Miami Dolphins Rookie Mini-Camp: Final Day

[DolFan619]

http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/sports_football_dolphins/2008/05/summary-of-dolp.html

Summary of Dolphins rookie camp

To be honest, it's extremely hard to tell much about the players participating in this weekend's rookie camp, but some hints about these Dolphin newbies have been provided by the coaches and players.

Jake Long is head and shoulders bigger, and more talented than every other lineman here in the camp. His helmet starts where everyone else's ends. That can't be a bad thing. His feet also move faster than most of the guards.

Long hasn't had much trouble with anyone on defense, but he also hasn't gone up against Phillip Merling much. Merling spent most of Sunday swinging his leg in and out, trying to stretch out that groin. But he was worked in every once in a while and showed off his power.

Of the five receivers in camp Davone Bess looks like he has the potential to be the best. He's quick, catches everything with his hands, and has a stout frame. He's short (5-foot-10), but has a super thick lower body. His quads are huge. Kind of reminds me of a quicker version of Darnell Jenkins, who the Dolphins did try to sign by the way.

Please do remember that quick and fast are two totally different things. There's something called short speed, which helps you get in and out of cuts, creating separation. And then there's long speed, which helps receivers make big plays down-field. I personally would rather have quickness.

I've also been impressed with Justin Wynn, a 6-foot-2 receiver who last played at Grand Rapid Community College. Wynn has speed, and potential, which might explain why the Dolphins found him from under some rock and signed him.

On defense, Keith Saunders, a Alabama produce who spent a portion of last season on New England's practice squad, has caught my eye for three straight practices. Saunders is one of the tryout guys, but he's quick and athletic. I don't know if he walks away from this weekend with a contract but it wouldn't surprise me if he surfaces on another NFL team before training camp.

Coach Tony Sparano said he's not sure if the Dolphins will sign anymore of the tryout guys. They'll decide after they review the film early this weekend.

Chad Henne struggled on Sunday. His passes were off the mark on a number of reps, but it's hard to tell if it was him or the receiver.

He also got schooled by tryout quarterback Willie Copeland on a touch pass drill that had them throwing over a barrier and trying to hit a target. Copeland, who did nothing special for the first three practice sessions, hit the target twice. He also had a strong closing practice on Sunday, finding open receiver.

For the first time all weekend it was hard to tell who was the second round pick and who was the unsigned rookie. However, I'm sure it was just someone having a bad day, and someone having a good day. I doubt Copeland will be signed.

Henne did mess up a snap count during team drills, and the coaches made him run a lap around the field. He was the only player all weekend who had to run a lap. Henne said it was the first time he's had to run a lap since high school.

So much for that prince of the palace treatment quarterbacks usually get, but I have a feeling those days are long gone.

> Posted by Omar Kelly at 9:32:19 AM

[DolFan619]

http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/sports_seasonticket/2008/05/fins-sparanos-s.html

Fins: Sparano's stance

Tony Sparano has publicly opened competition just about everywhere.

Yesterday, when asked if Kendall Langford was a developmental project, Sparano said this:

“We were 1-15 last year. We don’t have many developmental projects. We are going to bring guys in here that are going to compete. I said it yesterday and I’ll say it again today, the best players on our team are going to play. No bones about it. If he is the best, he’ll play.”

This is the right approach for this kind of team. This is the approach that Jimmy Johnson took, when he started Zach Thomas over just-signed vet Jack Del Rio.

The question is whether the coaching staff will hold to it.

Will the staff be willing to play the guy who was drafted later? Who was undrafted? Who makes less money? Who wasn't its guy?

I think this staff will. But it will be interesting to watch.

> Posted by Ethan J. Skolnick at 10:41:49 AM

[DolFan619]

http://dolphinsindepth.blogspot.com/

Final rookie minicamp practice over

The rookie minicamp is over and here is the update from today's work.

Chad Henne was terrible in practice today. He struggled with his accuracy and was seemingly tired because his sideline throws had very little gas on them.

"Today, I didn't have such a great practice," Henne said afterward. "I was inconsistent with my throws."

The conditioning of these players is a serious concern -- particularly considering that it wasn't very hot this weekend. Although players believed it to be blazing hot, as Jake Long noted, it was really mild.

Yet guys were clearly winded. Coach Tony Sparano told the players they needed to get in better shape on Saturday but that wasn't the only message the team sent about being well-conditioned.

Notice that GM Jeff Ireland released a quote about signing Toribio: "Anthony was here on a tryout basis and really showed to everyone what can happen to a kid when he comes to camp in shape and works hard," said Ireland.

Remember that Ireland didn't release a quote when the Dolphins signed most of their veteran free agents. So yeah, it was a message.

Anyway, Jake Long is confident he improved during the three days of camp. "I got better," he said. He will return to South Florida May 16 and get settled, and hopefully start to get acclimated with the heat.

By the way, Marcel Reece continued his struggles of the weekend, dropping at least three passes today.

The Dolphins worked both the 3-4 and 4-3 set on defense.

On offense the team moved around some of the interior linemen. At one point I looked up and saw Shawn Murphy at tackle. It would not surprise if throughout training camp, coaches will move guys around so they can play alternate positions in a crunch.

[fyo]

Please do remember that quick and fast are two totally different things. There's something called short speed, which helps you get in and out of cuts, creating separation. And then there's long speed, which helps receivers make big plays down-field. I personally would rather have quickness.

Way to butcher that paragraph, Omar. Nothing like using one set of words in your definition and another everywhere else - without even bothering to say which is which.

[DolFan619]

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/palmbeach/miamidolphins/entries/2008/05/04/sparano_wraps_up_first_minicam.html

Sparano wraps up first mini-camp

By Edgar Thompson | Sunday, May 4, 2008, 02:17 PM

Tony Sparano’s first mini-camp is in the books.

It wasn’t quite a welcome-to-the-NFL experience for the rookie head coach.

He was working with essentially a rag-tag group, with 30 of 39 players undrafted rookies. This weekend’s Dolphins might be a fringe top-25 college football team.

But Sparano coached the rookies like they were playing for a Super Bowl contender.

He said Bill Parcells, who attended all four practices during the past three days, even told Sparano one day, “You’re starting to sound like somebody else I know.”

“I think he was referring to himself - and that’s not a bad thing.”

Sparano said he doesn’t feel like a first-year head coach. But this time a year ago, he coached the Dallas Cowboys offensive line.

Out of habit, he sometimes found himself gravitating to O-line drills.

“Every once in awhile I migrate into that area and find myself down there,” he said.

But Sparano got around plenty and soaked in as much as he could.

“Out here on the field I’m going a million miles an hour,” he said.

He liked what he saw from this weekend’s crew, especially some of the 30 undrafted rookies in camp.

“Several people impressed us … with the way they worked, with what they did and their athleticism,” Sparano said.

Sparano did mention Hawaii receiver Devon Bess, who stood out among all the undrafted players this weekend.

Sparano said he and his staff would get together on Monday and review everyone’s performance.

But the real work is only beginning.

Sparano said he’s eager to work with the veterans and begin sorting out the many questions facing the team.

He did say that the coaches haven’t decided whether the team will play a 3-4 o4 4-3.

“There isn’t much clarity right now until we see the veterans players come out here and we find what they can do,” Sparano said.

Sparano said he really won’t know anything about new team until the full squad is together for the first time on May 16 … the first day of OTAs (organized team activities).

With his first weekend as an NFL coach behind him, it’s going to be hard for Sparano to wait that long.

“I can’t wait to get back out there now,” he said. “You get a little taste of it. I’m really excited to get out here with the veteran players and see what we have.”