Dolphins Fire Pasqualoni, Lose Weidmeier

ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting the Miami Dolphins have terminated the contract of defensive coordinator Paul Pasqualoni.

Pasqualoni’s unit, though hamstrung by two rookie starting cornerbacks, struggled to stop the big play and surrendered a league-worst 140 fourth quarter points in 2009.  The defense finished 24^th in pass defense and 25^nd in points allowed .

One logical replacement would be longtime Parcells lieutenant Al Groh, recently deposed head coach at Virginia.  Groh was believed to be close to landing the same job at Georgia Tech over the weekend.  But as noted by UniversalDraft.com, that was before the Yellow Jackets lost ACC Defensive Player of the Year Derrick Morgan and standout safety Morgan Burnett, as both juniors declared for the NFL on Monday.

Could this move be a precursor to Groh joining the Dolphins?  The timing sure is interesting.  We’ll find out soon enough.

Another name being mentioned is Romeo Crennel.  But Belichick’s former defensive coordinator is believed to have chosen to rejoin Scott Pioli and Charlie Weis in Kansas City over the New York Giants.

With the Senior Bowl only two weeks away, the Dolphins are in the midst of an overhaul with their defensive coaching staff and will need to move quickly.  In addition to Pasqualoni, the Dolphins will have to replace departed linebacker coaches Jim Reid and George Edwards.  One possible candidate at that position, mentioned as a possibility by the Miami Herald’s Jeff Darlington, is former Giants defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan.

Multiple outlets are also reporting that Senior Vice President Brian Weidmeier is leaving the team after 29 years of service.  Weidmeier will join the Cleveland Browns as Executive Vice President of Business Affairs.  The Browns are in the midst of an overhaul themselves, with former Dolphins front office man Tom Heckert Jr. assuming the general manager position on Monday.