Dolphins assigned Marvin Allen

[PhinPhan in MA]

According to the team's official site:

The Dolphins were assigned wide receiver Marvin Allen as their International Practice squad player. Allen will join the team in training camp and not count either towards their roster limit or the eight-player practice squad. International practice squad players may not be signed to any club’s 53-man active roster during the 2007 season.

The 24-year-old Allen played each of the of the last three years (2005-07) in NFL Europa, including this past spring when he caught 21 passes for 222 yards and a TD with the Rhein Fire. He also spent the entire 2006 season on the practice squad of the Pittsburgh Steelers as their NFL Europe International Practice Squad player.

The 5-10, 180-pounder is a native of London, England where he played four years (2001-04) for the London O’s Senior Football Club, which won three straight British championships, from 2001-03. He was part of the Team Europe squad, which takes the top junior players from around Europe to play against other high school all-star teams from the USA, Canada, Japan and Mexico. He was born on March 5, 1983 in London.

I was previously unaware of the International Practice Squad designation, and he won't be able to play on the active roster this season, but I guess there's no downside to having an extra practice squad guy who doesn't count against any limits.

 

[Muck]

I never knew about this either. Perhaps it's a new program?

Plus the guy will earn a pretty good living. Practice squad guys make $80,000 a year. Heckuva glass ceiling. :tongue:

 

[#1dolphinsfan]

is he any good

 

[finsUK]

is he any good

If he had come up through the college system he would be a hot starter. He started late but he has the physical skills - he does need development and he deserves it.

There are a couple of universities here (UK) that have teams but by American standards they're not very good and its still early days. The game is an amateur minority sport over here. There are about 35 teams and the O's are currently ranked number 2 in the UK, they were number 1 for a long time.

There are a couple of english players in DivII Arena Football and one guy did make it to the final cuts with the Raiders a couple of years ago but, other than kickers, I think this is as far as anyone's got

 

[The Goose]

I think the scheme has been going a few years, seems a good idea to me, the guy will learn loads whilst with an NFL team which can only be a good thning for player development.

 

[UK_OLCoach@Work]

The Pro's and Cons of the NFL Europe development players. They take the right size and body shape and some times players who have had very little playing experience and put them into training camps.

As for if Marvin would have been a "hot starter" is doubtful, the closest any british player other than a kicker has come to making a team was Loryn Mayers who made it to the last cut of preseason two years ago with the Reaiders after being allocated from NFL Europe.