Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Training Camp Recap 7/31

Here's a recap of what went on during today's training camp sessions.

Observations from the Sun-Sentinel (1), (2):
"- After stretches in Davie on Tuesday, a lot of Miami Dolphins veterans, especially high-profile ones, took off into the locker room to rest for the night practice, turning the morning's practice into a glorified rookie camp.

- There were lots of special team drills. Running backs and receivers practiced open-field blocking -- the kind you do on punt returns -- and everyone seemed pretty good at it. The Dolphins' wedge looks good on punt returns.

- ...it appears that John Beck has the best arm of all the quarterbacks. For the record, in my mind best doesn't mean strongest. Beck has a quick release and is very accurate. I saw that early on and have been watching it to make sure my assessment is accurate, and I believe it is. Very quick release!"
Observations from the Miami Herald (1), (2):
"- [Marty] Booker also took warmup snaps with the other four quarterbacks. Might Booker -- a former high school quarterback -- be utilized more this season as a passer? It appears possible.

- ...cornerback Will Allen has gotten off to a quick start. He has had a few nice interceptions, and his coverage has been solid.

- [Kerry] Reed, an undrafted rookie who grew up in Homestead, has shown some nice hands so far during camp.

- Some plays, wide receiver Derek Hagan makes brilliant, acrobatic catches that look like impossible receptions. Other times, he drops easy passes."
Observations from the Palm Beach Post (1), (2):
"- Lorenzo Booker just took a dump pass and made eight guys miss. It looked like he was playing flag football against guys built like me. He runs with the ball like he’s on skates.

- [Andre'] Goodman continues a long, tedious rehab from two off-season surgeries on his left shoulder."

Monday, July 30, 2007

Training Camp Recap 7/30

Here's a recap of what went on during today's training camp sessions:

Observations from the Sun-Sentinel (1), (2):
"- The defensive line got through a number of times, batting down two passes from quarterbacks Cleo Lemon and Trent Green.

- Punter Brandon Fields was booming them.

- Jay Feely looks pretty good.

- Quarterback John Beck continues to find wide receiver Kerry Reed whenever possible. They connected on a beautiful strike down the sidelines, continuing a now weeklong tradition.

- Lots of interceptions...Coach Cam Cameron said after practice that ball-control was a concern.

- There was very little space for the running game, and the offensive line seemed to struggle all day. Most of the runs up the gut ended very quickly.

- Ronnie Brown complained of cramps and missed a few runs. After practice he said he was fine, and it was just heat getting to him.

- [Jesse] Chatman was getting a lot of runs and was showing some good cutbacks."
Observations from the Miami Herald:
"- FB Kyle Eckel was back at practice after missing the first day with a hamstring injury. Though CB Andre' Goodman no longer wears a sling, he said the best-case scenario for his return from shoulder surgery is getting in a few practices before the end of training camp."
Observations from the Palm Beach Post (1), (2):
"- S Cameron Worrell and CB Michael Lehan are the extra DBs in the dime package. S Yeremiah Bell switches to his usual — and highly effective — monster back position.

- RB Ronnie Brown is once again running tenatively.

- CB Michael Lehan had great coverage. So far in camp, Lehan has been a huge surprise.

- Green has been underwhelming so far in camp. I do chalk most of that up to getting used to his players and the offense.

- Beck’s biggest problem continues to be when his first option is shut down, he panics and can’t find an open guy. Talk about happy feet.

- Beck’s feet don’t look nearly as happy this afternoon.

- RT Shelton and RG Hadnot continue to line up with the second team.

- Schlesinger lining up wide on a few passing drills. Interesting …"

Sunday, July 29, 2007

Training Camp Recap 7/29

Here's a recap of what went on during today's training camp sessions:

Observations from the Sun-Sentinel:
"- Projected starting right guard Rex Hadnot has been taking more snaps with the second unit. Dolphins coach Cam Cameron admitted that the starting unit is far from set.

- Receiver Marty Booker is serious about holding onto his starting spot opposite Chris Chambers as he had an outstanding practice.

- Rookie receiver Ted Ginn Jr. said he was recovered from his bout with dehydration in Saturday's afternoon practice.

- Rookie receiver David Sutton tweaked his left ankle and had to be taped during practice."
Observations from the Palm Beach Post:
"- The first-team offensive line situation remains a bit of a mystery, with Anthony Alabi at RT and rookie Drew Mormino at RG. Cameron didn’t really illuminate us about it after practice, saying it’s too early to make any judgments on lineups.

- QB Cleo Lemon is working with first team, while Trent Green is with the second team."

Saturday, July 28, 2007

Training Camp Recap 7/28

Here's a recap of what went on during today's training camp sessions:

According to the official team site, T Marion Dukes has decided to leave the Dolphins and return to Clemson University in order to finish his college degree.

Observations from the Sun-Sentinel:
"- Brandon Fields and Ryan Flinn traded off punting to a whole stable of returners. Ginn was among them, but so were running back Lorenzo Booker, defensive back Travis Daniels and wide receivers Marty Booker, Chris Chambers and Az-Zahir Hakim.

- Wide receiver Kerry Reed had a great catch in traffic from quarterback John Beck as the two continued to show the chemistry they displayed throughout rookie camp.

- It is not an apocalypse, but wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. looked a little tired today at Miami Dolphins training camp. He was often on one knee and looked like he was struggling to adjust to the heat in Davie. It is his first day in camp and he is not used to the heat so much shouldn't be made of it for now."
Observations from the Palm Beach Post (1), (2):
"- Andre Goodman, Joe Toledo and Kyle Eckel are not practicing.

- You can forget about Ronnie Brown’s weight being a possible problem. He looks extremely trim and is in great shape.

- QB snaps were taken in this order: Trent Green, Cleo Lemon, John Beck, Gibran Hamdan

- Drew Mormino lined up at starting RG and Anthony Alabi at RT, while Rex Hadnot and L.J. Shelton worked with the second team. Between sessions, Hadnot said coaches want to take a look at different O-line combinations.

- CBs Jason Allen and Michael Lehan worked as the primary gunners on the punt team.

- New LB Joey Porter looks to be heavily involved in the team’s pass coverage schemes. Everyone knows Porter was the top pass rusher in Pittsburgh, but he also was one of the league’s best cover LBs.

- DT Keith Traylor, who turns 38 on Sept. 3, is on the bike - his usual routine in the afternoon of two-a-days. It’s no surprise the Dolphins want to keep the 16-year vet fresh. FB Kyle Eckel (hamstring) and G Joe Toledo (foot) joined him on the cycles.

- Rookie QB John Beck is late on just about every throw.

- Rookie RB Lorenzo Booker could be a terrific receiver out of the backfield. No LB matched with him had a chance.

- Green gets rid of the ball so quickly, Dolphins receivers better be where they need to be. Lemon sometimes hops around too much while he decides where to throw. Beck has a lot to learn. He holds onto the ball for a long time."

Pre-Training Camp Predicted 53-Man Roster

After going back through my series of training camp positional previews which all included a predicted depth chart for each position, here is what my 53-man roster would look like (I have replaced Tim Massaquoi at TE with recently acquired Courtney Anderson. I also replaced recently cut David Lofton with Brian Soi on the practice squad. I don't count these replacements as cheating since they occurred before training camp officially began.):

Offense
Quarterbacks
  1. Trent Green
  2. Cleo Lemon
  3. John Beck
Running Backs
  1. Ronnie Brown
  2. Lorenzo Booker
  3. Jesse Chatman
Fullbacks
  1. Cory Schlesinger
Wide Receivers
  1. Chris Chambers
  2. Marty Booker
  3. Derek Hagan
  4. Ted Ginn Jr.
  5. Az-Zahir Hakim
Tight Ends
  1. David Martin
  2. Justin Peelle
  3. Courtney Anderson
Offensive Line
  1. Vernon Carey
  2. Chris Liwienski
  3. Samson Satele
  4. Rex Hadnot
  5. L.J. Shelton
  6. Anthony Alabi
  7. Drew Mormino
  8. Johnathan Ingram
  9. Joe Toledo
  10. Mike Rosenthal
Total Offensive Players: 25

Defense
Defensive Line
  1. Jason Taylor
  2. Vonnie Holliday
  3. Keith Traylor
  4. Matt Roth
  5. Rodrique Wright
  6. Paul Soliai
  7. Kevin Vickerson
Linebackers
  1. Zach Thomas
  2. Joey Porter
  3. Channing Crowder
  4. Donnie Spragan
  5. Derrick Pope
  6. Kelvin Smith
  7. Abraham Wright
Cornerbacks
  1. Will Allen
  2. Andre' Goodman
  3. Travis Daniels
  4. Jason Allen
  5. Shirdonya Mitchell
Safeties
  1. Renaldo Hill
  2. Yeremiah Bell
  3. Travares Tillman
  4. Cameron Worrell
Total Defensive Players: 23

Specialists
K - Jay Feely
P - Brandon Fields
LS - John Denney

Total Specialists: 3

Roster Total: 51

Practice Squad
  1. WR David Sutton
  2. FB Reagan Mauia
  3. RB Patrick Cobbs
  4. T Julius Wilson
  5. G Tala Esera
  6. DE Mkristo Bruce
  7. CB Geoffrey Pope
  8. DT Brian Soi
  9. WR Marvin Allen (International Practice Squad player; does not count against roster limits)
----------

Well, without keeping a running tab of the player count as I did my positional previews, I came pretty close to selecting a 53-man roster. In fact, I have two slots left to fill on the roster. I am going to add OLB Akbar Gbaja-Biamila and DE Chase Page. That brings the roster to 53 men. I also filled out the 8-man practice squad (plus Marvin Allen).

Of course, we all know how things change during training camp. Once the regular season rolls around, I'll come back to this list and see how accurate my predictions were. Let me know what you think of my predicated roster and what your predictions would be.

Pre-training camp roster moves

Before today's first practice, the Dolphins acquired former Raiders tight end Courtney Anderson off of waivers.

This is a solid move because the TE depth on the roster right now is bare. Anderson (6'6", 270 lbs.) has started 24 games over the past two seasons. Last season, he caught 25 passes for 285 yards and 2 TDs for an especially inept Oakland offense. He has great size and he will immediately push for a roster spot and could even replace Justin Peelle as the primary backup to David Martin. I think he'll make the team as the third TE at least.

The team also cut S David Lofton and activated DT Brian Soi from the non-football injury list.

Friday, July 27, 2007

Ginn signs, holdout avoided

The Dolphins were able to avoid a messy situation by getting Ted Ginn signed today before the team's first full-squad meeting. If he hadn't been signed in time, Ginn would have been considered a holdout, and owner Wayne Huizenga previously said that he would not tolerate any rookie holdouts this season. Fortunately, that whole controversy was avoided.

Ginn agreed to a five-year deal with approximately $13.5 million in guaranteed money. The team has now signed all 10 of its draft picks.

Ginn said that his sprained foot is fully healed and that he will be ready to participate at full speed when full-squad training camp sessions begin tomorrow morning.

Here is the training camp positional preview that I wrote for Ted Ginn:

Ted Ginn
To start off, I think a bit too much emphasis is being placed on Ginn's foot injury. By all accounts he will be ready to participate in training camp. If the injury is still lingering around into August then it may be cause for concern, but not now. As far as what he brings to the table as a player, I think that can be summed up in one word - electricity. If the Miami offense has needed an injection of anything lately, it's certainly been some electricity. On most days, Ginn will be far and away the fastest player on the field, which will demand a defense's attention. His strength is going to be stretching the field on vertical pass plays. As he adjusts to being an NFL receiver, Ginn will be able to contribute immediately as a premier return man. His blazing speed renders initial pursuit-angles futile. As far as his weaknesses, he is very hesitant to run crossing routes over the middle of the field, and he has struggled to beat strong press coverage on the line. Also, while he excels on deep vertical routes, he is going to need to improve the rest of his route-running. I'm not so much concerned with his inability to catch over the middle since other guys like Marty Booker and Derek Hagan are more suited to those routes anyway, but I am worried about his ability to break away from a cornerback jamming him on the line. If he can't get good separation at the beginning of his route, his speed will be effectively neutralized. I expect Ginn to immediately make the Dolphins return game a true weapon. As a receiver, he'll have his struggles like every rookie receiver does. I'm not projecting him to be a star right away, but his presence alone will help to open this offense up, freeing up guys like Chris Chambers and Marty Booker from constant double-teams. Given a couple years to refine his receiving skills, Ginn has the potential to be as big of a threat for the offense as he will be in the return-game.

Rookie Training Camp Update 7/26

Here's a recap of what went down on the final day of rookie training camps yesterday.

Observations from the Sun-Sentinel (1),(2):
"- The first part of the practice focused on the run game. Full-squad plays featured running backs Lorenzo Booker and Ray Perkins running on every play. Perkins showed good cut-back ability up the middle, while Booker showed good speed on the outside, catching the corners on a number of plays.

- Rookie quarterback John Beck looked very good in drills. He was hitting the corners of the end zone with good accuracy and ended his day hitting David Sutton in traffic in the back of the end zone.

- Kerry Reed, who grew up in Miami, and had a pretty good year for Michigan State last year, has caught everything in sight and even scored on a reverse yesterday. David Sutton, a 6-6 leaper, has impressed coaches with his strength and hands. Michael Malone has had his moments but has also dropped a few."
Observations from the Miami Herald:
"- Coaches also saw fullback Reagan Mauia show surprising instincts running the football, which almost made up for his obvious need to upgrade his blocking technique."
Observations from the Palm Beach Post:
"- Miami seems it will have some much-needed depth at defensive tackle, with Rodrique Wright and rookie Paul Soliai, who shined in the Oklahoma drill featuring one lineman on each side of the ball and a RB. Wright, who sat out last season with a shoulder injury, looks like a steal. During rookie camp, the 6-foot-5, 300-pound Wright exploded off the ball time after time to get into the backfield.

- LT Anthony Alabi, a third-year player, looked out shape and immobile as he continues to recover from ankle surgery.

- OL Joe Toledo rode the bike in a protective boot on his right foot. FB Kyle Eckel (hamstring) joined him."

Thursday, July 26, 2007

Training Camp Positional Preview: Specialists

The final segment of the training camp positional previews looks at the specialists. Tomorrow, I'll go back through the previews and compile my predicted depth charts to see what my predicted 53-man roster will look like (trimming or adding players as necessary).

What to expect: Olindo Mare had a tough season last year, missing 10 field goals, and it looked like his accuracy had been steadily diminishing for some time. Newcomer Jay Feely, on the other hand, is coming off his most accurate season as a pro in which he made 85.2% of his field goals. In the punting game, Miami might have to endure some growing pains from its rookie punter. One of the most important things for this new group of specialists will be to form a cohesive unit on field goals since the long-snapper, holder, and kicker will all be new to each other.

Here's a closer look at the individual specialists currently on the roster and what can be expected of them this coming season:

Jay Feely
As I said above, Feely is coming off of his most accurate season as a pro. Each year from 2004-2006, Feely managed to increase his field goal percentage. While he may not have the same booming leg as Mare, his recent body of work has been more consistent in its accuracy. With the lack of top-end power also comes a lack of touchbacks, something that Mare excelled at.
While the team might be giving up the best touchback kicker in the league, Feely's more consistent accuracy should more than make up for that. Having the offensive drives end more frequently in some kind of points is more important than having the opponent start on the 20-yard line. The coverage unit is just going to have to stay sharp. I think the most important change at the kicker position is one of confidence. Mare's confidence over the past few seasons just seemed shot. And at a position that is so solitary and mental, you can't stick with a guy who is down. Feely should fix that problem (as long as the infield dirt doesn't break him down like it seemed to do to Mare).

Matt Prater
Just as there is a "camp arm," there's also a "camp leg" - a second kicker at training camp who can take some of the extra snaps so that Feely's leg doesn't fall off. Prater is that camp leg. He went to camp with the Lions last season as an undrafted college free agent. During the preseason he was 4/4 in FGs with a long of 48 and 2/2 in XPs.

Brandon Fields
Fields has been getting all of the snaps during the most recent training camp sessions, so it's safe to say he'll be the team's punter.
He is huge for a punter (6'5", 236 lbs.) and he can certainly boom the ball with his strong leg. He also has experience kicking off, should the need ever arise. The biggest concern is his inconsistency. He has trouble angling punts out of bounds and he will probably shank one every now and then. Another big problem is that he holds onto the ball too long and is a big risk to have his punt blocked. His immensely powerful leg is a treat, but he will have to get better at directional kicks, as well as becoming more consistent. It will probably take a while to see significant changes take place in his game, so he might struggle this season. Luckily, the problems he has can be corrected with some good coaching. Down the line, I think he'll make a solid if unspectacular punter.

Ryan Flinn
Flinn will be the reserve punter during camps, but his chance of making the roster is slim-to-none. He actually has some NFL experience, having punted 6 times in 2005 while with the Packers, but he only managed a 36.3 yard average.

John Denney
Denney is the team's long-snapper. You can judge this position by how often you hear the player's name throughout the season. Since they are only called out when they mess up, the less you hear the guy's name, the better he's playing. By that measurement, Denney's been pretty good and I can't remember any snap that he's totally botched. That consistent performance will be important this season, as he will have to adjust to a new holder. He's also been very good on the punt coverage unit, always getting downfield to be in position to make a tackle.

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Here's my predicted depth chart:
K - Jay Feely
P - Brandon Fields
LS - John Denney

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Rookie Training Camp Update 7/25

Here's a rundown of what went on at today's rookie training camp practice:

Observations from the Sun-Sentinel(1),(2):
"* A number of times [Lorenzo] Booker dropped punts, including one poorly timed fair-catch attempt.

* It seems like Ryan Flinn hasn't taken a snap.

* The running backs were praised by Cameron for a lack of fumbles.

* Quarterback John Beck did not put on the impressive display he did Tuesday.

* Drew Mormino...was playing right guard in practice today.

* Rookie receiver Kerry Reed continues to sparkle in light of the absence of Ginn.

* Fullback Kyle Eckel, who worked out on Tuesday, mostly rode the stationary bike today. Injured tackle Joe Toledo, who is on PUP with a reaggravation of his foot injury, was sick of the bicycle and got on the field to take part in simulated line drills."

Training Camp Positional Preview: Quarterbacks

The look at the offense will conclude with the most important position on the team, the quarterback.

What to expect: The passing game last year was an absolute mess, and for an area of the game that was so inefficient, the Dolphins sure did throw the ball a lot. In fact, Miami threw the ball a whopping 591 times, fourth most in the NFL. There's two reasons why Miami threw so much: 1) the team often fell behind early, forcing the team into a passing-mode, and 2) Mike Mularkey was far too quick to abandon the running game and put the outcome of the game in the hands of the sub-par QBs. And for all those passes that were lobbed up, Miami only had 16 passing TDs to show for it. An offense simply cannot succeed under those conditions. Luckily, the team went out and finally drafted a young prospect who can be the future of the team at the QB position. More importantly for this season, however, is that the team brought in an experienced veteran who above all else knows how to effectively and efficiently run an offense. One thing that is almost assured, the QB play this season will be more accurate than last season. Last season, Miami passers combined for a 57.9% completion percentage. For the past 5 seasons, Trent Green has never completed less than 61% of his passes. The bottom line is that the QB play should be improved from last year, but whether it will be improved enough to put the team in the playoff hunt is another question.

Here's a closer look at the individual quarterbacks currently on the roster and what can be expected of them this coming season:

Trent Green
The biggest question concerning the QBs will be if Trent Green's decline in play last season was due mainly to his brutal concussion and his incompatibility with the Chiefs' new offense, or whether his skills are finally starting to diminish in his 14th season. He's had plenty of time to recover from the concussion and he claims that he's feeling no ill side effects and he's now back in the offensive system that he has played in throughout his career. Training camp, then, will be the first glimpse into whether Green can still play at the high level he has displayed throughout his career, or if age (he's now 37) is finally catching up and dragging him down.
Green was hand-picked by Cam Cameron to run this offense, and he has the leadership qualities necessary to do that. However, he's very immobile and he will playing behind a suspect offensive line. There's a chance that he could get pounded early and often. If he can't establish a rhythm when dropping back to pass, this offense may never get off the ground.

Cleo Lemon
According to Cameron, Lemon will battle with Green for the starting job. We all know that's not really true. But Lemon will make a solid backup, especially given the fact that he took a majority of the starter's snaps during minicamps since Green was not yet a Dolphin. That added familiarity will ensure that he is ready to step in and perform when needed. Lemon played adequately when he started the team's final game against the Colts last year. If he has to start any games this season, he will at least give the offense a fighting chance.

John Beck
Beck is the guy that Cameron has put his faith into as the future starter for Miami. Cameron knows QBs so I trust his judgment. The most impressive thing about Beck is his intelligence - he's a true student of the game. If he struggles, it will not be because he hasn't prepared. The next thing that impresses me about Beck is his accuracy and poise in the pocket. He completed 69.3% of his passes last season and if he can translate that into a completion percentage in the mid-60% in the NFL, he will definitely be successful. Some people have knocked Beck's arm strength, which is a criticism I just don't understand. Sure, he doesn't have the arm of Michael Vick, but he's more than adequate. He is slightly shorter (6'2") than most passers which may lead to some passes being knocked down at the line. I don't expect Beck to start right away or at all this season. In fact, I think it would serve him better if he could spend a year on the bench being groomed by Trent Green. Granted, he will be 26 at the start of the season, so I don't think it will take him as long as other less mature rookies to adjust to the NFL. That could lead to him being inserted as the starter as the season progresses. There is certainly the possibility that he will fail at the NFL level, but I think it's much more likely that he eventually turns into an efficient and productive QB in Miami.

Gibran Hamdan
Hamdan will be the team's "camp arm". He's gotten more reps in practice than usual since it took so long for Green to arrive in Miami, and the coaches seem to like what they've seen from him. Given that, there's no room on the roster for Hamdan. However, if he's not picked up by another team, Miami will surely keep his number on speed dial in the event that any one of the QBs above him goes down.

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Here's my predicted depth chart:
1. Trent Green
2. Cleo Lemon
3. John Beck

Training camp battle to watch: Lemon vs. Beck for the backup position. Even though Cameron is calling the starting job a competition, it's safe to say that Green will be the starter. Rookie John Beck could push for the backup position, but Lemon's experience gives him the advantage. Additionally, I would much rather see Beck stay at the No. 3 spot and prefer that he not see the field this season at all, so that he doesn't risk injury and he can simply soak up as much information as possible from Green. Of course, as the season wears on, he may move up the depth chart and if the team is out of the playoff hunt late in the season, the coaching staff may decide to let him play and get his feet wet.

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Rookie Training Camp Update 7/24

Rookies and assorted veterans took the field today for the first day of rookie training camp. Here's the stories and updates that you should know about:

Stories
* WR Ted Ginn was not at practice today because he has yet to sign his contract with the team. Cam Cameron said he will not be considered a holdout until Friday, which is when veterans report. It is believed that the main parameters of the deal have been agreed upon, but the two sides are still wrangling over incentives.

* Cameron said that Trent Green will battle with Cleo Lemon for the starting QB job. The starting job is almost assuredly Green's. I'm sure Cameron is just calling this a training camp battle for the time being in order to test the players and raise the level of their play.

Injuries
CB Andre' Goodman rode a stationary bike as he continues to recover from shoulder surgery. He was not wearing the sling that he had worn during minicamps, so that was a pleasant sight. T Joe Toledo (foot) did not participate in practice.

Practice
QB - All four quarterbacks (Green, Lemon, Beck, Hamdan) were present. Green was held out of the 7-on-7 drills. He's primarily at these sessions to become more acclimated to the offense and the personnel around him. John Beck showed impressive arm strength and accuracy, and he looked very comfortable with the playbook.

WR - Kerry Reed was continually targeted by Beck throughout the day, as he was often the open man.

RB - Lorezno Booker fielded punts in Ted Ginn's absence.

LB - Abraham Wright struggled in pass coverage.

P -
Brandon Fields took a majority of the snaps at punter. His leg was booming, as advertised.

Link: Sun-Sentinel

Training Camp Positional Preview: Wide Receivers

Next up in the series of positional previews are the wide receivers.

What to expect: The Dolphins receiving corps is somewhat of an enigma. It has great talent, experienced veterans, and promising young players. But somehow those elements can never seem to click. Instead, Miami's receivers are, above all else, maddeningly inconsistent. One receiver can rarely sustain great performance for more than a quarter or two, never mind over the course of several games. It's even rarer for a couple receivers to be hot at the same time, forcing critical mismatches against the opposing secondary. The unit also lacks a true leader. Chris Chambers should be that player, and he was in 2005, but he fell off considerably last year. Drops have been a particular plague for this group. However, big changes could be in store this season, and it's not primarily due to any change in the WR personnel. It's due to the guy who is slated to line up under center - Trent Green. Miami has not had a quarterback as accurate as Green in a long while. Trent Green has completed over 61% of his passes during each of the last five seasons. If he can stay healthy, that increased accuracy should at least help the WRs to find the consistency that they desperately need in order to be successful.

Here's a closer look at the individual receivers currently on the roster and what can be expected of them this coming season:

Chris Chambers
Always a player with eye-popping physical abilities, Chambers has struggled throughout his career to consistently perform at a high level. In 2005, he finally posted a season worthy of a Pro Bowl selection, and it seemed like Chambers had at last broken onto the scene as a veritable number one receiver. Then last season came and went, and Chambers' level of production fell off quite a bit. Perhaps his inconsistency can be attributed to the similar inconsistencies of his starting quarterbacks and offensive coordinators. Truthfully, it would be hard for any player to continually adjust year in and year out to completely different QBs and coaches. But some of the blame must fall with Chambers. Far too often, he just fades away for whole chunks of games. That can't happen for a number one receiver. I'm not expecting him to take over every game (although it would be nice if he could do it more often), but even if he's not catching passes he still needs to find ways to spread the secondary out and draw double-teams his way in order to open up the field for his teammates. He also must correct his problem with drops. Last season, he was targeted 154 times, catching a grotesquely meager 38.3% of those passes and dropping the ball 8 times. Chambers already possesses those fringe luxury abilities like making circus catches and out-leaping most defenders - skills that most great receivers utilize. Now, he must find a way to lock down the mundane tasks like holding onto the ball and running crisper routes. Then again, he's 28 years old and entering his seventh season. It might be time to concede that at this point in his career, he is what he is. That being said, I'm not going to give up just yet on the prospect of Chambers finally becoming a complete player.

Marty Booker
Early in the offseason there were trade rumors swirling around Booker. There's still a chance that he may be traded or released before the season begins, but as the roster stands now, he's the most consistent option the Dolphins have at WR. Of course, if Miami can get good value in return for Booker I would not be against trading him away. Booker is a solid possession receiver who strangely has been a potent deep threat for Miami over the past few seasons, despite a lack of top speed. Booker is a very good No. 2 receiver, who unfortunately is playing on a team that doesn't boast a clear-cut No. 1 receiver. Chambers isn't consistently drawing as many double-teams as he should, and so Booker faces tighter coverage than many No. 2 receivers. He still manages to get open and he provides a confident target for the QB. Last season he was targeted 90 times, catching the ball a very solid 61.1% of the time.

Derek Hagan
Hagan had an unremarkable rookie season, although as the year progressed I was impressed by his ability to get open down field. Like all of the Dolphins receivers, though, he had problems with dropped passes. He was targeted 37 times, and he caught 56.8% of those passes, but he also dropped 5 of them. That's one more drop than Marty Booker had and Booker was targeted almost 3 times more often. Hagan didn't have a big problem with drops in college, so his rookie campaign might just have been a part of the rookie learning curve. Some people are claiming that Hagan's sophomore season will be his "breakout" season. While I think he will certainly improve upon last year's numbers, I think it's quite premature to predict that he will break out this year, especially since he'll be third on the depth chart behind Booker and facing pressure for playing time from Ted Ginn behind him. It's more likely that his second season will see some more learning mistakes as he continues to progress.

Ted Ginn
To start off, I think a bit too much emphasis is being placed on Ginn's foot injury. By all accounts he will be ready to participate in training camp. If the injury is still lingering around into August then it may be cause for concern, but not now. As far as what he brings to the table as a player, I think that can be summed up in one word - electricity. If the Miami offense has needed an injection of anything lately, it's certainly been some electricity. On most days, Ginn will be far and away the fastest player on the field, which will demand a defense's attention. His strength is going to be stretching the field on vertical pass plays. As he adjusts to being an NFL receiver, Ginn will be able to contribute immediately as a premier return man. His blazing speed renders initial pursuit-angles futile. As far as his weaknesses, he is very hesitant to run crossing routes over the middle of the field, and he has struggled to beat strong press coverage on the line. Also, while he excels on deep vertical routes, he is going to need to improve the rest of his route-running. I'm not so much concerned with his inability to catch over the middle since other guys like Marty Booker and Derek Hagan are more suited to those routes anyway, but I am worried about his ability to break away from a cornerback jamming him on the line. If he can't get good separation at the beginning of his route, his speed will be effectively neutralized. I expect Ginn to immediately make the Dolphins return game a true weapon. As a receiver, he'll have his struggles like every rookie receiver does. I'm not projecting him to be a star right away, but his presence alone will help to open this offense up, freeing up guys like Chris Chambers and Marty Booker from constant double-teams. Given a couple years to refine his receiving skills, Ginn has the potential to be as big of a threat for the offense as he will be in the return-game.

Az-Zahir Hakim
Hakim will be the most experienced WR involved in the battle for the fifth spot on the roster. He has the speed that the coaches covet and he possesses sure hands. Last season, he played in only 6 games for the Chargers, but he was targeted 27 times and caught 63% of those passes. It's unclear as to why Hakim played so sparingly last year, and it could be a sign that he is starting to slow down, as 2007 will be his tenth seasons in the NFL. But Cameron saw him first-hand in San Diego last season, so he should know whether he's starting to decline or not. He's going to face stiff competition from the younger players during training camp, and it will be important for Hakim to prove that he can still hang.

P.K. Sam
Sam will be the primary competitor against Hakim for the fifth WR spot. Sam has spent his career up to this point bouncing around practice squads, but he recently returned to the Dolphins from a successful NFL Europa campaign, during which he caught 32 passes for 529 yards and 3 TDs.

David Sutton
Sutton has become the attention of some hype following a very impressive minicamp. At this point, that's all it is though - hype. Sutton is the definition of a project player. Although he has incredible size standing 6'6", he is critically deficient in experience, having only played football for four years. From 2005-06, while playing for Texas-El Paso he recorded a measly 6 catches for 30 yards and a TD. The potential is there, however. With his size, Sutton could eventually become a legitimate red-zone and particularly goal-line threat. I couldn't think of a better place for this guy than the practice squad for this season.

Kerry Reed
Reed is a possession receiver who lacks the ideal speed to be a downfield threat. He could be a good red-zone target since he has good hands and concentration in traffic. It will be very difficult for Reed to crack the lineup since its so clogged above him.

Michael Malone
Most likely a camp body (Am I obligated to mention that Moses Malone is his father? As cool as that may be, it's not going to help him win a roster spot)

Marvin Allen
Allen will be on the team's practice squad this year as its designated International Practice Squad player. He won't count against any roster or practice squad limits, but he will not be able to be activated to the 53-man roster during the 2007 season.

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Here's my predicted depth chart:

1. Chris Chambers
2. Marty Booker
3. Derek Hagan
4. Ted Ginn
5. Az-Zahir Hakim
6. David Sutton (practice squad)
7. Marvin Allen (practice squad)

Training camp battle to watch: Az-Zahir Hakim vs. P.K. Sam for the fifth WR spot.

Monday, July 23, 2007

Pre-training camp injury update

CB Andre' Goodman and T Joe Toledo were placed on the Physically Unable to Perform list today. They will be unavailable to practice when training camp starts. Goodman is still recovering from shoulder surgery that he had during minicamps. Toledo is still recovering from offseason surgery on a fractured foot.

Also, DT Brian Soi, who was signed today, was placed on the non-football injury list due to a wrist problem.

Beck, Soi signed


According to ESPN's John Clayton, QB John Beck agreed to a four-year contract with the Dolphins that includes $2.25 million in guaranteed money. The contract is essentially a three-year deal, with a team option for the fourth year.

Miami has now signed 9 of its 10 draft picks. Only first-round pick Ted Ginn remains unsigned.

Here is the post-draft analysis that I wrote of John Beck in early May:

Round 2 (40) QB John Beck, B.Y.U.
Beck is the guy that Cameron has put his faith into as the future starter for Miami. Cameron knows QBs so I trust his judgment. The most impressive thing about Beck is his intelligence - he's a true student of the game. If he struggles, it will not be because he hasn't prepared. The next thing that impresses me about Beck is his accuracy and poise in the pocket. He completed 69.3% of his passes last season and if he can translate that into a completion percentage in the mid-60% in the NFL, he will definitely be successful. Some people have knocked Beck's arm strength, which is a criticism I just don't understand. Sure, he doesn't have the arm of Michael Vick, but he's more than adequate. He is slightly shorter (6'2") than most passers which may lead to some passes being knocked down at the line.

Expectations: I don't expect Beck to start right away or at all this season. In fact, I think it would serve him better if he could spend a year on the bench being groomed by Trent Green. Granted, he will be 26 at the start of the season, so I don't think it will take him as long as other less mature rookies to adjust to the NFL. That could lead to him being inserted as the starter as the season progresses. There is certainly the possibility that he will fail at the NFL level, but I think it's much more likely that he eventually turns into an efficient and productive QB in Miami.

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On Monday, the team also signed undrafted rookie DT Brian Soi (6'3", 315 lbs.). Soi was a sophomore from Utah State. He was eligible for the Supplemental Draft, but he was not selected. At Utah State, he played one season (2005), playing in 11 games and recording 31 tackles, 7.5 stops for loss, 4.5 sacks, 1 FF, and a blocked kick. Academic issues have hampered him throughout his college career.

Sunday, July 22, 2007

Training Camp Positional Preview: Running Backs

We now resume our regularly scheduled programming...

Up next in the training camp positional previews are the running backs.

What to expect: Miami is going to have to change one major facet of its running game in order to field a successful offense in 2007. No, Ronnie Brown does not need to be replaced as the starter. It's actually quite simple, or at least it seems simple. The offense needs to run the ball more! What a complicated strategy, huh? Yet poor coaching choices in the past (usually involving an abandonment of the ground game far too early in the game) coupled with the team falling behind early in games, and thus forcing the passing game to take over, have sapped the Miami offense of its bedrock for success. If Miami is going to have a legitimate chance to compete this season, the offense must be lead by Ronnie Brown's legs and not Trent Green's arm. Fortunately, Cam Cameron utilizes an offensive system that strongly emphasizes establishing a ground game. Former Offensive Coordinator Mike Mularkey claimed that to be his goal as well, although Miami only rushed the ball 402 times last season - the fourth lowest total in the NFL. Ronnie Brown has yet to rush 250 times in a season, which is absolutely ridiculous considering how integral a cog he is supposed to be in the offense. Miami averaged 25.1 carries per game last season, with Ronnie averaging 18.5 carries/game. The team average should rise, and in doing so Ronnie should end up around 21 carries/game. The RBs on the roster are primed to succeed, as long as they are given the opportunity. Ronnie Brown and Lorenzo Booker are a perfect pair of workhorse and finesse players. It will be key for the offense to establish its running game early and even more important to refrain from abandoning it even if the team is down early.

Here's a closer look at the individual running backs currently on the roster and what can be expected of them this coming season:

Ronnie Brown
With limited opportunity, Brown has shown that he can be a consistent ball-carrier. Although he somewhat lacks "big-play" potential (only 11 runs of 20+ yards in two seasons), he has the toughness and grinding effort to carry the ball at a solid 4.3 yards per carry. These numbers, of course, have come behind sub-standard offensive line play, and while that may not change this year, there is hope that the line will at least be somewhat improved. With some holes opened for him, there's little question that Brown has the tools to take advantage of them. He has a rare mix of size and speed, and Cameron's main goal on offense must be to utilize those qualities to the best of his abilities. Brown is also a fantastic pass-catcher, and he should see his receptions rise as Cameron tries to get him the ball in as many different ways as possible. The bottom line is this: Brown's level of success this year will ultimately come down to the play of the offensive line. If the line doesn't improve, expect another season of around 1,000 yards and a handful of TDs. If the line is able to come together and regularly open some holes, Brown could see his production skyrocket.

Lorenzo Booker
With Sammy Morris and Travis Minor gone, Booker immediately steps into the primary backup role behind Brown.
Booker is going to be a really interesting player to watch on offense since he is much more than just a RB. He can line up as a slot receiver, an outside receiver, catch passes out of the backfield, stay in as a blocker, catch screen passes, and return kicks. He's a swiss-army knife on the offensive side of the ball and the ability to move him around before the snap is going to confuse many defenses. He presents the opportunities for some great mismatches. As a RB, he's probably best suited as a change-of-pace type runner, and he perfectly complements Ronnie Brown's all-around ability with a quick burst of speed. He's a slasher and he excels in the open field, but he can't break tackles. That's why he'll be spread around so much to try and get him open. Booker is a smallish back who is better suited to being a role-player, at least at first. Whether it's being used on a toss-sweep or lining up as a slot receiver, Cameron has a bevy of ways to utilize his abilities. He will make an impact in some way for this offense as a rookie. My only concern is that if Brown is forced to miss a game or two during the season, I'm not confident that Booker can shoulder the starting load.

Jesse Chatman
Chatman's career has been somewhat of a roller-coaster to this point and there are big questions as to what he can bring to the team. From 2002-2004, he played under Cameron while with the Chargers. During that period, he had one very good season (2004) as a backup to LaDainian Tomlinson, in which he rushed for 392 yards on 65 carries for an impressive 6.0 yard average. With only those limited carries, he managed to score 3 TDs and to break 5 runs of 20+ yards (in comparison, Ronnie Brown had 6 runs of 20+ yards on 241 attempts last season). So, the big-play potential is there. As a backup, he proved that he had the ability to make the most of his carries. But then he didn't play a single game in the 2005 season and was out of the NFL in 2006. It's unclear as to why he simply fell off the map. Weight issues have been a concern for him in the past, but he seems to have gotten those under control. Training camp is going to be a critical period for Chatman to prove that he is back to stay.

Patrick Cobbs
Cobbs entered the league as an undrafted free agent of the Patriots last season. During the preseason, he led the Patriots in rushing with 188 yards on 38 attempts (4.9 yards/carry) with 3 TDs. He also caught 7 passes for 115 yards and a TD. After being traded to the Steelers and subsequently waived, he landed on Miami's practice squad. He spent three games on the active roster playing on special teams, but he didn't record any stats.

Ray Perkins
Cameron is familiar with Perkins since he spent each of the last two seasons on the Chargers' practice squad. At only 205 pounds, Perkins fits the mold of scat-back. He's a long shot to make the roster, but his ties to Cameron certainly don't hurt.

Ricky Williams
Technically, Miami still retains the rights to Williams, even though I highly doubt he will ever play another down for the Dolphins even if he is reinstated come September or October. At this point, I would say his odds of ever playing again for any team are 50/50. The league may simply decide to not reinstate him. Even if they do reinstate him, there's a good chance that no team is willing to risk bringing him aboard. I list him here only because he represents some potential future asset. Should he be reinstated, Miami just might be able to trade him to another team. At this point, I'd be more than happy to get a seventh-round pick for him.

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Here's my predicted depth chart:

1. Ronnie Brown
2. Lorenzo Booker
3. Jesse Chatman
4. Patrick Cobbs (practice squad)

Training camp battle to watch: Jesse Chatman vs. Patrick Cobbs for the third running back spot. Chatman will have to prove that he has returned to his 2004 form. If he can, he should win the job. Cobbs has some upside, but he may be well served by a second year on the practice squad. Then, if one of the other backs gets injured, he can get called up to the roster to fill their spot.

Mormino signs

Rookies are scheduled to report to training camp today, and when they do, the Dolphins will have one more under contract. On Saturday, G Drew Mormino agreed to a four-year contract with Miami.

Miami has now signed 8 of their 10 draft picks, leaving only the top two picks (Ted Ginn, John Beck) still unsigned.

Here is the training camp positional preview that I wrote about Mormino:

Drew Mormino
A four-year starter in college, Mormino can play both G and C. He's very tough and he plays with good leverage, but he's smaller than most (300 lbs.) and lacks great power. While he is good at the point of attack, he has problems getting to the second level effectively. Mormino has a great shot to start at left guard, but I think that transition will happen during the season. It would be wise to start out with the experienced Liwienski, allowing Mormino to get his feet under him instead of prematurely shoving him into a starting role. He'll make a good backup since he can play center in a pinch.

Porter avoids suspension

Joey Porter will not face a suspension from the league resulting from his fight with Levi Jones at a Las Vegas casino. However, he will be fined three game checks, which will total $141,176.

Cam Cameron said he has no plans to further discipline Porter, and he commented that Porter did everything in his power to explain his situation and accept responsibility as soon as possible after the incident.

Porter really got lucky here, because he very easily could have been suspended for at least a game. Thankfully, Miami will have his services from week one.

Saturday, July 21, 2007

Training Camp Positional Preview: Fullbacks

Up next on the docket are the fullbacks.

What to expect: After two underwhelming seasons with Darian Barnes at fullback, the team went out and signed a bona fide lead blocker in Schlesinger. He should be able to provide a much better battering ram for Ronnie Brown to run behind, opening more holes and allowing Brown more space and time to make moves. In order to see the importance of a good blocking fullback, one needs only to look at the offense that Cam Cameron ran in San Diego with Lorenzo Neal paving the way for LaDanian Tomlinson. Schlesinger may not have the same incredible abilities as Neal, but he can more than hold his own. Training camp will be an interesting time to determine whether the team will keep two fullbacks on the roster, and if so, who will make the cut. The team has Kyle Eckel and they drafted Reagan Mauia. Overall, expect a definite upgrade at the fullback position from last season.

Here's a closer look at the individual fullbacks currently on the roster and what can be expected of them this coming season:

Cory Schlesinger
You don't last 12 years in the NFL with the same team that drafted you unless you are really good at what you do. In fact, there's a good chance that Schlesinger would still be in Detroit if Mike Martz hadn't taken over the offensive coordinator position for the Lions in 2006. Martz prefers to use a wide open offense with three receiver sets, and so he has very little use for a fullback. So the Lions' loss became Miami's gain, and Ronnie Brown will now benefit from having a great lead blocker in front of him. Cory may be getting up there in age (he's 35), but he still has a couple good years left in him, especially considering that his workload has been reduced significantly over the past two seasons. His blocking prowess was recognized when he was selected as a Pro Bowl alternate in three consecutive seasons from 2003-2005. Schlesigner has adequate running ability, but he probably will only get a handful of carries throughout the season. More important, however, is that he has pretty good hands for a fullback. He will serve as a nice outlet option in the flat on pass plays.

Kyle Eckel
Eckel is different from Schlesinger and Mauia in that he is more of a running fullback. In college, he had 13 games with 100+ rushing yards, and he finished his senior year with 1,147 yards and 11 TDs. In the 2005 preseason, he rushed for 80 yards on 20 carries while with the Patriots. He's smaller than the other two fullbacks on the roster, making him a kind of hybrid FB/RB player in the mold of Heath Evans. I think Cameron prefers his fullbacks to primarily be lead blockers, so Eckel may be the odd man out between the three FBs, but I would not be surprised if the coaches gave Eckel the opportunity to compete for the third-running back spot during training camp.

Reagan Mauia
Mauia is a bruising FB. Once a NT, he is a big-bodied (6'0", 270 lbs.) battering ram who has the potential to be a powerful run-blocker. He also has decent hands out of the backfield. He's raw and will benefit from being tutored by Corey Schlesinger. I wouldn't be surprised if Mauia lands on the practice squad this year while he refines his blocking skills and learns from Schlesinger. By the time Schlesinger is gone though, Mauia should be ready to come in and be a solid blocker for Ronnie Brown. If he can show an ability to block on special teams, he may make the roster this season.

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Here's my predicted depth chart:

1. Cory Schlesinger
2. Reagan Mauia (practice squad)

Training camp battle to watch: The most important thing to watch during training camp will be whether or not the team plans to keep two FBs on the roster. If they do, then Eckel will have to battle with Mauia for that spot. However, I think that Eckel may be given a look at RB during camp.

Friday, July 20, 2007

Training Camp Positional Preview: Tight Ends

Continuing with my look at the offensive side of the ball, today's training camp positional preview will focus on the tight ends.

What to expect: The group of tight ends currently on the roster does little to instill much confidence in me. Take a look at this stat line from last season:
  • 37 catches, 314 yards, 3 TDs
Now those numbers may seem like a good line for a backup tight end. So which player put up those stats last year? That stat line was compiled not by one player but by all five of the tight ends currently on Miami's roster, combined. Just let that sink in for a moment. Three of the players didn't record any catches at all, leaving only Peelle and Martin to combine for that middling line. Granted, David Martin was a backup last season, and he will be stepping into a starting role in Miami, but he has never been a starter in his entire career. Cam Cameron is taking a huge leap of faith in assuming that Martin can solidify the starting TE position. Yes, he has the ideal physical makeup and speed to be a pass-catching threat, but until he translates that potential into on-field production, I will remain cautiously skeptical. Behind Martin, the tight end depth is bare, consisting of young players with very little experience and low upsides. If Martin goes down with an injury (something that is highly probable), the team will be in very bad shape as far as the tight end position is concerned. In my opinion, the smart move would have been to keep Randy McMichael, but that's water under the bridge at this point.

Here's a closer look at the individual tight ends currently on the roster and what can be expected of them this coming season:

David Martin
I'd like to believe that Martin is going to step in as a starter and provide the type of production that McMichael averaged, but I can't put my full confidence in someone who has never been a full-time starter before, and who is injured seemingly every season. In fact, Martin has only played a full 16 games once during his 6 year career, sitting out a total of 26 games over that span. Additionally, Martin only caught 58% of the passes thrown to him last season - a number that he will have to improve upon. Physically, he fits the mold of the kind of tight end that flourishes in Cameron's system. He's big and he's fast, and while he may not be a strong blocker, his primary job will be pass-catching. He's the kind of tight end who can line up split out and act as a receiver. When he has been healthy and given opportunities to play, he has shown flashes of promise. It will be very important for this offense that Martin parlays this potential into consistent performance. In the end, perhaps the most important thing for Martin this year will simply be his ability to stay healthy. And let me just say this: we all have to remember that potential and upside are terms that describe what a player might do, rather than what they definitely will do. So while I agree that Martin has a good deal of potential to excel in this offense, let's not just assume that he will. Realistically, there are several big questions surrounding him this season.

Justin Peelle
Peelle is a solid if unspectacular backup tight end. He has a modest amount of experience, and he can hold his own in the blocking game. The best aspect about his game though is that he catches most everything that is thrown his way. Last season with the Dolphins, he caught 89% of the passes thrown to him. It's important for a backup, who doesn't get many passes thrown his way, to catch the ones that are, and Peelle does an admirable job of doing so.

Tim Massaquoi
Massaquoi played in 7 games for the Dolphins last season, but he didn't catch any passes. During last year's preseason he led the Buccaneers with 9 receptions for 59 yards and a touchdown. He will spend training camp battling for the third tight end spot.

Jason Rader
During the 2005 preseason, Rader caught four passes for 25 yards and two TDs. Some of you may recall the incredible athletic leaping grab he made for one of those TDs. He then went on to play in 5 games for Miami in 2006, with one start.

Aaron Halterman
Halterman has experience working with Cameron from his time at Indiana and with the Chargers. He has yet to play in a regular season game, so it's uncertain what he brings to the table.

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Here's my predicted depth chart:

1. David Martin
2. Justin Peelle
3. Tim Massaquoi

Training camp battle to watch: Massaquoi vs. Rader vs. Halterman for third TE spot. It's somewhat of a mystery as to what each of these three players can bring to the table since they are all very inexperienced. Training camp will be their proving ground.

Thursday, July 19, 2007

Satele signs

On Wednesday, Samson Satele agreed to a four-year contract worth $2.89 million, with $1.225 million in guaranteed money.

The team has now signed 7 of its 10 draft picks. WR Ted Ginn, QB John Beck, and G Drew Mormino remain unsigned.

Here is the pre-training camp review of Satele that I wrote yesterday:

Samson Satele
Satele has experience at all the line positions, but he will be the team's starting center, which is a big undertaking for a rookie. He started 53 games for Hawaii, so he's definitely mature and durable. The strongest aspect of Satele's game is his pass-blocking. In Hawaii's offense that is what he was asked to do on a vast majority of plays. Because of this, his run-blocking is going to need a lot of work. He also struggles when blocking on the move, which may hamper his effectiveness at the second level. However, if he can concentrate on manning a single position, his good technique should go a long way in helping him to succeed. He has the aggressiveness and toughness that Miami's OL unit sorely needs more of.

Training Camp Positional Preview: Offensive Line

I wrapped up my training camp positional previews of the defense yesterday, and today I begin going through the personnel on offense. Up first is the offensive line.

What to expect: In my opinion, the performance of the offensive line is going to be the biggest key in determining how well the Dolphins perform this season and whether the games that are played in December will have any playoff implications for the team. Of course, it's very hard to predict just what can be expected from this year's line since there will be a new starter at every position. Sure there are some returning faces, but they've all been shuffled around to a new spot. First and foremost, that points to there being a substantial adjustment period at the beginning of the season, during which the team may have to suffer through some potentially devastating poor performances by the line as a whole. It can't just be expected that an entirely rebuilt line will be playing at its top potential from week one. That leaves us with the question of when the line will begin to jell. Will they find their stride quickly by say week 5, or will the process last much longer into the season? Another valid question - will the line come together at all? Unfortunately, no one can really answer those questions at this point. The only thing that is certain is that the line must improve from last season if this offense is going to get anything accomplished. All aspects of the offense are predicated on and driven by the protection and blocking of the line. For a team like Miami whose undoing in the recent past has always been the result of an inept offense, there can be no critical improvements in overall success unless the O-line finds a way to improve.

Here's a closer look at the individual offensive linemen currently on the roster and what can be expected of them this coming season:

Vernon Carey
Carey is the best offensive lineman on the roster. Last year, he really emerged as a bright young player and proved to everyone that he was worthy of a first-round draft pick. Of course, that breakout happened while starting at right tackle. This year, he will be switching over to the most important position on the line - left tackle. That's also the most difficult and demanding position on the line. Early in his career, he saw time at LT but didn't show the confidence or physical skills necessary to excel there. This offseason he seems to have regained the confidence to take on the LT position. There he will be charged with protecting the blind side of Trent Green. I would have liked to see Carey remain at RT where he played so well, but the team simply doesn't have another adequate option to start at LT. Anthony Alabi was given a shot, but he went down with an injury. This means that if Carey is forced to miss time, the team could be in serious trouble. I think that Carey has the ability to play LT well, although I'm afraid that he isn't going to receive the support that he will need. By that I am referring to the left guard position, which is the weakest point on the line and perhaps the weakest position on the entire team. Whether he's playing next to a very average (at best) Chris Liwienski or a very green Drew Mormino, Carey truly is going to be alone on an island. That is going to make it very easy for teams to line up their top pass rushers over Carey and let them go wild on the QB. Training camp is going to be the first step in showing that Carey has the ability to go out on an island and take care of his assigned man in space - and he will have the perfect opponent to practice against: Jason Taylor.

Chris Liwienski
Right now, Liwienski is the starting left guard. That is something that I am definitely not comfortable with for the long term. At this point in his career, Liwienski is what he is. A versatile, experienced linemen who isn't great at any one thing. To me that sounds like a solid backup. Unfortunately, for Miami, he has to start. Drew Mormino is going to make a strong push in training camp to win the starting job, but I would shy away from having two rookies starting next to each on the line to open the season (Mormino at LG, Satele at C). It's going to be hard enough for Carey to hold down the left side of the line as it is. Liwienski has only started 15 games over the past two seasons, including only 6 starts for a poor Arizona line. During his limited playing time over the past two seasons, Liwienski was called for 8 penalties and gave up 5 sacks - not good numbers at all. I'm not counting on Liwienski to all of a sudden turn things around and become a good player, but he really only needs to prove that he can be an average player, at least until the coaches think Mormino is ready to start. In the best-case scenario, Liwienski plays well enough to hold onto the starting job all year, giving Mormino a valuable season to learn on the sidelines.

Samson Satele
Satele has experience at all the line positions, but he will be the team's starting center, which is a big undertaking for a rookie. He started 53 games for Hawaii, so he's definitely mature and durable. The strongest aspect of Satele's game is his pass-blocking. In Hawaii's offense that is what he was asked to do on a vast majority of plays. Because of this, his run-blocking is going to need a lot of work. He also struggles when blocking on the move, which may hamper his effectiveness at the second level. However, if he can concentrate on manning a single position, his good technique should go a long way in helping him to succeed. He has the aggressiveness and toughness that Miami's OL unit sorely needs more of.

Rex Hadnot
After manning the center position last season, Hadnot will be moving back to his natural position as the team's starting right guard. In 16 games last season, Hadnot played admirably, allowing 2.5 sacks and being flagged for 3 penalties. There's still room to improve on those numbers, however. He's really going to have to step up his run-blocking. According to Football Outsiders, Miami ranked 24th in the NFL last season when running between the guards. Ronnie Brown is a pounding back and it will be critical that he gets better blocking up the middle. Last season, Miami ran 50% of its running plays between the guards, and another 18% behind the right tackle (as opposed to 10% behind the left tackle). It's clear that Brown is going to be heading to the right side of the line a lot and his success will largely be determined by how well Hadnot plays.

L.J. Shelton
Shelton is moving over one spot from right guard to right tackle. After failing last season at left tackle, Shelton moved to right guard where he played well. This season at tackle he will have to deal with pass rushers coming around the end. At 6'6". 345 lbs., Shelton is a hulking man who is going to have to show that he can contend with speed rushers trying to beat him to the outside. He was also flagged for 5 penalties last season, meaning that his discipline needs work.

Anthony Alabi
Alabi played in six games last year, but he didn't start any so it's still uncertain how good he can be. He was given the opportunity in minicamps this offseason to win the starting LT job, but he went down with a knee injury that required surgery. Training camp will be the first time he returns to action since the injury. If he is healthy, he will make a decent backup to Carey at LT.

Joe Toledo
Toledo is bitten by the injury bug and he can't seem to shake it. It's sad, considering the potential he has. He should also be returning to action at training camps, so we'll all know a little more about where he stands then. If he's healthy, he deserves a spot on the team. He'll probably be relegated to a backup role this season, but if he can find a way to stay healthy (clearly no easy task) he could start in the future. It's not worth giving up on him yet.

Johnathan Ingram
Ingram seemingly came out of nowhere to take some snaps as the starting center during minicamps. Satele eventually overtook him, but there will be a small training camp battle between the two to see who starts. Satele will win the job and Ingram will make the team as his backup.

Mike Rosenthal
Rosenthal is a veteran with a good chunk of experience starting games (58 starts in 8 seasons). However, he's only started 17 games in the last 3 seasons combined. He commits a lot of penalties and he gives up a lot of sacks. The team may keep him because of his experience, but he is going to face a heated battle from the younger guys for a backup job.

Dan Stevenson
Stevenson will be heavily engaged in the camp battle for the backup right guard spot.

Drew Mormino
A four-year starter in college, Mormino can play both G and C. He's very tough and he plays with good leverage, but he's smaller than most (300 lbs.) and lacks great power. While he is good at the point of attack, he has problems getting to the second level effectively. Mormino has a great shot to start at left guard, but I think that transition will happen during the season. It would be wise to start out with the experienced Liwienski, allowing Mormino to get his feet under him instead of prematurely shoving him into a starting role. He'll make a good backup since he can play center in a pinch.

Julius Wilson
Some scouts had Wilson pegged as a mid-rounder in this year's draft, but Miami snagged him as an undrafted free agent. He has great size at 6'5", 327 lbs. He started for three years in college and at the pro level he could play either tackle position or even guard, although I think the Dolphins see him as a RT. He has all the physical tools necessary to succeed in the NFL, but he needs coaching for his technique. Wilson is a perfect practice squad player who could certainly see time on the roster during the season.

Tala Esera
Esera projects as a guard at the NFL-level. Having played with Satele on the Hawaiian team, Esera excels at pass protection. He's also smart and comes to the Dolphins with four years of starting experience in college. Like Satele, Esera needs a lot of work on his run-blocking. He'll fight for a backup job, but most likely wind up on the practice squad.

Marion Dukes
Camp body

Stephen Parker
Camp body

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Here's my projected depth chart:

Starters:
LT - Vernon Carey
LG - Chris Liwienski
C - Samson Satele
RG - Rex Hadnot
RT - L.J. Shelton

Backups:
Anthony Alabi
Drew Mormino
Johnathan Ingram
Joe Toledo
Mike Rosenthal
Julius Wilson (practice squad)
Tala Esera (practice squad)

Training camp battle to watch: Chris Liwienski vs. Drew Mormino for the starting LG spot. LG is probably the weakest position on the entire team. This is going to be a battle of experience versus youth. The winner of this battle is important because whoever starts at LG is going to be starting between a new LT and a rookie C. It will really hurt the confidence and progression of Carey and Satele if they have to constantly worry about the play of the LG.

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Training Camp Positional Preview: Defensive Line

Rounding out my positional previews on the defensive side of the ball are the defensive line players.

What to expect: Before training camp has even begun the Dolphins have already lost a promising young DL player in Fred Evans after his trouble with the law. It's always tough to lose talented young players since they are the future of the team, but the front office did what it had to do in this situation. Fortunately, Miami has several other young talents on the roster to cultivate for the future. As for this coming season, the defensive line will again be an area of great strength. Leading the unit is, of course, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, Jason Taylor. He is the focal point of a strong pass rush. In fact, 28 of the 47 sacks recorded by the Miami defense last season were tallied by returning DL players from last season (Taylor, Traylor, Holliday, and Roth). The 28 sacks recorded by those four players alone were more than four teams recorded by all defensive players combined (Washington, 19; Tampa Bay/Indianapolis, 25; Tennessee, 26) and tied with two other teams (Houston/Cleveland, 28)! When four returning players are outperforming the pass rushes of entire NFL defenses, you can be certain that the DL will once again be able to create havoc for the opposing quarterbacks. This unit also clogs running lanes extremely well. Opposing ball-carriers were held to a paltry 3.5 yards per carry and the defense allowed only 7 TDs on the ground all season. Additionally, the defense finished fourth overall in the NFL last season in yards allowed per game with only 289.1 yards. The defensive line played a crucial part in that success and it will continue to do so this season.

Here's a closer look at the individual defensive linemen currently on the roster and what can be expected of them this coming season:

Jason Taylor
Jason Taylor is similar to Zach Thomas in the fact that they are both approaching their twilight years, yet they only seem to get better with each season. Even at 32, it's arguable that 2006 was Taylor's best season as a pro yet, as he locked down the Defensive Player of the Year award. His numbers were just incredible: 62 tackles, 11 PD, 13.5 sacks, 9 FF, 2 FR, 2 INTs, and 2 TDs. Those are amazing stats, and they show that Taylor was contributing in every facet of the defense - pressuring the QB, stopping the run, and causing turnovers. Although it's a lot to ask for consecutive DPOY seasons, it's highly likely that Taylor will at least approach his numbers from last season by getting double-digit sacks and continuing to be a force against the run. The most tantalizing thing to watch in Taylor's game this season will be how he responds to playing opposite the blitz specialist Joey Porter. Having those two guys on opposite sides of the defense should open things up quite a bit for Taylor, freeing him from constant double teams and giving him an easier path to the QB. If that proves to be the case - watch out. He could very well approach his season-high mark of 18.5 sacks. Here's hoping that's how things play out.

Vonnie Holliday
Holliday had a big season last year, notching 7 sacks, and he was subsequently rewarded this offseason with a lucrative new contract. He will be one of the starting DEs in the 3-4 defense. It will be interesting to see whether Holliday keeps up the momentum he built last season, or if his new contract will make him complacent.

Keith Traylor
It's amazing to think that Traylor has been grinding away as an NFL player for 16 seasons and that he still has the ability to play at such a high level. Granted, he's only good for first and second downs and short-yardage situations, but he is the prototypical 3-4 nose tackle. There's no need for him to be on the field in passing situations. The team will need to be cautious that they don't overwork him, as he is a strong injury risk at 37 years of age. The youngsters Paul Soliai and Kevin Vickerson will be worked into the rotation as Traylor's backups and they will help to keep Traylor fresh for the long haul. At 340 pounds, Traylor clogs up running lanes and demands two blockers, allowing the linebackers to roam freely and move straight to the ball-carrier.

Matt Roth
Roth improved significantly in his second season with the team last year, and his third season will be an important one. Will he be able to make another leap forward and erase any doubts that people may have about his ability to take over Kevin Carter's spot in the starting lineup? That is the question that must be answered and training camp will be his first opportunity to really settle into that starting role. He certainly has the intensity to do it. He may lack the physical tools of a Jason Taylor, but he gives 100% effort on every play. That kind of mentality should allow Roth to succeed as a full-time starter.

Rodrique Wright
Wright had first-round potential coming out of college last season, but a shoulder injury caused him to fall. Miami might just have gotten one of the biggest steals in the draft with Wright. Now that he's healthy, it'll be time to show just what he can bring on the field. If he can approach his pre-injury potential, Wright should make a solid backup to Roth and Holliday.

Kevin Vickerson
Before Fred Evans got released, I thought that Vickerson would not make the roster. But now with Evans gone, I think Vickerson has a good chance of taking the spot that Evans would have held. Vickerson recently returned from a very good NFL Europa campaign in which he was named to the All-NFL Europa League team. If he makes the team, Vickerson will provide adequate depth throughout the D-line rotation.

Steve Fifita
If either of the NFL Europa DTs is going to make the team, it is going to be Vickerson. Fifita could land on the practice squad, but I wouldn't bet on it.

Chase Page
Most likely a camp body with some practice squad potential

Paul Soliai
In the future, I see Soliai as a perfect replacement for Keith Traylor at the nose tackle position. This season, he will probably be eased into the rotation, quickly becoming Traylor's primary backup.
He has the ability to clog running lanes and he can easily take on two blockers. He's not a pass-rushing threat, but he wasn't brought in to be one. He clogs up the middle of the field, pure and simple. Because of Traylor's injury history, Soliai may even find himself starting a game or two throughout the season.

Mkristo Bruce
Bruce has tremendous size at 6'6", 268 lbs. He's not very fast, but he has a good motor and tackles well. With some work, he could become a pass-rushing threat down the line. He doesn't have much potential for this season, but his size and motor are rare qualities. He could be served well with a year on the practice squad.

Marquay Love
Love has the size to be an interior linemen, but his last two seasons of college didn't inspire a lot of confidence in his ability to succeed at the NFL level. He doesn't have the drive to secure a spot on this roster or practice squad.

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My predicted depth chart:

Starters:
1. Jason Taylor
2. Vonnie Holliday
3. Keith Traylor
4. Matt Roth

Backups:
5. Rodrique Wright
6. Paul Soliai
7. Kevin Vickerson
8. Mkristo Bruce (practice squad)

Training camp battle to watch: Rodrique Wright will have to prove that he is healthy and Kevin Vickerson will have to fight to hang onto that last spot against the likes of Page and Fifita.