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The Miami Dolphins' rough offseason just got a little worse Friday. Dolphins linebacker Koa Misi was reportedly arrested for battery charges on Friday.

Misi's charges were from an alleged incident in California, but he was arrested in Broward county, Florida. The former second-round pick started nine games for Miami and recorded 34 tackles and one sack.

The NFL may look into this incident once the legal system runs its course.

Of the five panelists asked to pick the AFC East, four had the Dolphins finishing third and I picked them to finish second. Here's my intelligence report on Miami:

Five things you need to know about the Dolphins:

1. Henne must improve: Chad Henne needs to play better in 2011 than he did a year ago. He just didn't convert enough big plays to throw as many interceptions as he did (19). Still, I do think he was slightly unfairly criticized and I think he can revive his career, especially since Miami was quite proactive this offseason in getting him a lot of help at surrounding positions. And as Football Outsiders so adeptly notes, Henne was the most "unlucky" quarterback in the league last year as far as interceptions -- no quarterback paid more for his mistakes. This offense also has to get more aggressive with play calling. But any way you cut it, the Dolphins will go only as far as Henne can take them.

2. Defense is elite: I love the Dolphins' defense. Led by a very deep but greatly underappreciated defensive line, I fully expect Miami to have one of the top three or four defenses in the league. Vontae Davis and Cameron Wake are budding superstars with a ton of big-play potential, but young complementary players like Sean Smith and Koa Misi are also quite effective -- and should only be getting better. This defense needs to do a better job of taking the football away, and I don't love its free safety situation, but all in all, there are only a couple of NFL defenses that I rank ahead of the Dolphins'. And Mike Nolan is one of the best defensive coordinators in the league.

3. The Reggie Bush effect: As a former second overall pick in the draft, many consider the often-injured Bush a bust. I am not going to say that Bush was worth such a lofty draft slot, but I will tell you that he can make a major difference in Miami. Bush is as much wide receiver as he is running back, which makes accounting for him extremely difficult when he is on the field. Do you play nickel or base defense when he is the lead back? If you chose the smaller, more athletic defensive personnel, Miami will run the ball with Bush. If you chose the heavier base set, the Dolphins can split Bush away from the formation and get a coverage mismatch against a linebacker. His stats are not extraordinary, but Bush's effect on the game can be. Bush and Brandon Marshall should quickly become Henne's best friends.

4. Offensive line rebuilt: Henne isn't very fleet of foot. He struggles against interior pass-rush pressure, which was a big problem a year ago. In turn, Miami used its mid first-round pick on the best interior offensive lineman in the draft, Mike Pouncey, who is penciled in as the starting center. Former right tackle Vernon Carey has moved to right guard. That move is a bit curious, though, as I have major reservations about now-starting right tackle Marc Colombo. The plan is that the revamped line should help an ailing running game while also providing better interior protection for the immobile Henne.

5. More team speed: Miami clearly made a concerted effort to become a faster team this offseason. On offense, the Dolphins added a burner at wide receiver, Clyde Gates, who should open room for the Dolphins' other skill positions. We touched on Bush's potential effect in this offense, but clearly he is an improvement just in terms of his pure speed compared to the running backs from a year ago. Miami desperately needs more big plays on offense. On defense, the addition that really sticks out is every-down linebacker Kevin Burnett, who is replacing the slower run-stuffing Channing Crowder. Burnett's athletic ability and extreme versatility should serve Miami very well, especially when dealing with the Patriots' wide array of tight ends and running backs who can torture a defense from a matchup standpoint. He should make a very formidable inside linebacker pair with Karlos Dansby in Miami's 3-4 scheme.

This week's Scouts Eye feature on ESPN Insider examines linebacking units within the AFC East.

Scouts Inc. analyst Matt Williamson proclaims the Miami Dolphins will have one of the league's best defenses in large part because of their linebackers, whom he rates the division's best. Williamson is high on outside linebackers Cameron Wake and Koa Misi, inside linebacker Karlos Dansby and the unit's overall depth.

Next in line are the New York Jets. Although Williamson calls franchise player David Harris "slightly overrated" because of his coverage skills, the tandem of Harris and Bart Scott is one of the league's most formidable. Outside linebackers Calvin Pace and Bryan Thomas are "adequate," Williamson writes, but the Jets need to add a pass-rusher who strikes fear in opponents.

The New England Patriots are third on the list behind the strength of Pro Bowl inside linebacker Jerod Mayo. Aside from him, however, there's a lot to be desired in regard to established talent. Williamson believes sophomore inside linebacker Brandon Spikes has a bright future. Many questions remain on the outside, a spot that could be improved in free agency.

Not surprisingly, the Buffalo Bills are considered last in the division. Williamson notes the Bills need to re-sign free agent Paul Posluszny, hope Shawne Merriman resurrects his career and need to add one more "legit starting outside linebacker who can rush the passer" to get their defense on track.

Scouts Inc.’s Matt Williamson looks at AFC East players on the verge of a breakout in 2011.

Koa Misi certainly benefits from having stud pass-rusher Cameron Wake on the opposite side of him in Miami’s 3-4 scheme, but this is an impressive young player in his own right who is poised for a breakout year in 2011. In fact, I think the Miami defense as a whole is on the verge of establishing itself as one of the truly elite units in the NFL.

A great defensive line that should be much healthier this year will have a lot to do with this, but so will the development of this 24-year old linebacker. Misi has a sturdy frame and plays to the whistle snap after snap. His pass-rushing arsenal should improve with experience, but he is already very sturdy securing the edge as a run defender. In this respect, Misi was one of the better run defenders at his position last year.

Along with Misi, this Miami defense has plenty of young players who could qualify as on the verge of stardom. To go along with what I expect to be an outstanding and improving defensive line, Vontae Davis and Sean Smith could be on the cusp of becoming perhaps the premier tandem of corners in the league. In fact, both Davis and Smith are superior players to Misi at this point. But having all this talent surrounding the second-year outside linebacker should put him in a position to flourish.

Scouts Inc. watches games, breaks down film and studies football from all angles for ESPN.com.

Monday on the AFC East blog, dropped interceptions were a hot topic.

Today, I want to broach a totally different subject: dropped interceptions.

We already know New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez threw the most passes defenders dropped.

But which defender dropped the most? He's from the AFC East, too.

Football Outsiders research shows Miami Dolphins right cornerback Sean Smith tied for the league lead with five dropped interceptions last year even though he didn't re-assume his starting role until Week 9.

Smith's proxy, Jason Allen, also dropped two, giving the Dolphins seven at that position alone.

The NFL average for an entire defense was 6.3 dropped interceptions last season. The Dolphins had 19 of them. The Green Bay Packers were next with 14.

Dolphins free safety Chris Clemons dropped three interceptions, tying him for sixth in the league. Cornerback Benny Sapp dropped two. Defensive ends Phillip Merling and Kendall Langford, outside linebacker Koa Misi, inside linebacker Karlos Dansby, cornerback Nolan Carroll and safeties Reshad Jones and Tyrone Culver had one apiece.

The Dolphins actually snagged 11 interceptions. Only three teams recorded fewer.

Think defensive coordinator Mike Nolan tore out his hair much?

The other three AFC East teams combined didn't have nearly as many dropped interceptions as the Dolphins did.

In fact, the rest of the AFC East had just as many as Smith, Allen, Clemons and Sapp alone.

The Jets and Buffalo Bills each had five dropped interceptions. Strong safety Donte Whitner was the only defender on either team with two. Bills cornerback Drayton Florence didn't have any drops one season after leading the league with five.

The New England Patriots were incredibly fortuitous when it came to interceptions. They had 25 picks, but dropped only two: inside linebacker Jerod Mayo and cornerback Darius Butler.

INDIANAPOLIS -- California defensive end Cameron Jordan isn't bashful about revealing how he plans to perform in the NFL.

"I'm a competitive person," Jordan said with a smile on his face. "I don't lose."

Jordan just gave one of the more entertaining news conferences from the NFL scouting combine so far. He's near the top of a deep class. Scouts Inc. rates him the fifth-best defensive end and the 18th-best overall player.

The Miami Dolphins draft 15th and wouldn't appear in the market for Jordan's services. The Dolphins have a crowded defensive line that might leave last year's 28th pick, Jared Odrick, a backup. As for pass-rush stability, sacks specialist Cameron Wake and last year's 40th overall pick, Koa Misi, already are on the roster.

But Jordan looks like a fit for the New England Patriots. They need front seven help and will draft 17th and 28th -- if they don't trade out of those spots.

ESPN draft analysts Mel Kiper and Todd McShay each project Jordan going to the Patriots at No. 17, the pick they acquired from the Oakland Raiders for Richard Seymour.

"The Patriots are a phenomenal team," Jordan said.

Jordan checked into the combine at 6-foot-4 and 287 pounds. He played left end in Cal's 3-4 defense, but he isn't concerned with switching to a 4-3 position, outside linebacker or -- by the sounds of it -- punter.

"My motto is: Draft me, and I'll play anywhere," Jordan said. "I don't care where I play. I just want to be on the team. I want to play football. That's what I love doing.

"I have shown I can stand up. I can play a 3-technique. I can play a 5-technique. Put me anywhere, and I'll play."

Three minutes into an engaging interview, a reporter asked Jordan whether he can transform from a happy-go-lucky guy into a vicious tackler on game days.

"If you see my film, I'm hitting people. I'm laying people out," Jordan said with a laugh. "Actually, there's sort of a switch because I still have the smile on my face, but it's all for a different motive.

"It'll put the biggest smile on me to hit a quarterback and hear the wind come out of his chest. That just pleases me the most."

Jordan is the son of former Minnesota Vikings tight end Steve Jordan, a six-time Pro Bowler.

Despite the bloodline, Jordan's dream was to play point guard.

"That's what I thought I was going to be," Jordan said. "I thought I was going to be the next A.I. [Allen Iverson]. I don't think I have the frame for that. I'm a little bigger than he is. I thought I was going to be Kevin Garnett. That didn't pan out as well.

"Football better suits me."

Typical kid, Jordan admitted he hasn't taken all of his old man's advice.

"He always gave me tips on how to beat a guy, control a guy," Jordan said. "He gives any tips that he can. I may listen to about 45 percent of it.

"He is my father, so I listen to most of it. But 55 percent does slip in one ear and out the other. He'll tell you the same thing.

"My father was a great player, but I'm going to be better than him."

Winners for the Associated Press 2010 Rookies of the Year will be announced Friday. Both appear to be foregone conclusions.

What a shock it would be if St. Louis Rams quarterback Sam Bradford and Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh didn't represent his side of the ball.

Still, it's an appropriate time to recognize a few remarkable rookie campaigns in the AFC East.

New England Patriots cornerback Devin McCourty and tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez should get a few votes.

McCourty was forced to grow up fast when Leigh Bodden suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in training camp. McCourty lined up against the opposition's top receivers and finished second in the league with seven interceptions. He was voted to the Pro Bowl.

Gronkowski had 10 touchdown receptions, a Patriots record for tight ends of any age and for rookies of any position. He came two touchdowns short of Mike Ditka's NFL record for rookie tight ends. Gronkowski broke another Patriots rookie record with three touchdowns in one game.

Hernandez broke the Patriots record for receptions from a rookie tight end. He had 45 catches for 563 yards and six touchdowns.

None of the three other teams had particularly stellar rookies, but let's take a look at each team.

C.J. Spiller generated a lot of praise in the preseason. He was the ninth overall pick at a position favorable to rookie awards. But Spiller rushed for 283 yards and no touchdowns and added 157 receiving yards with a touchdown.

Some Bills fans might argue linebacker Arthur Moats was their best rookie. The sixth-round pick gained fame for the hit that essentially ended Brett Favre's career. Moats had 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble. He added 10 special-teams tackles.

But I submit the Bills' best rookie wasn't drafted. David Nelson caught 31 passes for 353 yards and three touchdowns. He didn't get on the field regularly until late in the season. Fourteen catches and all of his TDs came in a three-game stretch in December before an injury wiped out his last two games.

The Miami Dolphins caught a bad break when first-round pick Jared Odrick suffered a hairline leg fracture in the season opener. Second-round outside linebacker Koa Misi had a strong campaign with 4.5 sacks.

Defensive back Nolan Carroll, a fifth-round choice, had a wonderful year. Aside from being known as the guy Sal Alosi tripped at the Meadowlands, Carroll was a regular contributor in the secondary and was the Dolphins' top kickoff returner. His mother also was elected Florida's lieutenant governor.

For all the impressive things the New York Jets did in 2010, rookie production didn't rate. They drafted only four players, and all were disappointments to varying degrees.

First-round pick Kyle Wilson played every game but didn't become the nickelback Rex Ryan said he'd be. Second-round offensive lineman Vladimir Ducasse was healthy all season but played in three games. Fourth-round running back Joe McKnight became a punch line for his lack of conditioning and will be known as the player who led the Jets to cut Danny Woodhead. Fifth-round fullback John Conner didn't live up to his "Hard Knocks" hype and was deactivated at the end of the year.

Power Rankings: Preseason: No. 13. This week: No. 17.

2010 schedule/results

Where they stand: The Dolphins are 4-4 and in third place in the AFC East, two games behind the New York Jets and New England Patriots. But the Dolphins' gap really is greater than that because they're in serious tiebreaker trouble. They've lost to the Jets and Patriots and two other AFC teams apparently bound for the playoffs, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens. Unless the Jets and Patriots collapse, the Dolphins might already be down to competing with a half-dozen teams for the final wild-card spot.

Falling: The Dolphins were supposed to have a magnificent and multifaceted offense after trading for receiver Brandon Marshall. That gave Chad Henne one of the NFL's elite go-to targets in addition to Davone Bess in the slot and one of the most respected backfield tandems around. The offense has been frail both on the ground and through the air. Offensive coordinator Dan Henning has overseen only 11 touchdowns. Only the Carolina Panthers have fewer. Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams have combined for three rushing touchdowns. Marshall has one touchdown.

On defense, the Dolphins have been decent. They rank 13th in total defense and 16th in scoring defense. But they haven't been ball hawks under new defensive coordinator Mike Nolan. The Buffalo Bills are the only team with fewer interceptions. No team has recovered fewer fumbles. As a result, the Dolphins are a minus-7 in turnover margin.

Rising: Outside linebackers Cameron Wake and Koa Misi have chased down quarterbacks well. That was a concern in the offseason after cutting ties with Joey Porter and losing Jason Taylor to free agency. Wake is in his second NFL season, while Misi is a rookie. They have combined for 12 sacks, four shy of Porter's and Taylor's total last year. Also on defense, left cornerback Vontae Davis remains prone to the occasional lapse, but he has emerged as one of the league's top young pass defenders.

Bess is one of the NFL's most underrated players, but the Dolphins certainly value him. They signed Bess to a lucrative three-year extension. He leads all Dolphins players with three touchdowns. He's on pace to have 88 receptions for 902 yards.

Midseason MVP: Based on statistical production, Marshall would be the choice. He's on pace for 104 receptions and 1,236 yards. But he has only one touchdown, and I have a hard time selecting any offensive player as Dolphins MVP. That's why my pick is Wake, who ranks second in the NFL with 8.5 sacks.

Outlook: The Dolphins will have trouble making the playoffs, but it's certainly possible to accomplish. You can reason they are one debatable officiating decision from being 5-3 with a victory over the Steelers. Nevertheless, the Dolphins will need to go 6-2 in their remaining games to be confident in their postseason hopes and 5-3 at the very least. They'll need to get hot, and the key to that will be a clicking offense.

Not long ago, one of the biggest knocks on the New England Patriots was their age. Critics contended they were getting too old to maintain their dominance.

Look at the Patriots now.

The Patriots own the NFL's best record with one of the youngest teams and have three players listed among the top 11 of Matt Williamson's "Rookie Watch" this week.

Williamson, the Scouts Inc. analyst, rated cornerback Devin McCourty sixth, inside linebacker Brandon Spikes 10th and tight end Aaron Hernandez 11th as Rookie of the Year contenders.

Miami Dolphins outside linebacker Koa Misi was 16th.

Buffalo Bills running back C.J. Spiller, the AFC East's highest-drafted player at ninth overall, hasn't appeared in "Rookie Watch" for about a month.

We will know around 4 p.m. ET Wednesday what transpired with Randy Moss and Shawne Merriman on the waiver wire.

ESPN.com's eight division bloggers assembled a team-by-team overview of potential interest in Moss.

Football Outsiders managing editor Bill Barnwell also provided a league-wide rundown of where Moss would be a fit or a misfit.

AFC West blogger Bill Williamson has put together a list of possible landing spots for Merriman, the faded outside linebacker.

Any contending team with a 3-4 defense would be wise to check into Merriman despite his deficiencies. His body repeatedly fails him. He has played 18 games since the end of 2007 and is returning from a calf injury.

But Merriman is only 26 years old and has collected 43.5 sacks.

The New England Patriots could stand to generate a better pass rush. They rank 31st in pass defense. They have recorded 13 sacks, tied for 22nd in the league.

New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan loves getting after quarterbacks, and general manager Mike Tannenbaum loves to collect high-profile players. They already have outside linebackers Calvin Pace and Jason Taylor, but the Jets are tied for 15th with 15 sacks.

The Miami Dolphins have gotten solid sack production from outside linebackers Cameron Wake and Koa Misi and rank tied for 12th with 17 team sacks. The Dolphins declined to re-sign Taylor even before they drafted Misi and didn't pursue any other pass-rushers over the offseason. That indicates to me they wouldn't be interested in Merriman, but the Dolphins might be tempted if the price is right.

The Buffalo Bills don't make sense as a destination for either Moss or Merriman. Neither player is under contract beyond this year. The Bills are 0-7 and won't benefit from the presence of transient stars -- aside from a brief rubberneck factor at the box office.

A couple weeks ago, Scouts Inc. analyst Matt Williamson shared his opinion on Merriman.

"I'm not a big Shawne Merriman fan," Matt Williamson said. "I don't think he is nearly as good of a player as he thinks he still is. Injuries have really taken a toll since 2008. He wasn't helping" San Diego.

ESPN.com senior writer John Clayton gave a short list of teams, including Miami and New England, that could pursue Merriman.

The Miami Dolphins went into the season with a big question mark at outside linebacker.

Joey Porter and Jason Taylor departed, leaving the Dolphins with a raw pass-rusher in his second NFL season and a rookie.

Would Cameron Wake and Koa Misi be good enough to generate pressure?

So far, they have made an impact. Wake leads the Dolphins with 6.5 sacks and 15 quarterback hits. Misi is second with 3.5 sacks, putting him on pace to break Lorenzo Bromell's club record of eight rookie sacks. Misi also is second with six quarterback hits.

Misi ranks second among all rookies in sacks, one behind Ndamukong Suh. Misi has been in on a sack in each of his past three games.

"Having a young guy out there who's hungry and eager every time they get on the field," Wake said, "kind of reminds me of myself last year, trying to get out there and just have a chance to make plays. He's definitely doing well for himself, and I obviously expect much more in the future."

The Dolphins have 17 sacks, tied for ninth in the league. But they rank third in sacks per pass play.

Dolphins coach Tony Sparano noted before Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers that Wake and Misi continue to evolve into complete outside linebackers.

"These two young players [Wake and Misi] are getting better and better each week," Sparano said. "Each week they're doing something better on film, not only in the pass-rush game, and that's where sometimes people think they have to judge these outside linebackers."

Wake is fourth on the team with 20 tackles, and nine of them have been for losses. Misi has 14 tackles and two fumble recoveries, most on the team and tied for second in the NFL.

ESPN analysts Mark Schlereth and Tedy Bruschi are split in their predictions for Sunday night's game between the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins in Sun Life Stadium.

Schlereth goes with the Jets because of what he has seen from them defensively. Bruschi likes the Dolphins, citing favorable physical matchups and their 2-0 record over the Jets last year.

Scouts Inc. analyst Matt Williamson doesn't list New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez among the NFL's 10 best rookies, but he's climbing the chart.


In his weekly "Rookie Watch" column, Williamson raves about what Hernandez adds to the Patriots' offense, comparing him to Indianapolis Colts star Dallas Clark. Hernandez had six receptions for 101 yards in Sunday's loss to the New York Jets.

Williamson writes:

He is a move player who is as much wide receiver as he is traditional tight end. He can line up on the line of scrimmage in the traditional tight end spot, but he is best detached from the formation or in motion.

He's a superb route runner for a rookie tight end and has soft, secure hands. He is also exceptional after the catch. Hernandez caught every pass thrown his way this past Sunday and has a catch of 45 yards or more in both games as a pro. Hernandez is exactly the type of player who succeeds in the NFL. He is the type of player who creates mismatches in his team's favor.

Hernandez, however, still is listed in the honorable mention portion of "Rookie Watch," the 13th player mentioned.

No AFC East player appears in the top 10. Buffalo Bills rookie C.J. Spiller ranked fourth in the preseason "Rookie Watch," but has tumbled to 23rd after a pair of ineffective games.

Miami Dolphins outside linebacker Koa Misi is 19th.

» NFC Stock Watch: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

FALLING

Braylon Edwards, Jets receiver: If not for what transpired Tuesday morning, Edwards would be listed among the "Rising" this week. He had a big game Sunday against the Patriots, making several clutch receptions for first downs, a touchdown and a two-point conversion. Then he allegedly scored again, this time a 0.16 on a breathalyzer, and brought more shame on the Jets at a time when they're trying to get their frat house in order.

Chan Gailey, Bills head coach: He's a coach who has shown creativity in generating yards and points everywhere he has been. But he hasn't found any traction in Buffalo. He already has benched Trent Edwards, the quarterback he coached to be the starter all summer. Star rookie C.J. Spiller has 9 rushing yards, 31 receiving yards and no touchdowns. The other two backs Gailey gushed about -- Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson -- have combined for 135 yards and one touchdown. Lee Evans, one of the NFL's highest-paid receivers, had zero receptions Sunday.

Darius Butler, Patriots cornerback: Bill Belichick yanked him from the game Sunday. Braylon Edwards' aforementioned big game came at Butler's expense. He also had a rough afternoon against the Bengals in Week 1, but that was glossed over by the Patriots' victory. Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick isn't Daryle Lamonica, but he does like to go deep more than Trent Edwards. If Butler is on Evans this week, the Bills certainly will test him.

RISING

Mark Sanchez, Jets quarterback: He rebounded from his least-productive game as a pro to have his best day. He posted a career-high 124.3 passer rating, threw three touchdown passes for the first time and completed 70 percent of his attempts.

Mike Nolan, Dolphins defensive coordinator: The Dolphins have scored only two offensive touchdowns, but they are 2-0 because Nolan's defense has been that good. Adrian Peterson gashed them for much of Sunday's game in the Metrodome, but the Dolphins came up with a great goal-line stand. Vikings quarterback Brett Favre committed four turnovers: two interceptions to Jason Allen, another to Vontae Davis and a fumble Koa Misi recovered for a big touchdown (see below).

Cameron Wake, Dolphins outside linebacker: One of Miami's biggest question marks was whether their young pass-rushers could replace the production of free-agent departures Joey Porter and Jason Taylor. Wake has done a nice job so far. He has 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble in the end zone that was recovered for the decisive touchdown in Sunday's 14-10 victory over the Vikings.

What it means: Behind a terrific defense, the Miami Dolphins have gotten out to a 2-0 start. Their inability to get off to a good start last year doomed their chances to return to the playoffs.

Trending: Miami has to be concerned with its offense, which got outscored by Minnesota's. For the second straight week Miami's defense dominated an opponent, but the offense couldn't pull away. The Dolphins generated 226 yards and had 106 net yards passing. Running backs Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams each lost a fumble. Chad Henne did hit Brandon Marshall for a nice 46-yard gain.

Hero: Dolphins defensive back Jason Allen, the 2006 first-round draft choice, has long been labeled a bust. Sunday's game was his 14th career start. Entering the game, he had five career interceptions and hadn't recorded one since Week 9 in 2008. He intercepted Brett Favre twice on Sunday.

Goat: Favre lost this game almost single-handedly. He threw three interceptions and lost a fumble in the end zone. Dolphins rookie outside linebacker Koa Misi recovered for a touchdown.

What's next: The Dolphins will host the New York Jets next Sunday night in Sun Life Stadium. The Dolphins swept the season series last year.