Dolphins' Evolving Offense Remains a Two-Back Attack

Ronnie Brown was the Dolphins' brightest star in the Dolphins' 38-13 thrashing of the New England Patriots in Week 3, becoming the first player since before the Great Depression to rush for four touchdowns and throw for another. Not surprisingly, the third-year back was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week for his performance.

While Brown received all the attentions and the touchdowns last week, don't expect him to become the lone feature back in Miami. One must remember that Brown is still just half of the Dolphins' two-headed rushing attack that won't be going anywhere any time soon.

The Forgotten Back

The forgot man in the SportsCenter highlights, Ricky Williams has essentially matched Brown for production this season. The 31-year-old has carried the ball three more times than Brown this season and has just 11 fewer yards. The lone difference is his touchdown total, which still stands at zero compared to Brown's five.

Like Brown, Williams struggled in the first to games of the season, managing just 52 yards. (Brown posted only 48 during that span.) The Dolphins predictably struggled in both games, losing to the Jets in the season opener and getting routed by the Cardinals in Week 2.

But just like the entire team, Williams had a breakout game in Week 3. In addition to Brown's fine performance, Williams rushed for 98 yards on just 16 carries for an impressive 6.1-yard average while adding two receptions for 21 yards.

Brown might have been the only back to score for the Dolphins last week (and score he did) but Williams will continue to remain an equally important part of the Dolphins' offense. Barring injuries to either Brown or Williams, neither will get a significantly larger number of carries than the other in a give game.

The best thing about having two backs of Brown and Williams' caliber is it makes both better. There is no reason to wear either down to the point where their production drops. While defenses tire as the games go on, the presence of each back allows both to stay fresh late into games more than either would as a lone feature back.

While this might make for some inconsistent performances and frustrate fantasy owners, it is undoubtedly the best thing for the Dolphins.

Wildin' Out

The team's Week 3 matchup against the New England Patriots saw a new wrinkle added to the Dolphins' offense, and it was that which helped the Dolphins so quickly change their fortunes.

Using what is dubbed the "wildcat formation", the Patriots saw Dolphins running back Ronnie Brown in the shotgun at quarterback, fellow running back Ricky Williams in the slot, and quarterback Chad Pennington out wide at receiver.

The formation gave Dolphins multiple options. Taking the direct snap, Brown had the option to run it himself if he saw fit. Three of Brown's four rushing touchdowns were scored in this way.

Additionally, Brown had the option to hand off to Williams, who would be running toward Brown in motion prior to the snap. One such handoff resulted in Williams' longest run of the day at 28 yards.

In the third quarter, Brown took the direct snap and ran toward the left sideline, eventually unleashing a 20-yard touchdown pass to tight end Anthony Fasano.

The execution was stellar, reminiscent of Darren McFadden and Felix Jones at Arkansas. The Dolphins were able to consistently move the ball up the field with ease as the Patriots struggled to adjust to this surprising new attack.

Of course, things will not always look so easy. Defenses will adjust, and the Dolphins will have to as well.

Moving left tackle Jake Long over to tight end on the right side worked like a charm against the Patriots and was a big part of Brown's 62-yard touchdown run. However, having your best linemen on one side of the line will not always work if the defense if the defense knows where you're going with the ball.

For that reason, the Dolphins will have to keep finding new things to do out of the wildcat formation. They must show that they can, and will, do various things out of the formation with a high level of success.

The Dolphins will need to give Brown the option to go to all sides of the field. They need to vary where Ricky begins in the formation so his direction of motion changes too. They need to continue to run the occasional pass out of the formation to keep the secondary on their heels.

Additionally, the Dolphins need to continue to execute in other facets of their offense. As affective as the wildcat formation can be, it can only be so if opponents have more to worry about.

Head coach Tony Sparano was quoted as saying the team's utilization of this formation was "just the tip of the iceberg." If the Dolphins want to continue to have success out of the formation and on offense altogether, that will have to be the case.

Dolphins sign TE Haynos, waive RB Parmele; make practice squad moves

Despite dominating the New England Patriots in Week 3, the Dolphins continue to shuffle their roster leading into their bye week. On the active roster, the team waived rookie running back Jalen Parmele and signed tight end Joey Haynos off the practice squad of the Green Bay Packers.

Additionally, the Dolphins released tight end Drew Atchison and cornerback Will Billingsley from their practice squad. Former Jets guard Matt McChesney was added to the practice squad yesterday, while Parmele was re-signed to the practice squad today after clearing waivers.

Joey Haynos

An undrafted free agent out of Maryland, Haynos caught five passes for 51 yards with the Packers during the 2008 preseason. However, he lost out to third-round pick Jermichael Finley for the No. 3 tight end job and was waived at the end of the preseason. (Haynos was not necessarily outplayed, as it was reported that the only thing saving Finley from being cut was his draft status.) Haynos was re-signed to the practice squad the following day and spent the first three weeks of the regular season there.

Haynos gives the Dolphins three tight ends for the second time this season. The team initially carried three to begin the season with Sean Ryan filling that spot for the season opener before being waived on September 12. (For the record, Ryan has since signed with the Saints.) The Dolphins went with two tight ends against the Cardinals and Patriots.

Because Haynos was signed off the Packers' practice squad, he must remain on the Dolphins' active roster for the next three weeks. He will serve as the No. 3 tight end behind Anthony Fasano and David Martin and will wear No. 81, which was previously worn by a tight end the Dolphins should never have released.

As far as a scouting report goes, Haynos has excellent size (6-foot-8, 270 pounds) with good hands (his 30 receptions were second most on the Terps in 2007.) He's a solid blocker but needs to refine his technique and get more experience.

Practice squad moves

As expected, the Dolphins re-signed Parmele to their practice squad a day after waiving him. It's little surprise to see Parmele cut here, as the rookie sixth-rounder was inactive for the team's first three games of the season and buried on the depth chart behind Ronnie Brown, Ricky Williams and Patrick Cobbs.

Parmele is a strong candidate to be promoted to the active roster at some point this season, regardless of injury to other backs. The Dolphins now have two running backs on the practice squad as Parmele joins fellow sixth-rounder Lex Hilliard, who has been on the practice squad since the regular season began.

To make room for Parmele, the Dolphins released cornerback Will Billingsley from the practice squad. Billingsley was the obvious odd man out in a six-man race for the five cornerback spots in the preseason. He could be re-signed to the practice squad at some point, but isn't close to getting on an active roster.

New to the organization is practice squad guard Matt McChesney. He replaces tight end Drew Atchison on the practice squad, who was signed last week but became expendable with the addition of a third tight end (Haynos) to the active roster.

A converted defensive tackle, the 26-year-old McChesney was signed by the St. Louis Rams as an undrafted free agent out of Colorado in 2005 but did not make the team. He was signed to the Jets' practice squad late during the 2005 season and promoted to the active roster in December, seeing action in three games and recording three tackles.

In 2006, the Jets converted McChesney to the offensive line and began working him at guard. He spent the 2006 season on the practice squad and was an All-NFL Europa selection for the Frankfurt Galaxy during the 2007 offseason. McChesney spent the 2007 season on the NFL Europa Non-Football Injury list and was waived by the Jets at the conclusion of the preseason in 2008.

McChesney is a project and has never seen an NFL active roster since moving to the offensive line. As the Dolphins currently have 10 offensive lineman, there's no guarantee McChesney sees the active roster any time soon. He will wear No. 60 in practice, which was worn by offensive lineman Mike Byrne during camp.

2008 Week 3 Recap: Dolphins at Patriots

Offense & Special Teams

---

Defense

---

Rodney Harrison calls Ricky Williams' block "dirty"

I plan on having a recap video up here either today or tomorrow, but I just had to post this. Apparently, the block Ricky Williams made on Mike Vrabel during Ronnie Brown's 62-yard touchdown run is being called a dirty play by Rodney Harrison. Unbelievable. Harrison is easily the dirtiest player in the NFL, and has the audacity to call Williams dirty for what I consider a damn good block? Ridiculous.

G Thomas placed on IR; FB Grigsby waived; FB Cramer and OL Mathis signed

Just one week into the regular season, the Dolphins have lost their first significant player of the year in rookie guard Donald Thomas. The 2008 sixth-rounder was placed on injured reserve with an ankle injury suffered against the Jets. Meanwhile, the Dolphins added former Panthers guard Evan Mathis to replace him and swapped Boomer Grigsby for Casey Cramer at fullback.

In order to keep things organized, I'm going to separate this article into a Thomas/Mathis section and a Grigsby/Cramer section. I think it epic, life-changing organization.

Thomas/Mathis

---

One of the best stories coming out of camp, the raw but talented Donald Thomas ran away with the team's right guard job despite being a sixth-round pick. He took over the job early in camp and never looked back, while rookie fourth-rounder Shawn Murphy was on the roster bubble all the way through the preseason.

Thomas suffered an ankle injury early in the team's Week 1 contest against the New York Jets but was able to play through the pain. Though he was on crutches and wearing a protective boot Monday, Thomas said it was just precautionary and expressed optimism not only about playing in Week 2 but practicing by Wednesday. However, a Scout.com report late Monday night reported that Thomas could be lost for the season and that proved accurate the following day when he was officially placed on injured reserve.

I spoke to Donald and while he was understandably disappointed, he expressed confidence he'd be back next year healthy and competing. Unfortunately, he was unable to elaborate on why he seemed so optimistic about the injury just a day before it ended his season; it certainly was an interesting series of events. Thomas has a bright future ahead of him and it's disappointing to see him suffer such a setback this early in his career.

This is an unfortunate blow to a Dolphins offensive line that is sorely lacking depth. Ike Ndukwe will reportedly step in at right guard, though I suspect this might not last. Ndukwe has been serving as the backup left tackle (though he actually could back up every position) and I don't really consider him starter material. I wouldn't be surprised to see rookie fourth-rounder Shawn Murphy, recent waiver claim Andy Alleman or the newly signed Evan Mathis - all of whom have more upside than Ndukwe - eventually push for the job. Mathis, in particular, is intriguing and is the most likely given that Murphy is backing up left guard and Alleman center.

Just who is Evan Mathis? The 6-foot-5, 305-pound Mathis was originally drafted by the Carolina Panthers in third round of the 2005 NFL Draft out of Alabama. A first-team All-SEC selection in 2004, the 26-year-old Mathis appeared in nine games his rookie season with no starts. He started all 15 games in which he played for Carolina in 2006, but appeared in just one game last season. Mathis was released by the team during final cuts two weeks ago.

Mathis also has more connections to the Dolphins' organization than Henry VIII had wives! (Little historical humor for ya there. That's how we do it here: combine football with education.) First, Mathis is the nephew of former Dolphins tackle Bob Baumhower, who was selected to five Pro Bowls for the team between 1977 and 1986. Mathis worked also with both Dolphins offensive coordinator Dan Henning and offensive line coach Mike Maser in Carolina. Additionally, he played with starting left guard Justin Smiley when both were at Alabama from 2001-2003.

Mathis will wear No. 73 in Miami, which was most recently worn by undrafted rookie offensive tackle Dan Gore in training camp.


Grigsby/Cramer

---

Some fans were surprised when Boomer Grigsby beat out Reagan Mauia for the team's starting fullback job during the preseason. While I predicted before camp that Mauia would win the job, it became obvious early on that Grigsby was far out-performing the incumbent. Grigsby did just about everything better during the preseason, and the team made the right choice in choosing him over Mauia.

Despite beating out the only other fullback on the Dolphins roster during the preseason, Grigsby's grasp on the starting gig was apparently not safe at all. Just one game into the regular season, the Dolphins have parted ways with the converted Kansas City linebacker in favor of Casey Cramer.

The move comes two days after Dolphins running backs Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown combined for 47 yards on 16 carries in the season opener. The biggest hole in Grigsby's game always had been his blocking, as he was a solid pass catcher and is a terrific special teams player.

The 6-foot-2, 250-pound Cramer was a good receiving tight end at Dartmouth, hauling in 72 passes for 1,017 yards and seven touchdowns as a junior in 2002. However, he has just two receptions for eight yards in 27 career NFL games. He was drafted by the Buccaneers in 2004 but did not make the team. After bouncing around some practice squads, he saw active roter time with the Carolina Panthers in 2004-2005 and then the Tennessee Titans in 2006-2007. He was released by the Titans on August 30 during final cuts.

What's the scouting report on Cramer? Well, his totally unbiased agent had this to say:

"He's a Dartmouth graduate, very intelligent, and will have the playbook down pat by Sunday morning. He's tough, smart, a good pass-catcher, a good blocker and excellent special teams player.''

Fantastic.

Despite the agent's expected confidence, Cramer's status on the team is no safer than Grigsby's and he's just the latest guy being given a chance to earn the fullback job long-term. He has experience at both fullback and tight end, though he will definitely be working at fullback as that's where the hole is on the team. He's also a given to play on special teams in the same capacity as Grigsby. Hopefully, Cramer will nail down the fullback job and improve the running game. It is by no means a given, however, as Cramer has never had a starting gig in four career years. There could easily be a revolving door at fullback this season.

Cramer will make his Dolphins debut against the Arizona Cardinals this Sunday sporting No. 30, which was most recently worn by cornerback Chris Roberson during the preseason.

2008 Week 1 Recap: Jets at Dolphins

These were up yesterday (Tuesday) but I've been busy with school. For future reference, you can check my YouTube profile if I don't post about them here. Enjoy!

Part I



Part II

Dolphins at Jaguars: Thoughts & Observations (Offense)

The following are my thoughts and observations from the Dolphins Week 2 preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. At the risk of their being no pattern or organization to these random notes, I've decided to at least group them by position.

Quarterback

• Dolphins fans have to be pleased with the way the quarterbacks performed in this game. Chad Pennington, in what little passing he did, was a very efficient 5-for-6 and looked as good as any Dolphins quarterback has in a long time. Sparano might not be willing to name a starter at this point, but there's no question Pennington is the best guy for the job.
• Speaking of Pennington starting, I have to say that I am cautiously yet increasingly optimistic about the Dolphins' chances to win games this season. I do not believe they will be contenders for a playoff spot, but Pennington's ability to manage the game and avoid mistakes will keep the Dolphins in games, which could even propel them to around .500 for the season.
• Rookie Chad Henne looked very good as well and certainly didn't look like a rookie. He is very poised in the pocket and confidently delivers his throws with poise and accuracy. He knows when to use touch on his throws but has the arm to really gun it in there. All indications are he's ready to be the No. 2 quarterback out of the game.
• As for the quarterbacks that didn't get to play, it's becoming increasingly obvious that the team has little use for McCown and Beck outside of a third stringer. While I am an advocate of keeping Beck and cutting McCown lose, it certainly appears like the team is ready to part ways with Beck now if they can get something for him. There's a good argument for the move and I wouldn't be too upset, as Pennington is the now and Henne is the future.

Running back

• Ricky Williams continues to run the ball well and it is a welcome sight given Ronnie Brown's rehab. I am confident Brown will still get his touches before being eased back into the starting role in 2009 (I will address Mort's Brown rumors in a future post) and it certainly looks like the Dolphins will have a hell of a 1-2 punch at tailback.
• Boomer Grigsby continues to outplay Reagan Mauia and the second-year Cameron draft pick is in danger of not making the roster. Grigsby is a fine blocker, a better receiver and a special teams ace.

Wide receiver/Tight end

• Second-year receiver Ted Ginn, Jr. had a very impressive game (4 catches, 58 yards) and showed what he can do as a receiver when he has a good quarterback throwing to him. Ginn has a great attitude and work ethic to go along with extreme talent. He's going to prove a lot of haters wrong if the Dolphins build a good offense around him.
• Speaking of Ginn, I was disappointed to see a catch he made along the sidelines ruled in complete upon review by the referee. The play, which was a semi-long pass from Henne to Ginn down the right sideline, occurred with about 2-3 minutes left in the second quarter. Ginn made a beautiful over-the-shoulder grab and, in my view, was able to secure the ball prior to taking two steps in-bounds. While it is true that he did bobble the ball initially, he had one foot on the ground when he gained control and took another step in bounds, thus giving him two feet and possession. There is no doubt in my mind the refs blew this one.
• Derek Hagan also had a couple of good catches and appears to be the best candidate for the No. 2 job. That still isn't a good thing, however, and receiver remains a thin position for the Dolphins.
• It was sad to see Ernest Wilford playing in the fourth quarter against the Jaguars. I was a big fan of his entering free agency and glad to see the Dolphins sign him, but he's really been losing ground lately. If he didn't have so much money guaranteed and if the Dolphins weren't so thin at the position, I think he'd be in danger of losing his job. His problems might be might though because I know he has the ability to be a good NFL receiver.
• Davone Bess remains the team's best undrafted rookie receiver and will likely make the team, but Sparano isn't going to put up with careless mistakes like his false start on the second offensive play of the game.
• Speaking of which, there was no excuse for the delay of game penalty following the false start. It was a sloppy start to the game and it was nice to see the Dolphins rebound.
• The Dolphins could really be lacking any kind of receiving threat at tight end. If Anthony Fasano doesn't show he can be a starter this season, the position will be a high priority in 2009.

Offensive line

• I can't remember the last time I saw a Dolphins quarterback have time to throw like Pennington and Henne did in this game. The line started off slow early, forcing Pennington to scramble a few times as the pocket collapsed, but for the most part they really let him sit back their and let his receivers get open. A good line is the key to a productive offense and it will help mask the team's weaknesses at other positions.
• Rookie first overall pick Jake Long had another very strong performance. He had only one poor play in my view where he complete whiffed on a block and let Patrick Cobbs get eaten up in the backfield, but other than that he was very good.
• Sixth-rounder Donald Thomas also had a good showing and is seemingly entrenched as the starting right guard. He'll make some rookie mistakes here and there, but he's a massive mauler with a lot of upside.
  

Updated Thoughts/Observations/Predictions (offense and special teams)

We're a couple weeks into camp and the Dolphins play their first preseason game tonight, and while not many major roster moves have been made my views and predictions on the way the roster will shake out have changed drastically. Here are some of my updated thoughts/observations/predictions based on what's been reported thus far.

Quarterback

• The acquisition of Chad Pennington definitely changes the team's quarterback competition. There are good arguments for the release of either McCown or Beck, but McCown should and probably will be the guy to get the axe (or in his case, chain saw). McCown was here to be the veteran of the bunch and Pennington is an upgraded version of that. Beck may not pan out, but he's still unproven and has potential which is why he'll stay over McCown, who has pretty much established his mediocrity.
  
• That being said, reports of camp regarding Beck have been generally negative. While two weeks of camp don't define a career, we've yet to see Beck has taken the next step and there's little cause for optimism. With Chad Henne being the organization's hand-picked quarterback of the future, it seems unlikely Beck fits into the team's long-term plans.

Running back

• You have to love the reports about Ronnie and Ricky coming out of camp. Ronnie will probably be eased back into the starting role in 2008 as he heals, but it sounds like he's recovering nicely and the two should be a hell of a tandem.
• There have also been plenty of good reports about rookie Jalen Parmele, and it sounds like he'll be a quality backup at the very least. He probably won't see too much action in 2008 barring injury (the Lorenzo Booker of the year), but his touches will increase in future seasons.
• It looks like I was wrong in my prediction regarding rookie Lex Hilliard. Word is he hasn't shown much in camp on offense or on special teams (the condition I had for him beating out Patrick Cobbs), while Cobbs continues to excel on special teams and seems to be one of the team's hardest workers. I'd be very shocked if Hilliard makes the team and Cobbs does not. Hilliard is practice squad material at best, and perhaps not even that.

Fullback

• Another prediction I think I got wrong. Mauia has shown nothing catching the ball, while Grigsby has at least been solid and has the major edge on special teams. Given that, combined with Sparano's comments about preferring to only keep one fullback who can contribute in different areas, I'm inclined to believe that Grigsby not only beats Mauia out for the starting job, but Mauia doesn't even make the squad.

Wide receiver

• It's good to hear how second-year receiver Ted Ginn, Jr. is progressing with his route-running. Dolphins fans may not have agreed with the pick and may still not, but if this guy ever gets a legit quarterback he could be the next Steve Smith.
• It's not a good sign that Ernest Wilford is falling down the depth chart. While Derek Hagan deserves some credit for his good camp, Wilford was brought in as a starter and his inability to get separation is disappointing even for a possession guy like him. Hopefully he picks it up, because he was a guy I wanted in free agency and I feel he can be a legit starter (not to mention a damn good end-zone threat).
  
• No surprise that Davone Bess has been the best undrafted rookie wideout thus far. Him making the team as the No. 5 receiver is one prediction I still feel good about.

Tight end

• No surprise that Fasano has already jumped into the starting tight end job. He's not a game breaker, but I think he'll be solid.
  
• I'm interested to see if incumbent starter David Martin makes the squad. I think Sean Ryan's blocking and connections with the staff give him a good chance to make the team. Justin Peelle's injury has hurt his own chances and may open the door for Martin to stick around if the team keeps three tight ends.

Offensive line

• You have to love the reports of sixth-round pick Donald Thomas in camp. He's worked at the starting right guard spot for a week now and it seems he has a legit shot to win the job. I'd always heard he had more upside than fourth-rounder Shawn Murphy, but I didn't expect him to excel this quickly.
• Thomas' emergence is also good because it allows Trey Darilek to be a versatile backup. Darilek is not starting material, as he wasn't even in the NFL last year and hasn't played since 2005. (He has played in the preseason in recent years and also in the CFL last season.) He's a useful guy to have on the bench because he can play four offensive line positions, if not all of them.
  
• I'm quite surprised the Dolphins haven't done much to add to the offensive line depth. Perhaps this is a vote of confidence for Darilek and Ike Ndukwe, though you'd think they'd at least bring in a couple more guys to compete.
  

Special teams

• I've said it before and I'll say it again: If Dan Carpenter doesn't completely blow Jay Feely away in the preseason, you have to stick with Feely. It sounds like Carpenter is providing some pretty solid competition, but that shouldn't be enough to win him the job over a Pro Bowl-caliber kicker like Feely.
• Something tells me Brandon Fields and John Denney are pretty safe. Just a hunch.
  

Pre-Training Camp Final Roster Predictions

With final cutdowns still over a month away, odds are these predictions wind up horrible off. But I figured it would still be fun at this point to try and make my best guess at the 53-man roster come September. A few things to keep in mind:

• A lot of things can and will change between now and September 1, so I don't expect these to be very accurate
• I am not taking into account any possible signings or roster additions (Terry Glenn, anyone?) during camp or the preseason, and such occurrences would obviously throw these predictions off

Quarterbacks (3): Josh McCown, John Beck, Chad Henne

Running backs (4): Ronnie Brown, Ricky Williams, Jalen Parmele, Lex Hilliard

Fullbacks (2): Reagan Mauia, Boomer Grigsby

Wide receivers (5): Ernest Wilford, Ted Ginn, Jr., Derek Hagan, Greg Camarillo, Davone Bess

Tight ends (3): Anthony Fasano, Justin Peelle, Sean Ryan

Offensive tackles (3): Jake Long, Vernon Carey, Trey Darilek

Offensive guards (4): Justin Smiley, Steve McKinney, Shawn Murphy, Donald Thomas

Centers (2): Samson Satele, Mike Byrne

Defensive ends (5): Randy Starks, Vonnie Holliday, Philip Merling, Kendall Langford, Rodrique Wright

Defensive tackles (2): Jason Ferguson, Paul Soliai

Outside linebackers (5): Joey Porter, Charlie Anderson, Quentin Moses, Junior Glymph, Titus Brown

Inside linebackers (3): Channing Crowder, Akin Ayodele, Reggie Torbor

Cornerbacks (5): Will Allen, Michael Lehan, Andre' Goodman, Nathan Jones, Joey Thomas

Safeties (4): Jason Allen, Yeremiah Bell, Chris Crocker, Keith Davis

Special teams (3): Jay Feely, Brandon Fields, John Denney

Total: 53

Some of my the most notable cuts:

• RB Patrick Cobbs - if Lex Hilliard can show ability on special teams, the team will probably keep him around in lieu of Cobbs.
  
• TE David Martin - Fasano was clearly acquired to be a starter and Martin was pretty much horrible in all aspects last season. I think they go with some stronger blockers in Peelle and Ryan to back up
  
• DE Matt Roth - Roth has shown flashes during his three-year career but has yet to establish himself as a legitimate starter with only three sacks last season. I also don't see him as a good fit in the 3-4, and with all the bodies added to the position in the offseason I don't see the use for him here.
  
• CB Travis Daniels - Daniels has regressed since his 2005 rookie season and is not a legitimate starter, which is why I think former Cowboys Nathan Jones and Joey Thomas beat him out.
  
• FS Renaldo Hill - Hill is solid and could make the team, but I think Jason Allen will start and the Dolphins go with a healthier Chris Crocker as backup.

I can't imagine we'll all see eye-to-eye on this, so I'd love to hear some of your thoughts on my predictions and what you see happening differently! Also, you can check out my latest projected depth chart spreadsheet here.

Most Intriguing Training Camp Battles, No. 8: Backup RB

Assuming all goes well with Ronnie Brown's rehab and Ricky Williams'...being him, the Dolphins should have quite a 1-2 punch at running back for the coming season. Hopefully for the Dolphins, the backs behind those two on the depth chart won't see more than a carry here or there. That being said, the third running back will have to be up to the task if called upon, and just who that back will be has yet to be decided.

After Ronnie and Ricky, the lone holdover at the position from the previous season is Patrick Cobbs. An undrafted free agent out of North Texas in 2006, Cobbs has established himself as a quality special teams player over the past two seasons with the Dolphins. He's a compact guy at 5-foot-8 and 210 pounds and has shown some ability in the preseason, though he's gotten very few chances on offense in the regular season with only 15 carries and one touchdown in his career.

Cobbs' main challenger is rookie Jalen Parmele, who was drafted in the sixth round out of Toledo. In addition to being a "Parcells guy", Parmele is more talented and has more upside than Cobbs. He doesn't have blazing speed or great power, but he's solid in all aspects and will at least be a backup in the NFL.

In reality, the battle here might be more between Cobbs and sixth-rounder Lex Hilliard. With the fullback job between Mauia and Grigsby, Hilliard is going to have to shine on special teams in order to make the squad out of camp. If he can do that, he should supplant Cobbs as a special teamer and No. 4 back. While teams often keep only three backs, four doesn't seem out of the question for the Dolphins given Ronnie's injury and Ricky's unreliability.

The position(s):Backup running back spots
Number of spots: 1-2
The contenders: Patrick Cobbs, Jalen Parmele, Lex Hilliard
Predicted winner(s): Parmele and Hilliard
Reason: Cobbs hasn't much upside and is little more than a special teamer. Meanwhile, Parmele is more of a legitimate backup running back at this point and has a brighter future. If Hilliard showcases himself on special teams, his versatility at fullback and tailback will earn him the final spot over the holdover Cobbs.

Most Intriguing Training Camp Battles, No. 9: Starting FB

With Miami still lacking a proven quarterback, but in possession of two potentially Pro Bowl-caliber running backs, there is little doubt the emphasis will be on running the ball in 2008. That being the case, the Dolphins will also need a bruising fullback to open up holes for Ronnie and Ricky. Who the fullback will be has yet to be determined and it makes for quite an interesting preseason battle.

The incumbent, Reagan Mauia, was drafted by the "old regime" the sixth round in 2007 out of Hawaii. While he gained quite a bit of attention from his YouTube video where he runs through a wall, he has yet to display such power on the football field. From what I saw of him during his rookie season, he was only average when it came to power and very rarely did I see him knock guys around. Furthermore, he showed very little ability as a pass receiver and a surprising lack of power in short-yardage carries. One also cannot forget Mauia's April arrest, who may put him in Parcells' dog house and give him a very short leash when it comes to future incidents.

The "Parcells guy" in this battle is Boomer Grigsby. The 26-year-old Grigsby has spent the last four season with the Chiefs after being drafted by them in the fifth round out of Illinois State in 2004. Primarily a special teamer, he was converted from linebacker to fullback prior to the 2007 season.

As one would expect from a converted linebacker, Grigsby isn't a threat with the ball in his hands and was still primarily a special teamer last season while backing up Kris Wilson at fullback. Neither he nor Mauia seem to have any advantage (or talent) in this area, and fortunately it's not something that will play a large part in their roles the team.

The key to this battle is who can establish themselves as a lead blocker for the run-oriented offense. Mauia (6-0, 270) has the size advantage over Grigsby (5-11, 249). However, as I mentioned before, Mauia didn't show a whole lot of power on offense a rookie. Meanwhile, Grigsby is your typical hard-nosed, blue-collar [insert more clichés here] guy who has plenty of experience as a wedge buster on special teams.

There is a third player the position in sixth-rounder Lex Hilliard, though he is such a long shot to win a starting job I don't feel the need to give him much attention here. The running back/fullback will have his hands full just making the team, and his primary focus will likely be on special teams early on.

With no other candidates on the roster and none likely to be signed before the season barring injury, the battle comes down to Mauia and Grigsby. Both took reps with the first team during offseason workouts, so this battle is far from over and definitely something to keep an eye on.

The position(s): Starting fullback
Number of spots: One
The contenders: Reagan Mauia, Boomer Grigsby, Lex Hilliard
Predicted winner(s): Mauia
Reason: Mauia has more upside than Grigsby, while Grigsby is a huge asset on special teams. I feel that the organization will give Mauia the chance to establish himself as the starting fullback, because it's a place he could really thrive for years if he pans out. That being said, the Dolphins probably wouldn't hesitate to toss Grigsby in there if Mauia doesn't separate himself and get the job done.

2008 Draft Analysis: Part III

This is the second four videos covering the Dolphins' 2008 NFL Draft selections, with this one discussing the selections of Utah State guard Shawn Murphy and Toledo running back Jalen Parmele. I also talk about the trading of running back Lorenzo Booker to the Philadelphia Eagles. Be sure to check out the rest of the draft analysis videos as well as the rest of my videos from the day!

ERFAs Camarillo, Cobbs and Ndukwe re-signed

The Dolphins re-signed all their remaining exclusive-rights free agents today as wide receiver Greg Camarillo, running back Patrick Cobbs and guard Ike Ndukwe signed their one-year tenders.

Exclusive-rights free agents are players with fewer than three accrued NFL seasons whose contracts had expired. As ERFAs, the three had no negotiating rights with other teams and could only re-sign with the Dolphins or not play football in 2008.

Background & Analysis

Camarillo was claimed off waivers from the Chargers prior to the season opener in 2007. He appeared in 15 games for the Dolphins, catching eight passes for 160 yards and two touchdowns. He also made three special teams tackles.

Despite his heroics in Miami's only win of the season, Camarillo will face stiff competition to make the team. Assuming Miami keeps five receivers, Ernest Wilford, Ted Ginn, Jr. and Derek Hagan are all locks or close to it. Miami could also draft a receiver in the first three rounds which one take up another spot, while players like Tab Perry and David Kircus are more talented receivers than Camarillo. He will likely be in competition with Perry, Kircus, Kerry Reed, Chandler Williams and a couple drafted and undrafted rookies for the last receiver spot. His special teams abilities will help his chances.

Cobbs has nearly all of the past two seasons with the Dolphins after going undrafted in 2006. He is a sub-par rusher and a solid special teams player, and would likely begin the season as fourth on the depth chart at running back if camp opened today. A few more bodies will likely come through cheap free agents or undrafted rookies, and Cobbs will have to earn his spot on the roster with all-around good play. Slowed rehabilitation for Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams would help Cobbs' chances, but he's still going to have his hands full.

Ike Ndukwe was signed by the Dolphins off Baltimore's practice squad in late December after cornerback Andre' Goodman was placed on injured reserve. He was inactive for the season finale against Cincinnati. The 25-year-old Ndukwe has also spent time with the New Orleans Saints Washington Redskins and has bounced between the active roster and practice squad throughout his career. His only regular season game experience came in 2006 with Baltimore. He is also the older brother of Bengals safety Chinedum Ndukwe.

Ndukwe (6-4, 338) is the kind of big-bodied offensive lineman that Parcells loves. He also has a few years of learning experience and is a solid run blocker. Miami is currently lacking a starting left guard, but Ndukwe likely won't get much of a chance at the role. He is, one of only three guards on the roster after Justin Smiley and should have a good chance to compete for a reserve role with Trey Darilek and Drew Mormino, but Miami is likely to add more competition before camp.

2008 Offseason Preview: Running Backs

Here is my second-to-last offseason preview video, this one on the running backs. The final video, on the quarterbacks, will be up Thursday. Free agency begins the following day, so I'm sure I'll have plenty of different stuff to discuss soon. Enjoy!

Tony Sparano Impact Report

The following is an article about the hiring of Tony Sparano for KFFL.com.

Coming off a dismal 1-15 season – the worst in the franchise’s 42-year history – the Dolphins have will now have their third different head coach in three seasons starting in 2008. Tony Sparano – an assistant under various titles for the Dallas Cowboys since 2003 – takes the reins under front-office honcho Bill Parcells and new general manager Jeff Ireland as the Dolphins look to get out of the NFL’s cellar.

Background

Sparano, 46, joins the Dolphins with over two decades of college and pro coaching experience. After graduating from the University of New Haven in 1982, where he was also the starting center, Sparano served as the offensive line coach at his alma mater from 1984 to 1987. He then served in the same capacity for Boston University for one season, followed by a return to New Haven as offensive coordinator. After running the team’s offense from 1989 to 1993, Sparano spent the next five seasons as the team’s head coach.

In 1999, Sparano made the leap to the NFL coaching ranks as offensive quality control coach for the Cleveland Browns. He held the role for two seasons, after which time he served as tight ends coach for the Washington Redskins in 2001 and then the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2002.

Sparano joined Bill Parcells’ staff with the Dallas Cowboys in 2003 and held multiple titles as an assistant through 2007. He was the Cowboys’ tight ends coach from 2003 to 2004, offensive line coach/running game coordinator in 2005, assistant head coach/offensive line coach/running game coordinator in 2006 and assistant head coach/offensive line coach in 2007.

A Welcome Change

Not only was change enticing after a horrendous season, it become vital after Cam Cameron lost the whole team by season’s end. Reports of the locker room chaos were revealed after Cameron’s departure, painting a more disastrous picture than the team’s record could do alone. Cameron was too strict at times, kicking veteran defensive tackle Keith Traylor off the team to the chagrin of veterans like Zach Thomas and Jason Taylor. He was too soft at others, letting linebacker Joey Porter berate him in front of the entire team for three minutes without so much of a word in defense. By the end, change was not a possibility – it was a necessity.

Sparano appears in some ways to be the anti-Cameron – a hard-nosed, no-nonsense kind of coach who commands the respect of the players and respects them as well. While there is always optimism after a team makes changes coming off a bad experience, the reality is that things really can’t get much worse anyway.

Run, Run, Run

Cameron called the offensive plays himself in 2007 with horrendous results, though that may have been more a result of lack of talent and extensive injuries than the lack of a true offensive coordinator. In fact, a similar strategy remains a possibility during Sparano’s first season, depending on whether or not an adequate coach can be found.

With the Dolphins’ instability at quarterback coupled with Sparano’s history as a former offensive lineman, offensive line coach and running game coordinator, expect a heavy emphasis on the running game for the Dolphins in 2008. The team’s run blocking was far better than its pass protection in 2007 and the Dolphins are deep at the running back position. Ronnie Brown was on his way to a Pro Bowl season before tearing his ACL but should return to full health, and Ricky Williams remains to give the Dolphins possibly one of the best two-head rushing attacks in the NFL. Additionally, rookie Lorenzo Booker showed his versatility with a 4.5 rushing average and 28 receptions – all in the team’s final five games.

On defense, an even stronger push to the 3-4 is likely with Parcells and Ireland building the roster. The Dolphins have attempted to move toward the 3-4 ever since Nick Saban took over in 2005, but have lacked the personnel to run it as their base defense. They have the outside linebackers for the scheme in Jason Taylor and Joey Porter, but lack the bulk on the defensive line. In addition Zach Thomas, while a constant force for the Dolphins for over a decade, has had problems with injuries and is undersized for the 3-4.

Fantasy Impact

As already discussed, the lack of a quarterback will likely mean an emphasis on the run for the Dolphins offensively. As long as he gets help up front, Ronnie Brown should continue to progress and will be Miami’s top fantasy option. Ricky Williams will also be worth a roster spot, given that Brown is coming off an injury and Sparano has a history with a two-back system.

While there’s little to get excited about in the passing game, second-year player Ted Ginn Jr. is probably the most viable fantasy option at receiver. Ginn caught 34 passes for 420 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie despite working with three different quarterbacks – none of which performed particularly well.

For individual defensive player leagues, there are a few possible fantasy options. The Dolphins didn’t always use linebacker Joey Porter in the best way in 2007, but he picked it up in the second half of the season with 4.5 sacks and two interceptions after Week 10. Defensive end Jason Taylor can seemingly always be counted on for double-digit sacks plus some forced fumbles and interceptions. Linebacker Zach Thomas is still a tackling machine, while third-year linebacker Channing Crowder recorded 78 tackles in just 11 games.