Merling is yet another second-round bust taken in recent years by Miami. (US Presswire)
On Saturday, we broke down some of general manager Jeff Ireland’s draft picks since he took over that job in 2008, and while the team’s first-round picks during that time have been up and down, the second-round selections have been poor.

That’s highlighted once again by the report Monday morning by NFL.com reporter Jeff Darlinginton, who writes that Phillip Merling (a second-rounder in 2008) will be released by Miami. The team has since confirmed the news.

Proving that the Dolphins are on a terrible run of second-round selections, here’s a partial list: John Beck (2007), Chad Henne (2008), Pat White (2009) and Merling. While Ireland said last week that doesn’t have many regrets about the way the team has drafted, the release of Merling says otherwise.

In four seasons, Merling has made five starts, and the defensive end has collected just 3.5 sacks (including zero in the past two seasons).

It’s not just his on-field performance, though. As Darlington writes, the team is unhappy with Merling’s work ethic and that he hasn’t been in attendance at offseason workouts. Playing lousy and not trying hard isn’t necessarily a good combination to keep yourself employed.

The move, as pointed out by the Miami Herald, could also clear the way for the Dolphins potentially to add Mississippi State defensive end Fletcher Cox in this week’s NFL draft.

For more NFL news, rumors and analysis, follow @EyeOnNFL on Twitter, and subscribe to our Pick-6 Podcast and NFL newsletter. You can follow Josh Katzowitz on Twitter here: @joshkatzowitz.