SB Nation - Anthony Armstrong

Dolphins release four more

Matty I — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 18:32:43 -0000

With just two weeks to go before the regular season begins, the Dolphins continue to trim their roster. On Saturday, they announced the release of four more players.

The four who were waived are Anthony Armstrong, Connor Barth, Louis Ellis, and Joe Kowalewski.

Armstrong was a popular player entering camp. A number of Dolphin fans were hoping for big things out of the former Arena League player after impressive performances at OTAs and minicamp. But he was disappointing in training camp and invisible during the preseason - outside of a couple drops, of course.

But this doesn't necessarily mean Brandon London is now guaranteed a roster spot. If the Dolphins are to keep six receivers, then London is on the team. But we have no idea if the Dolphins plan to keep six receivers - which is not common around the league. The Dolphins could decide to keep a fourth running back - Lex Hilliard - instead of a sixth receiver. They could also decide to keep an extra linebacker rather than a sixth receiver. Lots of options here and by no means is London a safe bet at this point.

But Dan Carpenter - or DC$ - is a lock. Barth's release should come as no surprise following Carpenter's solid preseason. He hasn't missed a FG through three preseason games and is 2/2 from 40+ yards. But it will be interesting to see how this regime handles DC$ if he gets off to a shaky start in the regular season.

Be sure to vote on our latest Chad Henne poll.

Dolphins Preseason Review: Who has made the biggest impression?

Matty I — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 04:15:08 -0000

More photos » by Alan Diaz - AP

Lex Hilliard may have ran himself into a roster spot with two consecutive strong performances.

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Believe it or not, we are less than three weeks away from week one of the NFL season. Training camp will soon be winding down for the Dolphins and we're halfway through their preseason schedule. So what better time than now to do a mid-point review of what we've seen from the Dolphins in the preseason?

What I've decided to do is simply list which players have made the biggest positive impression on me during the preseason as well as those who have made little or no impression on me - with a special emphasis on those players who are currently on the proverbial "roster bubble." Of course, this list is far from comprehensive, which is where all of you come in. Be sure to tell us your thoughts in the comments below.

THREE WHO HAVE MADE POSITIVE IMPRESSION

RB Lex Hilliard - Entering camp, there wasn't much thought given to the Dolphins keeping four halfbacks on their final 53-man roster. But Lex Hilliard has suddenly put that thought into his coaches' heads and has made a strong case to make this football team. We talked yesterday about the "numbers game" and how keeping four running backs would affect how the final roster is assembled. But this is something the coaching staff is really going to have to discuss. After all, this regime is not in the business of waiving good football players. If Hilliard is as promising as he might be (more as a future complimentary back - not a feature back), you don't just let go of him. His 18 carry, 94 yard stat line is impressive - but it has been produced against opposing teams' 2nd and 3rd string defenses. And if you take away his longest run in each of the two preseason games, Hilliard is averaging just 2.75 yards per carry on those other 16 rushing attempts. But he's shown good quickness and explosion through the hole for a 240 pound back. And Tony Sparano did praise his special teams work in both games. That's how he can cement his roster spot - by going out and proving he can be a special teams contributor on gameday. It'd also be nice to see him get a few carries against a first-team defense.

RG Donald Thomas - The right guard position was a big question mark entering camp. Donald Thomas was coming off of a season-ending foot injury entering the offseason and then injured his chest while working out during the offseason. He started off camp with rehab work and was slowly implemented back into the offensive line rotation. But he has been very impressive when he has been on the field during the preseason. In the opener, despite a lackluster performance by the first-team offensive line as a whole, Thomas had a solid game - regularly "pancaking" his man. Last week, Thomas played even better. He won the majority of his one-on-one blocks and even showed the quickness to get out and pull - making a key block on Hilliard's 39 yard TD run. The man is clearly strong and powerful and, most importantly, he finishes his blocks. The starting right guard spot is officially all his. Now he just needs to stay healthy.

OLB Quentin Moses - Before training camp started, I really didn't think Quentin Moses had any shot to make this final roster. But Matt Roth's mysterious groin injury has allowed Moses to get more reps in practice and extended looks during the preseason. He's made the most of these opportunities. I've noticed Moses getting pressure on the quarterback on more than one occasion. He hasn't picked up a sack yet, but quarterback hurries are just as valuable. I've noticed that the 260 pound linebacker looks to have a quicker first step. And remember, he's a guy with a lot of talent. He was a third-round pick coming out of Georgia. And entering that season for UGA, there were rumblings that Moses could be a late first or early second round selection. But now it seems as though the game is finally slowing down for him - and he's making plays. He looks strong at the point of attack, too, which is very important because it allows him to set the edge on runs his direction (much like Matt Roth was good at doing last season). I don't think his roster spot is a lock by any means, but he went from having little chance (at least in my mind) to being right in the mix for one of the OLB spots.

Other Candidates - Cameron Wake, John Nalbone, Sean Smith, Nathan Jones, Paul Soliai, Reggie Torbor

THREE WHO HAVE MADE LITTLE OR NO IMPRESSION

WR Anthony Armstrong - Many fans were jumping aboard the Anthony Armstrong bandwagon during the offseason as we continually read reports of Armstrong beating Miami's corners deep for big plays during OTAs and minicamp. But the corners he regularly dominated were guys who were either cut (Eric Green) or will be cut (Will Billingsley). During training camp, Armstrong has been relatively quiet. And in the preseason, Armstrong has been completely non-existent. He doesn't have a reception. He's dropped two passes. And in his one kickoff return, he only gained 20 yards. That's not how a player like Armstrong is going to make this team. Considering he can't really contribute on coverage units because he weighs 185 pounds soaking wet, he needed to really make a name for himself as a receiver. But he's failed to do so and I don't expect him to stick once it's time for final cuts.

TE Joey Haynos - With the release of Ernest Wilford, the battle for the third tight end spot (if the Dolphins keep three) is between Haynos and rookie John Nalbone. Haynos, though, has failed to get my attention at all. He has great size (6'8, 270) but hasn't been a factor at all during the preseason. But while no passes have come his way - which isn't exactly his fault, making it hard to blame him - I've been underwhelmed with his blocking skills. From what I've noticed during games, Nalbone is the better blocker. And whichever TE is kept as the third one will have to be able to block - especially since David Martin isn't exactly a reliable blocker, either. In my opinion, Haynos is losing the battle to Nalbone and will have to step up if he hopes to stick.

DE Phillip Merling - Merling entered training camp working as a starter opposite Kendall Langford. But since then, he's fallen back to the second unit while Tony McDaniel and Randy Starks have gotten reps with the first team. And it's been Starks, not Merling, who has gotten the majority of the first-team reps during the preseason. Merling isn't exactly known for being a great practice player, either. But you can almost look beyond that if the player in question performs on gameday. Thus far through two preseason games, I haven't seen any sense of urgency from the second-year defensive end. Last season, Merling came on strong late in the year. So here's to hoping he's just a slow starter.

Other Candidates - Lionel Dotson, Erik Walden, Brandon London, Gibril Wilson, Pat White

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.

Dolphins Depth Chart Bubble Watch, V. 4

Matty I — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 05:00:15 -0000

With one preseason game in the books and another just days away, the depth chart is starting to come a little bit more into focus. So I figured it's time to update the "depth chart bubble watch" to reflect what we saw on the field on Monday night.

Again, just incase you haven't seen this before, the idea behind it 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
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
LG	Justin Smiley	Andy Alleman
C	Jake Grove	Joe Berger
RG	Donald Thomas	Shawn Murphy
RT	Vernon Carey	Nate Garner
	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	Courtney Bryan
	1st Team	2nd Team	3rd Team
K	Dan Carpenter
P	Brandon Fields
LS	John Denney

PUP: Matt Roth
Last 5 On: Jason Allen, Courtney Bryan, Nate Garner, John Nalbone, Erik Walden
First 5 Off: Brandon London, Andrew Gardner, Chris Williams, Ernest Wilford, Anthony Armstrong
Next 5 Off: Ike Ndukwe, Joey Haynos, William Kershaw, Brandon Frye, Connor Barth

Some quick notes on this:

The release of Eric Green made room for me to keep Courtney Bryan. The coaches like the kid a lot. He can play either safety spot and is a solid special teams player. But the Dolphins could go with six receivers instead of a fifth safety. Or they could actually bring in a free agent cornerback - there are some veterans with lots of experience currently available.
I can't say I have any real idea how the outside linebacker position will shake out. At this point, we know Taylor, Porter, and Wake will make this team. Roth will as well - but could start the year on the PUP list if he doesn't practice soon or is unable to consistently practice. As for the others, it's anyone's guess. None of the 2nd or 3rd stringers outside of Wake really "flashed" on Monday.
You can't help but wonder what happens if Chris Williams continues to get better as a return man. Could he be the 6th receiver on the roster despite only having one real role? If London or Armstrong don't show something during preseason games, I wouldn't be shocked.
I like Andrew Gardner but he didn't play much on Monday. It makes you wonder if the Dolphins are trying to hide him from other teams so they can sneak him onto their practice squad. As I have it now, Vernon Carey would swap to LT if, heaven forbid, Jake Long went down.
Ernest Wilford may have made a play on Monday night - but anyone could have really made that play. It was broken coverage and Wilford took advantage. But I was really impressed with John Nalbone's blocking while working with the second-team offense. And he's reportedly been much more consistent catching the ball in practice. Right now, I think he's got the inside track for the final TE spot.

Defense leads the way as Dolphins win preseason opener

Matty I — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 04:59:46 -0000

More photos » by J Pat Carter - AP

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I know it's only the preseason, but it's always good to get a win. On Monday night, that's just what the Dolphins did, knocking off the Jaguars 12-9. And before I get into all of my initial thoughts on the game, I just got to point out that Jack Del Rio did a very classy move by not kicking the field goal on fourth and goal late in the 4th quarter. Nobody wants to see a player get hurt in overtime of a preseason game. So I'm very glad he decided to go for it - and nice job by Courtney Bryan to break up the pass in the corner of the endzone.

Now then, onto some thoughts from Miami's win - both good and bad. But keep in mind that the first preseason game is essentially just a glorified scrimmage.

THE DEFENSE SHINES
Here's a key stat. The first-team defense played together for the entire first quarter of Monday's game. The Jaguars ran 11 plays against Miami's first-team defense. The Dolphins surrendered just 28 yards of offense on those 11 plays and only one first down - forcing two three-and-outs. Now that is impressive.

During those three series, they tallied one sack and pressured Jaguars QB David Garrard a couple of other times. On one play, Channing Crowder blitzed and basically drove the running back picking up the blitz into Garrard's face, forcing an incomplete pass. But a major reason for the defense's success - including Jason Ferguson's sack (which was more or less a coverage sack) was rookie Sean Smith's performance. On the particular play that resulted in the sack, Smith did an excellent job keeping Torry Holt - Garrard's primary target on that play - inside of him when Torry was trying to get to the outside. That's a veteran move by a rookie against a veteran receiver.

Speaking of Smith, he also made a terrific interception in the third quarter of a Todd Bouman pass in the endzone. The big question scouts had about Sean entering the draft was how he would be tackling players at the next level. Some said he was scared of contact. But Smith did not shy away from contact on the only tackle opportunity he had, making the tackle. All in all, Smith was probably the player of the game for the Dolphins.

Getting back to the first-team defense, there's a lot of concern about how the defensive line would shape up. Would they be able to effectively limit the opponent's ground game? Keeping in mind that Jacksonville's offensive line is probably an average unit at best, the Dolphins answered that question with a resounding "yes" on Monday night. They held the Jaguars to 10 yards on 3 rushes. A small sample size, of course - but a good sign, nonetheless.

Nate Jones also deserves a mention, too. He was very good at blitzing from the nickel corner spot last year. On Monday, Jones showed he still has a knack for getting to the QB as a blitzer, forcing an incomplete pass on 3rd down to end a drive when he got to Garrard.

OFFENSE PRODUCES MIXED RESULTS
The offense on Monday night was really a mixed bag. There were good moments. There were bad moments. And all in all, I don't think it was really a positive night for the offense.

Heading the list of issues was the offensive line. In pass protection, the first-team line performed very well. But we all have been expecting that the Dolphins would be able to run the ball between the tackles in 2009 thanks to the acquisition of Jake Grove and the return of Justin Smiley and Donald Thomas to the field after season-ending injuries in 2008. But this unit failed to produce on Monday against the formidable Jaguars defensive front.

Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams combined for just 41 yards rushing on 14 carries - a measly 2.9 yards per carry average. Brown and Williams rarely had any kind of lane ot run through. On one play, Jake Long even got beat badly - resulting in a loss for Williams. I also noticed Vernon Carey getting beat a couple of times on rushing attempts. This was not the kind of effort I was hoping to see out of this unit and I'll be anxiously awaiting Saturday night for the next preseason game to see if the unit improves over yesterday's performance.

As far as the battle for the starting right guard job goes, neither Shawn Murphy nor Donald Thomas (who rotated in and out) really stood out. Just from watching the broadcast, I may have been slightly more impressed by Thomas because he seemed to get more push. But the competition is probably still wide open and likely far from over.

On the plus side, Ted Ginn Jr. looked very good out there on Monday. He ran some crisp routes - especially on a third-and-one play against Pro Bowl corner Rashean Mathis, running a terrific post and making an exceptional catch. All told, Ginn looked confident and produced - tallying 2 receptions for 26 yards, one rush for 14 yards on an end-around, and drawing a 30+ yard pass interference call on a long pass attempt down the left sideline from Chad Pennington. He also had a 15 yard reception called back due to holding - meaning the Dolphins called Ginn's number five times in one quarter. Not bad for a guy many fans wanted to write off. Hopefully this early success translates to the regular season.

As for the quarterbacks, neither Chad Pennington nor Chad Henne played very well. But neither played bad, either. Pennington made a couple of nice passes, especially his pass to Ginn on 3rd-and-one for 15 yards. But he was far from classic CP. Meanwhile, Henne made a couple of notable plays. His 20 yard strike to Brian Hartline comes to mind right away. On that same drive, he made a beautiful pass to Ricky Williams on a wheel route in the endzone that hit Ricky in the hands. But he was unable to haul it in - which doesn't happen often to Williams. He also connected with Ernest Wilford for a 33 yard touchdown. It wasn't the throw, though, that impressed me on that play. You or I could have made the throw. It's the fact that Henne was under immense pressure and had three defenders bearing down on him. He stood in the pocket, kept his eyes down the field, and found an open man. Good stuff.

Of course, Henne was also intercepted on a pass that he had no business making. But it's the preseason and he's young - so let's not get crazy.

QUICK HITS
Some quick thoughts on Monday's preseason opener:

Cameron Wake can rush the passer. We don't know what else he can do at this point, but he showed great burst and strength when rushing off the edge.
Patrick Turner led the team in receptions, catching three balls. He showed good hands but failed to bring in a pass in which he was surrounded by Jacksonville defenders. And that's what I'm hoping to see from Turner - the ability to make tough catches in traffic.
Eric Green really struggled. He was targeted numerous times and actually allowed three straight completions at one point. He's losing ground in the battle at cornerback right now.
Vontae Davis didn't perform much better. He was called for three penalties in the game - two were on special teams and the other was a pass interference call. You can bet the coaches will rip into him a bit for those. He also allowed himself to be blocked by a receiver on that screen pass that the Jaguars ran that would have been a TD if not for a holding call. Davis was being manhandled in the endzone by Tiquan Underwood, a 178 pound rookie from Rutgers. Vontae has to learn to shed that block and make a play.
Brandon London and Anthony Armstrong had quiet nights while Chris Williams made some plays as the return man. Could Williams actually make the roster as the team's 6th receiver? Possibly. He averaged 31 yards on 4 kickoff returns but wasn't as comfortable handling punt returns.
We got our first taste of Pat White and it was a solid debut. He made a few plays with his legs. He completed only 2 of 7 passes - but was a victim of some drops, including one that resulted in an interception. But I'm not quite sure why so many are raving over White's debut. I didn't see anything spectacular yet.
Seven penalties are too many - especially when some of them are committed in the redzone.
Here are the numbers for the kicking competition. Dan Carpenter drilled a 48 yard field goal. However, he slipped on an extra point attempt off the wet infield dirt. Connor Barth connected on his field goal attempt from 27. On kickoffs, Carp averaged 67 yards per kick on three kicks. Barth kicked one for 65 yards. Just for point of reference, a 65 yard kick is fielded at the 5 yard line; a 67 yard kick is fielded at the 3. Carpenter was the only one to reach the endzone, with his opening kick going 4 yards deep in the endzone.

So that's all for my initial reaction to Miami's preseason opener. We'll definitely talk more about this game as the week goes on. All told, though, it was football - and we can all agree that that's a positive.

Dolphins Training Camp: Week one evaluation

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

Well I'm back from my trip to Massachusetts. And after one day off, the Dolphins will begin their second week of training camp on Monday. But even though Sunday was an off day for the players, you better believe the coaching staff was hard at work reviewing the first week and making some decisions on how to possibly shuffle the depth chart for the second week of camp. Remember, it's not just about how the player moved up on the depth chart performs against better competition. It's just as important to see how the demoted player responds to being moved down.

So I wanted to take a look back at the first week of camp and play a game of "hot or not." But first, I did have some observations on Saturday's "stand-up scrimmage" in front of over 3,000 fans in Davie.

SCRIMMAGE NOTES
I'm sure you have all read the reports that the South Florida media has provided about the 90+ play scrimmage. IF you haven't, I'd suggest checking out this terrific article that features play-by-play of the event, this post featuring some observations on the scrimmage, and this summary of the estimated numbers in the passing game.

Quickly, here are some of my random thoughts on the scrimmage:

I don't want to go overboard about Jason Taylor. But two sacks and a QB hurry is rather impressive. And one of those sacks was against Miami's starting line. Matt Roth better be worried about his job right now. I don't think JT has won the starting job yet, but after one week, Taylor is probably the favorite.
So Chad Pennington wasn't exactly efficient. That doesn't worry me one bit. It has only been a week - it's early. Don't panic - and, for the love of all that's still good, don't start with the tired Pennington/Henne debate. When the time is right, the switch will be made. And the time isn't right.
I think Anthony Fasano and John Nalbone traded identities for the scrimmage. Nalbone made three or four catches - including a touchdown - while Fasano dropped two passes. But seriously, I'm not worried about Anthony at all. And it's good to see Nalbone perform well - hopefully giving the rookie out of Monmouth some momentum heading into week two.
The only sack that the first-team offensive line allowed was to Jason Taylor. Not a bad performance by that unit.
Sean Smith makes plays, folks. Don't be surprised if his performance on Saturday elevates him above Vontae Davis, who was beaten by fellow rookie Brian Hartline for a long touchdown pass.
When I saw Jason Allen's name in one of the reports, I got excited thinking it was going to be for a positive play he made. Instead it was about how he got beat by Anthony Armstrong in which Allen "never played the ball." Not good.
Either Will Allen and Eric Green had damn good days or Ted Ginn drank his "invisible juice." Ginn was one of only two receivers to not record a reception. The other was rookie Patrick Turner - who was reportedly having a great first week of camp. What gives?
Ronnie Brown split out wide as a receiver - get used to seeing that this year.
Nine penalites? That's not going to fly with this staff.

"HOT" & "NOT"
It's time for a new weekly preseason feature. Why? Because the coaches, in some fashion, likely did this very thing on Sunday as they made key decisions involving who will work with what unit to start the second week of camp on Monday.

Hot: Jason Taylor - It was reported early that Jason didn't look comfortable yet as a true strongside linebacker in Miami's 3-4. But things changed as the week went on. He's gotten more comfortable and, more importantly, looks as enthusiastic as ever despite his age. There were a number of questions about Taylor's skills entering camp. But it doesn't seem like his skills have diminished much right now. How he holds up as camp - and the season - wears on, though, remains a critical aspect of Miami's potential 2009 success.

Not: Matt Roth - He is yet to take part in practice following a very odd few days to begin training camp. Was he "ill"? Is his groin bothering him? Whatever it is, if Roth doesn't get back on the field, he's going to lose his starting job. It's that simple.

Hot: Jake Long - It's rare to include an offensive linemen on a list of "hot" players after one week of training camp. But Long's value to this offense cannot be understated. And it's hard for us fans to know how dominant Jake has been in practice when you don't get to actually watch. But what stands out is how quiet Joey Porter has been so far. Jake is the main reason for that. Omar Kelly, the best Dolphins' beat reporter, also vouches for Jake. Speaking about Jason Taylor, Kelly wrote, "Right now, outside of left tackle Jake Long, Taylor's the most dominant player on the practice field."

Not: Jason Allen - Jason has had a rough first week. He's made some decent plays. But as a cornerback, you can't afford to get beat consistently. Right now, Allen is doing just that. Every day it seems like we're reading about Allen getting beat for a long pass. On Saturday, it was Anthony Armstrong - a bubble player - beating Jason deep. He also had issues earlier this week lining up in the right position. But Jason has been in this defensive system for just as long as anyone else has been (two offseasons) and he's still yet to prove he belongs on this roster.

Hot: Patrick Turner & Brian Hartline - The two rookie receivers have been pleasant surprises during the first week of camp. Turner, despite not having a catch in Saturday's scrimmage, has consistently made plays each and every day in practice. The beat reporters have been raving about him. His teammates have been raving about him. And it's going to be interesting to see how he performs in the preseason. Meanwhile, Hartline really stepped up his game towards the end of last week - making big play after big play. In the scrimmage, Hartline victimized Vontae Davis on the first play of the 2nd team offense's series on an out and up route for 40+ yards. Tony Sparano has praised both rookies for their performances this week. But they can't let down in week two.

Not: Anthony Armstrong - After a strong offseason showing, Armstrong has failed to consistently make plays working with the third team offense. Even with his one big play in the scrimmage - a 45+ yard reception from Pat White, beating Jason Allen - his week one performance hasn't been enough to create any kind of separation from Brandon London for that 6th receiver spot - if the Dolphins even keep that many. He's going to have to stand out in the preseason to impress these coaches if he wants to make the 53-man roster.

Hot: Cameron Wake - After a slow start, Wake has really caught fire. He's exerting his physical prowess and getting to the quarterback. He stood out late in the week during the 2-minute drills - sacking Chad Henne on back-to-back plays. But een before that, Wake was getting pressure on the quarterback with some consistency. Then on Saturday, Cameron picked up a sack and numerous QB pressures. And make no mistake about it, Wake's performance this offseason could impact Jason Taylor's role. It was originally thought that Jason would see limited action to keep him fresh. But if Wake could step in and spell either Taylor or Joey Porter regularly, the coaching staff would probably have fewer reservations with giving Taylor the starting job and increasing his expected workload.

Not: Pat White - Though White wasn't as bad as he was during OTAs and offseason minicamps, he's still not playing as well as we all hoped. His accuracy remains wildly inconsistent and he still doesn't look comfortable taking snaps from under center (which was to be expected coming from a spread offense at WVU). But as he gets more comfortable with the offense - and as the coaches get more comfortable with him - I'm confident they'll find ways to use White, putting him in situations that will play to his strengths.

Hot: Sean Smith - Smith is a prime candidate to be one of the "promoted" when practice begins this week. He put together a very good opening week of camp, showing a firm grasp of the defense, solid technique, and excellent athleticism. And the kid's a playmaker at corner. He made the only interception of the scrimmage, picking off a pass in the endzone. While Eric Green hasn't played poorly, it might be in Miami's best interest to challenge this confident rookie.

Not: Ernest Wilford - His conversion to tight end is going to take time. But he is yet to flash in practice and hasn't really shown that he's a good blocker. Sure, he was a solid blocker as a receiver in Jacksonville, blocking smaller corners. But reports from camp indicate he hasn't shown he can block defensive ends or linebackers - someting a TE/H-back has to do.

UP NEXT
The Dolphins kick off their second week of camp with - what else - a double. The first practice is scheduled for 9 am; the second for 5 pm.

Dolphins Training Camp, Day Four: Pennington struggles, the line gets shuffled & the WR battle heats up

Matty I — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 01:28:46 -0000

More photos » by Wilfredo Lee - AP

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There was only one practice down in Davie on Wednesday. But there's still plenty to talk about. And it must have been a tough practice physically, as the heat index in South Florida rose to over 100 degrees on Wednesday afternoon. Below are some talking points.

Oh - and don't forget to check back later for an updated version of my "depth chart bubble watch."

CHAD PENNINGTON HAS A ROUGH DAY
Every quarterback goes through days like this. The only reason this is really headline news in Miami is because of how well - and how efficient - Chad Pennington performed in 2008. But Pennington was "un-CP10" like today. Perhaps Omar Kelly described it best, writing, "For the first time since he's been a Dolphin Chad Pennington played as good as three-day-old fish smells, and tastes."

Pennington was overthrowing open receivers. He had some issues taking the snap from center. He took sacks. And depending on who you talk to, Chad threw either one (according to Palm Beach Post) or two (according to Sun-Sentinel) interceptions. Now that is very uncharacteristic of CP10.

Of course, it wasn't all bad for Pennington. He made a few good throws, too - including a 40+ yard touchdown to Anthony Armstrong (more on him in a minute). But overall, this was probably his worst training camp practice as a Dolphin. With that said, I'm not worried at all about Pennington.

BATTLE FOR FINAL WR SPOT HEATING UP
For the past few days, we've been hearing very good things about Brandon London. On the other hand, his top competitor for the final receiver spot, Anthony Armstrong, was relatively quiet. Well that changed on Wednesday.

Armstrong finally made a big play, catching a 40 yard touchdown pass from Chad Pennington - beating Eric Green (who is currently working as a starter). And Omar Kelly wrote that both Pennington and Chad Henne are finding Armstrong more often now following the release of Brennan Marion. Armstrong was open a lot more often on Wednesday - but was overthrown a couple of times by Miami's quarterbacks.

Meanwhile, Brandon London is still playing well. London beat Will Billingsley on one play - but the pass was incomplete as Pat White's throw was a little behind Brandon. Brandon also continues to make plays during the one-on-one receiver vs. cornerback drills.

Look for this battle to go down to the wire. And what's interesting is that there seems to be a divide between Dolphin fans as to who they are pulling for. But in the end, I get the feeling Armstrong is really going to have to impress simply because he isn't much of a special teams contributor while London is one of the team's best coverage guys.

THE LINES GET SHUFFLED
Last year, the coaching staff didn't start "experimenting" with different players on different units until the second week of camp. But Tony Sparano and company started early this year. Shawn Murphy, who had been working as the starting right guard, worked with the 2nd team on Wednesday. Joe Berger, who is the team's primary backup center, spent most of Wednesday replacing Murphy at RG. But Murphy did get some reps with the 1st unit just before the end of practice.

On the defensive side, offseason acquisition Tony McDaniel worked with the first team at defensive end for the second consecutive day replacing Phillip Merling. What's always interesting to note, though, is how the "demoted" player reacts when he's sent down. And according to Omar Kelly, Merling has been making plays as part of the second unit.

Look for more of this "experimenting" to continue between now and the first preseason game on August 17.

ODDS & ENDS

Vontae Davis picked off a long Chad Pennington pass intended for Brandon London - showcasing his closing speed.
Donald Thomas was back at practice - but didn't work too much as he eases back into things.
Brian Hartline - a very criticized pick around these parts - has put together back-to-back great days of practice. He followed up a good day yesterday by making the catch of the day today - a diving TD catch from Chad Henne. He also made a lunging catch from Chad Pennington and caught a deep pass down the middle of the field from Pat White. Right now, Hartline is hot and it doesn't matter which of the three quarterbacks are throwing to him. He's making plays consistently right now.

UP NEXT
The Dolphins have two practices tomorrow - one at 9 am and one at 5 pm. Both are open to the public - weather permitting.

Miami Dolphins Training Camp Primer: A battle at wide receiver

Matty I — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 04:15:08 -0000

Ted Ginn is a lock to make the roster. But which fellow receivers will join him?

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I told you we'd begin whipping out our "training camp primers" to discuss and debate some of the key storylines to monitor once camp kicks off. And I'm a man of my word.

The wide receiver position is going to be a very interesting position to watch this year. You got a combination of guys who are virtual locks to make the roster but still have to step up their production as well as guys who are squarely on the active roster bubble. Throw in some rookies and a 2008 starter coming back from a serious injury, and the question marks at the position quickly pile up.

THE QUICK BREAKDOWN

Virtual locks to make roster: Ted Ginn Jr., Davone Bess, Greg Camarillo
Likely to make roster: Patrick Turner, Brian Hartline
On the bubble: Brandon London, Anthony Armstrong, Ernest Wilford
Long shots: Brennan Marion, Chris Williams

THE QUESTIONS

There are two questions that jump out right away. One - is Greg Camarillo healthy enough to make the roster or does he have to begin season on the PUP list? If he did, that would potentially free up another roster spot. And that brings me to question two - how many receivers will the Dolphins keep on their 53-man roster? Five is the norm. But the Dolphins usually dressed only four on gamedays in 2008 - and dressed only three once Camarillo went down for the season. So it's clear that this regime doesn't necessarily think you must keep five receivers. And keeping six - as many think Miami will - is far from a sure thing.

THE NUMBERS GAME

What makes this position such an interesting one to watch in camp is because it will have ramifications on the entire roster. If the Dolphins do the unconventional move here and keep six receivers on the 53-man roster, you have to begin to wonder which position will lose a roster spot. And that brings me to Ernest Wilford - everyone's favorite free agent bust from a year ago. We know that Wilford has been working as a tight end this offseason in addition to receiver. You could conceivably make a case that Wilford making the team as the 6th wide receiver would allow the Dolphins to keep only two true tight ends on the roster - with Ernest playing the role of 6th WR/3rd TE. However, doing that would mean that the other five roster spots at wide receiver would come down to seven players. And there's no guarantee Wilford will even perform well enough in camp to merit making the team at any position.

Placing Greg Camarillo on the PUP list to begin the season would free up a roste spot. However, he participated in the team's final minicamp far more than anyone thought he would - proving that he might be very close to 100% as we head into training camp. If that's indeed the case, there's no way Greg gets stuck on the PUP list.

Some people are wondering about Brian Hartline, the team's 4th round draft pick back in April. Some think that the Dolphins could try to stash Hartline on the practice squad to begin the season. However, to do that, the Dolphins would have to waive him and allow the other 31 NFL teams a chance to claim him off waivers. He could also be plucked from the practice squad at any time by another NFL team (the only stipulation is that the player must spend the remainder of his season on the 53-man roster). So it's a risky proposition to try to stash him away like that.

The Dolphins also reportedly like Hartline's verstility a lot. They've used Brian at every receiver position and receivers coach Karl Dorrell said "the one thing I like about Brian is his versatility." That probably explains why he was drafted higher than many thought he'd go. Coupled with Brian's special teams contributions, I find it unlikely that Hartline doesn't make the 53-man roster out of training camp.

WHERE DOES THAT LEAVE US?

It's likely that Ted Ginn and either Davone Bess or Greg Camarillo will be starters to begin the season. This is a big year for Teddy, too. You'll remember that during non-contact OTAs and minicamp, head coach Tony Sparano made it a point to say Ginn has looked "dominant" at times in practice. That has to translate to on-field production once the pads go on and practice goes live. Bess remains the Dolphins best receiver working out of the slot thanks to his agility, quickness, hands, and fearlessness.

Look for Patrick Turner to make a splash as well in the right situations in 2009. The third round pick out of USC has impressed everyone who has watched him perform this offseason. He has shown "vacuum-like" hands and is reportedly running very good routes. His combination of size and hands should make him, at the very least, a viable redzone threat immediately.

THE KEY BATTLE

If I had to pick one head-to-head battle for a roster spot, I'd say it would be between Brandon London and Anthony Armstrong. London has been highly regarded among Dolphin fans and scouts alike for some time. It's believed that nearly half of the league put in a waiver claim on London last year when the Giants attempted to sneak him through waivers and onto their practice squad. The Dolphins, though, had top waiver priority thanks to their dismal 2007 season. London was active on gameday for 14 games but mainly contributed as a special teamer. However, he did make one critical diving catch on third down against the Jets that kept a touchdown drive alive. His combination of size, speed, and catching ability has kept London's ceiling very high. However, the selection of Patrick Turner and Brian Hartline (one a big receiver the other a special teams contributor) could make London expendable.

Meanwhile, the receiver who opened the most eyes this past offseason was Anthony Armstrong. He consistently made big play after big play during OTAs and minicamps. Tony Sparano said that it go to the point where the quarterback was actually targeting Armstrong and looking for him to make a play. He's got tons of speed and seems to have improved his route running. But he's very thin (5'11, 175 pounds) and has no NFL experience. Of course he did spend last season on Miami's practice squad - so he should be very familiar with the offense. However, he has to produce on the field during practices when the hitting is live as well as during preseason games if he hopes to stick around on the 53-man roster in '09.

THE PREDICTION

I think that Ginn, Camarillo, and Bess will all be on the team. I expect both rookies - Turner and Hartline - to make it as well (though I wouldn't be shocked if Hartline found himself on the practice squad). I also think there's a distinct possibility that the Dolphins keep six receivers to open the season - with that final spot going to either London or Armstrong. And if Armstrong can make a couple big plays during the preseason, I really think he could sneak onto the roster as the sixth receiver.

Golden Nuggets: I wish Sunday would get here

Ninjames — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 11:33:03 -0000

Edit: Make sure you check out the comments I've got some more links up, noteworthy is Nate Clements getting surgery.

You know, regardless of how this game turns out I just want Sunday to get here so I can get it over with. I'm utterly unconcerned with the rest of our games this season, for some reason this particular matchup with the Jets is a point of excitement for me. If we play well then I want to see the rest of the season and follow the offseason religiously. If we play bad I want to hide away for a long time and pretend to be a hockey fan. (Go.. Sharks?) Maybe not to that extent but I just want this game to be over with so I can actually formulate an opinion on my Niners. I don't know what to think of them, I'm stoked about the win at Buffalo, but I'm unsure where to rank them. If we can beat the Jets, then all the better, we're a legitimate team. That doesn't necessarily mean that I'll be completely distraught if we lose I just... want a win now more than ever this season, really--except maybe at the Cowboys game. At any rate, I didn't mean to babble for this long, there's some quality links for your enjoyment. Take your pick and enjoy..

Here's a pretty good summation for as far as news goes from Niners Insider including an injury report. (SFGate.com)

Center Eric Heitman has his work cut out for him. Kris Jenkins is an absolute beast. (One thing that's irking me. What's with Mike Martz saying "this is the best 'insert position here' I've coached in my seventeen years blah blah.."? It seems like he's talking out of his [site decorum] to me.) (SFGate.com)

Here's an article that draws attention to Mike Martz and his "compliments." (Fanhouse.com)

More on Martz and his praise for Heitman. I sure hope he's NOT just spouting nonsense. (PressDemocrat.com)

Maiocco gives a bit of an injury report as well. (PressDemocrat.com)

Looks like Mike Martz is a prospect for head coach of San Diego State. (MercuryNews.com)

Martz, however, says that the only job he's concerned with right now is his current employ with the 49ers. Good stuff. (SacBee.com)

Barry Sims is likely to be back in action on Sunday, though Adam Snyder will still be starting at right tackle. Snyder seems to be struggling on and off, and I'm hoping Sims can bring some stability to the position. (SacBee.com)

With every article about Eric Heitman I read I seem to realize how little I actually know about him, and just how big the matchup with Jenkins will be. (SacBee.com)

So is there any other motive to the Dolphins signing wide receiver Chris Hannon? You know, instead of their very capable practice squad standout Anthony Armstrong. I wouldn't know what advantage it would give, much like the writer of this article but its worth a thought. (BleacherReport.com)

Here's yesterday's edtion of Singletary's Notebook, always a good read. (49ers.com)

Frank Gore is nearing 1,000 yards. He'll be the first 49er to do so in three consecutive seasons. (49ers.com)

Here's this weeks Points of the Game. (49ers.com)

We're still tied for second in sacks allowed in the league--but we're allowing less and less. Hopefully even less against the Jets? Maybe wishful thinking. (49ers.com)

Here's a pretty good preview of Sunday's game. (MercuryNews.com)

This article claims Gore needs more touches. Then again, so have hundreds of others. (NinerNoise.com)

That's all for now, there should be a lot more today. Friday's usually get a lot, Saturdays get nothing at all and Sunday mornings get a bunch hopefully. Hope you enjoyed.

Dolphins active on waiver wire; claim London, Garner, and Alleman

Matty I — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 18:42:02 -0000

**UPDATE 3:50 pm** Here's the official story from MD.com. To make room for the 3 players claimed off waivers, the Dolphins waived Rob Ninkovich and Trey Darilek, to go along with Anthony Armstrong. They also placed 5 players onto their practice squad: Jayson Foster, Daren Heerspink, Lex Hilliard, Will Billingsley, and Matthew Mulligan. The Dolphins still have 3 spots free. I'd expect Armstrong to get one of those spots if he does clear waivers. And I'll be honest and say that I'm surprised Ninkovich got released over Quentin Moses. Moses didn't show me much this preseason. [end update]

The Dolphins have already put in claims on three players who were waived yesterday.

First off, the Dolphins claimed WR Brandon London off waivers from the Giants. London is a 6'4, 210 pound receiver who spent all of 2007 on the Giants' practice squad. And he was about to sign another deal to be placed onto New York's practice squad yet again when his agent called him and told him the Dolphins have claimed him off waivers. Says London about being claimed by Miami:

"Everybody in the (Giants') locker room thought I knew some kind of inside info and everything, but I was just saying that I like South Beach joking around. It's funny how it really happened like that."

"I'm beyond fired up. (The Dolphins) asked me if I'd be ready to practice tomorrow. I was like, 'I'm ready right now. Soon as I get off the plane.'"

I love the kid's excitement and enthusiasm. Let's see how he does once he gets down here, though. For the record, in the '08 preseason, London had 4 catches for 40 yards - all during their final game last Thursday against the Patriots. To make room for him, the Dolphins waived Anthony Armstrong - who is likely going to be placed on the practice squad once he clears waivers.

The Dolphins also claimed OL Andy Alleman. Alleman was a 2007 3rd round pick of the New Orleans Saints. He measures in at 6'4, 302 pounds. I don't know too much about him, so anyone who knows more can inform us below. Interesting to note, though, that both the Patriots and Jets also put in waiver claims for him. So he must have some potential!

The Dolphins also signed Nate Garner, a 6'7, 318 pound monster who the Jets drafted in the 7th round of last April's draft. Garner is listed as a guard, but started 13 games at right tackle last season for Arkansas. So perhaps he could be a guy who could provide depth at tackle behind Jake Long and Vernon Carey.

So that means as of right this minute, the Dolphins have to cut 2 more players to get down to 53 players. Any ideas who?