DIRTYCASHHOLDIN
Practice Squad
- Joined
- Jan 27, 2002
- Messages
- 308
- Reaction score
- 0
I am going to try and get down to camp tomorrow morning.....but for now....I want to put some of the things down that I have heard..
1. Jamie Nails.....give the guy credit...he rehabbed and ate the right way...all throughout the injury. Nails is working daily with the team's personal nutritionist...and is not that far from his playing weight from last year...335. Drew has told just about everyone that Nails should be ready to start working out with the team in the final Qb school... but the Dolphins will be in no rush...and just really want him ready when they put on the pads in late July.
2. The locker room right now is very much behind JAY FIEDLER...and there is no such of any apparant Qb controversey regarding the imminent arrival of Brian Griese. The players are more wondering on how WANNY handles this situation....matter of factly. The team is eager for Griese to sign....mainly because....Griese makes the Dolphins a better team. Most of the players share the same belief..... that the only way Griese can become the starter.....is for JAY FIEDLER to literally play himself...off the field. And the players to a man will also say that FIEDLER so far....has had a very good off-season....and is throwing the ball in camp..better than he has in any recent memory this early on.. Jay has the respect and he will be the starter....there is no controversey...from anyone in the locker room....on who the starter is.
3. I have heard that the 1 position the Dolphins are most satisfied with.....after 2 defections....is from the TE position...where the Dolphins did not want to lose both JED WEAVER and DESMOND CLARK. The blocking of DONALD LEE was a given.....but the Dolphins were quite surprised with what they saw in his hands as well. LEE was really underused in college...and now it appears that he will fill the same role that WEAVER had last season.....blocking and Goal Line TE. Also....the signing of veteran MARCO BATTAGLIA. MARCO caught 3 TDS...almost consecutively last camp...in a drill that turned heads....but the bottom line is that B-TAG has been very impressive all camps....catching more balls than anyone would have thought. He will compete with LEE for playing time behind Mcmichael.....but regardless.....the Dolphins are very happy with what they have seemingly found in these 2 new TE's.
4. It appears that there will be a very tough choice between who will start....along with BROCK MARION at safety. You can pencil in MARION at FS.....he is not going anywhere....the battle is between speed or power? It was clear last camp that KNIGHT does not move anywhere as fast as FREEMAn does.....but the Dolphins also see what Knight brings....a physical presence in the secondary. However...this scheme does call for a lot of speed and lateral movement....so who is more important to start....that is the question? Wanny has FREEMAN as the starter...right now in drills....with Knight coming in....but does this mean anyhting? Wanny privately told a reporter...that both will play...and the media should not even make to much of the Freeman-Knight battle....leaving out MARION in the conversation...as the coach knows that MARION will remain the starter at FS.
5. I have heard that the competition between DERRIOUS THOMPSON and JAMES McKNIGHT.....is real intense...and about as even as you can have right now. But those who have talked to Coach Robert Ford believe that he would ultimately like to see THOMPSON oppostite CHAMBERS...with McKNIGHT coming in as the third receiver. The Dolphins are also working CHAMBERS in the slot....meaning that both Mcknight and THOMPSON are lining up on the outside...in the 3-wide sets. The coaches just are in love with THOMPSON's size/speed ratio...that is why he may the edge to start over McKnight. He and Mcknight have both had good camps....but THOMPSON has made the more spectacular catches...as well he has made some deep catches...impressing with seperation speed.
6. Eddie Moore is not ready yet to surplant MERLON GREENWOOD at his LB spot.....but he may be after training camp is all over. The DOlphins brass have gotten a very fast and intelligent player in MOORE....who is not making many mental mistakes...and is seemingly flying all over the field... at the same time....the DOlphins are not UNHAPPY with GREENWOOD's camps.....but nonetheless......the pressure is going to be on GREENWOOD to have a strong showing when the pads come on.....and the Dolphins want to see some progression also in Greenwood's play...when the pre-season rolls around. They want to see TURNOVERS from Greenwood's play...just more big plays overall. If Greenwood is the same run of the mill starter in the pre-season....and if MOORE continues to improve significantly.....there is no question that MOORE can be the opening day starter. I don't think there is any doubt in the coaches minds...that MOORE will eventually become the starter.....it is just a matter of when? Moore seems to have the better instincts....and the faster speed....but he is still very raw.
7. DE LAMANZER WILLIAMS has been a star in EUROPE....and the Dolphins have made DE WALLY OGUNLEYE aware of it. Everyone knows that OGUN and DREW are not very happy with his contract situation....and there was talk that Drew may hold his client out. Basically in a nutshell.....SPIELMAN started sending out PR stuff all over Dolphin Press releases....on how well WILLIAMS is playing out there. Most people did not have a blues clue on who the hell LAMANZER WILLIAMS is or was....not before OGUN started crying about his contract.... Regardless now.....SPIELMAN cannot privately believe that WILLIAMS has continued his great season sack total....and what can the DOlphins do now about this? They have got to see it to believe that WILLIAMS can do it on this level....and he will indeed get a long look at DE very shortly...when he and the rest of the Europe guys come back.
8. Just about everyone on the team wants ORONDE GADSDEN to come back to the team....but after now seeing the play of DERRIOUS THOMPSON and the surprising play of JR TOLVER....some players are wondering where the BIG O will fit in. There are some who say that if and when GADSDEN comes back.....he should only be used with THOMPSON in red-zone situations..... Many players see THOMPSON now....as a bigger and much faster version than Oronde. Many players feel that Oronde really screwed up and really let his agent go way to far. The Dolphins are not going to move on the league miniumum offer.....and now....the players can understand why.
9. The speed of CHARLIE ROGERS has been high octane. ROGERS has been used as a RB....which he has never played....but has looked like a natural doing it in camp. He has been extremely impressive catching balls in the flats...and now....if he takes up one of the RB spots....this could mean the beginning of the end for veteran ROBERT EDWARDS. The Dolphins will keep TRAVIS MINOR and will take another hard look at young HENRY. It appears that EDWARDS will have to have a very good JULY and pre-season to make the team...
10. ALso at FB.....once again FEMI AYANBADEJO is really taking his aim at backup FB....and Deon Dyer. He has looked good...and it is obvious that he is a good fit in the scheme of NORV TURNER.... It may come down to special teams... once again....there is only going to be 2 Fb's....and its going to come down to probably the last cut.
11. The DOlphins will not pursue any FA tackles or guards right now....barring any injurires that is. After Griese....all that the DOlphins will have left is for the rookies to be signed...and if he wants....the addition of ORONDE GADSDEN. The Dolphins have seen a lot of progress in T GREG JERMAN....and see the potential in T WADE SMITH...who has shown great footwork and awareness in camp. It is JERMAN who would be called upon first....if an injury occurrs. Last pre-season....if you recall....it was JERMAN who really held his own out there...and since then...he has made steady improvement....enough for TONY WISE to say that he is confident that JERMAN is ready to play if necessary.
12. Jamar Fletcher... there are some who are saying that it is now possible for him to be INACTIVE on Sundays. WHY? It appears that T-BUCK is a mortal lock to take the third CB spot....and with the addition of SAMMY KNIGHT....there may not even be room for FLETCH in the dime packages. And you also have to activate both Mcgarrahan and Gamble for special teams....and GAMBLE can also play in some dime packages. So.....where does this leave FLETCHER....barring any injuries to the top 3 Cb's? And Fletcher has not done anything bad thus far....he has made some plays out there....but you know what....T-BUCK just looks better out there....and make no mistake about it....T-BUCK starts..he was brought in here to make pmake plays...and help this team get that mental, veteran edge that was sorely missed last year in December.
13. The Dolphins main priority re-signing is T TODD WADE....and once the rookies are all signed up....look for the Dolphins to start negotiating a long extension with WADE's agent. The Dolphins are not going to lose WADE to FA....he would be franchised if it came down to it.
14. The talk is that SETH MCKINNEY continues to improve.....but once again.....TIM RUDDY just keeps on fending off the competetion. MCKINNNEY is actually working at Guard until JAMIE NAILS comes back.....but once again...SETH looks like he will have to wait until next year....to emerge as the heir apparant to RUDDY.....whose unspectacular but consistency in the pivot...still puts RUDDY above all else on this roster.
15. JUNIOR SEAU is getting acclimated to the SOUTH BEACH LIFe.....and wants to get an apartment down there. RICKEY WILLIAMS and JUNIOR SEAU have become close already....and what is more surprising....is that RICKEY has really got more vocal inside the locker room.....trying to encourage and talk to more of the younger guys on the team. It was WILLIAMS...who put on a private party down at SOUTH BEACH's OPIUM CLUB...for his birthday bash....and had just about all on the team come down for a great time. Ricky is appearing just about everywhere down here...even at MARLINS games.....and seemingly hanging out with his teammates much more than last year. And for SEAU.....he is being called Grandpa by some of the players in the locker room....but the bottom line....is that SEAU has made his rounds to everyone in that locker room...saying that he is here to win a super bowl...and asking everyone in there...to come jump on his bandwagon. Seau has looked very good out there....and his tempo and style....you could see everyone out there watching what he does.....before the play is snapped....he is always moving.
16. The decision to let go JERMAINE HALEY and bring in DT JEFF ZGONINA....was another outstanding move by Rick SPielman. Just last week.....at RICKYS bash down at the beach.....many Dolphins players witnessed HALEY really get messed up...(alcohol) and told him to not drive at all. The result was that HALEY smashed up someone's car....and this I am told....was not the first time that HALEY has had a problem. Haley was arrested for DUI....and the REDSKINS are not happy about it. Now... what the DOLPHINS have....is a guy who is a workmanlike....low key guy....who just lines up and knocks you around......in JEFF ZGONINA. ZGONINA...who has calves the sizes of grapefruits... is going to be even a better backup to BOWENS and CHESTER than HALEY is.....and without the headaches of him complaining about playing time, contracts, or worrying about him driving home at night. ZGONINA as well...as the improving play of DT DARIO ROMERO...makes the Defensive line....as good as there is ....with WILLIAMS and BURNETT backing up as well.
17. The coach with some pressure this season....besides WANNSTEDT? I think that this is the year that we must see a lot of improvement in the special teams overall play.....meaning KEITH ARMSTRONG. He has gotten a lot of help it seems now.....and it is up to him to coordinate these guys to a very solid unit. I have reported that there has been some shouting matches between the coach and players last season....and sometimes....guys were not on the same page. But the bottom line here.....is that MIKE WESTOFF was let go because of ARMSTRONG's better relationship with WANNY.....not because he was the better coach.....and there are many people who still feel that WESTOFF was the difference maker on the special teams....which has seemingly regressed since his departure.
18. A kid who has looked good.....but has really no shot at making the team.... is #2 WR JIMMY FRYZEL from UCF. He may be able to play somewhere...
19. SAM SIMMONS....so much versatility....but not that much talent from where I sit... He is coaching high school WR's down here....after the Dolphin practices are over and done with. He wants to be a coach if he can't make the team....and has seemingly already has an internship... I can't see how he can make this roster....but I admire his PLAN B....at the same time...and doing it...all in a days time.
20. Another guy who is definately on the bubble now......is S SHAWN WOODEN. Every year it seems like he is the odd man out though...doesn't it.....but every pre-season....he always seems to make plays. He will really have to shine on special teams as well this pre-season.
21. A real tough guy.....JUSTIN SEAVERNS....who still has not recieved a dime from SEAU for his #55!! But this kid is all taped up out there....his foot is aching...his back is ailing....all kinds of practice injuries....and just refuses to sit out a practice. The coaches like his free-spririt....and ZACH THOMAS has really taken in to the player he calls LIONHEART. Is this the type of player you keep on your team....despite great size and speed? I think so....and I hope he makes it this time around...
DCH
1. Jamie Nails.....give the guy credit...he rehabbed and ate the right way...all throughout the injury. Nails is working daily with the team's personal nutritionist...and is not that far from his playing weight from last year...335. Drew has told just about everyone that Nails should be ready to start working out with the team in the final Qb school... but the Dolphins will be in no rush...and just really want him ready when they put on the pads in late July.
2. The locker room right now is very much behind JAY FIEDLER...and there is no such of any apparant Qb controversey regarding the imminent arrival of Brian Griese. The players are more wondering on how WANNY handles this situation....matter of factly. The team is eager for Griese to sign....mainly because....Griese makes the Dolphins a better team. Most of the players share the same belief..... that the only way Griese can become the starter.....is for JAY FIEDLER to literally play himself...off the field. And the players to a man will also say that FIEDLER so far....has had a very good off-season....and is throwing the ball in camp..better than he has in any recent memory this early on.. Jay has the respect and he will be the starter....there is no controversey...from anyone in the locker room....on who the starter is.
3. I have heard that the 1 position the Dolphins are most satisfied with.....after 2 defections....is from the TE position...where the Dolphins did not want to lose both JED WEAVER and DESMOND CLARK. The blocking of DONALD LEE was a given.....but the Dolphins were quite surprised with what they saw in his hands as well. LEE was really underused in college...and now it appears that he will fill the same role that WEAVER had last season.....blocking and Goal Line TE. Also....the signing of veteran MARCO BATTAGLIA. MARCO caught 3 TDS...almost consecutively last camp...in a drill that turned heads....but the bottom line is that B-TAG has been very impressive all camps....catching more balls than anyone would have thought. He will compete with LEE for playing time behind Mcmichael.....but regardless.....the Dolphins are very happy with what they have seemingly found in these 2 new TE's.
4. It appears that there will be a very tough choice between who will start....along with BROCK MARION at safety. You can pencil in MARION at FS.....he is not going anywhere....the battle is between speed or power? It was clear last camp that KNIGHT does not move anywhere as fast as FREEMAn does.....but the Dolphins also see what Knight brings....a physical presence in the secondary. However...this scheme does call for a lot of speed and lateral movement....so who is more important to start....that is the question? Wanny has FREEMAN as the starter...right now in drills....with Knight coming in....but does this mean anyhting? Wanny privately told a reporter...that both will play...and the media should not even make to much of the Freeman-Knight battle....leaving out MARION in the conversation...as the coach knows that MARION will remain the starter at FS.
5. I have heard that the competition between DERRIOUS THOMPSON and JAMES McKNIGHT.....is real intense...and about as even as you can have right now. But those who have talked to Coach Robert Ford believe that he would ultimately like to see THOMPSON oppostite CHAMBERS...with McKNIGHT coming in as the third receiver. The Dolphins are also working CHAMBERS in the slot....meaning that both Mcknight and THOMPSON are lining up on the outside...in the 3-wide sets. The coaches just are in love with THOMPSON's size/speed ratio...that is why he may the edge to start over McKnight. He and Mcknight have both had good camps....but THOMPSON has made the more spectacular catches...as well he has made some deep catches...impressing with seperation speed.
6. Eddie Moore is not ready yet to surplant MERLON GREENWOOD at his LB spot.....but he may be after training camp is all over. The DOlphins brass have gotten a very fast and intelligent player in MOORE....who is not making many mental mistakes...and is seemingly flying all over the field... at the same time....the DOlphins are not UNHAPPY with GREENWOOD's camps.....but nonetheless......the pressure is going to be on GREENWOOD to have a strong showing when the pads come on.....and the Dolphins want to see some progression also in Greenwood's play...when the pre-season rolls around. They want to see TURNOVERS from Greenwood's play...just more big plays overall. If Greenwood is the same run of the mill starter in the pre-season....and if MOORE continues to improve significantly.....there is no question that MOORE can be the opening day starter. I don't think there is any doubt in the coaches minds...that MOORE will eventually become the starter.....it is just a matter of when? Moore seems to have the better instincts....and the faster speed....but he is still very raw.
7. DE LAMANZER WILLIAMS has been a star in EUROPE....and the Dolphins have made DE WALLY OGUNLEYE aware of it. Everyone knows that OGUN and DREW are not very happy with his contract situation....and there was talk that Drew may hold his client out. Basically in a nutshell.....SPIELMAN started sending out PR stuff all over Dolphin Press releases....on how well WILLIAMS is playing out there. Most people did not have a blues clue on who the hell LAMANZER WILLIAMS is or was....not before OGUN started crying about his contract.... Regardless now.....SPIELMAN cannot privately believe that WILLIAMS has continued his great season sack total....and what can the DOlphins do now about this? They have got to see it to believe that WILLIAMS can do it on this level....and he will indeed get a long look at DE very shortly...when he and the rest of the Europe guys come back.
8. Just about everyone on the team wants ORONDE GADSDEN to come back to the team....but after now seeing the play of DERRIOUS THOMPSON and the surprising play of JR TOLVER....some players are wondering where the BIG O will fit in. There are some who say that if and when GADSDEN comes back.....he should only be used with THOMPSON in red-zone situations..... Many players see THOMPSON now....as a bigger and much faster version than Oronde. Many players feel that Oronde really screwed up and really let his agent go way to far. The Dolphins are not going to move on the league miniumum offer.....and now....the players can understand why.
9. The speed of CHARLIE ROGERS has been high octane. ROGERS has been used as a RB....which he has never played....but has looked like a natural doing it in camp. He has been extremely impressive catching balls in the flats...and now....if he takes up one of the RB spots....this could mean the beginning of the end for veteran ROBERT EDWARDS. The Dolphins will keep TRAVIS MINOR and will take another hard look at young HENRY. It appears that EDWARDS will have to have a very good JULY and pre-season to make the team...
10. ALso at FB.....once again FEMI AYANBADEJO is really taking his aim at backup FB....and Deon Dyer. He has looked good...and it is obvious that he is a good fit in the scheme of NORV TURNER.... It may come down to special teams... once again....there is only going to be 2 Fb's....and its going to come down to probably the last cut.
11. The DOlphins will not pursue any FA tackles or guards right now....barring any injurires that is. After Griese....all that the DOlphins will have left is for the rookies to be signed...and if he wants....the addition of ORONDE GADSDEN. The Dolphins have seen a lot of progress in T GREG JERMAN....and see the potential in T WADE SMITH...who has shown great footwork and awareness in camp. It is JERMAN who would be called upon first....if an injury occurrs. Last pre-season....if you recall....it was JERMAN who really held his own out there...and since then...he has made steady improvement....enough for TONY WISE to say that he is confident that JERMAN is ready to play if necessary.
12. Jamar Fletcher... there are some who are saying that it is now possible for him to be INACTIVE on Sundays. WHY? It appears that T-BUCK is a mortal lock to take the third CB spot....and with the addition of SAMMY KNIGHT....there may not even be room for FLETCH in the dime packages. And you also have to activate both Mcgarrahan and Gamble for special teams....and GAMBLE can also play in some dime packages. So.....where does this leave FLETCHER....barring any injuries to the top 3 Cb's? And Fletcher has not done anything bad thus far....he has made some plays out there....but you know what....T-BUCK just looks better out there....and make no mistake about it....T-BUCK starts..he was brought in here to make pmake plays...and help this team get that mental, veteran edge that was sorely missed last year in December.
13. The Dolphins main priority re-signing is T TODD WADE....and once the rookies are all signed up....look for the Dolphins to start negotiating a long extension with WADE's agent. The Dolphins are not going to lose WADE to FA....he would be franchised if it came down to it.
14. The talk is that SETH MCKINNEY continues to improve.....but once again.....TIM RUDDY just keeps on fending off the competetion. MCKINNNEY is actually working at Guard until JAMIE NAILS comes back.....but once again...SETH looks like he will have to wait until next year....to emerge as the heir apparant to RUDDY.....whose unspectacular but consistency in the pivot...still puts RUDDY above all else on this roster.
15. JUNIOR SEAU is getting acclimated to the SOUTH BEACH LIFe.....and wants to get an apartment down there. RICKEY WILLIAMS and JUNIOR SEAU have become close already....and what is more surprising....is that RICKEY has really got more vocal inside the locker room.....trying to encourage and talk to more of the younger guys on the team. It was WILLIAMS...who put on a private party down at SOUTH BEACH's OPIUM CLUB...for his birthday bash....and had just about all on the team come down for a great time. Ricky is appearing just about everywhere down here...even at MARLINS games.....and seemingly hanging out with his teammates much more than last year. And for SEAU.....he is being called Grandpa by some of the players in the locker room....but the bottom line....is that SEAU has made his rounds to everyone in that locker room...saying that he is here to win a super bowl...and asking everyone in there...to come jump on his bandwagon. Seau has looked very good out there....and his tempo and style....you could see everyone out there watching what he does.....before the play is snapped....he is always moving.
16. The decision to let go JERMAINE HALEY and bring in DT JEFF ZGONINA....was another outstanding move by Rick SPielman. Just last week.....at RICKYS bash down at the beach.....many Dolphins players witnessed HALEY really get messed up...(alcohol) and told him to not drive at all. The result was that HALEY smashed up someone's car....and this I am told....was not the first time that HALEY has had a problem. Haley was arrested for DUI....and the REDSKINS are not happy about it. Now... what the DOLPHINS have....is a guy who is a workmanlike....low key guy....who just lines up and knocks you around......in JEFF ZGONINA. ZGONINA...who has calves the sizes of grapefruits... is going to be even a better backup to BOWENS and CHESTER than HALEY is.....and without the headaches of him complaining about playing time, contracts, or worrying about him driving home at night. ZGONINA as well...as the improving play of DT DARIO ROMERO...makes the Defensive line....as good as there is ....with WILLIAMS and BURNETT backing up as well.
17. The coach with some pressure this season....besides WANNSTEDT? I think that this is the year that we must see a lot of improvement in the special teams overall play.....meaning KEITH ARMSTRONG. He has gotten a lot of help it seems now.....and it is up to him to coordinate these guys to a very solid unit. I have reported that there has been some shouting matches between the coach and players last season....and sometimes....guys were not on the same page. But the bottom line here.....is that MIKE WESTOFF was let go because of ARMSTRONG's better relationship with WANNY.....not because he was the better coach.....and there are many people who still feel that WESTOFF was the difference maker on the special teams....which has seemingly regressed since his departure.
18. A kid who has looked good.....but has really no shot at making the team.... is #2 WR JIMMY FRYZEL from UCF. He may be able to play somewhere...
19. SAM SIMMONS....so much versatility....but not that much talent from where I sit... He is coaching high school WR's down here....after the Dolphin practices are over and done with. He wants to be a coach if he can't make the team....and has seemingly already has an internship... I can't see how he can make this roster....but I admire his PLAN B....at the same time...and doing it...all in a days time.
20. Another guy who is definately on the bubble now......is S SHAWN WOODEN. Every year it seems like he is the odd man out though...doesn't it.....but every pre-season....he always seems to make plays. He will really have to shine on special teams as well this pre-season.
21. A real tough guy.....JUSTIN SEAVERNS....who still has not recieved a dime from SEAU for his #55!! But this kid is all taped up out there....his foot is aching...his back is ailing....all kinds of practice injuries....and just refuses to sit out a practice. The coaches like his free-spririt....and ZACH THOMAS has really taken in to the player he calls LIONHEART. Is this the type of player you keep on your team....despite great size and speed? I think so....and I hope he makes it this time around...
DCH
