Sports Buzz: Monday nuggets

[gafin]

### The Dolphins’ 2014 draft class, its first under Dennis Hickey, sustained its first roster casualty on Monday. Tight end Arthur Lynch was released before ever playing a snap in a regular-season game.

Lynch, selected in the fifth round (125th overall), spent his rookie season on injured reserve because of a back injury sustained after the Draft. Known as a functional blocker at Georgia, Lynch never developed as a downfield receiving threat.

“I’m sure he’ll get another opportunity at some other point,” coach Joe Philbin said, adding that Lynch is a "great guy" but wasn't considered among Miami's top five tight ends, in the staff's opinion.

### Lynch’s departure leaves Gerell Robinson, Jake Stoneburner and Tim Semisch competing for the third tight end job behind Jordan Cameron and Dion Sims. Miami ultimately might consider waiver wire options for that roster slot.

Philbin was non-committal about whether Miami will even keep three tight ends. “We have to keep the 53 best guys that will help us win regardless of how many tight ends that ends up being,” he said.

### To fill Lynch’s roster spot, the Dolphins signed former Texas El Paso linebacker James Davidson, who appeared in two games as a rookie for the Giants last season.

### For the first time during training camp, left tackle Branden Albert took a handful of snaps in 11 on 11 drills as he works his way back from major knee surgery last November. The Dolphins have expressed optimism that he should be ready for start of the regular season. (Armando has more on his blog on that.)

### With Dallas Thomas continuing to work with the starters at left guard, the Dolphins gave rookie Jamil Douglas some snaps as the first-team right guard, though Billy Turner took the majority of those right-guard snaps with the starters. Douglas opened camp competing with Thomas at left guard.

“It’s a world of opportunity,” Philbin said of Douglas. “One of the things for young linemen is you want to challenge them to a certain degree to see what they’re capable of handling.”

### Beyond DeVante Parker and Don Jones (who are on PUP), only two others missed practice: Koa Misi (calf) and Jordan Tripp (ankle). Tripp, who was off crutches, said he has no idea when he will be able to play. Parker jogged around the perimeter of the field (a sign of progress) but Philbin said he was uncertain of his timetable and didn’t rule out an appearance in a preseason game, which seems ambitious.

Kenny Stills returned after missing two weeks of practice with a calf injury; Adam Beasley will have a lot more on Stills later on the home page.

### Philbin said Carolina coach Ron Rivera called him months ago and suggested the joint practices that the teams will hold at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday and Thursday at Wofford College in Spartanburg, S.C., before playing Saturday night in Charlotte, N.C.

This marks the first joint training camp practices in Philbin’s four years as coach.

“Last year, I almost did it with Atlanta, but it was the first week and that didn’t fit the way I wanted to install our offense, defense and special teams,” Philbin said. “If I were going to do it, it was going to be during the second week.

“I’m on a subcommittee with Ron; I think he’s a really good coach, a good person. We spoke on the phone. We met in Indianapolis. We met again at the league meeting and talked some things over. It just fits perfectly, schematically on both sides of the ball.”

Philbin cited another incentive to do this: “As I’ve told the team, we’ve got to get used to winning on the road. Let’s be honest --- That’s going to be a key to our season. We’ve got seven out of nine games away from Sun Life Stadium to start the season.”

Ryan Tannehill said “it’s going to be a game-like atmosphere every day in practice up there. Competition’s going to be high.”

### Tannehill said the Dolphins intend to “consistently continue” to “use my legs in the run game with the zone-read.”

### Tannehill said “we would like to get” tight end Jordan Cameron “the ball probably a little bit more than he’s getting it right now. In the red zone, he’s definitely going to be a threat for us all year.”

### Terrence Fede had two more sacks at Monday’s practice, the final one open to the public at the team’s Davie facility this year. Seems like we’re writing this every day.

### Caleb Sturgis hit field goals from 41, 46 and 51 but missed from 47.

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

 

[datruth55]

I thought Lynch could have developed into a Fasano type TE...more inline blocker/3rd TE for goal line situations for us but they guy never showed up. How much of that was his back I don't know. However, I give kudos to Hickey who just showed he's not so full of himself to admit he made a mistake drafting the guy and cut him lose this early. Jeff Ireland would have held on to the guy till his rookie contract ended and he would have taken up a roster spot for nothing.

 

[maralieus]

Jake stoneburner is similar. Not as athletic as Fasano though I think.

 

[datruth55]

Jake stoneburner is similar. Not as athletic as Fasano though I think.

Stoneburner is a heck of a lot more athletic than Fasano ever thought he could be. Stoneburner ran 4.53 40 at his pro day, Fasano couldn't run that fast if he had a 20 MPH wind at his back. Stoneburner just doesn't have Fasano's soft hands or his tenacity on blocking.

 

[NY8123]

I thought Lynch could have developed into a Fasano type TE...more inline blocker/3rd TE for goal line situations for us but they guy never showed up. How much of that was his back I don't know. However, I give kudos to Hickey who just showed he's not so full of himself to admit he made a mistake drafting the guy and cut him lose this early. Jeff Ireland would have held on to the guy till his rookie contract ended and he would have taken up a roster spot for nothing.

I think that's Sims but I actually think Sims has a higher potential ceiling than Fasano.

 

[Asicswrg85]

Fede seems like Vernon's replacement next year to me. I don't see us needing to pay Vernon that much money if Fede keeps progressing the way he has. It will be interesting to see his production this season!

 

[NRA]

I thought Lynch could have developed into a Fasano type TE...more inline blocker/3rd TE for goal line situations for us but they guy never showed up. How much of that was his back I don't know. However, I give kudos to Hickey who just showed he's not so full of himself to admit he made a mistake drafting the guy and cut him lose this early. Jeff Ireland would have held on to the guy till his rookie contract ended and he would have taken up a roster spot for nothing.

What mistake?

Lynch didnt get released because he couldnt play nfl ball, he was released because he was injured. Trust me, i have been in the bad back club for many years with 3 surgeries. I can only think of a couple people i would wish it on as real deal back problems are a soul sucking muh-fuger!! There the devil. And i am not talking a pulled muscle, i am talking damage, nerve degeneration. Rotted facets. Crushed disks and smashed vertebra.

Any one of or combination of those can take you out. When your back is injured, you suddenly realize how every movement, every twist, every breath effects your back. When things are real bad, you dont eat because if you eat you have to chit and its an ungodly amount pain. Having your significant other wipe your arse is a truly humbling experience.

Football? Bwahahahaha!!! Aint happenin'. When you have done your back in, again, not a sore or pulled muscle, it reoccurse. Keeps popping up at random times. Your fine as pie and 3 months later your walking to the fridge and WAM!! There it is again. And next thing you know, your a lifer in the bad back club and many things you used to do, you dont for risk of the pain coming on or you just cant because the pain is full time now.

Dont judge a player with REAL back problems. It takes a long time in many cases for it to stabilize and some never do. And this is why Lynch is no longer a fin. Hickey or any gm couldnt predict that. You cant make the club in the tub and Hickey knows that. He had to make the move.

 

[datruth55]

Fede seems like Vernon's replacement next year to me. I don't see us needing to pay Vernon that much money if Fede keeps progressing the way he has. It will be interesting to see his production this season!

If Vernon can have a season like he had two years ago ideally you'd like to keep both and have that depth, especially with Fede being so cheap. But if Vernon has a season more like last year then I don't see us paying him the amount of money some people are throwing out...definitely not $10 mil/year. If someone wants to pay OV that then you go into next year with Fede as your starter and draft/develop his backup.

 

[rent this space]

Fede seems like Vernon's replacement next year to me. I don't see us needing to pay Vernon that much money if Fede keeps progressing the way he has. It will be interesting to see his production this season!

Vernon is likely having a big year with all the attention on the other side of the D-line. He is going to be very expensive

 

[NY8123]

If Vernon can have a season like he had two years ago ideally you'd like to keep both and have that depth, especially with Fede being so cheap. But if Vernon has a season more like last year then I don't see us paying him the amount of money some people are throwing out...definitely not $10 mil/year. If someone wants to pay OV that then you go into next year with Fede as your starter and draft/develop his backup.

That and people are overlooking the fact that while he is low mileage Wake is on the wrong side of 30 for a DE. He'll be 34 by the end of the season.

 

[datruth55]

Vernon is likely having a big year with all the attention on the other side of the D-line. He is going to be very expensive

OV had a lot of one-on-one opportunities last year and failed to deliver. He probably played more snaps than he should have thanks to Dion Jordan being useless and not really giving OV a chance to rest (something Fede will provide this year) but 3 of our front 4 got blocked man-on-man last year with relative ease.

 

[ITS!MATEO]

OV had a lot of one-on-one opportunities last year and failed to deliver. He probably played more snaps than he should have thanks to Dion Jordan being useless and not really giving OV a chance to rest (something Fede will provide this year) but 3 of our front 4 got blocked man-on-man last year with relative ease.

I think that is a big part of the reason he did not do so well this past season. Shelby was solid, but overall we had very little depth. Fede and Shelby will help both Wake and OV. Not to mention our interior D was pretty bad last year...

 

[XxJustinxX]

Fede will definitely make things easier

 

[hoops]

Id monitor baltimores cuts for the 3rd tight end...the doyle kid from delaware may shake free

No thanks on stoneburner or cobi hamilton at wr...hes a ted ginn build up speed wr

 

[Dogbone34]

Mettenberger was the easy value pick over Lynch.

Sometimes Miami likes to over think this stuff.