Miami Dolphins Sign WR Taurus Johnson to Practice Squad

In a move that happened two weeks ago (but one I’m just getting to now because of a busy school week when when it originally occurred), the Miami Dolphins signed rookie wide receiver Taurus Johnson to their practice squad.

An undrafted rookie out of South Florida, Johnson took the spot vacated by defensive end Ryan Baker, who was promoted to the active roster before the Dolphins‘ Week 12 game against the Buffalo Bills.

Background

A Ft. Myers, Fla. native, Johnson played in all 12 games for the USF Bulls as a true freshman in 2005, catching three passes for 35 yards.

As a sophomore in 2006, Johnson caught 37 passes for 494 yards and two touchdowns for the Bulls. He followed that season up with 34 catches for 407 yards and four touchdowns as a junior in 2007.

Johnson set career highs in all major receiving categories as a senior in 2008, catching 38 passes for 498 yards and six touchdowns. He finished his collegiate career with 112 receptions, 1,434 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Johnson (6-0, 206 pounds) ran a 4.52 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine. He went unselected in the 2009 NFL Draft and signed with the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent on April 26.

After appearing in all four preseason games for the Chiefs in 2009 and catching two passes for 18 yards, Johnson was waived by the team during final cuts on Sept. 5.

Johnson remained a free agent until Sept. 30, when he was added to the practice squad of the Detroit Lions. He was released on Nov. 5.

Johnson was signed to the Dolphins’ practice squad on Dec. 1. He will wear No. 89 for the team and will earn roughly $5,200 per week. As a member of the Dolphins’ practice squad, he his eligible to be signed to another team’s active roster at any time.

Analysis

Johnson joins the Dolphins’ five active receivers and fellow practice squad player Julius Pruitt as the seventh wide receiver in the organization (excluding Brennan Marion on injured reserve).

A physical receiver with a solid build, Johnson possesses adequate but not elite speed for an NFL receiver. He has good hands and did a solid job of gaining separation in college, but will likely struggle to do so at the NFL level.

Johnson has essentially no chance of seeing a promotion to the active roster in 2009, regardless of any injuries that may occur to the team’s receiving corps. If he makes it through the end of the season, he’ll be auditioning for a spot in training camp in 2010.

 

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Chris J. Nelson is a journalism major at Georgia State University. He operates his own Miami Dolphins web site, The Miami Dolphins Spotlight , and can be followed on Twitter here .

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Miami Dolphins Keep Playoff Hopes Alive, Beat Jacksonville Jaguars

The Miami Dolphins kept their playoff hopes alive for at least one more week, beating the Jacksonville Jaguars on the road 14-10.

It wasn’t always pretty and the Dolphins failed to capitalize on many opportunities, which kept things close, but sound play from quarterback Chad Henne and clutch plays on defense sealed the victory.

At 7-6, the Dolphins are still alive in the AFC Wild Card race, trailing the Jaguars and Baltimore Ravens with identical records.

The Dolphins head to Nashville to face the soaring Tennessee Titans in Week 15, where they’ll face quite possibly their toughest individual opponent yet in running back Chris Johnson.

Until then, here are my observations from the Dolphins’ victory over the Jaguars:

Offense

• The numbers don’t tell the whole story, as Chad Henne was very accurate and efficient throughout the game. He had a bad interception late, but played well almost all day. Henne is looking more and more like a leader on offense and clearly has all the tools to be a very good NFL quarterback.
• Thank you to Dan Henning and the rest of the staff for once again keeping Pat White on the bench. Until the Dolphins are officially eliminated from playing contention, I don’t want to see White with a helmet on.
• Ricky Williams ran hard and followed his blocking well, but really struggled holding onto the ball today. He’s always had small hands and needs to do a better job securing the ball, especially since Miami has no other legitimate options at tailback.
• Lousaka Polite continues to be a force in the running game as a blocker, as well as money in short-yardage ball-carrying situations. Every week I’m becoming more and more convinced he should be in the Pro Bowl this year.
• Greg Camarillo led the Dolphins’ receivers against Jacksonville, catching everything thrown his way and consistently moving the chains.
• Vernon Carey got embarrassed on one play, but the offensive line did a good job protecting Henne for the most part. Helping matters is that Henne’s pocket awareness and decision-making is becoming much more refined with every week.
• Nate Garner and Donald Thomas (now relegated to a platoon/reserve role) both did well in the running game. I like Thomas’ upside more though, and would prefer him to start while Garner serves as a versatile sixth lineman off the bench.

 

Defense & Special Teams

• The Dolphins’ defensive line had as good a game as I’ve seen in a few years, getting good pressure on Jaguars quarterback David Garrard and keeping running back Maurice Jones-Drew in check. Kendall Langford and Phillip Merling both made some plays in the pressure/deflection departments, while Paul Soliai and Randy Starks dominated most of the game and came up big on some fourth-down plays.
• Joey Porter had a strong game with his seventh sack of the year, while Cameron Wake continued his push for more playing time. Wake had a huge sack late in a game for the second consecutive week, and on another play pushed starting right tackle Eben Britton completely into Garrard.
• Akin Ayodele played well inside, while it looked like Reggie Torbor saw some playing time on defense at Channing Crowder’s expense. I’m pretty okay with this turn of events, as Torbor registered a nice sack against the Jaguars and Crowder is pretty pedestrian anyway.
• Sean Smith has the physical tools, but his instincts have got to get better. Even for a rookie, it seems he’s caught out of position just a little too often.
• Gibril Wilson had a few nice plays, but he also was part of Jacksonville’s biggest passing play of the year on a deep pass to Torry Holt. Smith bit on the short route against Holt, which wouldn’t have been so bad if Wilson hadn’t as well.
• Yeremiah Bell had a strong came and made a few big plays in the passing game, which is nice to see from a hard-hitting, in-the-box safety.
• Dan Carpenter missed his first field goal since Week 2 and just his second attempt of the season, but he’s still having a great year and isn’t any cause for concern.

 

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Chris J. Nelson is a journalism major at Georgia State University. He operates his own Miami Dolphins web site, The Miami Dolphins Spotlight , and can be followed on Twitter here .

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Miami Dolphins Bring Back CB Evan Oglesby; Make Other Roster Moves

The Miami Dolphins made a handful of roster moves Thursday, re-signing cornerback Evan Oglesby to the active roster while adding guard Nevin McCaskill to the practice squad.

To make room for those players, offensive tackle Lydon Murtha was placed on season-ending injured reserve with an ankle injury, and cornerback Will Billingsley was released from the practice squad.

Evan Oglesby

Oglesby returns for his second stint with the Dolphins in less than a month and hopes to remain on the active roster for a game this time around.

Originally signed on Nov. 24, Oglesby was waived four days later to make room for practice squad defensive end Ryan Baker after an injured to defensive end Lionel Dotson.

An undrafted free agent out of North Alabama in 2005, Oglesby originally signed with the Buffalo Bills as a free agent but did not make the team out of training camp.

After two seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, Oglesby spent the 2007 season with the Dallas Cowboys. He returned to Baltimore in 2008, but was waived prior to the 2009 season.

Oglesby will wear No. 41 in Miami and will serve as the fifth cornerback. He will likely be inactive on game days until he gets a little more practice experience with the team, though he has a chance to surpass Jason Allen on the defensive depth chart before season’s end.

Lydon Murtha

A rookie offensive tackle out of Nebraska, Murtha heads to I.R. with an ankle injury suffered in practice.

Originally a seventh-round pick by the Detroit Lions in 2009, Murtha was signed to the Dolphins’ roster off the Lions’ practice squad on Oct. 20 when the team waived guard Shawn Murphy.

Serving as the third-string left tackle behind Jake Long and Andrew Gardner, Murtha appeared in the Dolphins’ Week 10 contest against Tampa Bay, but had otherwise been inactive on game days since joining the team.

Murtha is under contract through the 2010 season at the league minimum and is a solid tackle prospect who also projects at guard, so he should return to the team next year and compete for a backup job on the roster.

Nevin McCaskill

An offensive tackle and college teammate of Dolphins defensive end Kendall Langford at Hampton, McCaskill earned Second-Team All-MEAC honors as as junior in 2005.

McCaskill went undrafted in the 2007 NFL Draft and signed with the Buffalo Bills on July 29. He was waived prior to the regular season and spent parts of the 2007 season on the team’s practice squad.

After failing to make the Bills’ roster out of training camp in 2008, McCaskill was a free agent until being signed to the Philadelphia Eagles’ practice squad on Oct. 21. He remained there until being signed to the Green Bay Packers’ active roster on Dec. 11.

McCaskill did not appear in a game for the Packers in 2008, and was eventually waived on June 24, 2009. He signed with the New York Jets on July 6, but was waived during final cuts on Sept. 5.

McCaskill will wear No. 69 for the Dolphins and will serve as a reserve guard during practice. He is unlikely to be activated this season, but could be brought back to compete for a roster spot in 2010.

Will Billingsley

Billingsley departs the Dolphins after nearly two years of time on the practice squad.

Originally signed as a street free agent in early 2008 (he went undrafted and unsigned out of North Carolina A&T all of 2007), Billingsley spent most of his rookie season on the team’s practice squad. He was swapped a handful of times with nose tackle Anthony Toribio, but was eventually retained for the remainder of the season once Toribio signed with Green Bay.

Billingsley again failed to make the team in 2009 and had spent the entire regular season on the team’s practice squad.

An extremely borderline pro prospect, Billingsley is not lock to attract NFL attention elsewhere. He could be brought back to the practice squad if the Dolphins need another practice body at cornerback, but his long-term prospects are bleak at best.

 

 

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Chris J. Nelson is a journalism major at Georgia State University. He operates his own Miami Dolphins web site, The Miami Dolphins Spotlight , and can be followed on Twitter here .

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Miami-New England: Chad Henne Leads Dolphins’ Aerial Attack Over Patriots

The Miami Dolphins rebounded from their tough loss to the Buffalo Bills in Week 12 with a one-point, come-from-behind victory against the AFC East-leading New England Patriots in Week 13.

The Dolphins didn’t get much pressure on Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and shied away from the running game that has made them so productive, but were still able to come away with the win.

At 6-6, the Dolphins are one game behind the Patriots in the AFC East. They are finished with games inside the division and will complete the season with three game against AFC South opponents before closing the regular season against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Until then, here are my observations from the Dolphins-Patriots game:

Offense

• The Dolphins gave Chad Henne the keys to the offense more than I’ve ever seen before, letting him throw 52 passes on the way to the most productive game of his career.
• Henne wasn’t always on-point and missed a handful of easy throws, but he still made a lot of great throws and came through when it counted. The Dolphins have a real quarterback for the first time since Dan Marino. (Not that there is much competition among the players since then.)
• How many times is Pat White going to have to come in and do nothing before the team abandons that aspect of the offense? It’s like wasting a down every time he enters the game, and it makes zero sense when Henne is moving the ball down the field and getting a rhythm going.
• Ricky Williams ran hard and looked good, but the Patriots did a good job for the most part of stopping the run.
• Lousaka Polite once again came through in short yardage, and would have had some good receptions if Henne hadn’t missed him badly multiple times.
• Davone Bess doesn’t have great speed or moves, but he displayed good hands catching the ball and helping move the chains.
• Brian Hartline was also quite impressive with a few good grabs, including a great falling toe-tap in the end zone for a score.
• Ted Ginn, Jr. also came through when he was called upon, making a beautiful sideline catch in the first half and on a slant during the final scoring drive.
• Though Joey Haynos was a non-factor, starting tight end Anthony Fasano caught the ball well when targeted and did a good job not going down easily while still protecting the ball.
• Henne didn’t get the flawless pass protection that Tom Brady did most of the game, but the Dolphins’ offense line did an admirable job, especially given how many passes Henne attempted.
• Nate Garner slid over to right guard and replaced Donald Thomas , performing well. I’m not sure if Thomas was benched or injured, as he has been a pretty solid player for the Dolphins all season.

Defense & Special Teams

• The Dolphins’ defensive line struggled against the run early but got things together. Their pass rush was pretty weak, as the Patriots’ offensive line did their usual good job in protecting Brady.
• Nose tackle Paul Soliai played much better than he did in his first game against the Patriots. He blew up a Patriots running play on fourth and short that led to a Joey Porter tackle and a turnover.
• The outside linebackers didn’t do much, spending most of the day getting shut down by the Patriots’ offensive line and chasing Wes Welker from behind.
• Cameron Wake , however, stepped up big on the team’s last defensive play and forced the Tom Brady interception that sealed a Miami win. The team needs to see more of him down the stretch, because based on his flashes of ability as a rookie, I’m inclined to say he should have a very significant role in 2010.
• Channing Crowder , Akin Ayodele , and Nathan Jones did a poor job of shadowing Welker all day. Crowder’s game-sealing interception was big (and so was the wise decision to not try and return it) but most of the credit there goes to Wake’s pressure.
• Vontae Davis had his bad moments, but for the second straight game against New England came up with a beautiful interception one-on-one with Randy Moss .
• Sean Smith had a very rough day, getting beat numerous times (though the Patriots didn’t always capitalize) and being out-jumped and then run over on a long touchdown by Sam Aiken . Smith has more talent and better ball skills than he’s displayed lately, so he might have hit the rookie wall.
• Gibril Wilson was once again caught napping a handful of times and ended up having to chase guys down from behind. Hopefully he’ll enjoy his last four games in a Dolphins uniform, and the fat bonus check he’s received for one horrendous season.
• Dan Carpenter still only has one miss all season and is playing like a Pro Bowler. It’s nice to see him come through when the game is on the line too.
• Erik Walden , Jason Allen , John Denney , and Chris Clemons all made some nice special teams tackles. However, Walden also had a penalty that negated a Patriots roughing penalty that would have given Miami a first down.
• It was a usual day for the Dolphins returners: Ted Ginn, Jr. didn’t do much but had one very good return, and Davone Bess showed absolutely nothing.

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Miami Dolphins Promoted DE Ryan Baker from Practice Squad

The Miami Dolphins have made a minor transaction in preparation for Sunday’s game against the Buffalo Bills, waiving cornerback Evan Oglesby and promoting defensive end Ryan Baker from the practice squad.

An undrafted rookie out of Purdue, Baker signed with the Dolphins following the 2009 NFL Draft. He failed to make the active roster following the preseason and has been on the team’s practice squad since the beginning of the regular season.

Oglesby’s release comes just four days after he was signed by the Dolphins as a free agent.

A four-year veteran with the Bills, Cowboys and Ravens, Oglesby remained unsigned after being waived by Baltimore during final cuts on Sept. 6.

Analysis

This transaction was made purely for this weekend’s game and could very well be reversed early next week.

Reserve defensive end Lionel Dotson is likely out against Buffalo (he’s officially listed as doubtful with an ankle injury) and the team obviously felt Baker’s experience in the system since April was more valuable tomorrow than new arrival Ikaika Alama-Francis could be.

Baker will likely serve as the No. 4 defensive end behind starters Kendall Langford and Randy Starks and top backups Phillip Merling and Tony McDaniel, who is now also serving as the top backup to nose tackle Paul Soliai.

Meanwhile, Oglesby was the logical choice to make room for Baker. He is not in demand and should clear waivers easily. He was also signed just this week and wasn’t going to play or contribute against the Bills anyway.

In all likelihood, Baker will be waived when Dotson is healthy and then re-signed to the practice squad, at which point I expect Oglesby to be re-signed.

 

 

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Chris J. Nelson is a journalism major at Georgia State University. He operates his own Miami Dolphins web site, The Miami Dolphins Spotlight , and can be followed on Twitter here .

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Chris J. Nelson’s Week 12 NFL Game Predictions

Man, I knew I should have picked Denver at home on a short week. Oh well. At least I had a good week last week.

Last week’s record: 12-4
Season record: 108-52 (67.5%)

Falcons over Buccaneers — Tampa Bay appears to be a long way off right now and Atlanta at home should have no problem handling their division rival, regardless of whether or not Michael Turner plays.

Dolphins over Bills — Buffalo’s offensive line and secondary has been hit hard with injuries recently, swinging the advantage even farther toward the Dolphins. I like Miami on the road in this one.

Bengals over Browns — Brady Quinn had a fantastic day against the league’s worst pass defense in Detroit last week, but he won’t have that luxury again. Cincinnati is the much better team from top to bottom and I can’t envision them losing.

Seahawks over Rams — In a battle between two dismal NFC West franchises, the difference could come down to the presence of Rams running back Steven Jackson. The Pro Bowler missed every practice this week with a back injury and is considered a game-time decision. Considering the Rams promoted rookie running back Chris Ogbonnaya from the practice squad today, I’m going to guess Jackson won’t play and that the Seahawks will take advantage.

Jets over Panthers — Mark Sanchez has really come back down to earth lately and is just giving games away right now. Still, Carolina’s pretty unimpressive and isn’t as committed to the run as they should be, so I’m taking the Jets’ strong defense at home.

Eagles over Redskins — Washington gave Dallas a game last week and could do the same against another division rival tomorrow. Still, Philadelphia is a much more talented squad and they have to be the pick.

Colts over Texans — Far less-talented Houston teams have beaten far more-talented Indianapolis teams in the past, but I can’t justify picking against the Colts with the way Peyton Manning is playing right now.

Chargers over Chiefs — Kansas City pulled off the surprise upset against a much better Steelers team last week, but I don’t see it happening two weeks in a row. San Diego is better and should win this one.

Jaguars over 49ers — It’s never easy flying to the west coast, and Jacksonville arrives in San Francisco with some very unimpressive play lately despite some wins. Still, I just don’t like much about the Niners except for a handful of players and I’m going to predict Maurice Jones-Drew leads the Jaguars to victory.

Cardinals over Titans — Tennessee has reeled off some wins recently with their quarterback change, but all the credit is due to running back Chris Johnson. However, I’m predicting they get taken down a peg and upset by Arizona this week.

Vikings over Bears — Chicago’s offensive line is woeful, while Minnesota’s gives Brett Favre all the time in the world to throw. I can’t justify picking the Bears in this one.

Ravens over Steelers — Pittsburgh is certainly a talented squad and maybe even better than Baltimore at full strength, but I can’t pick Dennis Dixon to win this one on his first start on the road against a very good Ravens team.

Patriots over Saints — New England is getting hot and they present one of the best challenges remaining for the Saints this season. I say Tom Brady wins a big one on the road.

 

 

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Chris J. Nelson is a journalism major at Georgia State University. He operates his own Miami Dolphins web site, The Miami Dolphins Spotlight, and can be followed on Twitter here.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Miami Dolphins-Buffalo Bills Friday Injury Report

The Miami Dolphins face the Buffalo Bills in two days, and the Dolphins look to be without one of their starting offensive linemen. Here is each team’s full injury report as of Friday, Nov. 27:

Miami Dolphins

Probable: C Joe Berger (knee); RB Ricky Williams (chest)
Questionable: none
Doubtful: DE Lionel Dotson (ankle); C Jake Grove (ankle)

With starting center Jake Grove likely out against Buffalo, Joe Berger will get his first career start.

If Berger, who is probable himself with a knee injury, gets re-injured against the Bills, the Dolphins would likely use guard/tackle Nate Garner as his replacement.

The Dolphins usually activate six defensive linemen for games, and they only have six healthy right now.

Given that Dotson probably will not play and Tony McDaniel will also be serving as the backup nose tackle in Jason Ferguson’s absence, newly-signed Ikaika Alama-Francis could be active less than a week after joining the team.

 

Buffalo Bills

Probable: LB Nic Harris (non-injury); DE Chris Kelsay (shoulder)
Questionable: FS Jairus Byrd (groin); CB Terrence McGee (knee); DT Marcus Stroud (knee)
Doubtful: none
Out: OT Demetrius Bell (knee); DT John McCargo (calf); CB Ashton Youboty (ankle)

Already favored against the dismal Bills, the Dolphins could greatly benefit from Buffalo’s current injury situation.

The Bills’ top two players in the secondary—cornerback Terrence McGee and NFL interception leader and rookie safety Jairus Byrd—are both questionable.

Meanwhile, the Bills’ offensive line has been hit hard with injuries. Starting guards Eric Wood and Seth McKinney are out for the season, while offensive tackle Demetrius Bell is out against Miami with a knee injury.

In fact, the Bills have just seven healthy linemen, and only five of them were on the active roster last week.

They’ve added former Steelers guard Kendall Simmons as a free agent and promoted interior lineman Christian Gaddis from the practice squad, though neither is really ready to contribute.

 

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Chris J. Nelson is a journalism major at Georgia State University. He operates his own Miami Dolphins web site, The Miami Dolphins Spotlight , and can be followed on Twitter here .

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Jason Ferguson, Matt Roth Headline Flurry of Miami Dolphins Roster Moves

 

The Miami Dolphins have had a busy week, making a myriad of transactions involving a total of seven players.

In the interest of avoiding a handful of paragraphs in the introduction to list each transaction, I will instead just list them in bullets below. Then I will address each transaction with its own section in the body of the article. Sound good? Fantastic.

• Placed on injured reserve: NT Jason Ferguson
• Waived: OLB Matt Roth; FS Nate Ness
• Signed to active roster: DE Ikaika Alama-Francis (free agent); CB Evan Oglesby (free agent); OG Andrew Hartline (from practice squad)
• Signed to practice squad: G/C Mark Lewis; FS Nate Ness

The Dolphins now have a full 53-man active roster as well as an eight-man practice squad. Ferguson becomes the team’s second defensive starter, fourth starter overall, and seventh player this season to land on injured reserve.

Jason Ferguson

A long-time Bill Parcells veteran with the Dallas Cowboys and New York Jets, Ferguson arrived in Miami prior to the 2008 season for a swap of sixth-round picks with the Cowboys.

Ferguson has anchored the Dolphins’ defensive line in the 3-4 alignment brought by Parcells, leading one of the league’s best run defenses over the past season in a half.

Prior to his season-ending quad injury, Ferguson had appeared in all 25 games for the Dolphins. Playing the no-glory position of 3-4 nose tackle, he recorded 45 tackles and a pass deflection but was a massive space-eater in the interior defensive line.

Despite his consistently high level of play, Ferguson will be 35 later this month and has suffered season-ending injuries in two of the past three seasons. He is in the last year of his contract and will likely retire if he isn’t re-signed as a backup by the Dolphins in the offseason.

Meanwhile, 2007 fourth-round pick Paul Soliai will move into the starting nose tackle position in Ferguson’s absence.

A regular in the staff’s doghouse the past few years due to immaturity issues, Soliai has emerged as a quality nose tackle with 11 tackles and a forced fumble this season.

Despite missing the past two games with an ankle injury, Soliai recently resumed practicing and should be ready to assume the starting job against Buffalo this weekend.

Beyond Soliai, reserve defensive end Tony McDaniel will become the top backup at nose tackle. Fellow end Randy Starks is also a candidate to play some nose, but it may be unlikely given how well he’s playing this season on the outside.

Matt Roth

The enigmatic Matt Roth Era has finally come to an end in Miami.

After getting in the staff’s doghouse with a phantom illness/groin injury in training camp, spending the first six weeks of the season on the PUP list, and being activated to play in the team’s last four games, the Dolphins have finally disposed of their 2005 second-round pick.

The Dolphins’ best run-stopping linebacker in 2008, Roth clearly wasn’t in the team’s long-term plans. His contract is up in the offseason (though he will only be a restricted free agent if there is no new Collective Bargaining Agreement) and the Dolphins are loaded with talent at outside linebacker.

Roth’s release means more continued playing time for Charlie Anderson and Cameron Wake, both of whom have shined at times this season. It also should allow either Erik Walden or Quentin Moses to once again be active on game days.

With Roth’s release, running back Ronnie Brown (second overall) and linebacker Channing Crowder (third round) are the only players remaining from Nick Saban’s 2005 draft class. Brown is currently on injured reserve, making Crowder the Dolphins’ only currently active draft pick from 2005.

UPDATE: Word came today from agent Drew Rosenhaus that Roth has been claimed by the Cleveland Browns, where he will continue to play outside linebacker as they run a 3-4 scheme similar to Miami’s.

A solid player when healthy, Roth could immediately threaten current starters Kamerion Wimbley Jason Trusnik for playing time on a struggling Browns team.

Andrew Hartline

An undrafted rookie out of Central Michigan, Andrew Hartline (no relation to Dolphins wide receiver Brian Hartline) started 52 consecutive games for the Chippewas and earned All-MAC selections each of the last three seasons.

Despite his very productive collegiate career, Hartline was not selected in the 2009 NFL Draft and signed with the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent. He failed to make the Packers’ active roster out of training camp, however, and was waived during final cuts on Sept. 5.

Hartline was signed to the Dolphins’ practice squad 10 days later on Sept. 15, replacing fellow undrafted rookie Mark Lewis.

Although he was an offensive tackle in college, Hartline (6-5, 300) projects as more of an interior lineman at the NFL level due to lack of top-notch athleticism. He will likely work at offensive guard and could see practice reps at center with Jake Grove and Joe Berger both nursing injuries.

Sporting No. 60, Hartline would likely see himself activated as a reserve lineman this Sunday against the Buffalo Bills if Grove does not play.

Ikaika Alama-Francis

On the same day the team waived a former second-round pick, the Dolphins’ added someone else’s, signing former Detroit Lions defensive end Ikaika Alama-Francis.

A two-time All-WAC selection at Hawaii, Alama-Francis was chosen 58th overall by the Lions in the 2007 NFL Draft.

Francis battled injuries throughout his rookie season, including a torn pectoral muscle suffered during his senior season at Hawaii. He finished the year with 12 tackles in six games.

A top reserve defensive lineman the following year, Alama-Francis started two of the 13 games in which he played for the 0-16 Lions during the 2008 season. He finished the year with 23 tackles, a sack, and a pass deflection.

Alama-Francis played in all four preseason games for the Lions in 2009 but failed to make the team as the fourth defensive end when Copeland Bryan was claimed off waivers from the Bills on Sept. 6.

A free agent since his release, Alama-Francis has had a bit of difficulty finding a new job due to the fact that he is no longer eligible for the practice squad after appearing in too many regular season games for the Lions in 2008.

With Tony McDaniel likely to see more time at defensive end in Jason Ferguson’s absence, Alama-Francis (6-5, 290) will attempt to work himself into the rotation at defensive end. He has a good blend of strength and athleticism and offers some upside as a prospect.

In fact, Alama-Francis is probably a better prospect than current fifth defensive end Lionel Dotson, so he should see some game action before the end of the season. Also count on him being in training camp in 2010 where he could push to become part of the regular rotation.

Alama-Francis will wear No. 79 with the Dolphins, most recently worn by practice squad defensive end Ryan Baker (now wearing No. 90).

Evan Oglesby

A former undrafted free agent out of North Alabama, Oglesby signed with the Buffalo Bills in 2005 and spent time on the team’s practice squad before his release in October.

Oglesby signed with the Baltimore Ravens the following December, playing in three games and recording one tackle as a rookie.

After appearing in all 16 games and recording 14 tackles and two pass deflections with the Ravens in 2006, Oglesby was waived by the team during final cuts on Sept. 2, 2007.

The Dallas Cowboys claimed Oglesby off waivers the following day, and he went on to appear in eight games for the team in 2007, recording four tackles. He was waived following the 2008 preseason on Sept. 2.

Oglesby’s second stint with the Ravens came in 2008 when he appeared in nine regular season games and recorded 14 tackles. He was once again waived by the team on Sept. 5, 2009.

Like Alama-Francis, Oglesby is another one of those players who has been hurt by the rules of practice squad eligibility. He most certainly would have been on a developmental squad between his release and signing with the Dolphins if he were eligible, but he has already played too many games in the NFL.

An experienced four-year veteran, Oglesby brings with him familiarity with the Dolphins’ scheme as well as the coaching staff from his time in Dallas—particularly defensive coordinator Paul Pasqualoni and secondary coach Todd Bowles.

Though he’ll probably never be anything more than what he is now, Oglesby (5-11, 182) is a capable dime cornerback in the NFL. He should be able to work his way into rotation in the secondary, quite possibly at the expense of strong special-teamer but first-round cornerback bust Jason Allen.

Oglesby will don No. 41 in Miami, which was most recently worn by cornerback Joey Thomas (currently a free agent) last season.

Mark Lewis

Originally with the Dolphin as an undrafted rookie out of Oregon during the 2009 preseason, Lewis failed to make the team and subsequently spent time on the practice squad of the Seattle Seahawks.

Lewis (6-4, 300) is a very borderline pro prospect and unlikely ever to see NFL action. Per reports, he was working cutting down and hauling Christmas trees in California before he received a call from the Dolphins.

Lewis will resume wearing No. 61 with the Dolphins and will make $5,200 per week on the team’s practice squad. He will work at both guard and center in hopes of earning a training camp invite in 2010.

Nate Ness

Ness’ tenure on the active roster was short-lived as the team waived the undrafted rookie defensive back just one week after promoting him from the practice squad.

Despite earning the call-up when Ronnie Brown was placed on injured reserve, Ness did not play or dress against the Carolina Panthers in Week 11.

The Dolphins have re-signed Ness to the practice squad, where he will continue to work at free safety and possibly cornerback. He could see another promotion at some point this season and is a solid candidate to be re-signed in the offseason.

 

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Chris J. Nelson is a journalism major at Georgia State University. He operates his own Miami Dolphins web site, The Miami Dolphins Spotlight, and can be followed on Twitter here.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Chris J. Nelson’s Week 11 NFL Game Predictions

After a handful of mediocre weeks, I rebounded somewhat with a 10-correct showing last weekend.

One game has already been played this week, and I’m sorry to say I picked the Carolina Panthers at home against a Miami Dolphins team that struggled against a pretty poor Tampa Bay squad the week before. Oops.

Last week’s record: 10-5
Season record: 96-48 (66.7%)

Cowboys over Redskins — Dallas lost a tough on in Green Bay last week, but there’s still a lot to like about this team—especially if Washington is without their defensive anchor in Albert Haynesworth.

Lions over Browns — Well is this the game of the week or what? Somebody has to win (well, probably) and I think there’s a little more to like about the Lions than there is the Browns right now. Regardless of who wins though, it’s going to be an ugly one.

Packers over 49ers — An interesting matchup, this one is tough to pick because the Niners are better than people thought, and the Packers are worse than people thought. I still like the Packers at home against Alex Smith.

Steelers over Chiefs — Kansas City simply is not there yet, and I don’t expect the Steelers to have any problem winning this one.

Vikings over Seahawks — Seattle hasn’t been very consistent this year, and they just don’t have the talent to match up with the Vikings on either side of the ball.

Giants over Falcons — Both of these teams have been a bit disappointing at times this season, but I have a hard time totally buying New York’s slide. The G-Men are too talented to lose for this long, so I’m predicting they rebound at home today.

Saints over Buccaneers — New Orleans has been playing with fire for weeks now by playing down to some weaker opponents, but they still should be able to beat a pretty bad Tampa Bay squad.

Jaguars over Bills — The first team to fire they head coach this season, the situation in Buffalo is an absolute mess. Jacksonville is very inconsistent, but they could explode against the Bills today.

Colts over Ravens — This should be a very good game, but I like the Colts in this one. It’s hard enough to put pressure on Peyton Manning no matter who you have, and missing Terrell Suggs could be problematic.

Cardinals over Rams — Arizona has been a bit of a disappointment this season after an NFC Championship in 2008, but you still have to like that offensive firepower against a shaky Rams defense. I expect a big game from Cardinals rookie running back Beanie Wells.

Chargers over Broncos — I probably would have always picked San Diego in this one because I just didn’t fully buy Denver’s hot start, but I especially like the Chargers with what has to be a very rusty Chris Simms at quarterback for the Broncos.

Bengals over Raiders — Cedric Benson is being extremely overhyped—the result of a high number of carried to accumulate yards and a good team around him—but the Bengals should have no problem handling the Raiders. Expect a big game from rookie running back Bernard Scott in Benson’s absence.

Patriots over Jets — A great divisional battle between a hot New England offense and a tough Jets defense, I think the Pats rebound from their Monday Night Football controversy with a strong win here.

Eagles over Bears — The Bears have Devin Hester, but the Eagles have two or three players just like him on their offense. Chicago just isn’t playing well right now and I don’t think they can keep up with Philly.

Texans over Titans — Tennessee has done a good job limiting Vince Young’s responsibility and relying on stud Chris Johnson, but I still think Houston has the better team and I like them to win Monday night.

 

 

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Chris J. Nelson is a journalism major at Georgia State University. He operates his own Miami Dolphins web site, The Miami Dolphins Spotlight , and can be followed on Twitter here .

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Miami Dolphins Lose RB Ronnie Brown for Remainder of 2009 Season

The Miami Dolphins were able to come away with a victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 10, but it was not without a steep price.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Dolphins have placed starting running back Ronnie Brown on season-ending injured reserve, just three days after the Pro Bowler suffered a foot injury in the third quarter against he Buccaneers.

Brown finishes the 2009 season 648 yards and eight touchdowns on a 4.4 average in nine starts.

Brown joins Patrick Cobbs, who suffered a torn ACL in early October, as one of two Dolphins running backs in injured reserve.

With the injury, Ricky Williams will see an increase workload and will become the feature back in Miami. Second-year man Lex Hilliard should see extended playing time as well, while October signing Kory Sheets could see his first playing time as a Dolphin.

To take Brown’s room on the roster, the Dolphins promoted safety Nate Ness from the practice squad.

An undrafted rookie out of Arizona, Ness signed with the Dolphins on Oct. 28 after spending time with the Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, and Seattle Seahawks in the offseason and preseason.

You can find out more about Ness, who will wear No. 31 and likely play special teams for the Dolphins, in my article on his initial signing here.

Analysis

With all due respect to Chad Pennington, this is about the toughest blow the Dolphins could have suffered this season.

The second overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft, Brown was having another impressive year, not only as the ever-hyped wildcat quarterback but also as simply one of the best all-around running backs in the NFL.

With Brown now finished on the field in 2009, it’s worth taking a closer look at his somewhat complex contract situation.

Essentially, if a new Collective Bargaining Agreement is reached, Brown will be an unrestricted free agent in the offseason.

However, if there is no new CBA and the league goes into an uncapped year, Brown will have a $5 million contract in 2010 and will then become an unrestricted free agent in the 2011 offseason.

(This benefits Brown anyway, because with no new CBA, a player will need six years of NFL service to qualify for unrestricted free agency. If Brown’s contract were to expire after 2009 with no new CBA in place, he’d only be a restricted free agent with five years of service.)

Regardless of whether Brown hits the market this year or next, the Dolphins would be wise to retain him assuming the price is reasonable. His injuries to date have been more of the fluke variety rather than the result of a lack of durability, and there is no question Brown is a rare complete back that is not easily replaced.

In the mean time, the Dolphins should still be able to put together a productive running game with Ricky Williams taking over and a strong group of run-blockers up front.

One thing that remains to be seen, however, is how the Dolphins will utilize the wildcat offense in Brown’s absence. Williams has looked uncomfortable and slow in accelerating when he’s taken snaps out of formation.

There have also been reports that 2008 sixth-round pick Lex Hilliard could take snaps out of the wildcat, though Hilliard’s a questionable talent at best and will struggle to produce anything close to what Brown could no matter what formation the team is in.

More Pat White is yet another possibility, but I’m still not behind that draft pick and I don’t believe the spread option can be a productive offensive strategy in the NFL. I also question whether White has the body to take the kind of pounding—especially at the NFL level—he would in that role.

There is no question the Dolphins will certainly miss Brown, and at 4-5 the team can ill-afford to lose a star player. It was the reliable running game (for the most part, anyway) that had eased second-year quarterback Chad Henne’s transition from backup to NFL starter.

Youth movement coming?

With a climb out of the cellar and into the playoffs highly unlikely even before Brown’s injury, I expect to see a handful of younger players get extended looks in the second half of the 2009 season.

I’m not saying the team should mail it in the rest of the way, but I also don’t see the harm in taking a look at some younger prospects over players that are declining and unlikely to be around much longer after the season.

Brown’s situation opens the door for Lex Hilliard and Kory Sheets, while Joey Haynos and Kory Sperry could continue to phase out Anthony Fasano. We also should get an extended look at third-round pick Patrick Turner at some point in the near future.

On defense, Paul Soliai will likely spell Jason Ferguson often when he’s healthy again; Cameron Wake will cut into Joey Porter’s playing time at outside linebacker; and Chris Clemons should continue to push free agent bust Gibril Wilson at free safety.

The Dolphins certainly have some holes after the season, and they will do their due diligence in seeing if any young players already on the team are potential long-term answers.

 

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Chris J. Nelson is a journalism major at Georgia State University. He operates his own Miami Dolphins web site, The Miami Dolphins Spotlight , and can be followed on Twitter here .

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

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