The Dolphins traded WR Greg Camarillo to the Vikings on Wednesday.
The Dolphins provided some clarity to their depth chart at wide receiver on Wednesday, trading WR Greg Camarillo to the Minnesota Vikings.
“I think that when you come in here and you’re a young head coach and you’re trying to put together a team and you want to surround yourself with the right people, I think that guys like Camarillo are people that you start with,” coach Tony Sparano told reporters Wednesday afternoon. “I appreciate everything that Greg did for us, I really do. He’s been a good player for us and he’s been a heck of guy for me to coach.”
With current big-target WRs Sidney Rice and Percy Harvin sidelined, the Vikings wanted to go out and get another option for the QB Brett Favre, ESPN.com is reporting. “In the NFL, you have to be ready for trades at any time,” Camarillo’s agent, J.R. Rickert, wrote in a text. “This is a great opportunity for Greg to play with one of the best quarterbacks ever.” Minnesota sent off nickleback CB Benny Sapp in return.
Camarillo, a former walk-on at Stanford, was apparently on a plane to Minnesota before the trade was even announced. “Yeah, it’s crazy,” Camarillo said to local radio host Ken LaVicka of ESPN 760 during an interview. “I hate to be rude, but I don’t have time for interviews. I have to move my whole life.”
Camarillo was a one of Chad Pennington’s favorite targets in 2008, recording 55 receptions for 613 yards and 2 TDs in 12 games before missing the rest of the season with a knee injury. The addition of WR Brandon Marshall and emergence of WRs Devon Bess, Brian Hartline, and Patrick Turner had rendered Camarillo expendable for Miami and Sapp’s arrival will strengthen a young secondary.
“I think [Sapp is a] guy that has some position flexibility,” Sparano said of the 6-year vet who entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of Northern Iowa. “I think that he’s played corner and started games at corner in this league. Played (you know) a large number of plays last season. Played in some playoff games and also plays inside in the nickel. So, I think he has a little bit of position flex (flexibility) that way and special teams player as well.”
The Dolphins also flip-flopped on their decision to sign G Randy Thomas earlier this week, releasing the 11-year vet today due to health concerns.