Cuts Looming As Final Practice Concludes [UPDATED]

Today is a sobering day for a handful of NFL hopefuls on each of the 32 teams.

Cut day.

By 4 pm today the Dolphins, along with the rest of the league, must trim the roster from 90 to 75 players. By my count, Miami still has 11 players left to part ways with.

That means this morning's practice from Davie was the final NFL practice for a handful of guys. It's the day coaches and GM's dread every year, and it's only the first of two. The second one must come on Sunday, when 75 is trimmed down to 53.

I don't care who you are, that's a tough pill to swallow. I've watched these guys for three months now, and for some of them, this could very well be their final hours in the NFL.

I'll have the full list of cuts when that becomes available to us.


NOTES FROM PRACTICE

Before I begin, let me say that the blog will return to regular season mode on Sunday, as that marks the beginning of the first official game week for the Miami Dolphins.

I know, the posts have been sporadic the past few months, but, as I've said, when the big boys call you drop everything and go. No questions asked. But beginning Sunday, the blog will be up and running at full capacity as it enters years number three.

- Speaking of year #3, Ryan Tannehill is about to enter his as well. Tannehill struggled Saturday night, there's no question about it. People will look at his stats and dispute this claim, but from someone who has watched him all summer, I can tell you it wasn't his best. He missed a TD pass to Mike Wallace. He threw a "stupid" pass to Brian Hartline in triple coverage that was intercepted in the red zone. Those are mistakes we haven't seen Tannehill make this summer, and I can assure you that, knowing Bill Lazor, Tannehill was made very aware that those cannot happen.

- He did, however, have an impressive practice today. He even hit Wallace on a 30 yard TD off a playaction pass. Personally, I wouldn't mind seeing Tannehill and the first team offense play a series or two on Thursday night, but it's not worth the risk. I expect they'll sit.

- Before moving on from the QB's, lets get this out of the way real quick: Matt Moore is a great guy, one of my favorites on the team. However, in no way should he be the starting QB on this team. Yes he had a fantastic game Saturday night, and yes, he's one of, if not the best, backup QB's in this league. But please stop it with the "Moore should be the starter" talk, you sound beyond silly.

- Knowshon Moreno is the starting running back on this team. I've been high on Lamar Miller for a while now, but after seeing Moreno at full force over the last week, including his brilliant debut Saturday night, I can tell you that he's the guy. Now, this doesn't mean Miller won't play, because he'll see plenty of the field in a split back system. However, Moreno is just on another level, and after Saturday night, it's apparent.

- Mike Pouncey has a huge couple days coming up. Rumor has it that there's a chance he'll be on the active roster next week. I've seen him rehab over the past month, and it absolutely would not surprise me if this is the case. Does this mean he'll play against New England? No way, not a chance, zilch. However, he will be able to play sooner than expected (my guess is London in wk 4), and it would be a huge boost for this offensive line.

- RB Daniel Thomas returned to practice today for the first time in FOREVER. He'll have one final chance to make this team on Thursday night, but I don't see it. I just don't know where he fits in.

- Caleb Sturgis also returned to kicking today for the first time in over a week. He'll be someone the team monitors VERY closely. K Jake Rodgers was brought in yesterday after John Potter was cut after suffering an injury Saturday night.

- RB Mike Gillislee did not practice again today. He's in trouble, especially if/when he doesn't play Thursday.

- Louis Delmas had his first INT of camp today. The defense needs a big year out of him.


One more note before I leave you. Our annual game-by-game predictions will begin here in a few days, and will lead you up to opening day. Be on the lookout for that.

The cut deadline is less than two hours away.

Talk to you then.

12 days.

[UPDATE: QB Brady Quinn has been cut by the Dolphins, as he just confirmed via his twitter]

[UPDATE 2: Here are the full list of cuts:

Brady Quinn, quarterback
Armon Binns, wide receiver
Brett Brackett, tight end
Steven Clarke, cornerback
Rakim Cox, defensive end
Cory Grissom, defensive tackle
Tyler Larsen, center
Ryan Spadola, wide receiver

Placed on IR:

A.J Francis
Mike Gillislee
Arthur Lynch]

Dolphins, Cowboys Ready To Go From Sun Life Stadium

It is a picture perfect evening here in Miami, as the Dolphins and Cowboys are less than an hour away from kicking off preseason game #3.

The Dolphins are in the aqua tops and white pants.

Dallas is in the white and grey.

The inactives for Miami:

- Sturgis
- Gillislee
- Thomas
- Thigpen
- Aikens
- Pouncey
- Misi
- Fede
- Lynch
- Francis

Koa Misi not playing tonight is interesting to say the least. He practiced all week, and no injury has been reported.

Jason Trusnik will start in his place.

Knowshon Moreno and Charles Clay are set to make their preseason debuts.

Game time is 7 pm.

See you at halftime!

Final Tuneup Against Dallas Must Offer Clarity

Tonight marks the third, and most important, preseason game for the Miami Dolphins.

No, the final score still doesn't matter. No, this isn't the final GAME before the 2014 regular season commences.

But this is most likely the final time you'll see most of these guys until September 7th, when it all starts to count against the New England Patriots.

And how they look tonight, when they see more of the field than they have all summer long, will leave you feeling either one of two ways heading into the regular season opener:

Confident..

Or concerned.

Tonight's game against the Dallas Cowboys MUST offer clarity in certain areas that have been anything but clear through two games this preseason.

No, not the QB position like in years past.  Ryan Tannehill, in fact, may very well be the the player I'm least concerned about.

But the offensive line, the running game, the linebackers?

Yeah, those are all major question marks right now. And if this team is to be successful this season, we must wake up tomorrow morning with some answers.

- Who is your week one starting RG? Dallas Thomas or Shelly Smith? This should be answered tonight. This MUST be answered tonight.

- Can these linebackers get the job done? Can they stop the run, cover the pass, tackle? Koa Misi has proven he can. Dannell Ellerbe played better last week. But Philip Wheeler? I believe his spot is still up for grabs. We need to have a clearer picture this time tomorrow.

- Is Jimmy Wilson ready to be a full time starting safety in the NFL? He struggled last week. With Reshad Jones out for a month, we need an answer after tonight.

- Is Will Davis the real deal? Is he ready to be the starting nickel CB? He's surged up the depth chart lately, and one more good performance tonight will cement him in the starting lineup.

- How does prized offseason acquisition Knowshon Moreno look in his first game action? This running game has been abysmal so far this preseason, but Moreno hasn't been healthy. Well, he's back now, and if practice is any indication he should give this team a HUGE boost out of the backfield. We need to know if he can after tonight.

 - How does Charles Clay's knee hold up? He's practiced all week, and looked really good. But he hasn't played in a game yet this season. Is he ready to go?


I expect the first team offense to shine tonight, and, if they don't, I'll be seriously concerned. Dallas' defense is historically bad, and should be the perfect tuneup for a brand new offense.

Defensively I expect to learn a lot. With as bad as the Cowboys defense is, their offense is the exact opposite, and could very well lead the league in yards this season. Can this Dolphins defense, who has so far been subpar and underwhelming this preseason, step up tonight? IF they do it'll be huge going into the New England game.

Right now there are a ton of questions.

Tomorrow morning I need a ton of answers.

It may still be preseason, but make no mistake about it, it'll be a regular season atmosphere in South Beach tonight.


I'm going to do my best to run the blog during the game, but, as was the deal last week, I'll be covering the game front the stadium for Dolphins.com, so we'll see how we do.

15 days.

(That's TWO Sundays.)

Reaction From Preseason Game #2

My apologies for the lack of, well, any updates from the Dolphins 20-14 win last night.  I was over on Dolphins.com covering the game for them.  When the big boys call you go running, right?

I thought there was A LOT to take away from that game last night.  Both good and bad. However, as is the case most of the time in preseason games, I left with far more questions rather than answers.

For instance:

- My biggest concern coming out of last night was RG Dallas Thomas.  He looked like a new player last week against Atlanta, but after getting owned by All-pro Gerald McCoy ALL NIGHT LONG that seems like a distant, distant memory.  The Dolphins have a big problem at right guard, folks, and they need to figure it out quickly.  Two names to keep an eye on here are rookie Billy Turner, and Shelly Smith.  If EVER they were going to unseat Thomas at that position, it's going to be this week.

- The rest of the offensive line fared relatively well last night.  Branden Albert has been absolutely money so far on the left side.  C Samson Satele survived an injury scare early in the game and looks solid filling in for Mike Pouncey.  Rookie Ja'Wuan James once again played more than anyone else, and held up well.  If someone can take command of the RG position this line will be okay.

- This offense is made for quarterbacks, that much is apparent through the first two preseason games. Ryan Tannehill had another solid outing last night, going 9-14 for 114 yards, and Matt Moore (13-19, 158 yards, 1 TD) looked in midseason form in his first action of the year.  Bill Lazor has so far shown that what he did with Nick Foles in 2013 was no fluke.  The man may very well be a QB whisperer.

- More on Tannehill.  His accuracy was on the money again last night, as was his decision making.  His lone deep ball of the night fell incomplete to Mike Wallace, but replays showed, as Wallace later confirmed, that he was held on the play.  Wallace gave the pass rave reviews after the game, saying it was right where it was supposed to be.  Tannehill continues to show, as I've said all summer long, that he's made significant strides this season.

- The running game.  Gulp.  It was horrendous, awful, non-existent, a drive killer, etc.. This is a HUGE concern right now, folks, and we better pray that Knowshon Moreno is the answer.  You simply cannot win in this league without a running game, and if this offense is to live up to it's true potential this year they MUST find one.

- Rishard Matthews has arrived, and there is absolutely no question about that.  He showed signs last year, but lacked consistency.  Well, between camp and the first two preseason games, he appears to have figured it out.  Between himself, Brandon Gibson, and Jarvis Landry, the Dolphins may very well have the best slot receivers in the NFL.

- The defensive line showed up last night, and looked much more like the group I expect to see this season.  In all they recorded 5 sacks, and the pressure on QB Josh McCown was there all night.  Cameron Wake, Randy Starks, Olivier Vernon, and Jared Odrick were especially active.

- One more active member of that D-line was Terrence Fede.  At this point, how do you not keep him on the 53 man roster?  The kid just makes plays.

- Koa Misi was, once again, the only solid LB last night.  Dannell Ellerbe was alright, and Philip Wheeler was non-existent.  The coaching staff is clearly trying to mix things up, as rookie Jordan Tripp saw playing time with one's and two's, and Chris McCain got a heavy dose of action as well. There are spots still up for grabs here, but so far, nobody has bitten.

- The tackling was better, but it still wasn't great.  Jimmy Wilson nearly cost the Dolphins a touchdown when he bounced off rookie Mike Evans on a would be tackle, allowing Evans to race down the sidelines for a touchdown, only to be stopped when Brent Grimes raced over and jarred the ball out of Evans' hands and out of the back of the end zone for a touchback.  A textbook veteran play by Grimes, who redeemed himself after a rare off night.

- Cortland Finnegan had a solid evening, and bounced back nicely following a subpar first game.

- Will Davis ONCE AGAIN was all over the place, and continued to make plays.  He appears to have unseated Jamar Taylor in that nickel CB spot, and saw a lot of action with the first team.  Davis has been a standout all camp long.

- Free agent kicker John Potter made two long FG's, one from 51 yards.  I'm talking to you, Caleb Sturgis.

- Michael Thomas, the hero from last December, had another great night on special teams.  He's going to make this team, and with Reshad Jones out early on, expect him to see some significant playing time.


The team is back at it Monday afternoon.  I'll be there for all of it.

Until then..

21 days.

(THREE SUNDAYS)

Lasting Impressions From Training Camp 2014

Believe it or not, the Miami Dolphins officially broke camp yesterday morning following practice, effectively ending the three week precursor to the season.

What does this mean?

Well, not much really.  All it really means is that, from now on, us media people won't be allowed to watch practice anymore.  But, in a larger context, it also means that we're one step closer to the regular season (23 days to be exact).

With this in mind, lets take a look at where this Dolphins team stands right now as they head into their second preseason game Saturday night in Tampa.


- At the beginning of camp, I wasn't sold on the offense, and was head over heels for the defense.  Well, three weeks later, I've done a bit of a 180 here.  After seeing Ryan Tannehill grow the way he has over the past month, and take control of Bill Lazor's offense the way he has, I think I'm pretty confident in this offense at this point, and a little more skeptical about the defense.

- Why do I say this? Well, quite simply, I just haven't liked what I've seen from the linebackers.  The tackling is suspect, the pass coverage is shaky, and the run stopping, as we saw last week, just isn't there yet.  Koa Misi looks pretty good in the middle, but outside of him (literally) it's a crap shoot right now.  These next two weeks should tell me a lot more.

- The offensive line concerns me less and less each week.  The left side is rock solid with Branden Albert and Daryn Colledge.  Samson Satele has secured the center position.  And the duo of Dallas Thomas and Ja'Wuan James had an impressive showing last week.  Five new starters was scary at first, but this unit has been sturdy for a while now.

- Randy Starks and Cameron Wake have been camp studs since day one.  Starks in particular has the looks of someone who is ready to have a monster season.  Bank on it.

- Losing Reshad Jones for the first month of the season may seem like a big blow to the national media, but in all honesty, Jimmy Wilson is more than capable at filling in.  In fact, Jones may be in a dog fight when he returns if he wants that spot back.  Wilson is a big time play maker, and he's got the chance to prove it now.

- On that same note, Jamar Taylor and Will Davis are also ready to step up.  They've come leaps and bounds in the last year.

- Brent Grimes and Brian Hartline are Brent Grimes and Brian Hartline.  Enough said.

- Mike Wallace will flourish in this offense.  I expect you to start seeing this on Saturday night when he'll make his season debut.

- Lamar Miller and Knowshon Moreno compliment each other well.  They are two completely different runners, but each will have a huge role in this offense.  Moreno has looked the best he has in a Dolphins uniform the past week.

- Brandon Gibson, Rishard Matthews, and Jarvis Landry would easily be the 1,2, and 3 receivers on half of the teams in this league.  They're the 4, 5, and 6 receivers on this team.  Let that marinate.

- Cortland Finnegan has shown IT in practices, but I haven't seen it in a game yet.  I'll be monitoring him closely.

- Louis Delmas is going to catch a lot of people off guard this year.  He is a breath of fresh air on this team, and could be a huge spark plug in the secondary if he can stay healthy.


With that all out and in the open now, we can officially put a bow on training camp 2014.

The team is traveling to Tampa today ahead of the 7:30 kickoff tomorrow night.

I'll be helping cover the game for The Finsiders and Dolphins.com, but make sure to check back for pre game notes, and look for a an update or two during the game.  As always, the quarter by quarter blog doesn't start for another 23 days.

See you tomorrow!

New Look Offense Sizzles In Season Debut

(Miami Herald)

It may have only been a small, 10 play sized sampling.

And it may have only been the first drive of the first preseason game against a defense coming off a down year.

But make no mistake about it, what Ryan Tannehill and the Miami Dolphins first team offense showed us tonight left even the most pessimistic fan with a big ol' grin on their face.

And if that opening 10 play, 73 yard TD drive is any indication of things to come, well, this team is going to be alright this year.

It started with a six yard pass to RB Lamar Miller, ended with a six yard touchdown to Brandon Gibson, and featured a 36 yard strike to Rishard Matthews along the way. There were no sacks, no quarterback hits, and no reports of the infamous "go-go" calls at the line of scrimmage.

From the very first play of the game, it was evident that this offense was different, and so to was it's commander in chief.

Ryan Tannehill finished the night a perfect 6-6, for 62 yards, and a TD.  He looked comfortable, confident, and, most importantly, in control.  His passer rating was 149.

Will that do, Dolfans?

No, it won't be this flawless every time out.  Heck, it may never look that easy again.  But you saw the potential of this offense in that short, 4 minute drive.  You saw the direction Bill Lazor has in mind for this group, and for this quarterback.  You saw a glimpse of how could these guys could be when they really start clicking, and when they actually get the big time playmakers back in there.

Remember, there was no Mike Wallace or Brian Hartline or Charles Clay tonight.

That drive, albeit just the first of the year, showed progress.  Preseason or not, there is no disputing that.

It may have just been the start.  It may have just been the very beginning of a long, grinding, roller coaster ride these Dolphins are sure to put us through this season.

But it was a brilliant start.  And that's already more than you could have said at any point last year.


OTHER NOTES

• Jarvis Landry had a highlight reel 48 yard punt return.  This kid has playmaking abilities through the roof, and you saw it tonight.
• CB Will Davis showed me a lot tonight.  He was picked on early and often, and answered the challenge almost every time.
• Tackling was a huge issue throughout the game.  I'm not too concerned right now because, well, these guys just haven't tackled a lot in practice so far.  But it's something to keep an eye on.
• Too many third down conversions. 
• WAY too many penalties.
• The first team defensive line put good pressure on QB Matt Ryan, but after that Atlanta quarterbacks were barely touched.
• I expected more from Dion Jordan.  He saw a lot of playing time and was mostly a non factor.
• Randy Starks is going to have a monster year.  He's been a beast in camp and was a beast tonight.
• The linebackers struggled.  Koa Misi showed flashes, but the unit is just not there yet.
• Cortland Finnegan was just a step late all night long.  He'll get there.
• Rookie Ja'Wuan James saw the most playing time of any starter, and he was really, really solid all night long.  Good sign for the Fins.
• Terrence Fede showed the same spark he's shown in practices thus far.  He's making a strong case for the 53 man roster.
• With Reshad Jones out the first 4 games, it looks like Jimmy Wilson will be your starting SS, with Jamar Taylor being the starting nickel CB.  These two should fill in just fine, they've had strong camps.
• Matt Moore and Pat Devlin were not active tonight, and it showed.  Do not underestimate the power of a backup QB.  This team needs Moore healthy, and soon.

That's all for tonight.  Thanks for following.  I'll be back at camp Monday morning.

See you then.

29 days.

Tannehill, First Team Offense Shine as Dolphins, Falcons Tied at Halftime

Ryan Tannehill and the Dolphins first team offense, in one single drive, looked better than they did all of 2013.

Tannehill led a flawless 10 play, 73 yard drive in the game's opening minutes that ended with a 6 yard TD pass to WR Brandon Gibson.

Tannehill connected with Matthews twice, Gibson twice, and Lamar Miller twice on the drive, including a long 36 yard pass to Matthews to get Miami inside the Atlanta 10 yard line.

The offensive line was superb, as Tannehill had all day to throw.  Lamar Miller had a couple nice runs.  There was even a read option keeper for Tannehill, who then threw to Rishard Matthews down the sidelines.

It was an A+ for the starting offense tonight.

Defensively, it was an alright performance.  Too many flags for the starters.  Too many third down conversions.  And, especially, way too many missed tackles.  But, there was good pressure put on Matt Ryan by the defensive front, and DT Randy Starks was a men among boys out there on the run game.


A couple more notes:  Jarvis Landry nearly broke off a long punt return for a TD, and CB Will Davis has had multiple pass deflections on the night.  Those two have stood out as well tonight.


The game is tied at 10, by the way, for whatever that's worth (nothing).

To the third quarter.

Dolphins, Falcons Nearing Kickoff; Jones Suspended

It's here!

The Miami Dolphins 2014 preseason is about to commence, as the Fins and Falcons are just about ready to go from Atlanta.

The Dolphins are in all white.  The Falcons are in the red and white.

Mike Wallace, Brian Hartline, Charles Clay, and Olivier Vernon are among the notables not playing tonight.

I'll be running the live chat for Dolphins.com for the game.  Join me there.

One more note:  As you know by now, SS Reshad Jones has been suspended for the first 4 games of the season due to violating the league's substance abuse policy.  He joins DE Dion Jordan.  More on that later, the story just broke a while ago and there is no other news at this time.

He is, however, dressed out for the game tonight and can play.

It's time.  We've made it.

First Game Day of 2014: What To Watch For Tonight

 



For the first time in nearly 8 months... It's Game Day your Miami Dolphins!

Yes, it's only preseason.  And yes, it's only the very first of four of these long, drawn out, mostly boring exhibition games.  But, look at the bright side, folks... Your Miami Dolphins will once again be on your TV screen tonight.

And, despite it only being game #1, there will still be plenty to look for..

Like:

- The first team offense.  How does Bill Lazor's new look attack fair against another defense for the first time this season? 

- What kind of growing pains does this young offense experience? 

- How does the offensive line hold up in their first real game action?  In-fact, just who are the starters?

- Does Ryan Tannehill show consistency in what limited playing time he gets?  Does he look like the QB from last Saturday's scrimmage, or the one who threw 6 INT's earlier this week?

- Jarvis Landry, Brandon Gibson, and Rashard Matthews.. Who of these three shines tonight?

- How does the secondary look, most notably, newcomers Cortland Finnegan and Louis Delmas?

- How does the run stopping attack look tonight?  Remember, Dannell Ellerbe and Koa Misi are now flip-flopped.  Does it make a difference?

- Does the defensive line exhibit the dominance in this game it has all of camp? 

- What does Dion Jordan do with his playing time?

- Jamar Taylor and Will Davis has looked improved.  Do they show it tonight?


My expectations:

- Ryan Tannehill and company will play most of the first quarter.  Expect 3-4 series out of the first unit.

- WR Mike Wallace and TE Charles Clay will not play tonight.  Could they play in a regular season game?  Yes.  But why chance it tonight?

- The first team offensive line will most likely look like this: Albert, Colledge, Satele, Thomas, James.

- Expect to see a lot of WR Damian Williams tonight. He's been a camp standout so far.  Now it's time to show what you can do under the lights.

- RB Mike Gillislee has stepped it up lately, expect a heavy dose of him tonight. 

- Pay close attention to the second and third team offensive lines tonight.  It's a fluid situation right now and any of those guys could jump up with a good performance.

- Expect the defensive starters to play 2-3 series.

 - Expect at least one sack from Dion Jordan.  He'll see a lot of playing time with Olivier Vernon nursing a back injury, and he's been dominate in camp.

- You'll learn a lot more about Jamar Taylor and Will Davis after tonight.  I've seen significant improvement from both since camp started. 

-  Jimmy Wilson will most likely lay a big hit on someone tonight.  He's been forced to hold back all summer.  I wouldn't be surprised to see one tonight.

- Randy Starks has had the best camp of his career.  Look for him to make some plays in the first quarter.


Look for updates pregame, at halftime, and after the game tonight.  I won't have the quarter by quarter blog as I'll be over at Dolphins.com running the live chat, you can join me there if you wish.

If you need something to hold you over to kickoff, and you will seeing as it's only 11:30 right now, then check out my articles for The Finsiders and Dolphins.com from earlier this week.

Ellerbe 'Back Home' In Second Season

Casserly: Dolphins Have Best Chance To Unseat Patriots


Football is BACK.  Game Day is BACK.

Check BACK later.

Tannehill Sharp In Sun Life Scrimmage; other notes

Today marked the first time the Miami Dolphins graced the Sun Life Stadium grass since the debacle against New York at the end of December....

And I'm happy to report, unlike that grim day, the Miami Dolphins are still very much in the playoff hunt after this "game."

In-fact, this was a MUCH better day for the Fins, and, more notably, Ryan Tannehill.

I wasn't there, but, from what I saw and read from my sources on the ground, Tannehill and the offense performed well today in the first simulated action of 2014.

The quick hits:

- Tannehill and the offense drove the ball down the field on their first drive (albeit against the second team defense) that ended with a 7 yard TD pass to RB Lamar Miller.  Miller also had a strong performance today, and found himself wide open in the flat on the touchdown.

- Miller finished the day with 6 carries for 36 yards and the TD, while Tannehill finished 15-27, 137 yards, and two TD's (the second went to TE Dion Sims).  These stats are unofficial and provided by my Finsiders partner Greg Likens, and can be found HERE.

- Speaking of Dion Sims, he was another scrimmage standout today.  He finished with 4 catches, 27 yards, the TD, and a 2-pt conversion.

- The new look tempo was very evident today.  A lot of no huddle looks.

- Charles Clay had 1 catch for 5 yards.  Why the limited numbers?  Well, he limped off the field early on and did not return.  I don't really know much more than that at this time, but we'll keep you up to date.

- WR's Jarvis Landry and Rishard Matthews were very active today, as they have been throughout camp.  Matthews finished with 3 catches (but one drop in the end zone), while Landry hauled in 2 passes for 40 yards and a TD.

- No Mike Wallace or Brian Hartline today.  Wallace was held out with a tight hamstring.  Don't know what the story is on Hartline, but my gut tells me Philbin just wanted to see more Landry and Matthews.  We all know what we're getting with Hartline, the other two need the playing time right now.

- Positive day for the offensive line.  Nate Garner was the starting center and there were no bad exchanges with Tannehill.  That's a huge step up from what we've seen the past week.  It appears the spot is Garners to lose.

- Defensively, Cam Wake had a would be sack, as did Dion Jordan and Terrence Fede.  Fede has been a nice surprise since OTA's, and is making a strong case for a roster spot.

- Another person who's making a strong roster push is rookie Jordan Tripp, who had 73 yard fumble return for a TD today.  People around the league are high on Tripp, and he's looked strong so far.

- CB Cortland Finnegan intercepted Pat Devlin in the end zone.  Jimmy Wilson also had an INT.  Wilson is primed for a big year, folks.  He looks like he's taken the next step in his progression.


For the full list of unofficial stats, visit thefinsiders.com.


KING PRAISES DEFENSE

The MMQB himself Peter King was at camp yesterday, and gave this defense some high praise in an interview with The Finsiders Greg Likens.

King said he expects the defense to be a top 10 unit if the secondary, mainly Finnegan and Delmas, can stay healthy.  He also called DE Cameron Wake a top 3 pass rusher in the league, and said if any team is to dethrone the Patriots in the AFC East, it's the Dolphins.

You can read more and watch the full interview HERE.


I'll be back at practice monday, see you then.

36 days.