Barry Jackson Sports Buzz 8-6

[gafin]

The encouraging news about the Dolphins’ tight end situation: Dion Sims appears to be much-improved, especially as a receiver, and is in good position to land the No. 2 tight end job behind Charles Clay. The unsettling development: Of the seven tight ends on the roster, only three are fully healthy: Sims, Kyle Miller and recent addition Brett Brackett.
Charles Clay (knee), Michael Egnew (concussion symptoms) and Harold Hoskins (hamstring) did not practice Wednesday, and Arthur Lynch remained limited with an undisclosed injury.
The Dolphins prefer not to play Lynch on Friday, barring a change of heart, but he is expected to be cleared to do everything as early as next week.
So Dolphins fans will see plenty of Sims, Miller and Brackett on Friday.
Sims has impressed throughout camp, catching several passes over the middle and finding ways to get open in the end zone.
“He’s catching the ball very well,” coach Joe Philbin said. “We’ve seen him in the passing game look and play faster. We’re encouraged by that. That’s something that can pay dividends for us this year. His blocking has gotten more consistent. He’s been more consistent” overall.
Sims --- who caught six passes for 32 yards as a rookie --- said he has watched tape of Clay, Antonio Gates and Tony Gonzalez in an attempt to learn nuances of becoming a better receiving tight end. At 6-4 and 265 pounds, “my height and body will help me in the passing game,” he said. “I’m getting better body position.”
Tight ends coach Dan Campbell said Sims “has come a long way. He had a heck of a spring. In camp, he has proven he's ready to take that next stride up.”

### With Pat Devlin (hamstring) and Matt Moore (shoulder) unable to practice on Wednesday, undrafted quarterbacks Seth Lobato (Northern Colorado) and Brock Jensen (North DakotaState) got all the work behind Ryan Tannehill.

Lobato threw an interception to Jordan Kovacs but also made several strong throws, including a 79-yard touchdown pass to Jarvis Landry, who beat Kevin Fogg.
Tannehill’s play was up and down. He badly overthrew Brian Hartline on a deep ball and Jason Trusnik intercepted a pass that was batted away by Dion Jordan, giving Tannehill seven interceptions in three practices this week. But he made an impressive pinpoint throw to Damian Williams on a crossing route, beating Will Davis.

### Olivier Vernon (back), Mike Wallace (hamstring) and Brian Hartline returned to practice, but running back Daniel Thomas (hamstring), cornerback Jalil Brown (knee), Clay and Hoskins remained out, and kicker Caleb Sturgis (groin) was limited.

### Dallas Thomas remained with the first team at right guard, with Shelley Smith sharing time at left guard with Daryn Colledge, who has received the majority of the first-team snaps.
“I’m rotating with Shelley,” Colledge pointed out after practice. “Shelley’s out there fighting to be the starting left guard also.”
Colledge, signed on June 30, “has picked up the system well, but it’s taken a little while,” Philbin said. “I don’t think it’s all the way there yet, but I’m hoping there is more development coming in the next couple of weeks.”
### Knowshon Moreno was activated from PUP but didn’t participate in team drills.

### How much will the Dolphins conceal their offensive strategy during preseason games?

Philbin answered this way: “I can tell you that we’re certainly not going to create a new offense to send our future opponents down the wrong road because, again, we’ve had these guys in the building since April 21st and we’ve been installing pieces of the offense really since that day. Then we’ve re-done (the offense) a couple of times in the OTAs and now in training camp.

“So we are going to do what we do and I told the players that yesterday when we broke as a team, ‘Listen, we’re going to run over defense, we’re going to run under defense, we’re going to line up in a one-back formation. We are going to do certain things and we are going to get in empty.’

"That’s what we do and we are going to do that today and we’re going to do that against Atlanta and we’re going to do it against New England and we’re going to do it in December and January. That’s our system. That’s who we are. I think you have to be certainly cognizant of your tendencies, but I also believe it’s probably good to have a couple of tendencies.”

### Philbin said today he believes the Dolphins will run the ball better this season, based on what he has seen in camp.

Colledge agrees: “We’re playing against a defense that knows what we’re doing every day and we still find a way to run the ball a little bit!”

Good to here Dion Sims is doing well.



http://miamiherald.typepad.com/sports-buzz/

 

[hoops]

omar said brackett made as many plays in the first portion of todays practice as egnew has all camp...figures

beat all the cut dion sims people off with a stick dion...

 

[J. David Wannyheimer]

I will believe it when I see it with Dion Sims, but nice to hear, I guess.

 

[So Be]

Interesting comments on Colledge. IF Shelly beats him out, do we keep him or maybe look for someone off final cuts who can play both sides? He, like Satele, has little money guaranteed.

 

[rent this space]

Looks like the Dolphins are about to turn the page on Egnew and Thomas, we are seeing un-drafted rookies outperform them at their own positions

 

[So Be]

omar said brackett made as many plays in the first portion of todays practice as egnew has all camp...figures

beat all the cut dion sims people off with a stick dion...

Just as glad to hear of Sims improvement in blocking as receiving. Looking forward to seeing him on Fri.

 

[hoops]

I will believe it when I see it with Dion Sims, but nice to hear, I guess.

i don't buy much difference maker play is on the way in the pass game...but i do buy that he's become a better in line blocker etc...and the offense should get him some good looks in the passing game

 

[roy_miami]

I have high hopes for Sims and Will Davis stepping out of the shadows from last years class. Good to hear they are both generating some buzz.

 

[datruth55]

If Jarvis Landry is catching 79-yard bombs I would say his 4.77 time at the combine is way off and his 4.58 time at his pro day is more realistic.

 

[xXwarXx]

Just as glad to hear of Sims improvement in blocking as receiving. Looking forward to seeing him on Fri.

i wonder how good he can get. He has that height and size, and he's a pretty smooth route runner and has very soft hands, Omar said he was doing well blocking wake today. He has a whole year under his belt just blocking, I wonder if he's ready to make that breakout the way clay did last year.

It's probably overly optimistic to hope he can be a Crumpler type TE for us. But he kind of reminds me of him, just not quite as agile.

 

[Zounds]

TE is one of the hardest positions to learn, especially for a TE expected to block. Sims will get there.

 

[hoops]

i can't stress enough how much of a difference for our pass pro sims making strides as an in line blocker could be...i don't expect him to defeat de's one on one on the regular just like i dont expect him to be asked to do so very often the scheme needs to avoid that as much as possible but if he can hold a edge rusher up or provide outside help so that the tackle can take away the inside most direct route to the qb that would be huge for an offense that is built to get the ball out of the qbs hand quickly...

 

[KTOWNFINFAN]

Interesting comments on Colledge. IF Shelly beats him out, do we keep him or maybe look for someone off final cuts who can play both sides? He, like Satele, has little money guaranteed.

:sidelol::sidelol::lol2:ossum4286:ossum4286: Good one. That one made my day. Too funny. Pretty sure Shelley doesn't make it past first cuts. He will never be a starter and would be our worst backup.

 

[MrClean]

Interesting comments on Colledge. IF Shelly beats him out, do we keep him or maybe look for someone off final cuts who can play both sides? He, like Satele, has little money guaranteed.

Colledge and Satele need to be starting on week 1 to be assured roster spots. Being vested veterans, their salaries are guaranteed for the entire season if on the roster for week 1. I'm pretty sure both will be starting though. Smith maybe a better run blocker than Colledge, but the latter is the better pass blocker, and keeping RT17 upright should be the primary concern when it comes to whose on the OL.

 

[DefensiveEnd76]

I am tired of Daniel Thomas and Egnew. Cut them already. Neither of them are NFL caliber players.