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Dolphins Roster Breakdown: Armon Binns

2013-05-20T16:00:07Z

Our newest series here on the Phinsider is a player-by-player breakdown of all 90 players on the Miami Dolphins roster. We started it yesterday with the place you start all looks at an NFL roster, the starting quarterback. Now, with Ryan Tannehill complete, I am going to randomly pick and choose my way through the roster, starting today with wide receiver Armon Binns.

Previous Roster Breakdowns: Ryan Tannehill

(Photo courtesy Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

2012 Review:

Binns joined the Dolphins in December last year after being claimed off of waivers from the Cincinnati Bengals. Binns was waived by the Bengals when they were forced to carry two kickers late in the year. The belief at the time was that they would re-sign Binns as soon as he cleared waivers, but he never cleared, having been claimed by the Dolphins, who, reportedly, beat out the New England Patriots in claiming Binns.

After multiple injuries and shaky wide receiver play deep on the depth chart, Binns was just thrust into the Miami lineup, with the hope that he and rookie quarterback Tannehill would be able to have any sort of success. For Miami, he made six catches for 67 yards in two games. Overall, he had 24 receptions for 277 yards, with one touchdown, playing in nine games with five starts.

Why he could improve in 2013:

Binns is still an extremely young player, entering his third year in the league. He was initially signed as an undrafted free agent by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2011, then signed to the Bengals practice squad. He made his debut in 2012, and now is entering his third season.

A year of experience in the NFL, and time in the offseason program with the Dolphins, could mean improvements for Binns.

Why he could regress in 2013:

First, and foremost, he wears number 19. That alone could cause him problems.

Really, though, he is still a young player, who was an undrafted free agent for a reason. He could continue to develop under the Miami coaching staff, but he could also have reached his peak and never take another step forward.

Odds of making the 53-man roster:

The top three wide receiver slots for Miami are already locked in, with Mike Wallace, Brian Hartline, and Brandon Gibson claiming those. That leaves three slots for Binns, Marvin McNutt, Rishard Matthews, Jeff Fuller, Chad Bumphis, Terrell Sinkfield, Brian Tyms, and Jasper Collins all vying for the remaining three positions. Binns may have a slight advantage over some of those guys, since he has at least been in the system already, but he may also be expendable with the addition of McNutt, the return of Matthews, and the development of practice squad members from last year Fuller and Tyms.

Binns has a decent chance to make the roster, but he's not safe by any stretch of the imagination and will have to work hard all offseason and preseason to claim his spot.

More Dolphins Coverage:

Dolphins roster: What is the biggest question mark?

2013-05-20T12:00:09Z

Things you do not typically see around the Miami Dolphins happened this year, as General Manager Jeff Ireland and Head Coach Joe Philbin aggressively attacked the roster this offseason to completely overhaul the look of the team. Gone are former starters like Karlos Dansby, Jake Long, Davone Bess, and Sean Smith. Now, the team has names like Dannell Ellerbe, Tyson Clabo, Mike Wallace, and Jamar Taylor, having gotten younger and faster all over the field.

They also identified their needs, better pressure on opposing quarterbacks, fill the holes on the offensive line, add coverage in the secondary, and give second year quarterback Ryan Tannehill an upgraded arsenal. Then, they went out and filled those holes.

But, that does not mean the team is question mark free. Danny Tuccitto of Football Outsiders recently took a look at the AFC East for ESPN, determining the biggest remaining need for each team. Not surprisingly, Tuccitto pointed to the left side of the offensive line as the weakest area on Miami's roster. The team is starting second year tackle Jonathan Martin on the left this year, hoping he can grow into the position previously held by four time Pro Bowler Long. Martin took over the left side last season when Long was injured, and he played decently.

Of course, "decently" is not going to cut it when you are manning the position for the entire season, trying to protect the blind side of your quarterback. Martin is going to have to be good at least. He's moving back to the position he played throughout college, and will have an offseason training program for the first time in his NFL career (he was ineligible to participate in last year's program or OTAs because Stanford had not completed classes), so the ability to reach "good" should be there.

But, is the left side of the line the biggest question mark surrounding the Dolphins this year? Are there other areas that could rival Martin's ability at left tackle?

Of course there are.

Miami's offensive backfield clearly has questions. You could argue that Ryan Tannehill is the biggest question mark coming into his second season. However, the team is set with him as their starter, for better or worse, at this point, and most people seem to think it is going to be for the better.

Behind Tannehill, there are question marks as well. Will some combination of Lamar Miller, Daniel Thomas, Mike Gillislee, Jonas Gray, and Marcus Thigpen be able to replace Reggie Bush, who left this year for the Detroit Lions via free agency? Bush averaged over 1,000 yards rushing per year in his two seasons in Miami. Thomas, the most experienced of the rushers remaining on the Dolphins roster, has 906 yards total in his two seasons. Miller, the presumed front runner to start this season, has 250 yards on just 51 carries. That is an obvious question mark.

The defense is not immune to the questions, either. With Sean Smith leaving for the Kansas City Chiefs this year, Miami will likely have two new starting cornerbacks, one of them a rookie, in 2013. Brent Grimes, signed in free agency from the Atlanta Falcons, and Jamar Taylor, a second round pick in last month's draft, seem to be the front runners. Richard Marshall, who was a starting cornerback prior to being placed on injured reserve last year, is in the mix as well, with Nolan Carroll, Dimitri Patterson, Will Davis, Don Jones, RJ Stanford, DeAndre Presley, and Julian Posey all looking for roster spots. But, is that enough to shut down some of the prolific passers, like Tom Brady and Drew Brees, the team will face this season?

Do any of those weigh higher in your mind than Martin on the left side? Vote and let us know your thoughts in the comments.

More Dolphins Coverage:

Poll

What is the biggest question mark for the Miami Dolphins heading into the 2013 season?

Miami Dolphins News You May Have Missed - 5/20/13

2013-05-20T09:00:04Z

DOLPHINS RUNNING BACKS:

REPORT: Mike Gillislee Signs With Dolphins " The Finsiders – Miami Dolphins
According to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun, the Dolphins have agreed to terms with running back Mike Gillislee, the first of the team’s two fifth round selections. Once the signing is official, Gillislee will join Jelani Jenkins, Dion Sims, Caleb Sturgis and Don Jones as rookie draft picks who have signed with the team.

DOLPHINS WIDE RECEIVERS:

Miami Dolphins: Brandon Gibson Will Contribute, OJ McDuffie Says So
This article is a look at Miami Dolphins new WR Brandon Gibson and how he can contribute in for the 'Phins.

DOLPHINS SECONDARY:

Miami Dolphins: Chris Clemons Needs To Create Turnovers To Earn Re-Up
This article is a look at Miami Dolphins safety Chris Clemons and how he needs to develop his ability to create turnovers to earn a re-up.

DOLPHINS 2013 SEASON:

Miami Dolphins: Keith Sims Must Win Week 1 At Browns
My recent interview (including audio) with Keith Sims highlights importance of a win for the Miami Dolphins.

Team Report - MIAMI DOLPHINS - Yahoo! Sports
From Yahoo! Sports: Goodell: We want to see Dolphins stay in Miami

DOLPHINS OFFSEASON:

NFL - John Clayton breaks down big spenders and big bargains in free agency - ESPN
Plenty of teams made big splashes early in free agency, but keep an eye on those who waited for smart bargains, writes John Clayton.

DOLPHINS COMMUNITY OUTREACH:

Miami Dolphins reel in funds for community at fishing tournament - Miami Dolphins - MiamiHerald.com
Dolphins players floated out from Miami Beach to try and land the biggest catch – and a nice jackpot for the local community.

PHINSIDER NEWS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED:

Dolphins Make a Splash at Fins Weekend Fishing Tournament - The Phinsider
On Saturday, Miami Dolphins players, staff, alumni and friends took part in the annual Fishing Tournament during Fins Weekend. Who came out on top? Lets find out.

Dolphins Depth Chart Update - 5/19/13 - The Phinsider
The annual search for acorns is well underway for the Miami Dolphins. A few things have changed since our last depth chart update.

Dolphins sign fifth round draft pick RB Mike Gillislee - The Phinsider
The Miami Dolphins have signed fifth round draft pick Mike Gillislee, according to reports. The team now has five of their nine draft choices under contract.

Dolphins Roster Breakdown: Ryan Tannehill - The Phinsider
Over the course of the offseason, we will take an in-depth look at every member of the Miami Dolphins' roster. All 90 players will be spotlighted. With only 77 days remaining between now and the Hall of Game, it's time to get started.

Sunday Night Random Live Thread

2013-05-20T01:00:06Z

This is one of our nightly live threads. This means that you are welcome to discuss any subject that you wish but in keeping with the rules of the site we ask that you refrain from the discussion of politics and religion. Please remember that this thread takes place on the front page of the site, is not a CKC and as such try to keep things as near to PG as possible. Keep this in mind with the posting of pics as well and we ask that you keep them to a maximum of 5 per person and do not post Gifs. This keeps the thread load time from slowing down for those on slower connections.

James got stuck at work today, so it's back to me on tonight's musical choice. That's always a dangerous thing. Who knows what random mood I am going to be in, when I pick the song for the night? Well, let's see...

Yep - I cheated. I went with a full album. Oh well. And, if you don't know who the Corrs are, check out the video. They are four incredibly talented siblings.

Dolphins Roster Breakdown: Ryan Tannehill

2013-05-19T21:45:10Z

When you start a breakdown of the Miami Dolphins' roster, there's really only one place to start - with the key member of the team heading into the 2013 season. No one on the team will have a bigger impact on the success or failure this year than second year quarterback Ryan Tannehill. Why not start this series with him?

(Photo courtesy Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

2012 Review:

Tannehill came into the 2012 season with a lot of potential, but limited expectations. He was selected as the eighth overall player in the draft, the third quarterback behind Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III, but he was seen as incredibly raw and in need of at least a year before he would be ready to start.

In the preseason, he beat out Matt Moore for the starting position, and became the first rookie quarterback to start Week 1 of the season for Miami. He would go on to set multiple rookie passer rating, surpassing Dan Marino in most of those categories.

Tannehill struggled at times, looking like a rookie, but he seemed to get better, and more confident, as the season continued. He kept the Dolphins in the playoff hunt late in December, something no one expected before the season started.

The 2012 season for Tannehill was a solid one for a rookie. In most years, it would actually be seen as pretty good, but he had a rookie season with the likes of Luck, RG3, and Russell Wilson. Looking just at Tannehill's stats, and not comparing them to what those three did, he had a very good start to a young career.

Why he could improve in 2013:

He ended last season strong, looking more confident in the offense, and, most importantly, with 16 games of NFL experience under his belt. This year, the team added weapons all around him, including receivers Mike Wallace and Brandon Gibson, and tight end Dustin Keller. Tannehill is poised to break out this season.

Tannehill now has a year of experience in the league, and will be better prepared for some of the defensive looks, and the speed of the game. He excelled last year in no huddle situations, and the team is better prepared for that this year, having changed out some position specific personnel for more versatility. Everything seems built around Tannehill in 2013. Now, he just has to continue his development.

Why he could regress in 2013:

There are still plenty of questions around Tannehill, just as there should be around any second year quarterback. Sure Luck, RG3, and Wilson looked great, but that's one season. Regression at the quarterback position is not unusual - and may even be more common than we realize. "Sophomore slumps" happen all the time. It's just a matter of whether it will hit Tannehill or not.

Being a fan base that just lived through the excitement for Chad Henne's development, only to see it stall, we all know the potential for Tannehill to see the same thing is there.

Odds of making the 53-man roster:

He's on the roster. There's no doubt about that. He's going to be the starter, and, this is going to be his team. It's just a matter of how successful he, and the team, will be with the massive turnover, and Tannehill's growth, from last year.

More Dolphins Coverage:

Dolphins sign fifth round draft pick RB Mike Gillislee

2013-05-19T17:32:21Z

The Miami Dolphins have signed running back Mike Gillislee, according to various media reports. The signing of the team's fifth round draft choice brings the total draft pick signings to five for Miami, leaving four still unsigned.

The Dolphins picked Gillislee with the 164th pick last month, the first of two choices in the fifth round. He was also one of three players selected by Miami from the University of Florida. He rushed for 1,152 yards, with 10 touchdowns as a senior last season.

Gillislee joins cornerback Don Jones, kicker Caleb Sturgis, tight end Dion Sims, and linebacker Jelani Jenkins as signed draft picks for the Dolphins. Miami still has to sign defensive end Dion Jordan (3rd overall), cornerback Jamar Taylor (54th), offensive lineman Dallas Thomas (77th), and cornerback Will Davis (93rd).

More Dolphins Coverage:

Dolphins Depth Chart Update - 5/19/13

2013-05-19T12:00:08Z

The 2013 Miami Dolphins have begun their annual acorn search. While the top of the roster seems fairly well set, at least enough to know most of the people heading into training camp, and the position battles we will see, the bottom of the roster will continue to churn throughout the summer, with the team continuing their annual acorn search.

We've already seen it with things like the Marvin McNutt claiming off of waivers from the Philadelphia Eagles.

With that in mind, here is the current projection of the depth chart:

Miami Dolphins
Current Contracts: 85
Unsigned Draft Picks: 5
Top 51 Salary Cap Space: $8,263,823 (with $9,390,000 freeing up on June 1)
Rookie Salary Pool (Total): $7,839,986 (minimum $5,200,912)

Offense:
(43 players signed, 2 unsigned draft picks)

	First	Second	Third	Fourth
Wide Receiver	Brian Hartline	Brandon Gibson	Marvin McNutt	Jeff Fuller Chad Bumphis Terrell Sinkfield
Left Tackle	Jonathan Martin	Dallas Thomas*	Jeff Adams	Andrew McDonald
Left Guard	Richie Incognito	Chandler Burden
Center	Mike Pouncey	Josh Samuda	Sam Brenner
Right Guard	John Jerry	Lance Louis	Chris Barker
Right Tackle	Tyson Clabo	Nate Garner	Will Yeatman	Patrick Ward
Tight End	Dustin Keller	Dion Sims	Charles Clay	Michael Egnew Kyle Miller
Wide Receiver	Mike Wallace	Armon Binns	Rishard Matthews	Brian Tyms Jasper Collins
Quarterback	Ryan Tannehill	Matt Moore	Pat Devlin	Aaron Corp
Halfback	Lamar Miller	Daniel Thomas	Marcus Thigpen Mike Gillislee *	Jonas Gray Cameron Marshall
Fullback	Jorvorskie Lane	Ina Liaini	Rupert Bryan

Notes:

I really cannot decide what to do with Marcus Thigpen. Last time, I had him at receiver, but I've moved him back to halfback in this edition. I think the team will continue to list him as a running back, but will use him as both a slot receiver and a running back, along with his return abilities. Marvin McNutt slides into the sixth receiver slot right now, simply based on experience. I don't think he is a guarantee to make the roster, but he will at least be given a chance. Aaron Corp is the fourth quarterback who is really only going to be camp arm, giving the team a chance to have an additional thrower on the field in practice and in the early preseason games. Mike Gillislee and Dallas Thomas are the two rookies still to sign their contracts.

Previous Depth Chart: Dolphins Depth Chart Update - 5/19/13 Post-draft depth chart Dolphins Depth Chart: Round 1 Impacts Dolphins Depth Chart Update - 4/1/13

Defense:
(38 players signed, 3 unsigned draft picks)

	First	Second	Third	Fourth
Defensive End	Jared Odrick	Dion Jordan *	Derrick Shelby	Tristan Okpalaugo
Defensive Tackle	Randy Starks	Vaughn Martin	A.J. Francis
Defensive Tackle	Paul Soliai	Kheeston Randall	Chris Burnette
Defensive End	Cameron Wake	Olivier Vernon	Emeka Onyenekwu
Linebacker	Dannell Ellerbe	Jelani Jenkins	Jonathan Freeny	Michael Clay
Linebacker	Koa Misi	Josh Kaddu	Jason Trusnik	Alonzo Highsmith
Linebacker	Philip Wheeler	Austin Spitler	David Hinds	Lee Robinson
Cornerback	Brent Grimes	Dimitri Patterson	Nolan Carroll	Don Jones Julian Posey
Cornerback	Jamar Taylor *	Richard Marshall	Will Davis *	R.J. Stanford DeAndre Presley
Safety	Reshad Jones	Jimmy Wilson	Keelan Johnson
Safety	Chris Clemons	Kelcie McCray	Jordan Kovacs

Notes:

The only change to the defense over the past two weeks has been the waived/injured release of defensive tackle Chas Alecxih.

Follow @ThePhinsider

Special Teams:
(4 players signed)

	First	Second	Third	Fourth
Punter	Brandon Fields
Kicker	Dan Carpenter	Caleb Sturgis
Long Snapper	John Denney

Notes:

The camp battle projected among the special teams players is already over, even before training camp begins. No, not the kicker battle, but the long snapper battle. Two time Pro Bowl selection John Denney keeps his job as the team released long snapper Patrick Scales to make roster space for quarterback Aaron Corp.

More Dolphins Coverage:

Dolphins Make a Splash at Fins Weekend Fishing Tournament

2013-05-19T10:11:28Z

Every year the Miami Dolphins host the annual Fins Weekend, featuring current players alumni, coaches, executives and cheerleaders over the three day event between May 16-18.

Over the course of the three days, the participants enjoy a weekend of golf, fishing, and excellent food to raise money for the local community.

On Saturday, Dolphins players, alumni and guests set off from Miami Beach Marina for the annual Fishing Tournament.

Newly signed linebacker Lee Robinson came out with the biggest catch of the day, with a 47.9-pound kingfish for team Qualifier, reportedly spending up to 30 minutes to reel in the winning catch. Overall, Robinson had a great day, with a haul of three kingfish and nine sailfish released.

Dolphins Assistant Offensive Line coach Chris Mosley came away from the day catching the largest tuna, weighing a massive 34.6 pounds. Next in line was Miami's Hubert Ruiz, catching a 31.6-pound dolphin.

Meanwhile, Barbara Rodriguez finished as the leading female angler, catching a total of 32 pounds. Riley Ireland, the son of Dolphins General Manager Jeff Ireland, came out on top as the best junior at the event with a 28.7-pound tuna.

Over the past 17 years the foundation has raised over $11 million for the local community, with an additional $800,000 expected to have been raised this year.

"We had a lot of big fish at Hooters weigh-in at the dock and we raised a great deal of money for our foundation that will greatly impact the South Florida community," Fins Weekend Chairman Jeff Peck said.

Well done to all those involved!

2012 Stats
Games	9
Starts	5
Receptions	24
Yards	277
TDs	1

2012 Stats
Games	16
Starts	16*
Attempts	484*
Completions	282*
Comp %	58.3
Yards	3294*
TDs	12
INTs	13
Sacks	35
Rate	76.1

The Phinsider - All Posts

Dolphins Roster Breakdown: Armon Binns

2012 Review:

Armon Binns, 2012

Why he could improve in 2013:

Why he could regress in 2013:

Odds of making the 53-man roster:

More Dolphins Coverage:

Dolphins roster: What is the biggest question mark?

More Dolphins Coverage:

What is the biggest question mark for the Miami Dolphins heading into the 2013 season?

Miami Dolphins News You May Have Missed - 5/20/13

DOLPHINS RUNNING BACKS:

DOLPHINS WIDE RECEIVERS:

DOLPHINS SECONDARY:

DOLPHINS 2013 SEASON:

DOLPHINS OFFSEASON:

DOLPHINS COMMUNITY OUTREACH:

PHINSIDER NEWS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED:

Sunday Night Random Live Thread

Dolphins Roster Breakdown: Ryan Tannehill

2012 Review:

Ryan Tannehill 2012

Why he could improve in 2013:

Jeff Darlington: 'This is Ryan Tannehill's team'

Why he could regress in 2013:

Odds of making the 53-man roster:

More Dolphins Coverage:

Dolphins sign fifth round draft pick RB Mike Gillislee

More Dolphins Coverage:

Dolphins Depth Chart Update - 5/19/13

Miami Dolphins
Current Contracts: 85
Unsigned Draft Picks: 5
Top 51 Salary Cap Space: $8,263,823 (with $9,390,000 freeing up on June 1)
Rookie Salary Pool (Total): $7,839,986 (minimum $5,200,912)

Offense:
(43 players signed, 2 unsigned draft picks)

Notes:

Defense:
(38 players signed, 3 unsigned draft picks)

Notes:

Special Teams:
(4 players signed)

More Dolphins Coverage:

Dolphins Make a Splash at Fins Weekend Fishing Tournament

More Dolphins Coverage:

The Phinsider - All Posts

Dolphins Roster Breakdown: Armon Binns

2012 Review:

Armon Binns, 2012

Why he could improve in 2013:

Why he could regress in 2013:

Odds of making the 53-man roster:

More Dolphins Coverage:

Dolphins roster: What is the biggest question mark?

More Dolphins Coverage:

What is the biggest question mark for the Miami Dolphins heading into the 2013 season?

Miami Dolphins News You May Have Missed - 5/20/13

DOLPHINS RUNNING BACKS:

DOLPHINS WIDE RECEIVERS:

DOLPHINS SECONDARY:

DOLPHINS 2013 SEASON:

DOLPHINS OFFSEASON:

DOLPHINS COMMUNITY OUTREACH:

PHINSIDER NEWS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED:

Sunday Night Random Live Thread

Dolphins Roster Breakdown: Ryan Tannehill

2012 Review:

Ryan Tannehill 2012

Why he could improve in 2013:

Jeff Darlington: 'This is Ryan Tannehill's team'

Why he could regress in 2013:

Odds of making the 53-man roster:

More Dolphins Coverage:

Dolphins sign fifth round draft pick RB Mike Gillislee

More Dolphins Coverage:

Dolphins Depth Chart Update - 5/19/13

Miami DolphinsCurrent Contracts: 85Unsigned Draft Picks: 5Top 51 Salary Cap Space: $8,263,823 (with $9,390,000 freeing up on June 1)Rookie Salary Pool (Total): $7,839,986 (minimum $5,200,912)

Offense:(43 players signed, 2 unsigned draft picks)

Notes:

Defense:(38 players signed, 3 unsigned draft picks)

Notes:

Special Teams:(4 players signed)

More Dolphins Coverage:

Dolphins Make a Splash at Fins Weekend Fishing Tournament

More Dolphins Coverage:

Miami Dolphins
Current Contracts: 85
Unsigned Draft Picks: 5
Top 51 Salary Cap Space: $8,263,823 (with $9,390,000 freeing up on June 1)
Rookie Salary Pool (Total): $7,839,986 (minimum $5,200,912)

Offense:
(43 players signed, 2 unsigned draft picks)

Defense:
(38 players signed, 3 unsigned draft picks)

Special Teams:
(4 players signed)