Published: March 01, 2008 11:10 pm            

Josh McCown now a Dolphin

By the Associated Press

MIAMI — Josh McCown will try to succeed where 12 others have failed since Dan Marino retired — at quarterback for the Miami Dolphins.

The new Bill Parcells regime signed free-agent McCown to a two-year contract Friday. He'll bid to become the 13th starting quarterback for Miami since Marino retired following the 1999 season.

Last year the Dolphins tried three starting quarterbacks — Trent Green, Cleo Lemon and rookie John Beck — and went 1-15.

Miami will be the fourth team for McCown since he turned pro with Arizona in 2002. Last year he started nine games for Oakland, throwing for 10 touchdowns with 11 interceptions.

McCown, a native of Jacksonville and former Jacksonville High School standout quarterback, played college football at SMU and Sam Houston State University.

Beck will be the lone holdover this year for the Dolphins, who may draft a quarterback in April. They released Green two weeks ago, and Lemon signed as a free agent Friday with Jacksonville.

Shopping on the first day of free-agent signings, the new regime again relied on its ties with the Dallas Cowboys.

The Dolphins acquired nose tackle Jason Ferguson from Dallas in a trade, and they signed free-agent tight end Sean Ryan, who was drafted by then-Cowboys coach Parcells in 2004.

Parcells became the Dolphins’executive vice president of football operations in December and has since repeatedly raided the Cowboys to make hirings, including new head coach Tony Sparano.

The Dolphins also signed free-agent receiver Ernest Wilford to a four-year contract. He had a career-high 45 catches for 518 yards and three touchdowns last year with Jacksonville.

Ryan signed a one-year deal. The 6-5, 265-pound tight end spent the past two years with the New York Jets and has career totals of nine receptions for 90 yards.

The trade for Ferguson, 33, also involved draft choices. Miami and Dallas exchanged sixth-round picks in the April draft, and the Cowboys received the Dolphins' sixth-rounder in 2009.

Ferguson has started 106 games, beginning his career with the New York Jets before joining Dallas in 2005.

Miami brought in for a free-agent visit linebacker Charlie Anderson.

        

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