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The Baltimore Ravens took Sergio Kindle in the second round of this year’s NFL draft. The Texas Longhorns linebacker had been projected by some as a first round pick, but fell to the second round due to some concern over knee injuries.
On draft day, the Ravens were excited upon landing Kindle. Ray Lewis was on hand at the draft and had this to say about Kindle, “I just think he’s a great kid. I told him that when I got ready to call his name at the draft. I watched him in college. I like his fire, the way he plays the game.”
Lewis also seemed to volunteer to mentor Kindle, “…whatever you need off the field, then let’s figure it out. Let’s stay after late if we’ve got to stay after. Come over to my house. Whatever we’ve got to do, we’ll figure it out.”
Everything seemed to be going right with Kindle and the Ravens until he fell down two flights of stairs while in Austin. The fall resulted in a fractured skull for Kindle.
After the fall and the injury, concerns moved from getting Kindle signed to a contract to making sure Kindle would recover from his injury.
Kindle is currently rehabbing in Dallas.
It is no secret by now that Kindle suffers from narcolepsy. This was revealed by one of his former college coaches. Kindle has been on medication for narcolepsy and the Ravens knew about his condition prior to drafting him.
It is also no secret that Kindle had some issues in college with alcohol. He was arrested as a sophomore for driving under the influence. Kindle served a three-game suspension as a result of the arrest.
Neither narcolepsy nor alcohol has been named as contributing factors in Kindle’s fall.
The Ravens are now in a quandary, what do they do from a business/football needs standpoint with Sergio Kindle?
Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti offered the following, “I think in a perfect world, we’d like to have a decision come mid-September whether we think we he’s going to be able to contribute to us and we can put him on the (physically unable to perform) list. Then we’d have the option of having him for ten games. If that doesn’t look feasible, he’s going to be around here for a long time, so we’ll wait it out.”
Bisciotti also stated, “Concussions are a bad thing, so you can imagine what a fractured skull is. If we have to put him on the IR (injured reserve) and let him rest for a year, then we’re going to do it.
The owner’s comments seem to indicate that the team will take care of Kindle, but they are also vague enough to bring some questions into the Kindle/Ravens relationship.
Bisciotti’s comments seem predicated on the fact that Kindle will be cleared to play in the NFL. If Kindle does not get cleared to play, what will happen then? This part of the Sergio Kindle story bears some watching.
Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome has been in contact with the NFL Management Council about how they can proceed in this situation. It is rare that a drafted player would lose their slotted value if they were injured prior to signing.
From a business standpoint the Ravens must sit and wait on Kindle. To sign a player that may never play a game for you is a terrible business decision.
However, the Ravens have been a team that has been known to take care of their own. The team has been seen as decent in their dealings with their fans and players. Do they want to take the PR hit of being seen as cold and uncaring for an injured player? This is the question that Bisciotti and Newsome must ask themselves.
It appears that Kindle does have insurance that will see him receive a settlement if he suffers from a career-ending injury. If the fractured skull was the result of negligence on his part or from a pre-existing condition, Kindle’s insurance claim may end up being denied.
In the end, it seems as if the Sergio Kindle saga will continue for quite some time.
Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com
As drafts and auctions are ramping up for leagues across North America, fantasy football fanatics are being inundated with information on how to pick their teams.
Some of it is useful, some of it is not. Some of it is boring, some of it is not.
This article has two of those four features. I leave it to you to decide which two they are.
1. Aaron Rodgers had 304 yards and five touchdowns rushing last year and the 60 fantasy points that provided is the reason why he was fantasy football’s top ranked quarterback.
2. There is no reason to suggest why he won’t accomplish both feats again in 2010.
3. Andre Johnson has topped 1,500 yards and eight touchdowns in each of the last two seasons.
4. I believe that the best predictor of future performance is past performance.
5. Larry Fitzgerald had the 15th most receiving yards in the league in 2009, but was the fourth-ranked fantasy wide receiver courtesy of his 13 touchdowns.
6. Kurt Warner retired and has been replaced by Matt Leinart.
7. Whereas Warner’s career completion percentage was 65.7% and his yards per attempt were 7.8, Leinart has compiled a completion rate of 57.1% to go along with an average yards per attempt of 5.6.
8. Reggie Wayne is 31 years old and only had 385 yards and two touchdowns during the last seven games of 2009.
9. Overall, I’m a lot more concerned about the top 15 fantasy wide receivers than I was last year.
10. The San Diego Chargers traded to move up in the first round of the NFL Draft in order to select Ryan Mathews and they have a very good offense.
11. I think Ryan Mathews will win the NFL’s Rookie Offensive Player of the Year award.
12. When the Buffalo Bills selected C.J. Spiller in the first round, Fred Jackson became the unqualified biggest fantasy loser from the NFL Draft.
13. I think C.J. Spiller will finish the year with 1,050 total yards and five touchdowns.
14. Amongst tight ends, Jason Witten had the second most receiving yards with 1,030, but finished tied with 17 other players for 25th most touchdowns with only two.
15. In seven seasons in the league, Witten has averaged fewer than four touchdowns per year.
16. The average size of the Cowboys top three wide receivers is just under 6’3” and 218 pounds.
17. Ronnie Brown has missed 20 games over five years and finished two of those years on injured reserve.
18. Ricky Williams is 33 years old and had his highest average yards per carry in 2009 to go along with the second most touchdowns of his career.
19. During the last 12 weeks of the 2009 season, Ray Rice had 42 red zone touches while Willis McGahee had 16.
20. McGahee had a surprising 146 fantasy points last year but 113 of them came in five games, including the first three games of the season. In one of my leagues, he was on the bench for all five of those games.
21. During the last four games of last season, Chris Wells had 14 red zone touches while Tim Hightower had six.
22. During his two years in the league, Tim Hightower has 96 receptions (63 last year) to go along with 18 touchdowns.
23. There are fantasy football leagues that award a point per reception.
24. Owen Daniels would have been the top ranked fantasy tight end in 2009 had an ACL injury not ended his season.
25. Of Jamaal Charles’ 189 fantasy points, 85 came in three games against the Bills, Browns and Broncos during weeks 14, 15 and 17.
26. The Chiefs signed Thomas Jones during the off-season.
27. Jerome Harrison did nothing for three years, and 89 of his 150 fantasy points came in three games against the Chiefs, Raiders, and Jaguars.
28. The Browns drafted Montario Hardesty in the second round and general manager Tom Heckert said he views Hardesty as a feature back.
29. I am always sceptical of running backs who get a large portion of their fantasy points either at the end of the season or in a few games against weak opposition.
30. I am a Rams fan and think that Steven Jackson is the third best running back in the league. Despite that, I can tell you that there are at least seven running backs I will take instead of him because they will have more touchdown opportunities in 2010.
31. Hakeem Nicks had 115 fantasy points on only 74 targets, ranking him fifth in that category (of players with at least 40 targets). That means he’s a big play waiting to happen and assures the Giants will use him more in 2010.
32. Average fantasy points per target is a statistic that you’re going to hear a lot about in the future, especially in articles focusing on dynasty/keeper leagues.
33. Jermichael Finley had 97 fantasy points in 13 games and averaged 11.5 fantasy points per game over the last five games of the 2009 season.
34. Mike Wallace had an exceptional rookie year with 756 yards and six touchdowns.
35. Ben Roethlisberger had the third most fantasy points per game amongst quarterbacks last year.
36. The Steelers traded Santonio Holmes to the New York Jets.
37. The Steelers threw the ball 536 times in 2009 while the Jets threw it a league low 393 times. That’s a difference of 143 or 8.9 fewer attempts per game.
38. Visanthe Shiancoe has caught 18 touchdown passes over the last two years but has never topped 600 yards receiving.
39. With Ben Tate on injured reserve, Arian Foster is the first string Texans running back (he was holding down that position before Tate was injured).
40. The Houston Texans will have an outstanding offense in 2010 and I like Arian Foster.
41. The Baltimore Ravens ran 128 plays in the red zone last year and 95 of them were runs and 33 were passes.
42. Of the 8,004 fantasy points the top-30 ranked fantasy quarterbacks combined to score, 31.1% of those points came on touchdown passes.
43. Joe Flacco didn’t get a lot of chances to throw touchdown passes last year and the Ravens aren’t about the abandon their run game in the red zone in 2010.
44. Most people think Greg Olsen is a talented tight end, but no tight end in a Mike Martz offense has ever topped 380 yards.
45. Mike Martz is a stubborn man.
46. People tend to think of Devery Henderson as a solid deep threat but he has 16 touchdown receptions over the last five years (excluding his rookie season when he played one game).
47. Robert Meachem scored nine touchdowns in 2009, the first year he received extended playing time.
48. The Seahawks have tried desperately this off season to replace Julius Jones as the team’s lead running back including trading for an out-of-shape LenDale White and an injured Leon Washington.
49. If I don’t think a team likes a player, then I don’t like relying on those players for my fantasy teams, especially in dynasty leagues.
50. At times, I have had to go against my own advice but I will not rely on Jones in 2010 (repeat ten times).
51. Justin Forsett had four games with 10 or more carries and accumulated 397 rushing yards in those games while averaging 6.3 yards per carry.
52. I like Forsett based on his current ADP of 6.01.
53. Coaches tend to talk up their players when there is a roster deficiency in order to drive down the trade value of players they are interested in. The Seahawks Pete Carroll sure has been talking up Forsett this summer and the Bills sure would like to trade Marshawn Lynch (despite what they’re saying).
54. The teams in the NFC North have to face the teams in the NFC East and the AFC East, which makes the Bears, Lions, Packers and the Vikings losers from a scheduling perspective.
55. The teams in the AFC West get to face the teams in the NFC West and the AFC South, which makes the Broncos, Chiefs, Raiders and Chargers winners from a scheduling perspective.
56. Most of Eddie Royal’s 2009 targets came on short passes yet he caught only 46.8% of his targets whereas Brandon Marshall had more deep targets and caught 65.6% of his targets.
57. Brandon Marshall was traded to the Miami Dolphins.
58. There is a reason why the Denver Broncos drafted Demaryius Thomas in the first round and Eric Decker in the third round.
59. Now you know what that reason was.
60. During his three years as the Texans starter, Matt Schaub has started 11 games twice and 16 games once.
61. I believe in the law of averages (so should you).
62. As a rookie, Mohamad Massaquoi led the Browns with 624 receiving yards and three touchdowns.
63. Massaquoi caught 35.8% of his targets ranking him 94th amongst wide receivers with at least 40 targets.
64. I don’t think that was entirely because of the quarterback play in Cleveland last year.
65. Roy Williams caught 44% of his targets in 2009.
66. The Dallas Cowboys drafted Dez Bryant in the first round of the NFL Draft.
67. Pierre Garcon caught 51% of his targets last year. Austin Collie caught 67% of his targets and Anthony Gonzalez caught 72% of his targets during his first two years in the league.
68. Peyton Manning connected on 72.2% of his targets to players not named Pierre Garcon.
69. Quarterbacks like to throw to receivers who catch the ball, especially really good ones like Peyton Manning and Tony Romo.
70. Tony Gonzalez and Greg Olsen tied for the most red zone touches amongst tight ends with Brent Celek finishing third.
71. The Falcons, Bears, and Eagles failed to acquire a big wide receiver during the off season (or more accurately, none who are expected to contribute in 2010).
72. Reggie Bush’s touches have declined three straight years, hitting 117 last year.
73. In any situation, success is a function of opportunity, ability, and motivation.
74. Fantasy success cannot be achieved with minimal opportunity and is rarely achieved by players with declining opportunities.
75. At the end of all of my job interviews, I finish by stating that success requires three components – ability, motivation and opportunity, if you can provide the opportunity then I will provide the ability and motivation. This applies to fantasy football as well.
76. Brandon Pettigrew had five receptions for 165 yards and two touchdowns in the three games before he suffered a season-ending knee injury.
77. The Lions traded for Tony Scheffler during the off season.
78. Panthers quarterback Matt Moore and wide receiver Steve Smith connected 20 times for 378 yards and three touchdowns in the four games they started together.
79. I don’t think Jimmy Clausen is going to unseat Moore in 2010.
80. LaDainian Tomlinson’s current ADP is 9.10.
81. Tomlinson backs up Shonn Greene, who had 541 rushing yards as a rookie.
82. The Jets ran the ball far more than any team in the NFL last year.
83. I like veteran running backs backing up largely unproven players playing in offenses that run heavily.
84. There are plenty of backup running backs being drafted before LaDainian Tomlinson.
85. I don’t know why that is.
86. Michael Bush of the Raiders has received 15 or more touches in six games over the course of his career.
87. He has averaged 122 total yards in those six games.
88. Darren McFadden of the Raiders has received 15 or more touches in five games over the course of his career.
89. He has averaged 93 total yards in those five games.
90. The current average draft positions for Frank Gore, Michael Crabtree, and Vernon Davis are 1.06, 4.06, and 5.03 yet Alex Smith’s ADP is 12.03.
91. Alex Smith averaged 17.7 fantasy points per game during the eleven games he received extensive playing time last year.
92. I don’t know why Alex Smith isn’t being viewed as a sleeper at quarterback.
93. Ryan Grant is the undisputed lead running back for the Green Bay Packers.
94. The Packers had an explosive offense in 2009 and figure to have one again this year.
95. Ryan Grant’s is currently being taken 13th overall, amongst running backs, and that represents excellent value.
96. Marcedes Lewis has increased his yardage total every year but has never scored more than two touchdowns.
97. You have not read anything yet about kickers.
98. You have not read anything yet about defenses.
99. That’s because there’s no point wasting your time guessing how kickers and defenses will perform. Use the last two selections in your draft or your last two auction dollars to fill these positions.
100. If you liked this article, then you should check back regularly for fantasy tips and advice to help you win your league.
Dave Stringer is a staff writer at FFToday.com, home of the popular Cheatsheet Compiler & Draft Buddy custom cheatsheet and draft tracking software.
Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com
T-3. Dallas Cowboys
Many people predict the Cowboys to go to the Superbowl, but i’m not buying it. Don’t get me wrong, the Cowboys are loaded with Romo, Austin, ect.. But in the past three years the cowboys have alternately gone to the playoffs one year then missed them the next year. I expect that trend to continue. With win’s coming against Philly, NY, Green Bay, Arizona, Detroit, Chicago and Jacksonville.
2009 overall record: 11-5 1st division
Predicted 2010 overall record: 7-9 T-3 division
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T-3 Philadelphia Eagles
Some people think the Eagles are better of without McNabb and some don’t. I side with those who don’t. The Eagles have a lot of young talent with rising stars such as Brent Celek and Jeremy Maclin. But they do not have enough experienced players. With win’s against Detroit, SF, Houston, Dallas, NY, Atlanta and Washington.
2009 overall record: 11-5 2nd division
Predicted 2010 overall record: 7-9 T-3
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2. New York Giants
Many people think that the New York Giants are done, but I’m not one of them. I do think they will struggle at times, but in the end it will all come together. I expect them to grab a wildcard in the last few weeks.
2009 overall record: 8-8 3rd division
Predicted 2010 overall record: 10-6 2nd division
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1. Washington Redskins
Some may call this crazy but I’m putting my money on the Redskins to be the Beast from the East. Even though it was only a preseason game, the 42-17 victory over the Bills convinced.
2009 overall record: 4-12 4th division
Predicted 2010 overall record: 11-5 1st division
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The Miami Dolphins will open their 2010 preseason Saturday night against Tampa Bay, and they will use that time to evaluate players on the roster bubble.
Quite a few things have changed in the two weeks since training camp began, including season-ending injuries and nagging ones along with signings and releases.
That means my predictions for the Dolphins’ 53-man roster have potentially changed as well since I first posted them two weeks ago.
With the preseason getting underway, I thought now would be a good time to post an updated outlook on how the 53-man roster is shaping up.
Quarterbacks (3): Chad Henne (starter), Tyler Thigpen, Chad Pennington
Released: Pat White
It’s not often you see teams let go of second-round picks after just one season, but if any such player deserves it, it’s Pat White.
White is having another poor training camp and every passing day solidifies my belief that he is simply not an NFL quarterback.
The only thing that will save White’s sophomore season in Miami, in my opinion, is a preseason trade of Thigpen or Pennington.
I don’t expect that, however, as Thigpen has long-term value as a backup and Pennington is a great mentor for Henne.
Running backs (4): Ronnie Brown (starter), Ricky Williams, Patrick Cobbs, Lex Hilliard
Released: Tristan Davis
Lex Hilliard once again makes the team due to his special teams prowess, but he’ll be relegated to the fourth-string running back job with the return of Cobbs. Fans have been high on Hilliard at times, but there simply isn’t much ceiling there and he could be gone at any time.
While Davis has reportedly shown some things as a kickoff returner, it’s extremely hard for him to make the roster solely as a special teams player.
He’s not going to contribute on offense as a fourth or fifth running back, meaning Miami would be using up a roster spot just for his returning.
Fullbacks (1): Lousaka Polite (starter)
Released: Rolly Lumbala
Rolly Lumbala is purely a special teams prospect, and his chances of making the roster aren’t good as the team likes to only keep one fullback. He does have an outside shot along with some other guys, as I will explain later.
Wide receivers (5): Brandon Marshall (starter), Brian Hartline (starter), Greg Camarillo, Davone Bess, Patrick Turner
Released: Ryan Grice-Mullen, Marlon Moore, Julius Pruitt, Roberto Wallace
Marlon Moore, Julius Pruitt and Roberto Wallace have all garnered praise from training camp onlookers at various times over the past few weeks, but I’m not sure any has impressed enough to force the Dolphins to ditch their disappointing 2009 third-round pick in Patrick Turner.
The Dolphins often keep five receivers active and one or two on the practice squad, so I expect at least one player, if not two, from the cut list to end up on the developmental squad.
Tight ends (3): Anthony Fasano (starter), David Martin, Joey Haynos
Released: Kory Sperry, John Nalbone
The return of veteran David Martin shakes things up a bit, and if his conditioning and health are good enough, he should be able to resume his role as the No. 2 tight end.
That leaves one potential roster spot for a third tight end, although there is no guarantee the Dolphins keep that many.
The edge would have to go to Joey Haynos though, as he has the most experience of the three candidates and possesses the most intriguing skill set.
Offensive tackles (4): Jake Long (starter – LT), Vernon Carey (starter – RT), Andrew Gardner, Nate Garner
Released: Lydon Murtha
Lydon Murtha and Nate Gardner are a toss up at this point, and there is really no way to tell if either will make the roster. I like Gardner as the in-house draft pick and the guy who has worked more as Jake Long’s backup than anyone else.
The one player who will have a great influence on what backups are kept, is Garner. He’s a versatile guy and is probably a lock if healthy, but he recently suffered a leg injury that had him on crutches after Wednesday’s practice.
If Garner sticks around, only one of Gardner and Murtha will stay—and possibly neither. If he’s gone, at least one makes the team, with the other competing for a final roster spot with some of the backup guards.
Offensive guards (3): Richie Incognito (starter – LG), John Jerry (starter – RG), Cory Procter
Released: Ray Feinga, Donald Thomas
A lot of fans are still high on Donald Thomas, but there really isn’t much justification for that at this point. He’s not a legitimate candidate to start with the talent Miami brought in this off season, and he arguably isn’t even better than Cory Procter as a backup.
In my view, Thomas is competing for one roster spot with Gardner and Murtha. The team will keep four guards or four tackles, but not four of each.
Centers (2): Jake Grove (starter), Joe Berger
Released: Andrew Hartline
Center is one of the Dolphins’ deepest positions, with starting-caliber talent two deep. Berger is a lock to make the team even if he doesn’t start, given how he played in 2009.
Andrew Hartline, who has gotten some recent praise from coach Sparano and some extended looks against better competition in camp, simply has too much talent in front of him on the depth chart to garner anything more than practice squad consideration.
Defensive ends (5): Kendall Langford (starter – LDE), Jared Odrick (starter – RDE), Charles Grant, Marques Douglas, Ryan Baker
Released: Lionel Dotson, Tony McDaniel
Reserve/Non-Football Injury: Phillip Merling
Jared Odrick was expected to at least have so-called competition on his hands, but Merling’s season-ending injury changed that.
Charles Grant has drawn rave reviews in recent practices and appears to be transitioning well to the 3-4 defensive end role, so I expect both him and Grant to have little problems making the team as rotational players.
Ryan Baker gets the nod over Tony McDaniel, in part because McDaniel has been a disappointment since arriving in Miami last year, and in part because Baker offers more versatility as a nose tackle.
Nose tackles (2): Randy Starks (starter), Paul Soliai
Released: Travis Ivey, Montavious Stanley
Paul Soliai has never developed into quite the player his physical tools would indicate he should, but he is undoubtedly a capable and experienced backup nose tackle.
I simply don’t see a journeyman like Montavious Stanley and a very raw rookie in Travis Ivey knocking Soliai off the roster.
Outside linebackers (5): Cameron Wake (starter – WOLB), Koa Misi (starter – SOLB), Charlie Anderson, Ikaika Alama-Francis, Chris McCoy
Released: Quentin Moses, Erik Walden
The Dolphins’ starting outside linebackers appear to be set, and the most experience of the bunch—six-year veteran Charlie Anderson—is not one of them.
Anderson is a solid reserve, but he doesn’t possess the upside of Cameron Wake or Koa Misi, and shouldn’t start if the younger guys are ready.
A converted defensive tackle and end, Ikaika Alama-Francis has had the Dolphins media in a frenzy about his potential. It’s hard to know just how much potential there actually is there, although he does have the skill set to be a Matt Roth-type of run stuffer at linebacker.
The final reserve is a bit hard to place here, although Erik Walden has done nothing on defense and Quentin Moses has been unimpressive as well. I see no reason not to let Chris McCoy show what he can do as long as he can play special teams as well enough as a rookie.
Inside linebackers (4): Karlos Dansby (starter – MIKE), Channing Crowder (starter – MOE), Tim Dobbins, Austin Spitler
Released: J. D. Folsom, Micah Johnson
The loss of fourth-round rookie A. J. Edds (torn ACL) potentially opens a door for J.D. Folsom or Austin Spitler to grab a fourth inside linebacker spot.
However, as essentially a pure special-teams player, there is no guarantee the roster spot will be devoted to a fourth inside linebacker at all.
Folsom hasn’t flashed much since he was drafted last year, but Spitler has hurt himself by being sick since camp began. I like Spitler’s potential a bit more, but neither guy has seized the spot by any means.
I don’t consider Micah Johnson a legitimate contender for a spot right now, as he’s just too stiff, nonathletic, and without range to contribute much. He’s a hard hitter, but he’s not a complete package.
Cornerbacks (5): Vontae Davis (starter), Sean Smith (starter), Will Allen, Jason Allen, Nolan Carroll
Released: Kevin Hobbs, Nate Ness, Ross Weaver
I consider Jason Allen and Nolan Carroll locks to make the roster, as Allen is the team’s best special-teams player (excluding kickers and punters) and Carroll has had a very strong camp as a mid-round rookie.
Another spot should go to Will Allen, although his recent trouble coming back from knee surgery probably has the team concerned. There is no temporary injured list for him to go on (i.e. PUP) so he’s either active or on I.R., and out for the season.
If the worst-case scenario plays out and Allen can’t go this season, it could potentially open a roster spot for someone like Kevin Hobbs or Nate Ness. I don’t think an undrafted player without NFL experience, like Ross Weaver, has a chance to be that guy.
Safeties (4): Chris Clemons (starter – FS), Yeremiah Bell (starter – SS), Reshad Jones, Tyrone Culver
Released: Jonathon Amaya
There isn’t much to wonder about here, as both the starters and second-teamers at both safety positions are pretty much set.
Jonathan Amaya has some potential but there is no room for him on the active roster unless the team keeps five safeties and he can separate himself on special teams.
He is a strong candidate for the practice squad.
Special Teams (3): Dan Carpenter (placekicker), Brandon Fields (punter), John Denney (long snapper)
Released: none
The Dolphins typically keep a certain number of players at each position (i.e. three tight ends, four inside linebackers, five cornerbacks, etc.) but the guys at the bottom of such positions essentially play only special teams.
That being the case, the Dolphins can afford to take a pure special-teams guy from any position, giving them more than they might usually keep at one position, and less at another.
If Rolly Lumbala shines on special teams, he could be kept over a fourth inside linebacker or third tight end. Same goes for Sperry or Nalbone at tight end, Folsom and Spitler at inside linebacker, Moses and Walden at outside linebacker, Amaya at safety, and so on.
I typically keep my predictions in line with the usual number of players the Dolphins keep at another position, but there is no reason someone like Lumbala couldn’t make the team, despite never playing offense, if he’s better than Folsom and Spitler on special teams since those guys wouldn’t play defense anyway.
You also can’t rule out such a spot going to a returner, if someone like Tristan Davis was simply too good to ignore on kickoffs. However, I think return specialists have a particularly hard time making the Dolphins in general, as there is no reason to use a roster spot on a player when there is someone on offense (like Cobbs or Bess) that can do it too.
Practice Squad
The Dolphins will likely get a few of their practice squad players from other teams’ cuts, but if I were to make an eight-man practice squad from the Dolphins’ cuts above, this is how it would look:
- WR Marlon Moore — Has had a great camp, and with five receivers on the active roster, the Dolphins usually keep one or two more around for practice purposes.
- WR Roberto Wallace — He’s competing with Pruitt and Grice-Mullen for this spot, but Pruitt has had longer to show something and hasn’t.
- TE Kory Sperry — The team will probably keep a fourth tight end around for practice, and Sperry has better stock with the team than Nalbone.
- C Andrew Hartline — A prospect Sparano likes and can work at center and guard.
- NT Travis Ivey — Stanley isn’t practice squad eligible, so Ivey is the lone guy to keep around.
- LB J. D. Folsom — He’s a special-teams guy that could trade spots with Spitler if needed.
- CB Nate Ness — Experienced at corner and safety, so a valuable practice body.
- SS Jonathon Amaya — A lot of potential for an undrafted free agent, so worth keeping around to develop.
As always, you can check out the updated projected depth chart here.
Discuss this article on the forum here!
Chris J. Nelson majored in journalism at Georgia State University and is currently a programming coordinator for Turner Sports in Atlanta. He operates his own Miami Dolphins Web site, The Miami Dolphins Spotlight, and he can be followed on Twitter here.
Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com
After failing to win the AFC South for the first time since 2002, the Indianapolis Colts wasted no time climbing back to the top.
They finished the 2009 season with a 14-2 regular season mark to recapture the division title. The Colts then went on to win the AFC championship, but were unable to collect their second Super Bowl ring in four seasons.
Coming so close to hoisting the Lombardi Trophy again should drive Indy in 2010.
Offense
Led by quarterback Peyton Manning, the Indianapolis Colts averaged 26.0 points per game last season (No. 7 in the NFL). As you might expect, they did most of their damage through the air.
Behind Manning’s 4,500 passing yards, Indy boasted the NFL’s second-best passing attack.
Manning also tossed 33 touchdown strikes, and his numbers were good enough to earn him a record fourth MVP award.
Manning’s numbers could be even better in 2010 when you consider how many talented wide receivers he has to work with.
Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark are two of the best in the game, and they will get plenty of help from Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie, who burst onto the scene last season.
The Colts will also benefit from the return of Anthony Gonzalez.
Indy was the worst running team in the NFL last season, largely because of how few times it runs the football.
When the Colts do dial up a running play, Joseph Addai is a good option. The versatile back ran for 828 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2009. He also caught 51 passes for 336 yards and three more scores.
Donald Brown should provide a solid backup to Addai.
Manning’s ability to read defenses and call plays at the line of scrimmage is second to none. This incredible talent is the biggest reason why the Colts led the league in third down efficiency last season.
It can be mighty tough to get this offense off the field.
Defense
The Colts finished eighth in the NFL in scoring defense last year, giving up only 19.2 points per game.
It was the third straight season in which the Colts have finished in the top-10 in scoring defense. The defense will have the potential to be even better in 2010 with the return of safety Bob Sanders.
Safeties Antoine Bethea and Melvin Bullitt are very good players, but Sanders takes the Indy defense to a whole new level, much the same way Troy Polamalu does in Pittsburgh.
The former NFL Defensive Player of the Year hits like a ton of bricks and brings a great deal of energy and passion to this team.
Pro Bowl defensive ends Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis return to head up the defensive line.
Freeney recorded 13.5 sacks and Mathis added 9.5 in 2009. The Colts’ interior line also got better with Daniel Muir and Antonio Johnson showing improvement.
The linebacker unit is solid with captain Gary Brackett and Clint Sessions returning.
Prediction: 1st AFC South
Plain and simple, if Manning is healthy the Colts will make another Super Bowl run.
Along the way, they’ll win 10 or more games for an eighth-straight season while capturing another division title.
NFL lines makers have listed the Indianapolis Colts as the -150 favorite to win the AFC South division.
Be sure to check out my 2010 NFL predictions to see which teams I have winning the other seven divisions.
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