we’re focused on. So, I think it’s early, but he’s done an OK job so far.”
An “OK job” won’t get you on a team with Super Bowl aspirations. The Dolphins believe they’re a better team without Tart than with him and were so sure in their convictions that they’re willing to burn more than a half-million dollars in mid-August.
That’s the dead cap hit for releasing Tart, who now is looking for his fourth team in eight months.
After forcing his way out of Tennessee, Tart was not retained by the Houston Texans. When he signed with the Dolphins back in the spring, he insisted that the general perception of him is wrong.
“I was in Tennessee four years,” Tart said. “I never had work ethic questions or work ethic issues until I asked for a release — but coming from a [Bill] Belichick situation, you’ve got to play hard, you’ve got to practice hard — which I found really weird.
“I think in a lot of things, you can expect me to be competitive, spirited. I’m not afraid to show emotion out there on the field and really get after it and compete. I’m really just excited for a new beginning, honestly.”
He’s looking for another one now.
By moving on from Tart, the Dolphins are signaling that they’re more than comfortable in their defensive line depth.
Zach Sieler, Calais Campbell, and Benito Jones are locks to make the team. Jonathan Harris and Da’Shawn Hand have a good chance to stick too.
But don’t sleep on Neville Gallimore, Brandon Pili, and Leonard Payne. They all have a real chance to make the 53 — and if not, are prime practice squad candidates.
Why? They give effort regularly, not sporadically. And that’s as important as anything to the Dolphins.