The release of Chad Johnnson creates a unique problem for Miami Dolphins coach Joe Philbin.
It's not often that your No. 1 wide receiver is wiped clean off your depth chart for non-injury reasons. The Dolphins were already paper-thin at the position. Now, they have four weeks to find Johnson's replacement in the starting lineup.
We haven't heard anything about Miami bringing in a veteran receiver (Plaxico Burress waves his hands frantically), so for now, it appears the Dolphins will look within. ESPN.com's James Walker reported Marlon Moore and Roberto Wallace got reps with the first team in Johnson's spot during Monday's practice.
Moore is above Wallace on the depth chart, but the latter has emerged as a buzz player on the roster. At 6-foot-4, 225 pounds, Wallace is the most physically imposing receiver on the roster. He caught four passes for 71 yards in Friday's preseason opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
It's important to keep in mind the Dolphins will survive life after The Artist Formerly Known as Ocho. The receiver was targeted just once in Friday's preseason opener, dropping the one pass thrown his way.
In Johnson, the Dolphins were taking little more than a flier. A highly publicized flier, but a flier nonetheless.
Follow Dan Hanzus on Twitter @danhanzus.
