The Dolphins continue to purge. Zach Thomas appears to be the latest victim.

This is sad news for people like me who always respected the work of Thomas, one of the best form tacklers you'll ever see. He made tackling an art. He used his hands and head to make up for his lack of size, especially at such a brutal position. George Halas would have loved this guy. And so too would have Bill Parcells -- three years ago.

Parcells and the Dolphins are believed to be instaling a 3-4 defense in which Thomas would be a poor fit. He turns 35 by next season and has taken two careers' worth of abuse. He has neck and back problems that probably will force him to end his career, if not soon then in another year. The Dolphins continue to save money and get younger, two things they have to do with a No. 1 pick's bonus likely to be added to the ledger this year. There's also a lot of work to be done in free agency.

All those reasons aside, Thomas might go down as one of the colossally underrated players of this era. He has more tackles than any linebacker in Canton and I believe will end up there himself one day. It might take the veterans committee, 20 years from now, to get him in, but one way or another he belongs there.

And for whatever it's worth, the guy also had the burden or having one of the hottest sisters imaginable -- and having a teammate date, then marry, her for years! If that's not a struggle, then he's not human. And even though Katina Taylor and Jason Taylor have split (not sure if she kept his name), Jason gets to keep on keeping on with the Dolphins while Zach looks for work or faces retirement. Double whammy!

If your career is over, Zach, screw journalistic integrity -- I'll miss watching you play.