Can you believe that we are less than 2 weeks away from the beginning of training camp?  It seems hard to believe, but the dead of the NFL season is almost over!

And before I get to the news roundup from this weekend, I did just want to thank the nearly 600 people who voted in our "Brett Favre to Miami" poll, which by the way you can still vote in.  Up to this point, 68% of you do not want the Dolphins to try and make a move for Favre.  And considering how unlikely it is that he ends up in Miami, I get the feeling that most Dolphin fans will be happy when Favre either remains in Green Bay or ends up in some other NFL city.

Now onto some other news from the weekend:

RONNIE INTERVIEWED BY YAHOO! SPORTS
The Yahoo! blog entitled "The Shutdown Corner," which is run by Matt Darnell, recently posted an interview that Darnell did with Ronnie Brown.  The full interview is right here. Below are a few of Ronnie's quotes:

For myself, I kind of stay away from that prediction stuff. But obviously, for yards at least over -- we have 16 games, 100 yards a game, give or take -- anything over 1400 would be great. As far as wins, you never know. I really can't even start to say that, especially coming off a season where you only win one game.

---

Ricky's a cool guy. And I think people only know what they see and hear, you know what I mean? So they try to make a judgment about an individual without actually being around him and being able to form an educated opinion, it's pretty tough. But for myself, I've actually been in a situation where I've been able to spend time with Ricky, and we have a good relationship not only on the field, but also off the field. I have a lot of respect for him and the success he's had on this level, and the things he's accomplished thus far. I think that's what makes our relationship so good. We respect one another as individuals, but also as football players. He's a quiet guy, laid back, just likes to relax and doesn't really bother anyone. He's a peaceful guy. I think that's the main way I could form an opinion about him. He's a peaceful guy.

1,400 yards would be great?  Listen, if Ronnie rushes for 1,400 yards in 2008 coming off of a torn ACL, I'll go streaking right down Main Street with the words "Ronnie is a God" painted onto my naked body.  And I mean that!

It's simply awesome to hear how Ronnie puts these high expectations on himself.  And I guess that fact that he ran for over 100 yards in his last 4 full games of 2007 before the injury gives him the confidence that he can run for 100 yards every game.  Is it likely?  Probably not.  But he has the right attitude for an athlete where he expects nothing but excellence from himself.

As far his relationship with Ricky goes, it genuinely does seem like Ricky and Ronnie get along great.  And that's a big thing.  I think they clearly respect each other's ability and that's why they get along so well.  We heard Ricky say earlier this year that he thinks highly of Ronnie.  And we wouldn't expect anything less than Ronnie giving praise right back to Williams.

TIGHT ENDS TO PLAY KEY ROLE IN OFFENSE
"OnTheGo" points talks about this in his FanPost, but I did just want to highlight it quickly because this is something interesting that will play out at training camp.  Pro Football Weekly shares with us this interesting little nugget:

When the Dolphins hired former Cowboys offensive line coach Tony Sparano as head coach, it was understood that the offense was going to take on a run-first, grind-it-out-on-the-ground persona. But with pressing issues along the offensive line — specifically, at guard — our sources in Miami tell us that the team is going to rely on twin-TE alignments. In fact, one source we talked to said that two tight ends might end up being the default offensive formation. The new front office and coaching staff made targeting tight ends a key this offseason, and newcomers Anthony Fasano and Sean Ryan are two additions to a deep TE corps — joining holdovers David Martin and Justin Peelle — that will be asked to be blockers first, receivers second.

Of course, I'd love to know who "their sources" are just because it's believed that this regime is very tight-lipped about everything they do.

Regardless, though, this is going to be something to watch.  We all assumed that this would be a run-first offense, possibly even as drastic as a 60/40 split - old style of football for sure.  But I'm not so sure that twin tight ends will be Miami's regular formation.

But whether it is or it isn't, this little piece of information just proves what many have believed all along - that the tight ends in this offense will be asked to block first and receive second.  And that means a player like David Martin, who is more of a receiving tight end and struggled often when asked to block, could be in trouble.  Anthony Fasano, with his ability to run routes and catch the ball along with his ability to block effectively, will likely have every opportunity to win the starting TE spot.  Sean Ryan, who is reportedly more of a blocking tight end, could see a big role as the 2nd TE in two-TE sets.  So if that leaves David Martin battling with Justin Peelle, Martin's days could be numbered.  Peelle has always been considered a better blocker than receiver.  But last year, Peelle proved to be, at the very least, a reliable receiver.  Couple that with his blocking skills and it's easy to see why he might make the team over a guy like Martin.

QUICK HITS
-The Dolphins are rumored to be one of the teams interested in free agent guard/center LeCharles Bentley as well as undrafted rookie free agent Pedro Sosa. Being a Rutgers fan, I'd love for the Fins to sign Sosa.  He was a 4 year starter at Rutgers and, despite playing the bulk at left tackle, projects more as a guard in the NFL.

-Jason Taylor still won't say if he'll be in camp when it kicks off in less than two weeks.  If he fails to show for camp and is a hold-out, I'll love to hear how the JT lovers can defend his actions.  But for now, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and hope he'll be in camp on time with the rest of the team.

That's all for now.  Be sure to leave your thoughts below...

And remember, as camp opens in less than 2 weeks, that you still have plenty of time to get your Dolphins tickets.

We are now less than 4 weeks away from the beginning of training camp.  And we actually have some legitimate news to discuss from this past weekend.

RICKY MAKES PREDICTIONS
Oh that Ricky Williams.  You never know what to expect from him.  And any time his name comes up prior to the start of training camp, it's hard not to think of the events of 2004.  But this offseason, Ricky's making different headlines.  And as "LeftCoastFinFan" points out in this fanpost, he's making some bold predictions.

Prediction #1: Ricky says that the Dolphins will win "at least 9 games" in 2008.  You read that right.  Nine.  For you non-math majors, that's 8 more wins than last season.  And I know what you're thinking: what is Ricky smoking now?  But seriously, in this day and age of football, anything can happen year in and year out.  While I find it highly unlikely, you never know what might happen.

Prediction #2: Ricky believes that both he and Ronnie Brown will rush for over 1,000 yards in 2008.  And to be perfectly honest, this might be even more unlikely than the 9 wins.  This is a feat that has only been accomplished 3 times in NFL history, the last time being more than 20 years ago.  Sure, the offensive line is improved, especially in terms of their run-blocking.  But it's hard to imagine a feat like this being accomplished by one RB who is coming off of a torn ACL and another who has just 6 carries over the past 2 seasons.

Prediction #3: Ricky "hopes" to play for 4 more years.  This is probably the most interesting prediction because he only has 1 year remaining on his contract.  So what will his future in Miami hold?  I don't think anyone can really be sure.  But it's good news that he and Bill Parcells seem to be hitting it off.  However, if Ricky was to have a solid season, would he want to come back to Miami as part of a RB combo with Ronnie or would he look for a more solid starting role?  At this point, it's anyone's guess.  Trying to get inside the head of Ricky Williams is something that even the best psychologist probably couldn't do.  So we'll have to wait and see.

TE BATTLE TO BE INTERESTING
As "OnTheGo" points out in this fanpost, there's an interesting little nugget in Pro Football Weekly's latest edition of "whispers" in regards to Miami's tight end situation:

TE David Martin may have started for the Dolphins in 2007, but word out of South Florida is that he’ll have to fight to merely keep a roster spot in training camp. Newcomers Anthony Fasano and Sean Ryan and holdover Justin Peelle could end up being the team’s TE corps.

OK.  So we all know that David Martin's first year in Miami was a rather disappointing one.  Remember, SI.com had Martin pegged as one of 10 players who would break out in '07.  But that never happened, and 3 reasons can be blamed.  First of all, the inconsistencies regarding the team's QB situation really didn't help any of the team's pass catchers in '07.  Second, Cam Cameron's offense wasn't exactly one that would lend itself to solid passing numbers.  And lastly, Martin dropped a ton of passes.

Justin Peelle, on the other hand, actually made some big plays for the Dolphins last year.  He's got less upside than Martin, but is also less of a risk and more consistent.

Meanwhile, the two newcomers are really unknowns.  Sean Ryan is reportedly more of a blocking tight end, which is certainly not something to be taken lightly.  I can recall our QBs last year getting lit up numerous times because of missed blocks by the tight ends (Martin in particular).  And Anthony Fasano, while he's a guy with a ton of potential, he hasn't really shown anything at this level since being a 2nd round pick.  And he's also coming off an injury, so he hasn't even taken part in team drills yet. 

So as it stands now, the TE battle will be one of the more competitive battles to watch when camp kicks off in less than a month.

QUICK HITS
-The Dolphins were one of four teams to watch free agent running back Kevin Jones work out.  I don't think the Dolphins have that much interest, though.  I think it's more of them making sure they do their due diligence and leave no stone unturned.

-Here's a great article about the new atmosphere in Miami thanks to the new regime.

-Reagan Mauia and Paul Soliai are taking part in a Somoan football camp being run by June Jones and Greg McMackin.

So that's all for now.  Be sure to leave all your thoughts below.

Also, just one day left for the Dolphins to meet Jeff Ireland's goal of signing the 3 remaining unsigned draft picks by July 1.  Yeah, don't count on it.  However, also don't worry about a holdout.  Phillip Merling. Chad Henne, and Kendall Langford will be in camp on time.

So let's get away from the Jason Taylor talk a little bit and instead look at some other things that are going on.

THIS WEEKEND'S MINICAMP TO GIVE US SOME CLUES
Even though the Dolphins have been conducting OTAs, we really don't know too much about who is playing where.  And that's because these OTAs have been closed to the media.  That will change when the final minicamp begins on Friday.  It will be 3 days and is indeed mandatory.  And with the exception of Jason Taylor, the entire team will be there.

But while we wait, there are some clues about where some players stand right now in terms of the early depth chart.  And these clues come from a Barry Jackson article in the Miami Herald.  Jackson reports that the remaining starting guard spot, the one opposite if Justin Smiley, currently is being filled with Ikechuku Ndukwe, according to rookie guard Shawn Murphy.  It's important to note, too, that Murphy says Ndukwe is playing the left guard position next to Jake Long.  However, that could change if this staff feels it's important to have a veteran like Smiley in between the rookie Long and the 2nd year center, Samson Satele.

Also in this article, we learn that both Charlie Anderson and Quentin Moses have been playing the rush linebacker spot that is currently being vacated by Jason Taylor, according to a radio interview with Tony Sparano.  And if Taylor was indeed traded or decided to retire, this would be a very intriguing position battle.  Both Anderson and Moses are young players who are very hungry for some playing time.  Moses excites me more, but is much more raw.

The final piece of "depth chart" news that Jackson tells us is in regards to the cornerback position, which is going to be one of the more closely watched battles.  Running with the first team, according to Jackson, are Will Allen and Andre Goodman, with Michael Lehan playing the nickelback.  Travis Daniels and Nate Jones have been working with the 2nd team.  And barring any issues that may arise stemming from Allen's recent "Bed, Bath, and Beyond parking lot situation," I'd suspect that the only change in this depth chart in training camp would be the possible switch of Lehan and Goodman, with Michael getting the starting nod opposite Allen.

THE PARCELLS FIVE
Jackson's article also features some thoughts on the five players who have come over from Dallas to Miami.  And these thoughts are provided by former NFL scouts.

The most interesting, in my opinion, is in regards to new tight end Anthony Fasano:

''He's better than Martin,'' said former NFL scout Chris Landry, a Fox Radio analyst who consults for 11 teams. ''He's a little spotty getting open, but he'll become more productive as a receiver.'' Said espn.com analyst and former Browns scout Matt Williamson: "He won't stretch the field as much as Martin can. But Fasano is a better blocker.''

Well he can't be much worse than Martin, that's for sure.  Martin, despite being able to stretch the field, show unreliable hands and terrible blocking skills that often times got our QBs killed.  If Fasano is just an upgrade in terms of blocking, that's good enough for me.  But I think he's going to thrive now that he'll have the opportunity to work with the first team, something he never got in Dallas playing behind Jason Witten.  After all, when you excel at Notre Dame, you clearly have some skills.  And they don't just disappear like some seem to think.  So let's see what happens in camp and the preseason.  I think some might be pleasantly surprised.

I also highly suggest you check out this full article to read some other thoughts on the "Parcells Five" - the name I've officially coined for those five Dallas-to-Miami offseason acquisitions.

SPARANO WANTS TAYLOR BACK
Alright, so I may have lied.  But this isn't a Jason Taylor debate.  Instead, I just wanted to point out what Tony Sparano told WQAM in a recent interview in regards to JT:

"But one of the issues that we really did want to get out there and I wanted to make a point to Jason about is we as an organization and, certainly me as a head coach, want to see Jason Taylor back here with the Miami Dolphins in uniform, out on the field, doing what he does best for the Miami Dolphins, and that’s running after quarterbacks and sacking quarterbacks."

Sounds good to me.  Let's get him back in aqua and orange an get him on the practice field!!

And to hear Sparano's full interview, click here.

Thoughts on any of this below...

Yesterday, Dave Halprin from Blogging The Boys gave us his thoughts on new Dolphins LB Akin Ayodele.  So, today, Dave shares his thoughts below about new Dolphins TE Anthony Fasano:

Anthony Fasano was brought in when the Cowboys were planning to institute a 2-TE base offense and his job was to play opposite Jason Witten. We thought he was a tough blocker who could also get out in the passing lanes and make plays. This never really panned out. We dropped the 2-TE scheme pretty quickly and he went to being a reserve behind Witten and used as a blocker, sometimes out of the backfield as a pseudo-FB.

The kid was a willing blocker but his technique wasn't always sound and he missed blocks as much as he made them. He never became a receiving threat, partly because he was behind Witten, but partly because he just couldn't shake the coverage. The lasting memory for Dallas fans about Fasano was his drop of a TD in the Giants playoff game.

In short, he was a disappointment in Dallas because he was never a good enough blocker or a good enough receiver to justify his draft position and he was in danger of getting beat out of his second string position by an UDFA. There is some talent there, he does have the body for a TE and he occasionally flashed good hands but he never put it all together for us. Recently, we've heard part of the problem, besides injury, was that he blew too many assignments.

In my view, the acquisition of Fasano was a great move by the Dolphins because he's a low-risk, high-reward kind of player.  The Dolphins only spent a 4th round pick to get both Fasano and Ayodele.  And Fasano is only getting $975,000 total over the next two seasons.  So there really is no downside to his acquisition.

It'll be an interesting training camp competition between Fasano and the other 3 tight ends currently on the roster (David Martin, Justin Peelle, and Sean Ryan). 

Any early predictions on how this plays out?

I'm a little late to the party with this one.  While I was out tonight, I received a surprising text message that read "Dolphins acquire Akin Ayodele and Anthony Fasano."  And to my delight, the text wasn't a joke.

Various sources, including ESPN , the Palm Beach Post , and NFL.com are reporting that the Dolphins have indeed acquired LB Akin Ayodele and TE Anthony Fasano from the Cowboys in exchange for Miami's 4th round pick.

Ayodele, who will be 29 in September, spent his first 4 seasons in Jacksonville.  He won the starting job midway through his rookie season and really excelled from there on out while in Jacksonville, averaging 87 tackles, 2 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles in his 4 years there.  He then went on to Dallas, where he didn't make as much of an impact as I thought he would.  But at 6'2, 250, Ayodele has the speed that Bill Parcells is known to covet from his middle linebackers.  He's a player I've always liked, dating back to his Jacksonville days (I actually almost bought his Jaguar jersey a few years back).  Nothing he does will jump out at you when you see him play, but he's, more often than not, around the ball.  And he's a solid tackler.  He's likely to come in and compete with Channing Crowder and Reggie Torbor for one of those 2 inside linebacker starting spots in Miami's 3-4 defense.  And if I had to put money on it, I'd say Torbor is the odd man out.

Fasano, a fellow New Jersey guy, is only 24 and comes to Miami with boatloads of potential.  He was a highly touted tight end prospect coming out of Notre Dame in 2006 when the Cowboys spent a 2nd round pick on him.  However, Jason Witten has been a star in this league, forcing Fasano to have to be a #2 tight end in his 2 seasons in Dallas.  In those 2 seasons, Fasano has just 28 receptions for 269 yards and one touchdown.  However, I really don't doubt that he can come here to Miami and start at tight end come opening day.

Some are quick to call Fasano a bust, but I don't think that's fair only because he really never got a shot to be the starting tight end.  And there aren't many tight ends in this league who could beat out Jason Witten for the starting job.  But Fasano is a player who is not afraid to go over the middle and make tough catches and does have reliable hands.  Scout.com , in their draft preview from 2006, list Fasano strengths as "courage," "elusiveness with catch," and "hands and concentration."  They had his weakness listed as "blocking ability" and "strength."  They also add this:

Well rounded tight end who needs to develop more strength to improve his blocking skills. Courageous receiver not afraid to lay out to make the difficult catch.

Personally, I think this trade is a great one for the Dolphins.  It allows them to now focus on their attention on bigger needs instead of trying to find a capable starting inside linebacker and tight end.  And for only a 4th round pick, it's a very "low risk, high reward" kind of transaction.

Now I can't wait to see what draft weekend has in store for us.

Remember to check back with us tomorrow as discuss the NFL draft's first day.

And for a Cowboys' perspective on this deal, head over to Blogging The Boys .