SB Nation - Erik Walden

Defense lets down Dolphins in 27-23 loss to Colts

Matty I — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 05:28:16 -0000

More photos » by J Pat Carter - AP

Indianapolis Colts' Jacob Lacey (27) applies pressure as Miami Dolphins Ted Ginn Jr. (19) misses a pass in the end zone during the fourth quarter.

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It had the makings of what could have been a great night for the Miami Dolphins. The offense ran the football for over 230 yards. They converted 15 of 21 3rd downs (71%). They had the ball for over 45 minutes. But in the end, it was the defense that just couldn't get the job done. And now the Dolphins will have to come off of a heart-breaking Monday night loss and travel to San Diego to avoid going to 0-3 in this young season.

Let's talk about some of the headlines.

Want to play the blame game? Then blame the defense
There's no way around this. You can point to a couple examples of how the offense might have cost the Dolphins the game. But most of the blame goes squarely on the play of the defense. Peyton Manning just had a field day - throwing for 303 yards on just 14 completions. That's a whopping 21.6 yards per completion for Manning. All total, the Colts ran 35 plays in the entire game and averaged over 10 yards per play. That's just ridiculous.

Most of the blame for the defensive struggles has to go to the Dolphins' safeties. Gibril Wilson missed tackle after tackle. There's no excuse for missing the tackle on Dallas Clark on the first play of the game and turning a 35 yard pass completion into an 80 yard touchdown. Wilson was also trucked by rookie RB Donald Brown as he steam-rolled into the endzone for his touchdown in the fourth quarter.

The linebackers get some blame as well. Basically anyone that even attempted to cover Dallas Clark shares some responsibility. Clark caught 7 passes for 183 yards and a touchdown. And to a certain extent, you have to blame the coaches. There were a couple of plays where Channing Crowder was matched up on Clark - which is a total mismatch. Most linebackers wouldn't be able to cover Clark one-on-one - let alone Crowder, who isn't exactly speedy. Crowder was also asked to cover Donald Brown on his big 24 yard reception to help set up that field goal attempt right before halftime. You can't put Akin Ayodele and Channing Crowder in those kinds of situations - especially asking them to cover Clark, who is essentially a bigger wide receiver more so than a tight end.

On the plus side, the Dolphins actually limited Reggie Wayne to just 3 catches for 37 yards. But this is why we talked so much about the tight end than the receivers this week. I'm no worried about the cornerbacks. They played pretty well. But this team simply can't cover athletic tight ends at all - which is going to be a season-long problem. The Dolphins still have to face Antonio Gates, Dustin Keller (twice), Ben Watson (twice), and Jeremy Shockey to just name a few.

The pass rush was also non-existent, which was a major problem. Peyton Manning was never rushed at all - even when the Dolphins did try to blitz. And then on the biggest play of the game, the Dolphins showed blitz way too early, let Manning read it and change the play, and the result was a WR screen to Pierre Garcon for a 48 yard touchdown. There's no reason why the Dolphins didn't change their defense when Manning changed the play - or at least try to disguise the blitz a little bit better. That's basic football. If I was playing the Madden video game, I would have done exactly what Manning did. Once the ball was snapped, there was nothing the secondary could do - they were beat before the snap ever took place.

Defensively, all I can say is that at least Sean Smith and Will Allen had pretty solid games.

Don't blame the offense
I can't believe the people out there who want to sit here and blame the offense for this loss. The Dolphins held the ball for over 45 minutes and piled up over 400 yards of total offense. They converted 71% of their 3rd downs and did almost everything they were asked.

The running game was outstanding. Ronnie Brown showed how good he can be when he gets a little blocking out there. He shows patience for the hole to open, then can explode, runs hard through tackles, and gets extra yardage. Ricky Williams showed that he's still got it. And the offensive line was outstanding - both in the running game and in pass protection. They dominated in the trenches.

And that brings me to Ted Ginn - who, for some reason, is getting the blame for the loss. So let's talk about those two touchdown catches he almost made. Yes - the first one he probably should have had. It seemed like he slowed down at the end of the play because he thought he had less room in the back of the endzone than he really had. And yes, he "alligator-armed" it. But it certainly wasn't an easy catch. And perhaps the ball could have been thrown a little better.

The second "near-catch" is the one most are talking about - the one in the endzone with under a minute left. Did Teddy get both hands on the ball? Yes. But he also had a corner draped all over him - to the point where it was borderline pass interference. But more importantly - here's the question you ask yourself. If Ginn makes that catch, do we all go nuts about how amazing of a catch it is? If you answered "yes" then I don't see how you can get on him for not making it. You can't have it both ways and say that while it would have been an amazing catch if he caught it, it's a terrible drop of a bass he should have caught since he didn't.

In reality, I expect Randy Moss or Andre Johnson to make that catch. And I'd be disappointed if one of those two were on my team and they didn't make the catch. But I don't expect that from Ted Ginn because he isn't as good as those two. So let's be real here for a second. I'm disappointed he dropped it, of course. But Ginn is what he is - a 5'11 quality #2 receiver. Just because he's forced to be our #1 receiver due to lack of talent doesn't mean he'll actually play like one. He dropped the pass - deal with it. The offense shouldn't have even been in that position to begin with.

Terrible time management.
So you have 3 minutes to go 82 yards to win the game with 2 timeouts in your pocket. So you run the ball on first down, take a timeout because the play clock is winding down, and then run it again on second down? Seriously? Suddenly you go from 3:13 left at your own 18 yard line with 2 timeouts remaining to the two minute warning at your 24 yard line an only 1 timeout. Terrible. That might be the worst 1:13 seconds I've ever seen in terms of play-calling and clock management.

Speaking of play-calling, you also have to wonder about the QB sneak with 50 seconds left on 3rd & 1 from Indy's 46. That seems like the perfect time to take a shot down the field and then worry about the 1 yard on 4th down if it gets to that point. No matter whose decision it was to do that - Chad Pennington's on the field or the coaching staff's on the sidelines - it was a poor decision.

TURNING POINT OF THE GAME
It would be easy to declare Garcon's touchdown as the turning point of the game. But I don't think it was. I think the turning point was the Colts' drive following Ronnie Brown's 3 yard touchdown to put the Dolphins ahead 20-13. The crowd was into it as the Dolphins held a 7 point fourth quarter lead. And then the Colts march right down the field and go 71 yards in 6 plays for a touchdown to tie the game back up. That drive - highlighted by a 49 yard completion to Dallas Clark, was the turning point of the game.

WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?
This week the honor could go to a lot of people. But I'm going to highlight just one player - and one play - because it seems like it's the most obvious bad decision of the game. Following the last Colts touchdown, what in the world was Patrick Cobbs thinking taking the kickoff out of the endzone? It was six or seven yards deep into the endzone and Cobbs isn't exactly known for his speed? Not surprisingly, he doesn't even get back to the 20. Just a bad decision and a risk not worth taking.

QUICK HITS
Some other quick thoughts from this disappointing loss:

One play-call that had me up in arms was the decision by Dan Henning to run the football on that 3rd & 6 play from Indy's 30 with just over 4 minutes left. Field goals don't beat Peyton Manning. Why play the game scared? Chad Pennington was on fire on 3rd down tonight. Let him put it in the air and try to pick up the six yards. Don't get conservative after calling a great game all game long.
Enough with the Pat White package for now. All it's doing is killing momentum.
Here's something to think about - the Dolphins only punted one time in the entire game.
I thought Gibril Wilson could at least tackle. I guess not. How did he lead all safeties in tackles last year when he misses tackles all over the place?
For all of his faults, 7 of Ted Ginn's 11 receptions resulted in 3rd or 4th down conversions. That's impressive.
Much improved kick coverage on Monday night headed by Lex Hilliard and Erik Walden. The Colts averaged just 18 yards per kick return.
If you want to play the "what might have been" game - what might have been if Dan Carpenter doesn't miss that one FG and Adam Vinatieri misses his FG that hit the crossbar? Or - for that matter - what if Tony McDaniel doesn't ge called for encroachment and give Indy five extra yards during the final first half drive? Or what if Gibril Wilson does something right and makes the interception in the final moments of the first half rather than let the ball slip out when he comes to the ground? Yes - lots of "what if" moments.
I do love the 'Wildcat' - it went for 107 yards on 12 plays. Happy Birthday to the 'Cat!

Final Roster Predictions

Matty I — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 23:30:35 -0000

After a long, grueling training camp and preseason, some players will no longer be Miami Dolphins as of 4 pm eastern on Saturday. The Dolphins went into Thursday's preseason finale with 66 players on their roster. They must be down to 53 players by the 4 pm deadline.

Below is my final roster prediction. I've included some explanations after my prediction. Check it out and then tell us your final predictions.

	1st Team	2nd Team	3rd Team
QB	Chad Pennington	Chad Henne	Pat White
RB	Ronnie Brown	Ricky Williams	Patrick Cobbs
FB	Lousaka Polite
WR	Ted Ginn	Greg Camarillo	Brandon London
WR	Davone Bess	Brian Hartline	Patrick Turner
TE	Anthony Fasano	David Martin	John Nalbone
LT	Jake Long	Andrew Gardner
LG	Justin Smiley	Brandon Frye
C	Jake Grove	Joe Berger
RG	Donald Thomas	Shawn Murphy
RT	Vernon Carey
	1st Team	2nd Team	3rd Team
DE	Kendall Langford	Tony McDaniel
NT	Jason Ferguson	Paul Soliai
DE	Randy Starks	Phillip Merling	Lionel Dotson
SOLB	Jason Taylor	Charlie Anderson	Quentin Moses
ILB	Channing Crowder	Reggie Torbor
ILB	Akin Ayodele
WOLB	Joey Porter	Cameron Wake	Erik Walden
CB	Will Allen	Vontae Davis	Jason Allen
CB	Sean Smith	Nathan Jones
S	Yeremiah Bell	Chris Clemons
S	Gibril Wilson	Tyrone Culver
	1st Team	2nd Team	3rd Team
K	Dan Carpenter
P	Brandon Fields
LS	John Denney

PUP: Matt Roth
Last 5 On: Brandon London, Erik Walden, John Nalbone, Brandon Frye, Quentin Moses
First 5 Off: Lex Hilliard, William Kershaw, Joey Haynos, Courtney Bryan, Nate Garner

Quick explanations:

The final roster spot, for me, came down to Brandon London, Lex Hilliard, and William Kershaw. But I think Kershaw could still make the team if the Dolphins decide to only keep five outside linebackers as opposed to six - possibly in place of Erik Walden or Quentin Moses. I think they'll try to sneak Hilliard onto the practice squad. The bottom line is that London is more valuable in terms of the number of plays he sees on gameday because of special teams. Although, truth be told, regardless of if it's London or Hilliard, I'm not sure either is a lock to be active on gameday.
I'm confident that the Dolphins will keep three tight ends. Some think David Martin could be a surprise cut, but he's still head and shoulders better than either John Nalbone or Joey Haynos. With the number of two TE sets Dan Henning uses, I don't see why the Dolphins would need to cut Martin. You could see the Dolphins keep Haynos over Nalbone, though - which would mean Nalbone is a prime practice squad candidate. But I also wouldn't be shocked to see another team (Kansas City or Cincinnati, for example) poach Nalbone off wiavers. Both teams have a need at tight end. I wouldn't even take the risk, if I were the Dolphins - which is why Nalbone is on my final 53.
I think Dotson has shown enough to earn a roster spot. But barring injury, he's likely going to be inactive on most gamedays.
I wouldn't be shocked if the Dolphins decided to waive Andrew Gardner in favor of Nate Garner. If that's the case, the Dolphins would obviously hope to get Gardner on the practice squad.
If I had to come up with a list of possible practice squad candidates based on my 53-man roster prediction above, I'd say J.D. Folsom and Lex Hilliard would be locks. Mark Lewis and James Robinson would be other possibilities. And I'd expect the Dolphins to go outside the organization for other potential guys.

Dolphins knock off Saints to complete unbeaten preseason

Matty I — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 04:55:06 -0000

More photos » by Bill Feig - AP

Dolphins cornerback Sean Smith, left, makes a one-handed interception in front of Saints wide receiver Courtney Roby (15) in the first half of Thursday night's game.

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We all know that it's only the preseason. And we saw the Saints decide to sit most of their starters for Thursday night's game. But Tony Sparano believes in winning every game that you play. With the Dolphins 10-7 win over the Saints in New Orleans on Thursday night, his team accomplished that very feat - finishing the 2009 preseason with a 4-0 record.

As always, though, there were good things and not so good things to take out of this game. Below I will touch on some of these things. Be sure to give us your thoughts as well.

SEAN SMITH IS A MONSTER
He may only be a rookie and will surely have his "rookie moments" at times this season when he makes a mistake leading to a big play for the opposition. But we saw just how special Sean Smith can be in this league tonight when he made that truly remarkable one-handed interception in the endzone - his second interception in three games. What I saw on this one play - which you can see right here - was a rookie in perfect position to make a play and a cornerback who clearly has spent time playing receiver. As you all know, Smith actually began his college career at Utah as a receiver. Yeah - it showed tonight.

But just because he's a rookie - and 2nd round pick, in fact - doesn't mean that we should not have high expectations for Smith in his first year. He's possesses a rare combination of size, speed, and hands that makes him this secondary's biggest playmaker already. Like I said, he has two interceptions in just three games this preseason - and both came on throws into the endzone. The Dolphins haven't had a playmaker like this in the secondary in a long time - and he's only going to get better as he gets more experience. Yes - permission to get overly excited about how very good Smith might become has officially been granted to all of us.

FIRST-TEAM DEFENSE HAS UPS AND DOWNS
Miami's starting defense played together for just about a quarter and a half tonight. And while they didn't surrender any points to a mixture of Saints' backups, they weren't great, either. I was satisfied with their performance against the run. The starters held New Orleans running backs to just 19 yards rushing on 7 carries. And five of their seven carries went for two yards or less.

But the secondary still has to tighten up. No team's reserves should put up 89 yards passing against a first-team defense in a little over a quarter. Of course, 43 of those 89 yards came on a well-timed screen pass that was called against a blitz from the Dolphins. But even still, Mark Brunell and Joey Harrington have no right combining to go 5/8 passing for 89 yards against Miami's starting defense.

With that said, however, you do need to look at just who was making those receptions. Here's a key stat for you. The starting defense, when playing as a whole, did not allow a completion to a wide receiver. Of the five passes completed against them, three were to New Orleans' tight ends and two were to Lynell Hamilton - the team's running back. So don't go blaming the corners. It's the safeties and linebackers who will have the finger pointed at them. You can't let backup tight ends like Billy Miller and Buck Ortega catch 3 passes for 33 yards against your starters. That's not acceptable.

But I'll chalk this up to either the safeties, Yeremiah Bell and Gibril Wilson, still getting comfortable with each other or the coaching staff not wanting to show too much in terms of defensive schemes because these two teams meet in the regular season. At least, that's what I'm hoping.

HENNE LOOKS MUCH BETTER
After a very poor outing last week, many eyes were on Chad Henne's performance tonight. How would the young quarterback bounce back? Clearly, he has both a lot of confidence in himself and a short memory because he had a solid night on Thursday.

His final line of 11/16 for 89 yards isn't overly impressive. But in the first half, getting to play with many of the starters, Henne connected on 8 of 10 for 68 yards and led a touchdown drive. More importantly, he looked more decisive with the football, more confident in his reads, and more accurate with his throws. No, it wasn't against New Orleans' starters. But that doesn't diminish the fact that he just looked more comfortable and was on the money with his throws. Oh, and I love how Henne chewed out Brandon London after London failed to make the proper read on a quick throw from Henne. He saw the blitz and, clearly, London was the "hot" receiver. But Brandon didn't make the necessary adjustments and the quick pass fell incomplete. As they walked to the sidelines, you saw Henne act like the leader a QB should be by letting Brandon know what he did wrong.

A solid bounce-back effort for the young gun.

HARTLINE NO LOCK ANYMORE TO START
This time last week, many fans were ready to lock in rookie Brian Hartline as the opening day starting receiver opposite of Ted Ginn. But Greg Camarillo and Davone Bess stated their cases on Thursday night. Camarillo made a brilliant catch on a perfect pass from Chad Pennington early in this game that went for 17 yards along the right sideline. Not to be out-done, Bess made a beautiful diving grab along the left sideline on a 3rd and 4 play that went for seven yards and a 1st down. Again, a perfect pass from Pennington. For Bess, though, that was one of 5 catches on the night - as he showcased just what the term "QB friendly" means. He doesn't go deep, but he finds openings, runs good routes, and makes plays when he's asked to. Ideally, though, I will continue to believe that Bess is an ideal slot receiver more so than an "X" or "Z" receiver.

Hartline, on the other hand, was shut out on the night. He only saw one pass thrown his way and he dropped it. Did he also "drop" his shot at starting in Atlanta next Sunday? It's just a guess, but I'd say he certainly did.

QUICK HITS
Here are many of my "quick" thoughts on tonight's game:

Charlie Anderson locked up his roster spot tonight. Entering the night, I wouldn't have been shocked to see Charlie given a pink slip this weekend. But he was flying off the edge all night, picking up two sacks. Now if he can just refrain from holding on returns.
The Dolphins did a great job all night of getting pressure on the Saints, resulting in eight sacks for Miami. Tony McDaniel showed off his pass-rushing skills from the defensive end spot, picking up two on the night. William Kershaw continued to quietly have a solid preseason, sacking the QB once and pressuring him at least one other time. I just don't know if there is room for four inside linebackers. And the other three - Channing Crowder, Akin Ayodele, and Reggie Torbor - are all locks. Tough decision to be made here.
Glad to see Rod Wright pick up a sack. That'll be his parting gift - as he's likely on his way out come Saturday when the cuts are announced.
Erik Walden looked good, too - both in the base defense and on special teams. But can the Dolphins keep Cameron Wake, Quentin Moses, Charlie Anderson, and Erik Walden? Maybe - but that's a lot of outside linebackers.
I hate artificial turf. I don't care if it's astroturf or "field turf." Vontae Davis is lucky to escape with what is likely a minor injury. He downplayed the injury after the game - which is good news. But damn, let's just find a way to get natural grass on every field. Sound good?
Paul Soliai looks like a different player out there. He seems much quicker and more agile but is still getting a good push up the middle despite dropping weight. That's a good sign.
My boy, John Nalbone, dropped a pass he should have hauled in. But Joey Haynos didn't do anything to separate himself. So I'm remaining squarely on the "John Nalbone bandwagon" - straight from West Long Branch, NJ all the way to South Florida, baby!
Punt coverage remains a big problem. The Dolphins were doing a decent job for most of the game. But it only takes one big play to change the outcome of a game. I'm sick and tired of seeing poor coverage on kicks and punts.
I'm glad the preseason is over and the Dolphins avoided any serious injuries. Now let's get to some REAL football!!!!

Dolphins at Saints: What to watch for

Matty I — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 04:15:08 -0000

A lot of casual football fans feel that the preseason is meaningless. These same fans probably feel like the fourth preseason game is a total waste of time and not worth watching. But these fans aren't the kind of diehard football fans that we all are. And they are certainly not Dolphin fans. Why? Because Dolphin fans know that this fourth preseason is indeed worth watching. There are a number of things to focus on tonight when the Dolphins head to New Orleans to face the Saints to close out their preseason.

Below are just some of the storylines to watch.

THE ROSTER BATTLES
One of the things I love about the fourth preseason game is how those "roster bubble players" get a lot of playing time. These are the guys fighting not just for the win but for their own jobs. And nothing will motivate you more in life than the risk of being out of work. Sure, football is just a game. But to these "bubble" guys, it's their livelihood. Therefore, I've always enjoyed watching the final preseason games - and I'm not just talking about the Dolphins' final game. There's nothing like watching players compete with their own teammates to be the 52nd or 53rd player on the roster.

Since I posted a longer article focusing in on the key battles that remain yesterday - and you can view it by clicking here - I won't get into it too deep here. I will say, though, that I'm most interested in two battles. Being the Jersey guy I am, I'm very much pulling for John Nalbone to make the team over Joey Haynos. To his advantage, Nalbone is a very good blocker and is also a special teams contributor. He has two special teams tackles in three preseason games. Haynos, on the other hand, is a massive guy (6'8, 270). But I think that hinders him on special teams. I'm not so sure a guy his size can run down the field and cover a kick as well as others can - and that could hurt him.

The other battle I'm interested in is between Lex Hilliard and Brandon London. I'm fully confident that both will not make the team but am fairly certain that one will. The contract extension handed out to Ricky Williams could be a factor here. With Ricky and Patrick Cobbs signed for 2010, Hilliard would again be, at best, a fourth running back in 2010 if he was to stick around that long. He is practice squad eligible, but if the Dolphins like Lex enough, it would be a risky move to try and sneak him through waivers. Meanwhile, London is not eligible for the practice squad and is probably the better special teamer of the two. But he hasn't impressed as a receiver as much as he should have thus far.

CAN HENNE BOUNCE BACK?
If you have at least one good eye, then you can't argue that Chad Henne's performance last week against Tampa Bay was pretty bad. And I was one of the most critical of Henne - that I'm aware of. But that doesn't mean I'm rooting against him - which is why I'm very interested in seeing how Henne performs tonight. It's expected that Henne will play the second and third quarters. Yes, that means he'll face backup defenders pretty much exclusively. But that doesn't change anything to me. If anything, it actually adds more pressure on Henne. A bad performance against New Orleans' backups would make Henne get scrutinized even more. What I hope to see are more accurate throws, quicker reads, and better decision making. I'm not looking for some big performance, just an improvement - just something that shows he can bounce back off of a very poor outing.

Henne knows he has to improve and is putting pressure on himself to have a much better game against New Orleans as well. "It wasn't me out there, says Henne. "I don't want to have a game like that again." I can't wait to find out how he responds.

STARTERS WILL PLAY
While most NFL teams will rest their starters in their final preseason game, Tony Sparano is taking a different approach. Chad Pennington is expected to play the first quarter and the starting offensive line will probably play at least the first half. Why? Simple - to get better.

This is where Sparano and most other head coaches differ. Coming off of a sub-par offensive performance last week, Sparano is sending out his starting offense tonight so they can at least get in some work and build some confidence for their season opener against Atlanta. I hope to see the starting offense get into a rhythm out there and make some plays. We can't have two or three 3-and-outs to start the game like we did last week.

Meanwhile, Sparano - a former OL coach - has always been a believer in getting your starting offensive line extensive playing time in the preseason to help them gel. This unit is no different. It has a lot of talent - but has to work together and become a cohesive unit. Last preseason, the starting offensive line played the entire first half of the finale. I expect to see the same thing tonight. After all, the more this unit works together in real game situations, the better off they will be in the long run.

QUICK HITS
Here are some more things to look for tonight:

A lot of attention will be paid to the battle for the starting WR spot. But the reason I didn't bring it up above is because I'm fairly confident that whoever actually wins the starting job isn't necessarily going to be more important to the offense than the other two. The Dolphins did a great job of rotating their receivers based on the situation last season and I foresee that happening again in 2009.
The outside linebacker position is an interesting one to keep an eye on. Matt Roth will likely land on the PUP list, so he has no relevance to this discussion. Joey Porter, Jason Taylor, and Cameron Wake are obviously locks. But then you got guys like Charlie Anderson, Quentin Moses, and Erik Walden all hoping to stick on the 53-man roster. Will the Dolphins keep 6 outside linebackers? Those three are probably hoping. But if the Dolphins only keep five, which one turns out to be the odd man out? Moses has been the most impressive of the three. But Anderson and Walden are the better special teams players.

Dolphins Depth Chart Bubble Watch, V. 6

Matty I — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 04:15:08 -0000

We're now less than one week away from the final round of cuts that will finalize, for the time being, the Dolphins' 53-man roster. That means a number of those "roster bubble players" have less than a week and just one preseason game to prove they belong on the roster come next week. Therefore, it's time to update the "bubble watch" for the final time this preseason.

While in past versions I've made it a point to talk about how this exercise wasn't a prediction of the 53-man roster, but rather a snapshot of just how the roster might look if cuts were to be made right now, this version is as close to a prediction as you can get. I plan on doing a predictions post following the final preseason game. But I'm not sure anything will even change between this version and my final predictions.

Below is the depth chart. Be sure to leave your thoughts on this as well...

	1st Team	2nd Team	3rd Team
QB	Chad Pennington	Chad Henne	Pat White
RB	Ronnie Brown	Ricky Williams	Patrick Cobbs/Lex Hilliard
FB	Lousaka Polite
WR	Ted Ginn	Greg Camarillo
WR	Brian Hartline	Davone Bess	Patrick Turner
TE	Anthony Fasano	David Martin	John Nalbone
LT	Jake Long	Andrew Gardner
LG	Justin Smiley	Brandon Frye
C	Jake Grove	Joe Berger
RG	Donald Thomas	Shawn Murphy
RT	Vernon Carey
	1st Team	2nd Team	3rd Team
DE	Kendall Langford	Tony McDaniel
NT	Jason Ferguson	Paul Soliai
DE	Randy Starks	Phillip Merling	Lionel Dotson
SOLB	Jason Taylor	Quentin Moses	Erik Walden
ILB	Channing Crowder	Reggie Torbor
ILB	Akin Ayodele
WOLB	Joey Porter	Cameron Wake	Charlie Anderson
CB	Will Allen	Vontae Davis	Jason Allen
CB	Sean Smith	Nathan Jones
S	Yeremiah Bell	Chris Clemons
S	Gibril Wilson	Tyrone Culver
	1st Team	2nd Team	3rd Team
K	Dan Carpenter
P	Brandon Fields
LS	John Denney

PUP: Matt Roth
Last 5 On: Lex Hilliard, Andrew Gardner, John Nalbone, Erik Walden, Charlie Anderson
First 5 Off: Brandon London, Nate Garner, William Kershaw, Courtney Bryan, Joey Haynos
Next 5 Off: Joey Thomas, J.D. Folsom, Rod Wright, James Robinson, Ryan Baker

Some thoughts:

At this point, I don't see any way Matt Roth starts the season on the active roster. He seems destined for the PUP, which will keep him out for the first six weeks. Depending on his progress, he could then be placed on Injured Reserve, ending his season.
Truth be told, I'm fairly confident in the above chart. The only real decision I went back and forth on was the battle between Lex Hilliard and Brandon London. I don't think Hilliard would sneak through waivers, either, to make it onto Miami's practice squad. And even if he did, he could be poached at any time (a la Jalen Parmele last season). I think that there's no way both make the team and that this final week will play a major role in which one sticks and which one doesn't. I'm leaning towards Hilliard right now, but that could easily change between now and the conclusion of Thursday night's preseason finale.
While you all know by now that I'm squarely on the John Nalbone bandwagon, I'm not 100% confident he beats out Joey Haynos. But I've been very impressed with Nalbone's blocking ability. However, he is certainly a practice squad candidate.
J.D. Folsom had shown enough to be practice squad worthy - at least in my book. One year of practice and training could really go a long way towards Folsom becoming a capable reserve inside linebacker and solid special teams contributor.

Dolphins Depth Chart Bubble Watch, V. 5

Matty I — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 04:15:10 -0000

So we're now halfway through the preseason. And we've already seen the ax drop down for several players. With the recent roster moves by the Dolphins, it seems like a good time to update our "depth chart bubble watch."

The idea behind this is simple - to put together a projected 53-man roster and to highlight which players I feel are on pace to just barely make the team and which just miss the cut. And it's important to note that this is not how I predict the roster will look once the preseason comes to a close. Instead, it's simply a snapshot that examines how Miami's 53-man roster might look if the cuts were to be done at this very moment.

The depth chart and some notes can be found below right after the jump...

	1st Team	2nd Team	3rd Team
QB	Chad Pennington	Chad Henne	Pat White
RB	Ronnie Brown	Ricky Williams	Patrick Cobbs/Lex Hilliard
FB	Lousaka Polite
WR	Ted Ginn	Patrick Turner
WR	Davone Bess	Greg Camarillo	Brian Hartline
TE	Anthony Fasano	David Martin	John Nalbone
LT	Jake Long	Andrew Gardner
LG	Justin Smiley	Brandon Frye
C	Jake Grove	Joe Berger
RG	Donald Thomas	Shawn Murphy
RT	Vernon Carey
	1st Team	2nd Team	3rd Team
DE	Kendall Langford	Tony McDaniel
NT	Jason Ferguson	Paul Soliai
DE	Randy Starks	Phillip Merling	Lionel Dotson
SOLB	Jason Taylor	Quentin Moses	Erik Walden
ILB	Channing Crowder	Reggie Torbor
ILB	Akin Ayodele
WOLB	Joey Porter	Cameron Wake	Charlie Anderson
CB	Will Allen	Vontae Davis	Jason Allen
CB	Sean Smith	Nathan Jones
S	Yeremiah Bell	Chris Clemons
S	Gibril Wilson	Tyrone Culver
	1st Team	2nd Team	3rd Team
K	Dan Carpenter
P	Brandon Fields
LS	John Denney

PUP: Matt Roth
Last 5 On: Jason Allen, Andrew Gardner, John Nalbone, Erik Walden, Lex Hilliard
First 5 Off: Brandon London, Nate Garner, Anthony Armstrong, Courtney Bryan, Joey Thomas
Next 5 Off: Joey Haynos, William Kershaw, Connor Barth, Rod Wright, Louis Ellis

Some quick thoughts:

While I don't think that Lex Hilliard has assured himself a roster spot, things are looking good for the kid. But I think for the Dolphins to keep a fourth halfback, he'll have to prove he can play on special teams. Can he? I'm not too sure. It's hard to tell from the television broadcast. But he's certainly big enough (240 pounds) and I think he'll get every opportunity now to prove he can contribute on special teams.
I know everybody wants to keep six receivers. But I don't know if the "numbers game" will allow for it. The way I see it, the Dolphins will keep 12 players total at the halfback, receiver, and tight end positions. If Hilliard is going to be on this team, then the Dolphins will have to keep either five receivers and three tight ends OR six receivers and two tight ends. But I think that the versatility of Ronnie Brown, Ricky Williams, and Patrick Cobbs will be a possible reason the Dolphins keep five receivers. Any of those three could line up split out wide as a receiver. Because of that, keeping six receivers at the expense of a tight end or at the expense of Hilliard seems like an unlikely move.
John Nalbone is an excellent blocking tight end - at least from what I could tell from the first two preseason games. And I think since the Dolphins and Dan Henning like using two tight end sets, I don't see the Dolphins keeping only two tight ends. Right now, Nalbone has outplayed Joey Haynos. He's consistently caught the ball in camp (and in the team scrimmage a few weeks back) and, like I said, has really impressed me with his blocking ability. I'm officially the founder of the John Nalbone bandwagon - hop on while there's still room.
Right now I have the Dolphins keeping six outside linebackers on the active roster. But I could see them keeping only five - making room for either another corner, another inside linebacker, or another defensive linemen. If that's the case, I think the battle for the last roster spot at OLB will come down to Quentin Moses - who has looked surprisingly good - or Erik Walden - the special teams standout who has been quiet on the field in the base defense. As much as I like Walden's contributions on special teams, I think Moses has the leg up - if it comes to that, of course.
Just say "no" to Connor Barth. Dan Carpenter - I trust you! After all, nobody just gets the nickname of DC$ by accident.

Miami Dolphins Training Camp Primer: Linebacker to be a heated battle

Matty I — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 04:15:08 -0000

Is CFL standout Cameron Wake really a "lock" to make the roster?

View full size photo »

We closed last week by focusing in on the defensive line in our most recent "training camp primer." To kick off our primers this week, we'll remain on the defensive side of the ball and turn our attention to the linebackers.

The coaches will have to make some tough decisions this year in camp. And without question, the cuts at linebacker will be among the toughest for this staff to make. There are a number of players on the bubble that possess some value to this team - either as guys possessing serious potential or as major special teams contributors. What this means is that the "bubble players" are going to have to step up their performance beginning on Sunday.

THE QUICK BREAKDOWN

Virtual locks to make the roster: Joey Porter, Channing Crowder, Akin Ayodele, Matt Roth, Jason Taylor
Likely to make roster: Reggie Torbor
On the bubble: Cameron Wake, Charlie Anderson, Erik Walden, William Kershaw
Long shots: Quentin Moses, Tearrius George, J.D. Folsom, Orion Martin

THE QUESTIONS

Two players are likely to get the most attention during training camp. One is Cameron Wake. We're all going to be wondering how this CFL superstar pass-rusher handles converting to outside linebacker in the NFL. You don't tally 39 sacks in two seasons in the CFL without having some talent. But how will his talent translate to a new position against elite talent?

Jason Taylor figures to be the other most closely watched players in camp. His return has rejuvenated Dolphin fans everywhere. But we aren't getting the "'06 JT" or even the "'07 JT." We really don't know what to expect from Taylor following the worst season of his outstanding career in Washington. How will Taylor be used and how effective will he be?

Other questions that will be asked during camp include which linebackers prove they can contribute on special teams, Matt Roth's potential contract extension, and how well Joey Porter can hold up and reciprocate his outstanding '08 season.

THE NUMBERS GAME

The biggest question of all in terms of how the linebacker unit shakes up will be how many players the Dolphins decide to keep. Coming out of training camp last year, the Dolphins kept seven linebackers on the 53-man roster - and all were active on gameday. But by the end of the year, the Dolphins had ten linebackers on the 53-man roster - with eight being active in week 17.

If you assume that those listed above as "virtual locks" or "likely" to make the roster do indeed make the roster, we've used up six roster spots already. That means the guys like Cameron Wake, Erik Walden, Charlie Anderson, and William Kershaw will be battling for two - or, at most, three - roster spots. My money is on two - to be honest.

WHERE DOES THAT LEAVE US?

I'm expecting eight linebackers to make the roster, meaning either Wake, Anderson, or Walden won't make the team. So lets focus on these three for a minute.

Wake signed a 4 year, $2.318 million contract with the Dolphins back in January. The total value of the contract is on par with a late 3rd or early 4th round draft pick while the guaranteed money is on par with an early 3rd round pick. So it's best to view Wake as a 3rd round draft pick. What does that mean? It means that while it's unlikely Wake fails to make the roster, he's certainly not a lock. He has to prove that he can at least contribute right away on special teams while developing as a situational pass-rusher. He showed the outstanding ability to get down field in a hurry in kick coverage during non-contact OTAs. If that can translate well once the pads go on, Wake should have a very good shot at sticking.

Walden was a 6th round pick in 2008 of the Dallas Cowboys. The Dolphins claimed Walden off of waivers in late November and he instantly upgraded Miami's special teams play. We haven't seen anything from Walden out of the base defense, however. I wonder if he'll have to prove to be more than just a special teams guy in order to make the team over Wake. After all, waiving Walden will cost the Dolphins nothing in terms of a cap hit.

The Dolphins signed Anderson last offseason to a 3 year, $7.35 million deal. It was expected that Anderson would become a good nickel pass-rusher in Miami's defense. After struggling early on, Anderson did become a factor during the second half of the season. In the team's final 8 games of 2008, Anderson had 2.5 sacks and 2 forced fumbles. But is that enough to keep him around at a hefty $1.7 million salary in 2009?

THE KEY BATTLE

Obviously, the key battle among linebackers will likely be a 3-way fight for two roster spots among Charlie Anderson, Cameron Wake, and Erik Walden. You could also throw William Kershaw into the mix. But I think he'd really have to impress for him to stick.

Like I said above, special teams play and salaries could play a pivotal role in which two stick and which is handed a pink slip. If Anderson doesn't stand out, it'll be hard to justify keeping him on despite having the highest salary of the three. He is also not nearly as good as Walden on special teams and is older with less "upside" than Wake. To me, all of this is just the recipe to being cut barring a very good performance in camp and in the preseason.

With that said, the coaching staff might want to see more than just solid special teams work from Walden if he is to stick. And if Wake proves to be just "ordinary" in camp, is there a chance the Dolphins look to trade him to one of the numerous teams who were scouting him this winter?

THE PREDICTION

Like I said, I think eight linebackers will be kept on the 53-man roster. Joey Porter, Channing Crowder, Matt Roth, Akin Ayodele, Jason Taylor, and Reggie Torbor are all probably safe bets. And I'd say my money is on Cameron Wake and Erik Walden to make the final roster - with Charlie Anderson being one of the final cuts.

I'd also look for one of the two rookies - J.D. Folsom or Orion Martin - to make the practice squad.

Weekend Roundup: Talking camp competition, unsigned draft picks & much more

Matty I — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 04:15:08 -0000

As you can see from the countdown located in the left sidebar of the front page, we've reached single digits in the countdown to the opening of training camp for the Miami Dolphins. We're less than a week away. In fact, this time next week, we will have real practice reports to discuss. Can I get an "amen" to that?

Of course, this means that the local papers are firing up their Dolphins coverage after a few very slow news weeks. So let's get to some of what was written or discussed this past weekend. Also, our own preparation for camp will continue this week with more "training camp primers." So be sure to check back a lot this week to discuss some more hot topics as camp nears.

THE COMPETITION FOR ROSTER SPOTS WILL HEAT UP
In Barry Jackson's latest "sports buzz" article, he discusses some of the "chatter" about the more competitive roster battles that we'll be focusing on for the next month or so. Some of the highlights are below:

One official close to the Dolphins front office said Wake has been ordinary, and is no cinch to make the roster. Don't misunderstand: The Dolphins still have hopes Wake -- a highly skilled athlete -- can be good, but he must show it in camp.

One Dolphins person warned not to underestimate Walden's value as a core special-teams player. If Miami keeps nine linebackers, that would leave room, hypothetically, for Wake, Walden and Anderson. Otherwise, one of those three probably would not make the team.

Cameron Wake has been severely hyped up by numerous Dolphin fans. And in less than a week, the pads will go on and Wake will have to prove himself to this coaching staff. Despite how many Dolphin fans feel, Wake is far from a lock to make the roster. And what very well could keep his roster spot safe will be Wake's contributions on special teams. The South Florida media raved about Wake's ability to beat down defensive backs in kick coverage during non-contact OTAs and minicamps. If Wake can show that he's as impressive when the hitting goes live, he should have a good shot at making the roster as a special teamer/developmental pass rusher. But again - it's far from a lock.

Erik Walden's special teams contributios cannot be understated here, too. The coverage units instantly improved once Walden was signed by the Dolphins. Hopefully he'll also find a roster spot on the team's 53-man roster.

I'll have much more on the linebacker position battles this week in another "training camp primer" that should help spark some debate/discussion on how the unit will shape up in camp.

General manager Jeff Ireland said he expects McDaniel to make ``a nice splash,'' and former Jaguars teammate Fred Taylor (now with New England) raved about McDaniel, saying he was shocked Jacksonville gave him up for so little (a seventh-rounder). But word is he was inconsistent in the offseason program as he adjusted to Miami's 3-4 defense.

We talked last week about the defensive line. What's interesting is to hear how highly thought of Tony McDaniel was within the Jaguar organization. He's got the ideal size to become a very good 3-4 defensive end (and occassional nose tackle if necessary). But we'll have to wait to see how McDaniel continues to adapt to the 3-4 after spending his career in Jacksonville's 4-3 defense.

Receiver: The Dolphins generally kept five last year, and often had only four active for games. Sparano said Miami might keep six, but a case could be made for keeping a ninth linebacker instead. If a sixth receiver is kept, that opens a roster spot for speedy Anthony Armstrong (an offseason hit) or incumbent Brandon London.

Here Jackson highlights a key point we touched on last week. The number of players kept at several positions will depend on and affect how other positions shape up. We know that this regime seems to value linebackers and doesn't necessarily believe in keeping a ton of receivers. After Greg Camarillo's season-ending injury last year, the Dolphins usually only kept three receivers active on gameday. So it could be a reach to expect the Dolphins to carry six receivers on their 53-man roster. In my opinion, the receiver battle is going to be one of the most important - if not the most important - to monitor in camp and the preseason.

OMAR KELLY PROVIDES SOME MORE INSIGHT INTO MIAMI'S LOCKER ROOM
Last week, Joey Porter gave the NFL Total Access cameras a tour inside the Dolphins' facility in Davie, Florida. That video is right here if you missed it. But Omar Kelly provides some more "locker room info" that Porter didn't discuss on camera.

There are some bits of information Porter left out, like the fact he WAS the only player inside the locker room who has two lockers. His second locker usually holds his mail and Reebok gear. It's decorated with a doctored picture of him shirtless with a gut wearing Pittsburgh gear Some fan (or hater) sent it to him and he uses it as motivation (he loves negative motivation).

If you thought professional athletes don't use these kinds of external factors as motivation, you're wrong. Just like how the Dolphins seemed to thrive last year when they continually got disrespected in the media, Porter uses negative "fan mail" to stoke his interior fire some more - which is awesome, by the way. Any way "Peezy" can get more fired up is fine by me. I just hope, for that "fan's" sake that he didn't include a return address on the envelope. I can just imagine Porter knocking on that guy's door, holding the doctored photo - and the guy just absolutely crapping himself.

Right where Porter found Chad Pennington, the quarterbacks film room (every position has a film room), is Pennington's usual spot. I have yet to meet a player who watches more film at the team facility. Most players take it home because the team now provides breakdowns on CD they can study at home.

Also, Pennington will RARELY ever caught on film without a hat. He's got the worst head of hair in the locker room, and it's usually funny to watch him battle with it after his shower. He must run a brush or comb through it 50 to 60 times before he's satisfied. Then he puts on a hat.

Somebody needs to tell CP that it doesn't matter at all what the hell his hair looks like after a game - as long as he wins, of course.

Oh - and by the way - if you wonder why I remain firmly in the "CP as my starter" corner while a number of you want Chad Henne to be handed the job, the first paragraph above is among my top reasons. And you just know that Pennington's preparation habits have got to be rubbing off on Henne - which is just another reason why I want to thank Brett Favre and the NY Jets.

DAYS WINDING DOWN TO GET REMAINING ROOKIES SIGNED
Players must report to camp on Saturday - with the first practice scheduled for Sunday. And the Dolphins still have three unsigned rookies - including first-round pick Vontae Davis. Pat White and Chris Clemons are the other two.

But only four first-round picks in the entire league are signed. One of them is Alex Mack - the 21st pick in the draft. Davis was the 25th. Also signed was the final pick in round one - Ziggy Hood. Mack and Hood both signed 5 year deals worth $11.3 million. The difference between the two is the guaranteed money. Mack is getting $2.8 million more in guarantees. That should help set a baseline for discussions between the Dolphins and Vontae Davis. I expect Davis to get signed just before camp opens. Don't worry about a holdout.

Because Pat White is a quarterback, his deal could be the toughest. Last year, Chad Henne - a second-round QB - missed one training camp practice while his deal was completed. That highlights how it's tough to get a QB signed no matter what round they were drafted in. But the player drafted just before White, DE Everette Brown, just signed his deal. That should help provide the grounds to an eventual deal between White and the Dolphins. Hopefully it's before camp starts.

As for Chris Clemons, only four 5th round picks remain unsigned. Unfortunately, two of them surround Clemons in the round. Punter Thomas Morstead - picked right in front of Clemons - and safety Michael Hamlin - picked right after Clemons - are yet to come to terms. Another interesting nugget is that Clemons and Hamlin were the starting safety tandem at Clemson. What does that have to do with getting Chris signed? Probably nothing - I don't know. But you can't help but wonder what is taking so long to get this 5th round pick signed.

QUICK HITS
-David Martin's agent has told the Herald that Martin is "healthy and ready to go" after recovering from offseason sports hernia surgery. Good news for sure.

-Vonnie Holliday's agent tells the Palm Beach Post that Holliday could eventually return to Miami as camp progresses. If injuries to Miami's defensive line occur - or if the young guys under-perform, Holliday is just a phone call away. Not a bad insurance policy, if you ask me.

-The Dolphins have modified their training camp schedule just a bit. Now camp will open with just one practice, scheduled for 2 pm, on Sunday.

-Ethan Skolnick wrote more about the disrespect that the defending division champs are getting this year - focusing on Las Vegas' low over/under for Dolphins' wins. Just more fuel for the fire, my friends.

The Valley Ranch Review: DeMarcus Ware's Value; Cowboys Change Their Offseason Philosophy

Aaron Novinger — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 17:20:12 -0000

More sacks? Pressures? Dollars? More Everything! That's what DeMarcus Ware wants from the Dallas Cowboys. Sooner or later, his paycheck has got to reflect his work on the field. From Calvin Watkins:

The contract talks are interesting -- if there isn't a new collective bargaining agreement by next spring, Ware will become a restricted free agent for two additional seasons. If that happens, the Cowboys could franchise him.

Ware on the contract negotiations:

"That's a bad thing on their part if they do that," Ware said of getting franchised. "I don't think anything about the CBA, everybody is going on the regular schedule and thinking we'll get a deal done and keep moving."

[snip]

"I hope they do," said Ware about whether or not people recognize him as an upper-echelon player. "But there are still guys out there that are better than me, and probably aren't getting recognized, that are working just as hard as me. It doesn't bother me at all. I worked for it, and at the end of the day, when you work for something, it's deserving."

Ware breaks into Peter Schrager's Top 10 NFL players, coming in at #6.

6. DeMarcus Ware, DE/LB, Dallas Cowboys: A three-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro, Ware is only getting better with every passing year. The loss of free-agent DE Chris Canty could hurt, but the addition of former Falcons LB Keith Brooking may actually free up Ware even more.

More VRR after the jump.

Schrager's list of his Top 99 players has a few more Cowboys on it. First, here are his criteria:

In truth, in compiling the following list, I asked myself three questions. Consider these inquiries the science behind the madness:

1. Which player would I rather have on my team?

2. Which player would make the most impact on my team?

3. Which player will be the best in 2009, specifically?

And our boys who made the list:

28. Tony Romo, QB, Dallas Cowboys: Another lightning rod figure on this list. You either hate Romo or you love him. I'm a fan. I think Romo's production without T.O. will be one of the more interesting storylines this season. Like him or not, he's a tremendously gifted quarterback. He's got to win a big game one of these years.

80. Marion Barber III, RB, Dallas Cowboys: Barber, like all of the Cowboys last year, was disappointed with how the '08 season ended. He's still one of the the toughest between-the-tackles runners in the league. With a healthy Felix Jones and an increased workload for Tashard Choice, Barber should only be fresher — and better — down the stretch in '09.

96. Jason Witten, TE, Dallas Cowboys: Tony Romo's Cabo buddy broke out in 2007, emerging as his quarterback's favorite target and the NFC's top tight end. Witten followed that up with an 81-catch campaign in '08. With T.O. out of the picture, he'll likely see even more action in '09.

Juuust a bit outside the 99: Jay Ratliff

NFL.com's Pat Kirwan looks at Dallas' change in offseason philosophy as a good thing for the team.

The 2009 Cowboys will be a different football operation. Young players such as Patrick Crayton, Miles Austin, Anthony Spencer, Mike Jenkins, Orlando Scandrick, Bobby Carpenter and at least half of the 12 second-day draft picks will be asked to make bigger contributions and get this team to a Super Bowl.

Many of the new starters and contributors in Dallas believe there is a subtle confidence brewing on that roster that isn't based on a "star" system but more on team cohesion. It will be a tight group that won't be featured in the big headlines. The Cowboys almost might appear boring at times, but they are pointed in the right direction.

Felix Jones hopes to build upon last year, while Jerry Jones expects to see more of the speedy running back on the field.

"I used it as a learning process," [Felix] Jones said. "Things like that are going to happen in such a physical sport. You never know what you can do to hurt yourself. You find out in different ways. It's a learning process for me, figuring out different ways to get better without messing myself up even more."

[snip]

"His speed is what we all refer to, but the obvious is his ability to see all the cars on the highway," said Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who made the decision to select Felix Jones over Rashard Mendenhall. "... My expectations for Felix are really to have his touches upped significantly, certainly if you take into account that injury situation last year. He'll be a major 'touch factor' in this offense. He will be."

Jason Witten, Bobby Carpenter, Kyle Kosier, Pat McQuistan, Doug Free, Cory Procter and Mat McBriar serving sushi? That's right! These seven Cowboys will serve as "celebrity waiters" at a sushi restaurant Thursday night to raise money for Rich Behm.

The proceeds from all food and beverage sales between 6 and 8 p.m. at RA Sushi Bar Restaurant will go to the Rich Behm Family Trust. The restaurant is located at 7501 Lone Star Drive in The Shops at Legacy in Plano.

This is from the one-that-may-have-got-away department. The only '08 draftee not to make the Dallas squad was outside linebacker Erik Walden. It seems that Coach Phillips knows a talented OLB when he sees one because Walden is making a little noise for himself with the Dolphins.

It seems that every time coach Tony Sparano, General Manager Jeff Ireland and teammates are asked about the array of outside linebackers vying for roster spots, Walden's name is quick to surface.

"I know he was here last year and the team thinks very high of him," said (Jason) Taylor, the six-time Pro Bowler who is penciled in as a pass-rushing specialist behind starters Porter and Matt Roth. "When you're playing the end you've got to be athletic and play with power and leverage, and I think he has that."

(Jerry) Porter, who earned his fourth Pro Bowl berth last season, is happy to share his 10 years of pass-rushing knowledge with Walden and the others. "Walden's real good off the corner, just like a natural athlete," Porter said. "Just learning the defense is the key for them right now, so they'll minimize their mistakes and know exactly where you're going."

Dolphins Pro Bowl left tackle Jake Long goes up against Walden every day in practice. "He's a fast-twitch, slippery guy so it's tough to block him," Long said. "I grabbed [his dreadlocks] a couple of times to slow him down."

Wade Phillips will be speaking at the Angelo Football Clinic in San Angelo, Texas.

Need a new MMA guy to root for? Try former Dallas Cowboy, Suni Filikitonga, who is making the transition to mixed martial arts.

"I went in as an undrafted free agent as a defensive tackle," explained Filikitonga who made the Cowboys roster as a defensive end. "I played in 1998, the last year of Troy Aikman, when all the big dogs were still there." But while Filikitonga did what few could have ever imagined, making it onto the roster of a professional football team undrafted, his playing days were over before they ever really began as an injury would derail his dreams of gridiron greatness.

Get to know Erik Walden

Matty I — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 04:15:08 -0000

On Wednesday, all of us here at TP had the honor of chatting with Dolphins WR Brandon London live on the site for over an hour. One of the questions that Brandon was asked was which Dolphins player he felt would break out in 2009. London's answer was one many probably didn't expect. Said Brandon:

Good question. I think a guy who will really explode on the scene this year will be...OLB Eric Walden. He played only special teams last year but I like what I saw on film in the special teams meeting. He knows how to get to the ball and how to make plays. He came to us late but now that he has a whole offseason with us he's really making gains in the weight room and just from sitting down and talking with him all the time you can see that fire he has in himself to want to step up and be a "guy" for this team!

Well if you're like me, that response instantly put Erik Walden on your radar in terms of players to watch this offseason when OTAs and mini-camps roll around. So I figured we might as well get to know Walden a little bit better. That's my mission for this post.

Erik Walden, OLB
6'2, 245, 2nd year

Walden was a 6th round pick last year of the Dallas Cowboys coming out of Middle Tennessee State. In college, Walden was a standout defensive end, but did get some time at outside linebacker. When the Cowboys drafted him, though, Walden was instantly projected as an outside linebacker in their 3-4 defense.

At Middle Tennessee, Walden was a playmaker at the defensive end spot right from the beginning - playing in 10 games as a freshman (including 4 starts) and totaling 6 sacks, 8 tackles for loss, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Over his 4 year career there, Erik played in 44 games, starting 34 of them, and tallied 22.5 sacks and 40 tackles for loss. He also had an interception and a safety.

He weighed in a 6'2, 237 at the 2008 Scouting Combine and ran a 4.75 40 - not great, but certainly good enough to play OLB. Here is a scouting report on Walden from last offseason, courtesy of SI.com:

POSITIVES: Aggressive defender who makes plays all over the field. Gets depth on drops, displays good range, and stays with assignments. Forceful up the field, plays with good leverage, and chases hard to make plays. Displays a good degree of quickness in his game as well as a closing burst of speed.

NEGATIVES: Marginally strong at the point and struggles against blocks. Limited skills making plays in reverse.

ANALYSIS: Walden possesses the size and speed to play at the next level. His ability to penetrate the line of scrimmage will get him consideration as a pass-rushing linebacker in a 3-4 system.

Walden's NFL career got off to a shaky start. He spent all of training camp with the Cowboys but was cut on August 30 despite being a solid special teams contributor duringthe preseason. However, it didn't take long for Walden to get claimed on waivers. The Chiefs claimed Walden the next day - and apparently, there were "a host of teams interested" in claiming Walden.

In KC, Walden was a special teams standout, playing in 9 games and registering 10 special teams tackles - 2nd most on the team. However, Walden was waived by KC on November 19, mainly because they had to make room for an additional running back on their roster. The Dolphins wasted no time, claiming Walden the very next day.

As a Dolphin, Erik Walden played in 6 games - all on special teams - and tallied 5 tackles. But his 2009 role could certainly be very different. In Dallas last offseason, there were reports that claimed Walden would "flash" ability at times. David Halprin, from SBN's Blogging The Boys, called Walden "athletically-gifted but totally raw and inexperienced" during the preseason last year. And he also openly questioned the decision of the Cowboys to release Walden.

It seems like Walden - for a guy who has done relatively little on the field outside of special teams - makes fans wherever he goes. Even in KC, he was popular as a special teamer. One KC fan even called Walden "a keeper." It's that kind of respect, from both fans and teammates, that instantly puts a player like Walden on your radar. And it'll be interesting to see how he develops this offseason.

So I will leave you with a video of Erik Walden's Pro-Day workout from last year: