Here are some very good observations by Omar at Sun-sentinel. I like how he said Jake Long was eating Holliday up today.
This is the opportunity to reorganize the depth chart and give everyone who survived the first week a fresh start.
The Dolphins have a game on Saturday against Tampa Bay and that's when the first quarter report card grades come out.
Last week presented a few pop quizzes, and not everyone did well. Some guys, like tackle Ruebin Riley and tight end Aaron Halterman, flat out failed, and got cut. But those who survived will all have a chance to recover while management continues to turn over every stone trying to churn this roster.
Right now, during practices this week, there are plenty of players who have some makeup work to do. And they better come out swinging for the sake of their starting roles, and/or roster spot.
Here's my list of players who need to pick it up heading into that Tampa game.
QB
John Beck - He's clearly struggling, and the sad thing is it's not like the other two quarterbacks are burning it up. Beck's struggling to read the field, and the majority of his passes are checkdowns. To take a look at some of
the QB issues check this story out. Where is this heady quarterback we saw during last year's camp? Rookie
Chad Henne is clearly starting to spread his wings, so Beck needs to get on his grind.
FB
Reagan Mauia - The Juggernaut not only has a brick head, he's also got brick hands. He better be bulldozing some huge holes in the exhibition season or the Dolphins might opt to make an upgrade at FB in the next two weeks. There is no role for a fullback who can't catch on this team.
WR
Ernest Wilford - He's caught fewer passes than some of the undrafted rookie free agents in the first week. That's not good for a player who is considered your starter, and possible go-to weapon.
Derek Hagan, who was tearing it up at the end of last week, deserves the opportunity to challenge for the started spot based on his production. Matter of fact, Hagan was working in Wilford's place during Monday mornings practice. It'll be interested to see if Hagan responds positively to the elevation, or does he pull one of his classic disappearing acts.
DE
Matt Roth - I haven't noticed him once, and that's a bad thing considering I REALLY watch line play. Not one tackle. Not one pressured pass play. Either the right side of the Dolphins offensive line is REALLY good or he's struggling to shed his blocker. He better get things in motion because
Kendall Langford's right on his tail. In fact, Langford was working with the starters during Monday mornings session while Roth worked as the starting outside linebacker, leapfrogging
Charlie Anderson. Is this experimentation, or a full-time move? When I know you'll know.
OG
Shawn Murphy - He's struggling in the strength department, especially compared to fellow rookie
Donald Thomas, who is locking down that starting right guard spot.
To see what he's doing that is so special click on this story. I'm about ready to write Thomas' name down in pen as a starter. He holds his ground against the bullish defensive tackles while Murphy is getting man-handed when going against a starting caliber player. Murphy needs to pick it up or he could find himself on the practice squad, not 53-man roster.
OLB
Reggie Torbor -
Akin Ayodele is gaining ground on him for the starting spot considering he's worked next to Channing Crowder all of the first week. It's not that Torbor isn't performing well. It's just that he's not getting many opportunities to challenge for the starting job. Maybe he's a break in case of emergency linebacker, which is a similar role to the one he had with the Giants.
K
Jay Feely - His kickoffs have distance, but no hang time. He's one of the NFL's most accurate field goal kickers. At least last season he was. However, during training camp I've seen him miss a couple of easy chips and it's starting to make me scratch my head, wondering if rookie
Dan Carpenter can really unseat the veteran. But then again Matt Prater challenged him last year, and when Atlanta made him their starting kicker he struggled.
Anything is possible with the Trifecta, who I've discovered love to push buttons.
That's why this is "go time" for those trying to move their way up the depth chart, or lock down starting roles. It will be interesting to see who responds. Who has some fight in them?
Here are some of my observations from
Monday mornings practice.....
I'm not sure if it was the QB rotation, but Beck was working with the third team while Henne was working with the starters. That's just about how I would order them, but maybe this was just the way the two-QB rotation played out. Coincidence, or not?
Murphy continues to work as the backup left guard with
Trey Darilek, who spent most of last week at tackle, returning to the inside as the backup right guard. Thomas appears to be holding it down....
Ikechuku Ndukwe and
Daren Heerspink are the backup tackles FOR NOW. The Trifecta has two vacant roster spots on the 80-man training camp roster and I suspect one of those newcomers will be another tackle....
It appears that
Channing Crowder will serve as the defense's playcaller, and will be wearing the talking helmet....
Nathan Jones is looking real good at cornerback. He got a pick today during 7-on-7s and I suspect he's locking down the nickel back spot, holding off
Travis Daniels, who did have a pick on Sunday. Him and SS
Keith Davis clearly work in the nickel and dime packages. Every other player in the secondary is fighting to find work.
TE
Anthony Fasano had his worst practice since training camp opened, and at one point
Tony Sparano got up in his face about having a pass deflected by
Edmond Miles. Speaking of Miles, in my opinion he's the fourth inside linebacker, holding off
Kelvin Smith (who I never notice) and
Kelly Poppinga (who I notice for bad reasons).
It's going to be fun to see
Jake Long go against Tampa's front line. That unit doesn't possess any speed rushing DE's, and Long eats up those bigger guys. Today he ate
Vonnie Holliday for lunch during during one-on-one drills. By comparison, Holliday took
Justin Smiley's lunch money.
Jake Long is going to be just fine as a pro. Just fine.
I have to give a gold star (Boomerang moment) to
Matthew Mulligan. The kid looked lost during minicamp and OTAs, but for the past few practices he's been the primary go-to guy for the third team quarterback. I've got him catching three touchdowns in three practices, primarily during redzone and goal line work. Today he caught a touchdown pass from
Josh McCown in the back of the endzone. However, he also dropped a TD pass, which happened to be one of Beck's better throws of the afternoon session.
I expect Sparano to announce his starting quarterback on Thursday morning, and I'm personally hoping its going to be Beck. While I know he doesn't deserve it based on his first week performance, Beck needs to be given every opportunity to succeed in a game situation (one that doesn't count). Don't arm him with any excuses (to be honest, he never makes any). Give him the first team line, and the best weapon around him. The Trifecta needs to know what they have, and if Beck poops the bed he poops the bed. I would be a bold move, one that turns up the heat on his hotseat.
Come back later for my summary of the afternoon session, and hit me with any questions or comments here. I'd love to know what you want to know. Hit
F5 to refresh and holla at your boy.
Deuces
