It's Friday!! Time for a few nuggets to chew on heading heading into the weekend!
DONOVIN DARIUS RELEASED BY JAGS
The big NFL news that came out today was that the Jaguars had cut safety Donovin Darius. The reason this is making waves amongst Dolphin fans is because a few years back, at a time when Darius was unhappy with his contract in Jacksonville, he was looking to get traded and one of the teams he wanted to play for was the Miami Dolphins. Now that he's been released, he could very well end up in Miami.
But first, some things would have to be addressed. Most importantly, he would have to show that he's fully recovered from a broken leg injury he sustained in a week 11 game last year against the Giants, which came a season after missing 14 games due to a torn ACL. If he is healthy, then it would make sense for the Dolphins to at least give him a look. He's an ideal fit for Dom Capers's defense. He's big, strong, and can really hit. He's also very smart and is good at making the backfield calls.
As far as where'd he fit, I'd imagine that he would start opposite Yeremiah Bell, moving Renaldo Hill to corner, adding much needed depth at that position as well. Of course, this is pure speculation. If I had to guess, I'd say Darius ends up in Philadephia, where he could start opposite Brian Dawkins, taking the spot that is currently occupied by Sean Considine.
MARTIN TO BREAKOUT?
Sports Illustrated's Bucky Brooks recently wrote an article in which he gives us 10 players who will breakout this season. Right on page 1 of the story is Miami's own David Martin:
Good to hear! Martin definitely has the potential, as long as he can stay on the field. He's 6'4 and has very good speed and hands for a tight end. He also has a knack for moving the chains. Of his 87 career catches, 47 have gone for first downs, which is the same percentage as former TE Randy McMichael. And Martin has half as many TDs as McMichael has (9 to McMike's 18) despite starting in 60 fewer games. Hopefully, Martin's play this hear has us all forgetting about McMichael, which may have been the most surprising of all the moves made by Miami this offseason.
ABE WRIGHT A STEAL?
With mini-camps over, one of the most exciting things to come out of camp was the play of 7th round pick Abraham Wright. Wright was a DE at Colorado, but can play OLB, as seen throughout mini-camp:
"I'm not 6-6 or 275 so I've got to realize my speed or what else do I have?" Wright said.
Wright has impressed his coaches and teammates with a burst that helped him notch 12 sacks last season, tying him for second most in Division I-A.
"He is a guy who has played with his hand on the ground most of the time," Dolphins coach Cam Cameron said. "When the pads come on we'll have a better feel for him, but his strength right now is pass-rush ability, and that is what we need from him this year.
"Not only can he play fast physically, but mentally he picks things up extremely quickly."
He seems like he might be an ideal fit on this team as the back-up to Jason Taylor, taking the spot formerly held by David Bowens before he left for the Jets. But we'll know more once the pads come on.