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By: Jason Sarney If you ask most individuals what their favorite past-times are, chances are sports and music are in the top few. For me, football and some all-time favorite songs in the background make it a harmonious combo. I never learned to play the piano, although I wish I did because if I had two wishes of being able to magically perform a skill in football and a skill in music, it would be to fire a football like Dan Marino did and hit the ivory’s like Billy Joel. Now the fun part. Looking at Football, in which I found out early in life I’d never throw a football like Marino, and never having the musical discipline to be a "Piano Man," I need to improvise in my written jam sessions. Any novice piano player knows that the musical instrument is made up of 88 Keys. For those keys to produce sounds pleasing to the ear, the person operating them must have skills a lot closer to Mr. Joel than of myself. For a symphony to work, the 88 Keys of the piano could be a vital piece to the puzzle, much like 3rd year tight end, #88 Mike Gesicki will be for the Miami Dolphins in 2020 and beyond.  After a limited and misused rookie season under the lack of direction by then coach Adam Gase, Gesicki was not utilized properly, and his statistics in 2018 really should be taken with a grain of salt. In fact, he 86’ed his rookie year number of #86 and now sports #88. He is a Key to this offense and when realizing his skill-sets you will see why. Gase didn’t line Gesicki up in his proper setting, which is not in-line like standard tight ends. The Penn State product actually was wasted his rookie year. If you look at his 2018 splits where he lined up, you can see that something wasn't fitting in his usage compared to this past season, which we will get to.  As you can see, Gesicki spent more than half of his snaps lined up in-line as a standard tight end, which he is not. He is a wide receiver labeled as a "TE." In 2019, under a new coaching style and offensive system with Chad O'Shea, Gesicki played less than 23% of his snaps "in-line." In searching the Twitter-verse for Gesicki-ites, I was quickly given this nugget from Fantasy Guru: @CoopAFiasco  As you can see in 2019, Gesicki essentially moved out of the in-line area of the position and played 71.8% of his snaps in the slot. With the recent opting out of wide-outs Allen Hurns and Albert Wilson, Miami's other slot weapons on the roster from last season, don't expect a regression here. Gesicki also had several occurrences playing on the outside, utilizing mismatches against shorter corners, specifically on a few endzone catches, as well as along the sidelines when a slower linebacker was covering him. The knock on Gesicki are a few stats that could have a number of variables attached to them. If you aren't taking inconsistent QB play and a dead-last offensive line for pass-protection, you aren't looking at the full picture. There is a knock on lack of broken tackles, yet that can be countered with the fact he was the 3rd NFL TE in targeted air yards in 2019 with 10.4. All five of Gesicki's scores were in the end-zone, or a foot or two out, so a broken tackle is irrelevant in those cases. Many receptions came after "bang-bang" catch and hit situations, leaving even the most difficult guy to bring down, stopped in his tracks. There have also been those to point out the first 8 games of the season, when then rookie WR Preston Williams was receiving the lion-share of the targets as well as DeVante Parker. It was only until after Williams' knee injury did both Gesicki and Parker step up and have very productive second halves of the season. We should also realize the first half of the season for Miami was a relative disaster and nothing should really be analyzed in full from those first 8 games. Now we are in 2020 and Preston Williams is healthy, but then again, a pair of slot receivers are gone. That's a net positive for Gesicki. The point is, when mixing in all the variables heading into 2020, which is a new offensive coordinator yet again for Miami, Gesicki has a man in Chan Gailey who loves utilizing athletic pass-catchers in the slot area of the field. Whether it be a tight end, like Gailey peppered with targets in Kansas City in 2008 in Tony Gonzalez, or a slot-style wide-out in Eric Decker who was fantastic as a Jet in this system. Gesicki will fall into those roles for Gailey and the Dolphins, so when looking at your fantasy TE slot, you have to consider a player who will be targeted like a receiver. When setting your pre-draft play-list, make sure you have Gesicki in your Top-10 tight end rankings, because after a season of likely 100+ targets (89 in 2019) coming up, he could finish the year as a Top-5 TE and future record maker. He is a potential touchdown machine in the making in the red-zone, as last year in training camp the corner fade was practiced over and over again. With weapons like Parker and Williams on the outside and hard-noised runner, Jordan Howard demanding attention, inside the opponents 20-yard line could be where Gesicki makes fantasy owners winners.  You can follow Jason on Twitter @OrangeAquaman
By: Jason Sarney Newly signed free agent running back Jordan Howard met with the Miami media on Wednesday morning to discuss several topics ranging from training camp to thecovid-19 pandemic. Howard tells the MIA media regarding Covid-19 and opting out. "Everybody has their own situation." He said he has never thought about opting out. Howard who was signed in the off-season after stints with the Philadelphia Eagles and Chicago Bears has been very productive since his rookie season. Since 2016 he is behind only Ezekiel Elliott and Todd Gurley as the NFL's leading rushers. He told the media in terms of his recognition, "I definitely feel I am overlooked." Howard was a Pro-Bowler his rookie season and over the past four Seasons has scored 30 touchdowns and rushed for 3,895 yards. He has a career yard per carry average of 4.3 yards and should be the goal-line and tough-yardage back the Dolphins have been needing.  When discussing his role with the offense, he said, “just help the team win in any role they want me to be in." Howard has also added 82 receptions and a pair of touchdowns in the receiving game in his time with the Bears and Eagles. He enters a system of new Offensive Coordinator, Chan Gailey, as Howard says, "he puts us in the best position to be successful. No matter who the RB is he is going to tailor his scheme to their abilities." Howard has worked hard in the off-season and is ready for the season ahead as he confidently tells the media, “we are in an acclimation period right now. I put a lot of work in the off-season, I feel like I am in a good place now." His running back mate Matt Breida spoke to media as well as the lightning fast acquisition From San Francisco makes for a terrific thunder and lightning dynamic duo for the Dolphins. Breida was traded for a 5th-round draft pick during April’s NFL draft and is a home run hitting runner and pass receiver who has averaged 5 yards per carry on the ground and 8.4 4 yards per reception out of the backfield. He has 10 career touchdowns and always a threat to take it the distance.  In fact, one of his newest purchases was a brand-new Lamborghini. Simply put, when asked about it, Breida said…” I like going fast.” This makes sense for the official fastest player in the NFL based on both Next Gen Stats as well as the man himself. When asked if he is in fact the leagues fastest, he said with bravado, “You guys know the answer to that question.” If there is a teammate challenger to that, it could be Jakeem Grant. "I think me and Jakeem will eventually race, but we haven't talked about that yet,” Breida said. Breida was asked about the running back room, and it’s clear the new Dolphins is very happy in his surroundings. "We have a great group of running backs this year." "I think we are going to shock a lot of people this year." Breida goes on to talk about the budding chemistry with this young Miami team, and says, " it reminds me of my first year in San Fran." He adds, “we are on the right track as far as chemistry is going." Breida seems as excited to be a Dolphin as Miami’s staff is to have him. "They are excited what I am able to do,’ he says. “They are going to get me in here, and whatever role they want me to do I am going to do it to the best of my ability." Breida closed the conversation with a confident pair of quotes, that have a similar ring to it with this team’s approach. “I can control what I can control,” as well as "every year I am always going to keep grinding and get better." The Dolphins have a pair of aces up their sleeves in the backfield to go along with a stacked deck of complements as a running back room. You can follow Jason on Twitter @OrangeAquaman By: Jason Sarney A year ago, today, it was business as usual across the NFL as training camps across the country were in full stride and the only issues were things like roster cuts, cap space and player health. Well, that last element takes on an entirely new meaning in the year of Coronavirus. In these unprecedented times, the 2020 NFL season and its training camp period has seen a remarkable and challenging hurdle, in what we as a people are facing together. The pandemic has placed all aspects of life on hold in some way, shape or form, and with the impact this disease can have on families, you have to sympathize with players who are choosing to “opt-out,” of this season on some other teams across the NFL. On Wednesday morning, Miami Dolphins head coach, Brian Flores, addressed the South Florida media to discuss all topics from football to fighting this pandemic and using the proper protocols to handling this situation as best he and the team can. While football professionals and fans would no doubt prefer to focus on roster moves, transactions and depth charts, unfortunately most of the conversation was with Covid-19 at the center of it all. Coach Flores said, “with Covid, I think we try to create an environment that is as safe as possible.” He went on to credit Miami head trainer, Kyle Johnston, saying the protocols in the locker room and training room have been great.  “There has been a lot of changes at the facility. We have a new locker room. We have in-between the lockers."
Flores went on to state that he was communicating to his player that making good decisions and being responsible is key to limit the spread of this virus. Flores went on to add that it would be important for players to make sacrifices in the building and out of the building. Flores realizes that the pandemic limits games and opportunity for players to compete, but he tells them to not worry about that aspect of this unusual year. Flores says, “these are unprecedented circumstances” In true leadership form, he said emphatically, “there is no point dwelling on lack of games or practices, we have to make the most of opportunity." Specifically, on undrafted free agents, Flores said with inspiration in his tone, "every rep is going to be important. Every walk-tru rep, every practice rep." On the football health front, it was recently announced that cornerback Xavien Howard would be placed on the PUP list to open training camp. Coach Flores updated the media on Howard’s status. "X is on PUP." Flores added, “he will be back as soon as he can. I can’t put a timetable on that." He then said, “we are going to try to get him out there as soon as he can." On a positive note, when asked if any players or coaches have opted out for 2020, he said, as of 10 minutes prior to the media session, no opt outs. In terms of on field news, which is a relative term these days, Coach Flores talks about his young quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa, and his health and practice status. Flores stated that Tua is, “ready to go and you will see him out there.” Yet, if this translates into competition, Flores kept a solid poker face, but was evident nothing is a guarantee one way or the other, and work will need to be done regardless. When asked about the quarterback competition directly, Flores said, “you always want competition in training camp…every position is an open competition. Obviously, some players are further ahead than others, we all understand that.” He then added regarding Tua and his development, "It’s a one day at a time approach.” Overall, a health and Covid-19 protocol focused media session proved that even amidst this unfortunate hand we have all been dealt, Coach Flores is communicating his message the right way. He is telling his staff and players to make the necessary sacrifices in and out of the building and to do their part to limit, and ultimately end the spread of this virus. After-all, if anyone can emphasize this next statement strong enough, it is Miami’s wise beyond his years head coach, the undisputed leader of this team, Brian Flores…. “There is nothing more important than the health of the team” You can follow Jason on Twitter @OrangeAquaman
By: Jason Sarney
Five months after the Kansas City Chiefs were crowned NFL Champions at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, and following the most unique off-season in football history, the 2020 season is inches away from officially beginning...sort of. While protocols and player safety issues have been the early issues around NFL Training Camps over the weekend, the league seems to be working on the fly in terms of creating the most health-conscious and safety oriented environment, this of course due to the Covid-19 pandemic. What happens in the next month or so is still very much a work in progress, as there still is not a definitive number of pre-season games, if any, set in stone for August.
With literally days and in some cases hours until certain players report to camp, there is a palpable feeling of uneasiness and nervousness. With the hope being that the NFL and the players association come to agreements on the safety of the players and their families first, the game we crave is hopefully weeks away from true action and even less time away from actual real life sports. With that hope, a universal word of extreme importance these days, we will take a look at what should be discussed this week; that being the 5 Questions Heading into Miami Dolphins Training Camp. 
Who will make up the Miami offensive line? What positions? How fast can it be fixed?
In 2019, the Miami Dolphins rotational bunch of offensive linemen, collectively allowed a league worst 58 sacks, tied with Carolina. They also allowed the most quarterback hits in the NFL with 154 and the Dolphins were tied with the Jets for last in yards per rush at 3.3. Needless to say a change, or several, must be made. The line could be completely overhauled, as three rookies were selected in Austin Jackson, Robert Hunt and Solomon Kindley to join free agents Erick Flowers and Ted Karras. Veterans Jesse Davis and Michael Deiter will have their work cut out for them to earn a spot on that 5-man line, and both could be worked at multiple positions. What to watch for is the tutelage from Karras to Deiter, as the Wisconsin second year potential future center can learn a massive amount from the veteran free agent signing from New England. Karras is a one-year contracted player, and someone who has a coaches/mentor-ship mindset to help young players progress. What will the Miami loaded secondary look like? Perhaps the toughest, intriguing, and most exciting question of the training camp process, the Miami defensive backfield is closing in on becoming a stellar group league-wide. With incumbent lock-down specialist Xavien Howard becoming a pair with Byron Jones thanks to the former Cowboy inking a Miami free agent deal, this is a super-team of cornerbacks reminiscent to the Dolphins Dynamic Duo of Sam Madison and Pat Surtain of the late 1990’s early 2000’s. Second year undrafted free agent, and lock-down cover man in his own right, Nik Needham, will look to build on a 12-game rookie season that had him collect 54 tackles, 2 interceptions, a forced fumble and a sack that Sam Darnold is still recovering from. 
Rookie corner Noah Igbinoghene out of Auburn was a 1st round selection for the Dolphins in April and another true lock-down minded defensive back who can thrive with the coaching of Head Coach Brian Flores. Miami has talent at the cornerback position beyond these four, and it will be interesting to see what happens to a veteran or two in danger of not being a part of the 53-man roster.
Who will be the next great safety for Miami? Brian Flores loves the “slash.” Meaning, he loves players that are defensive ends SLASH outside linebackers. A cornerback SLASH safety. The point is at the moment, the middle of the defensive backfield is a question-mark. No more Reshad Jones, a traded Minkah Fitzpatrick and cornerback converts like Eric Rowe and Bobby McCain. The Dolphins added depth, competition and potential starters in Texas rookie Brandon Jones and free agent safety/special teamer, Clayton Fejedelem. This is another group that flexibility of “true position” will be key for the overall success of the unit. Is there another conversion going on we all don’t know about yet? What will the line-backing Corp. look like, and will there be a veteran in trouble? A noticeable pattern this off-season was the addition of a certain type of player. Simply put – “Flores Guys.” This is evident with three former Flores disciples from New England in the same position group all signing with Miami this past off-season. Kyle Van Noy, Kamu Grugier-Hill, and Elandon Roberts are all now Miami Dolphins and all share rings with former Patriots defensive mastermind, Flores. This trio joins a pair of young linebackers fighting for reps in Andrew Van Ginkel and breakout from 2019, Vince Biegel. Throw in a pair of veteran Buckeyes in Jerome Baker and Raekwon McMillan, and suddenly, Miami has a defensive full of depth and training camp battles at all levels. How good can Mike Gesicki be? Exactly a year ago to the week, the 2019 Dolphins Training Camp was the inaugural Flores Camp. A new TNT wall to run to on mental mistakes was touched early by 2nd year tight end, Mike Gesicki on Day 1. Following that trip the to "Take No Talent" disciplinary device, I can’t recall the former Penn State alum making an error from that point on. Prior to his mini-breakout season, mainly towards the second-half of 2019, Gesicki was a student of the game, and soaking up information and technique from quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick as well as former and then Dolphins safety, Reshad Jones. Following team drills, already hours into practice, in the sweltering heat, a drenched Gesicki worked on countless reps of endzone corner fade routes with Fitzpatrick dropping dimes over his shoulder, while Jones helped with technique to break off the line of scrimmage when split wide, against a defensive back. This was a microcosm of what Gesicki is…a student of the game. He is going to continue to get better, work on his fundamentals and improve his faults. Finishing the season with a huge final month and a half, Gesicki is a tight end who could very well progress to be a poor-man’s Travis Kelce in year three or next year in season four. He is athletically gifted and faster than most tight-ends and has the hands and leaping ability to becoming a staple in the Miami offense, especially in the redzone and near the goal-line. He finished with 51 receptions, 570 yards and five touchdowns last season with and those scores all came in the last six weeks of the season, so there is heavy momentum heading into 2020. That includes last season’s season-ending, game-winning touchdown reception that send the Patriots out of home-field playoff contention. Back to the Kansas City correlation. While new Miami offensive coordinator, Chan Gailey, has not been known to feature the tight end, historically, he has arguably had just one tight end in his career that had enough athleticism and skill to be featured, that being Kansas City Chief Tony Gonzalez back in 2008. Is Gesicki the next Tony G? Likely not, however, 70% of that production could mean a top-10 producing tight end in Miami, a position the Dolphins are sorely looking for a bona fide star. 
Yes - there is one more pesky quarterback question...but that's a conversation for another day and article.
You can follow Jason on Twitter @OrangeAquaman Listen to Jason's Miami Dolphins PodCast - The Deep Dive - Part of Fin Addicts Network - @Fin_Addicts - Every Tuesday! By: Tom Shannon Former NFL running back Maurice Jones-Drew rates the 32 NFL running backs. He has new Dolphins running back Jordan Howard at number 30: “Howard is in this spot for several reasons. He is several years removed from a 1,000-yard rushing season and is in a new scheme on a rebuilding team. He's also recovering from a shoulder injury that kept him out for the final six games of last season and will be sharing the backfield with Matt Breida.” Thirtieth seems to me to be a bit low for Howard. There’s every reason to believe that the shoulder will be fully healed. And the fact that he’s sharing snaps with Breida isn’t as relevant as the reason he’s sharing them. It’s very easy to underestimate Howard. Even though he’s reputed to be a power back he really doesn’t look that big on the field. He’s not fast and he’s not flashy. That makes him fit in just fine with the Dolphins, who have what appears to be a very vanilla roster. "I just liked the opportunity it presented," Howard told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel about joining the Dolphins. "I felt like we're turning things around down here, I just wanted to be a part of that. I was part of a turnaround in Chicago, so I embrace those type of things." Howard was with the Bears for three seasons including 2018 when the team went from worst to first. He knows firsthand that sometimes coaching, hard work and the culture in the locker room can mean more than the talent on paper. As an individual, he embodies that on every level.  Howard has a reputation for not being able to catch a pass which isn’t true. He can and does catch passes. The problem is that he’s not the kind of back that is going to do a lot with the ball once it’s in his hands. That’s the reason he’s paired with Breida, who is more elusive in space as a third down back.
But Breida won’t be as good as Howard when there are yards on the field that you really need to run the ball to get. That is Howard's expertise where he uses his vision and hard running style that get him through. You’ll watch him approach a line of scrimmage that appears to be clogged with bodies. You blink and he’s suddenly through untouched. That make him perfect as a runner in an outside zone blocking scheme. Howard is a slashing, one cut straight line runner who will find a crack is a defense that you never knew was there. Sometimes it’s like magic. But it’s not. It’s real talent. Just not the kind of talent that is always apparent. You can follow Tom on Twitter @bearingthenews The Front Office w/ Jason Sarney- Nik Needham- One of Miami's stellar corners of "The Florida Keys"7/15/2020 By: Jason Sarney Breaking down the crowded and talented Miami cornerback group, this episode will focus on 2nd year UDFA, Nik Needham. Needham played in 12 games and was the only undrafted cornerback in NFL history to record 50+ tackles, a sack, an interception, and a forced fumble in his rookie year. Needham finished his rookie season as a starting corner and had a pair of interceptions and 11 passed defended on the season. He is a sure tackler who finishes the play, and an absolute ball hawk. The competition and drive to earn snaps will only help the UTEP record holder in passes defended, as the sophomore Dolphin plays with passion, purpose and pride, with a little bit of a chip on those shoulder pads.
The Miami Dolphins have a terrific problem, with potential four lock-down cornerbacks on their roster in Needham, Xavien Howard, Byron Jones and rookie Noah Igbinoghene. A group of mini-islands in South Florida that I like to call, The Florida Keys. Make no mistake, Nik Needham is a big part of this team’s future. You can follow Jason on Twitter at @OrangeAquaman By: Brandon Liguori Training camp is expected to open in late July, with the Miami Dolphins likely to carry four quarterbacks on the active roster: Ryan Fitzpatrick, entering his 16th year as a professional, Tua Tagovailoa, Miami’s first-round selection this past April, Jake Rudock, who has yet to attempt a pass as a Dolphin and Josh Rosen, acquired during the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft from the Arizona Cardinals. A former UCLA product, Rosen’s NFL career has been a disaster thus far. As a rookie, Rosen served as Sam Bradford’s backup, but after opening the season winless through three games, Bradford was benched. In 13 starts, Rosen finished a head-scratching 3-10 and completed just 55.2 percent of his passes. Rosen threw three more interceptions than touchdowns and Arizona’s 3-13 mark was the worst in the league. Head coach Kliff Kingsbury, who was brought in after spending his entire six-year collegiate coaching career at Texas Tech, shipped Rosen out in exchange for Kyler Murray, whom the Cardinals selected first overall in 2019. After a back-and-forth competition heading into the 2019 campaign, Dolphins head coach Brian Flores handed the offensive keys to Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick’s group, in the opening two games, was outscored 102-10 vs. Baltimore and New England, thus resulting in an immediate switch at the quarterback position. Rosen’s debut as a starter came in Week 3 against a dangerous Dallas Cowboys squad in Dallas. Dropping a 31-6 decision, Rosen completed 18 of 39 throws for 200 yards, failing to find the endzone. One week later, a home contest vs. the Los Angeles Chargers, Flores elected to give Rosen a second opportunity to prove his quarterback capabilities to the organization and Rosen delivered a solid first-half performance, tossing a 34-yard touchdown strike to DeVante Parker to give the Dolphins their first lead under Flores. Rosen’s second half was a different story, nonetheless, and the Dolphins’ 30-10 defeat kept the team winless heading into the bye week. Flores stayed with Rosen against the winless Washington Redskins, a game in which both squads were building for the future.  Rosen did not take advantage, throwing two ugly interceptions and was replaced by Fitzpatrick in the fourth quarter, who rallied the Dolphins from a 14-point deficit. In three starts as a Dolphin, Rosen threw four more interceptions than touchdowns, leaving his future in Miami on thin ice. Tagovailoa and the Dolphins agreed to a four-year, $30,275,438 contract this past May, including a $19,578,500 signing bonus, putting a large amount of money and trust on Tagovailoa.
Originally, Rosen signed a four-year, $17,597,756 contract with the Cardinals. Rosen is set to make $750,000 this upcoming season and 920,000 in 2021, but the Dolphins should begin finding a new home for Rosen if Tagovailoa thrives with the organization, as Fitzpatrick’s career is pretty much complete. On the current active depth chart, Rosen sits third behind both Fitzpatrick and Tagovailoa, ultimately telling the story. Brian Flores is entering his second season and there are questions in regards to how well Miami’s free agent defensive acquisitions will perform, whether Byron Jones and Xavien Howard can become lock-down cornerbacks, if Mike Gesicki, Albert Wilson, Preston Williams, Jakeem Grant and Parker will succeed in offensive coordinator Chan Gailey’s system, if Tua Tagovailoa will suit up and take a meaningful snap under center, etc. However, does Josh Rosen have a long-term future with the Dolphins? Maybe Tua Tagovailoa’s understudy once Fitzpatrick calls it quits? Only time will tell. You can follow Brandon on Twitter @BrandonRLiguori The Jason Taylor All In For Literacy Virtual Poker Championship V2 -Hosted by Faded Spade Card Club6/23/2020
By: Jason Sarney
On Wednesday, June 24th, The Jason Taylor Foundation will host The All In For Literacy Virtual Poker Championship V2. The second version of the very successful online tournament from last month will be hosted by Faded Spade Card Club and will allow participants to compete in a Texas Hold’em game while interacting with each other via Zoom teleconference. The inaugural All In For Literacy Championship was a major success in all aspects including fundraising, messaging and interaction with fans of the Miami Dolphins, South Florida media personalities including Dan Le Batard of ESPN and Joy Taylor of Fox Sports, and of course, heroes who wore the Orange and Aqua! Jason Taylor of course was not only a participant, but he showed his Poker chops by swimming through the 71-player pool and docking at the final table to vie for the championship trophy. Unfortunately for the host, Taylor was knocked out by former teammate and Dolphin’s legendary wide-receiver and 1998 NFL reception’s king, O.J. McDuffie, who went on to become the event’s winner. Ironically, and with good-timed fortune, there was a scheduled interview with McDuffie the following morning with me as well as the two men who make The Jason Taylor Foundation run, Seth Levit and Sean Todd. On “Victory Thursday,” McDuffie told me that he was as confident going into the tournament as he went into games against former AFC East rival, the Indianapolis Colts. “I expected to win… I went in there expecting to win,” McDuffie said proudly.
Number 81 made good on that expectation and for flashback purposes, he did score 7 touchdowns against the Colts in his career, including his first ever score, which came on a Sunday Night Football punt return. Levit and Todd won beyond the table, as the Executive Director and Vice President of Operations of The Jason Taylor Foundation, respectively, put on a terrific event! The success of the May tournament included other Miami Dolphin legends such as Shawn Wooden, Terry Kirby, Kim Bokamper and Ricky Williams! Volume 2 will again open up the event for anyone who would care to “Dive In” with the trio from The Fish Tank, which is of course Seth, O.J. and Sean aka “DJ. Prec,” and an all-star guest list! You can register for the event, or simply donate for an important cause here, and if the kickoff event from a few weeks back was any indication, odds are, The All In For Literacy Virtual Poker Championship V2 will be a full house of fun, and another straight success! See you all at the tables!
The Front Office with Jason Sarney - The Miami Dolphins Running Back Room - Safety In Numbers6/17/2020 The Miami Dolphins decided to pass on a number of running backs in the off-season that can be considered "workhorse" backs. Todd Gurley and Melvin Gordon were both available at a certain price, and the Dolphins passed on the runners. Why? Perhaps several reasons. I'd like to think it is because the plan is not to get a 25+ carry running back like, say, a Marshawn Lynch. In fact, he can be called the last "workhorse" back to lead a team to a Super Bowl title. With the exception of about four others to add to Lynch, they are the only running backs to say they are that "workhorse" for the champions since the 2000 season. Jamal Lewis of the 2000 Ravens, Antoine Smith and Corey Dillon in separate Patriot title runs, and you can make the argument for Ray Rice as well as Lynch as season bell-cows. Jerome Bettis in the Steelers Super Bowl had a ton of help from Willie Parker, so you can argue five or six, maximum, since 2000. With rumors floating about a Dalvin Cook hold-out and potential trade partners, count out Miami, as Jordan Howard, Matt Breida, Patrick Laird and X-Factor rookie Malcolm Perry are the RBBC the Dolphins need for Patriot-like success, for the long haul.
The Front Office series continues, as Jason Sarney of www.Phinmaniacs.com builds the squad. You can follow Jason on Twitter @OrangeAquaman The Front Office w/ Jason Sarney- UDFA Matt Cole- #82 will make the 53* as a Special Teams Gunner6/12/2020 By: Jason Sarney The Miami Dolphins once again signed a loaded class of rookie undrafted free agents following April's selection process. One player who is a very savvy bet to make the 53*-man roster following training camp is McKendree University WR/STer, Matt Cole. Cole excels in punt and kick-return coverage as well as with the football, being a player who can gain special teams yards, as well as prevent them. Cole has dynamic receiver abilities as well however, his speed plus tackling combination and the volume of snaps and repetitions he has had in college at the Gunner role, tells me this is exactly why the Miami Dolphins signed him. With the Dolphins not retaining Walt Aikens at the moment, who held the Gunner role as well as other areas of the Special Teams unit, training camp will be open tryouts for each specific job, and Cole can literally cover several of them. Much like a specific Special Team Ace namely New England's Matthew Slater, Cole can slide directly into Aikens' role and lock down a professional job very quickly. Cole has had more reps at the Gunner role in college than most who earn that job since many times college safeties, running backs, cornerbacks and receivers fight in camps to hold the role simply just to make a team, whereas Cole is already a specialist in it.
I am going "all-in" on predicting Cole will make this 53*-man roster, and be a top NFL Gunner for years to come...and he may even score some touchdowns from both sides of the return game...kicks and punts. Remember this name - Matt Cole, and once again, remember the phrase - "82 will make the 53*." You can follow Jason on Twitter @OrangeAquaman *Though the roster limit will continue to be 53 for 2020, two players from the practice squad may be brought up to increase roster sizes to 55 on game-day, with those two players reverting back to the practice squad after game-day. Practice squads will also be increased in size from 10 players to 12 beginning this season
By: Tom Shannon Omar Kelly at the South Florida Sun-Sentinel recently reviewed what he thinks are 10 looming Dolphins position battles. I have to say that I thought that a couple of the "battles" he highlighted were unusual choices. For instance, at running back it seems evident that both Jordan Howard and Matt Breida have a defined role with Howard generally being an early down, power back and Breida being a more versatile third down back. Yes, depending on the situation, some of those plays could go to either. But they're complementary backs. It’s really not a competition. But what really caught my attention was an actual competition, a big one along the offensive line: "Starting left tackle: Julien Davenport vs. Austin Jackson  "Davenport has struggled as an offensive tackle in the majority of his 27 NFL starts, but this former 2017 fourth-round pick has the size (6-foot-6, 325 pounds) and athleticism needed to be successful if he can put it all together. Last season, when Davenport was finally healthy and familiar with Miami’s offense, he improved in the final month. But being adequate can get someone hurt in the NFL, which is why Jackson, the team’s second of three first-round picks, will get every opportunity to unseat him. Problem is, this former USC standout will likely need some time to adjust to the speed of the NFL game."
"Starting right guard: Michael Deiter, Danny Isidora, Shaq Calhoun, Robert Hunt and Solomon Kindley Ereck Flowers, a former Hurricanes standout Miami signed to a three-year, $30 million deal this off-season, is expected to serve as the starting left guard considering that’s where he resurrected his NFL career the past two seasons. He is Miami’s most experienced and accomplished offensive lineman. That leaves three veterans — Deiter, Isidora and Calhoun — and two draft picks — Hunt and Kindley — competing to determine who plays next to right tackle Jesse Davis. Deiter, Isidora and Calhoun struggled plenty last season, and Hunt and Kindley are unproven as pros. Expect the Dolphins to identify the team’s best five offensive linemen and then figure out what spot they’ll play at during training camp. But when camp opens up, Miami needs to see these offensive linemen move defensive tackles." I'm finding the assumption among members of the media that Jackson and Davenport will be competing at left tackle and that Jessie Davis will be filling the right tackle position to be interesting. If I'm the Dolphins, that's not the way I’m thinking. When it comes to the offensive line, as Kelly rightfully points out, ultimately the goal is to get your best five guys on the field. So this isn’t really two competitions so much as it is one huge one. And to my mind, Jackson, Davenport and Davis are all members of that top five. Furthermore, I look at Davenport and I see a huge man who is built physically to play right tackle. And Davis is arguably a better guard than he is tackle. My guess: Left tackle: Jackson Left guard: Flowers Center: Ted Karras Right guard: Davis Right tackle: Davenport That leaves none of the guys “competing” at right guard above starting. Of course, we have to wait and see how these guys perform to truly get a handle on this. And Hunt was a second round pick. The Dolphins might not be willing to bench him unless he’s really bad in camp. Nor are they going to want to give up on last year’s third round pick, Dieter. In any case, this seven man battle royal is all going to be fascinating to watch. You can follow Tom on Twitter @bearingthenews
By: Jason Sarney
The 2019 season was unlike any season the Miami Dolphins and their fan-base have ever witnessed. In April of 2019, there was a sense of hope immediately when Christian Wilkins heard his name called during the NFL Draft. The new Dolphin took his “Leap of Faith,” as the Clemson star shoulder-bumped Roger Goodell in pure joy and excitement, in what became the iconic moment of that selection process. Then came the season, and then came the purge. With a brand-new philosophy and head coach in Brian Flores, the team started to demolish the roster as if they were a real estate company that bought an old warehouse with plans on turning it into a condominium. In many areas of sports, business and life, before you re-build, you must destroy. Miami knew heading into the 2019 season that they would be saying goodbye to numerous veterans via trade, namely Laremy Tunsil, Minkah Fitzpatrick and Kenyan Drake. The youth movement was set in place, as Miami welcomed several undrafted free agents ready to fight for the right, not to party, but to be a Dolphin. For several young players looking for a shot at their dream, there simply was no sleep ‘til, well, success. We all know the story of Preston Williams, but this will be a focus on the defensive undrafted free agent to make waves in the aqua waters of South Florida. Waves are a funny thing in nature. Some are little tiny ones, that crest before they are even seen by human eyes. Some rise from a far, as the momentum builds slowly, silently, undetected. Until it becomes a tidal wave; one that no one can ignore and run from, yet at the same time, nobody saw coming. Nik Needham had a historic undrafted rookie season. The Miami Dolphins signed Needham following a disappointing long weekend in April of 2019 when the UTEP record-holder in pass-breakups witnessed a full NFL Draft, but did not hear his name. Roughly 100 seconds following the naming of the draft last pick, Mr. Irrelevant, a Miami coach called the California kid who has a heart of gold to add to the work ethic of a Steel Miner in the caves.
Personality and good nature aside, which is no coincidence as nurture has always been a stronger force than the elements in my opinion. The background and upbringing from this player's parents and support system drove Needham to deal with being undrafted, cut by Miami and sent to the practice squad. When the opportunity came, Needham didn’t just walk through the door …he busted that thing down. Nik Needham is the NFL’s only cornerback to be undrafted, and record at least 50 tackles, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble and 1 interception in that rookie season. The other 70 undrafted corners since 1982 did not accomplish this. 
In 1982 the sack stat was born, so please realize there may have been another person to technically do something like this, however, without the factual “statistic,” historians and football writers can only speculate if a guy like Dick “Night Train” Lane had a sack and forced fumble to go with his league-leading 14 interceptions for the Los Angeles Rams in 1952, his undrafted rookie year.
From 1982 through the end of the century, no one came close until the 2000's, and here is a breakdown of the other undrafted corners and their rookie stat-breakdown for this study. Ironically, #40, did something the other 40 didn't since the dawn of the millennium. Yea...40 others since 2000. You can't make this stuff up. *following stats and research done on www.pro-football-reference.com/ 
Three other Hall-of-Fame cornerbacks took not being selected, and ran with the ball the other way to prove the doubters wrong while flipping opinions as they did field position. In 1966 Emmitt Thomas was signed by Kansas City and had a legendary career, but no rookie interception.
Willie Brown, who was signed and cut by the Houston Oilers in 1963, was picked up by Denver and started a 16 year career that saw the beginning four years as a Bronco and a Hall-of-Fame tenure with the Raiders. Brown had a rookie interception, no forced fumble, and I have several Raider beat-writers that have not gotten back to me yet on the yes or no on a sack. I’m not holding my breath. Lastly, in the 1940s/50s/60s Emlen Tunnell was a Pro-Bowl named corner for eight consecutive years for the New York Giants in his overall 11 seasons with the team. He closed his career with three years in Green Bay, with his first with them being Pro-Bowl earning as well. Tunnell had 7 interceptions his rookie year, but I Zoom'd with my Great Grandfather and he is confident there were no sacks for him in 1948. (He was season ticket holder then…. kidding) 
Back to Needham.
The jump point in this study has to be 1982 and for us stat heads, all we have are the quantified numbers in front of us. 70 undrafted free agents since that season where a sack became a “thing,” had cornerbacks like Malcolm Butler, Brandon Browner, A.J. Bouye, and Chris Harris as draft day snubs. All are outstanding professional football players, yet didn’t have the rookie year Nik Needham did. The only player remotely close to matching Needham’s historic undrafted rookie season was Nickell Robey-Coleman in 2013 for Buffalo. The current Eagle, and former Ram as recently as last season, started his career as an undrafted free agent with the Bills. In all 16 games that he appeared in, he recorded three sacks, a forced fumble, and that important interception for qualification in this breakdown. He was 15 tackles short of Needham’s 2019 output of 54. Needham played in 12 games. Four less than Robey-Coleman. As the Dolphin players, Needham and other undrafted free agents virtually train across the country, we all head toward an unknown reality, but the fact is this: Miami has been doing exactly what Needham, the UTEP Miner, has been doing all his life. He has been working, training, and grinding since he was a kid, much like the Dolphins have been doing in their digging and kicking over every rock to find their treasures and reach their ultimate goal. The Dolphins and Needham have something going, and it looks they have done exactly what any Miner worth his sea-salt does…never stop grinding...until you strike gold. 
You can follow Jason on Twitter @OrangeAquaman and on YouTube!
With a blessing from the Godfather of the Dad Joke of the Day @BrianByrnesie (he even named this segment) I bring you my Fin Fact of the Day! @TheFishTank81 jumped over to my show on Thursday & @ojmcduffie81 learned something new about his career. Here is a @RichmondWebb
I think it's time to seriously consider this man a Hall-of-Famer.
Spike Your Enthusiasm - The Fish Tank Takeover! - 8:00 PM EST on YouTube @OrangeAquaman Channel5/28/2020 In the latest installment of "Spike Your Enthusiasm," Jason "Orange Aquaman" Sarney goes all out with four guests! The first 3 are the Trio from The Miami Dolphins PodCast, The Fish Tank - DJ Prec, Seth Levit and OJ McDuffie! The guys join the show and settle in as a few surprises throughout the show seemed to be the theme. One surprise was another former Miami Dolphin who dropped in to say hello, as well as help out in a little friendly competition between Seth and "Juice." There are plenty of Fish Tank anecdotes, a few brand new Tales, and a lot was learned, or re-learned by all. Enjoy this episode of "Spike Your Enthusiasm" and please subscribe to the Orange Aquaman Channel!
By: Jason Sarney
Football is a team game with three separate phases. Offense, defense, and special teams, and within those units are personnel packages, positions groups and specialists. A Super Bowl contender need not have a league-best unit across the board to succeed, however, you would be hard-pressed to find a championship team who can be considered, “weak” in any of these aspects of football.
While not a “sexy” 33.33% part of the game this world loves and craves, Special Teams is vital to the success of a team in any given season. Sometimes it is a specialist within special teams that creates an X-factor for a team. A return man, a punter who just may be able to throw on a fake or even tuck and run for a 4th and 3 surprise conversion, or even a long-snapper, could all play minor yet key roles in a teams overall record. Sometimes, it is a position that does not have a true statistic that creates a role for a player on a team. A role that may leave a player anonymous on a box score to the naked eyed fan, yet a vital cog to those watching with a bit more of a laser-focus on what makes teams successful for the long haul. There is a cliché being used for about 15 months now regarding the new look Dolphins and the northern exposure they have been given by former Patriots defensive coordinator and current Miami head coach Brian Flores. He and general manager Chris Grier have created a “New England South” mentality. 
The blue/red print of Patriot Dynastic success is more than one coach and one quarterback. It’s the players who had the “next-man-up” mindset, it’s the players that take a lesser role as on offensive producer and instead accepts his role as a supporting cast member within a team to create long term success.
Miami has been building their roster with “football players,” meaning that the individuals signed and drafted are those who will become self-less, and those who would accept any role they can on this team to become part of a 53-man roster, where about 35 other players are fighting to earn a spot on. In my mind – one “spot” may already be locked up by an undrafted free agent rookie wide receiver…however, he does not need to record a single reception to make a pro-bowl in his career. A feat that may be as likely as any other Miami rookie in the 2020 class for the Dolphins that, once again, has about a dozen non-selected prospects looking to prove 32 teams made a mistake during April’s Draft process. In 2019, as we all know, “undrafted gems” such as Preston Williams and Nik Needham are now embedded into the Miami Dolphins roster and future, and there could be three to five rookies who follow in their cleat-marks. 
The New England Patriots have an 8-time Pro-Bowler on their team, and he has only known them as a squad since they drafted him in the 5th round out of UCLA in 2008. 12 seasons later, Matthew Slater is the league’s premier Special Teams Gunner, which is the player who is responsible for beating the punt down field, and either downing the ball, tackling the return man, or getting their so fast a fair-catch needs to be signaled.
Click to set custom HTML Slater, who has been named to two All-Pro Teams is listed as a wide receiver. However, in his decade plus as an NFL “wide-receiver,” Slater has just one more career reception than the author of this article. That is right, just one single catch for an 8-time all-star, champion with a hat trick of Super Bowl Rings. Are there many “more” decorated players in this league than Matthew Slater? Slater was recently rewarded with a multi-million-dollar contract extension, as he is a well-known and valuable asset in the NFL to a team that built a dynasty the last two decades. The Dolphins are taking a carbon copy approach to the Patriot Way and making it the Dolphin Way. Undrafted wide-receiver, Matt Cole out of McKendree University is a small school prospect with big-time potential as a replacement to now former Dolphins defensive back/gunner, Walt Aikens. Aikens, a former team captain as well, held the Gunner role which is now up for grabs. The Dolphins have a crowded room of receivers in the AFC yardage leader from 2019 at the position in DeVante Parker, returning sophomore Preston Williams, and veterans Albert Wilson, Jakeem Grant, Allen Hurns and Isaiah Ford. The Dolphins even made another savvy post-2020 Draft rookie free agent signing in Arkansas State’s Kirk Merritt, who could be the second-coming of homerun 2019 prospect, the aforementioned Williams. Merritt makes things hard for Cole to become the team’s 6th or 7th wide-out, however, there is a tad of a “catch.” Cole could very well be the new Gunner for the Miami Dolphins if his college tape is any indication.
Cole has the work ethic, the hunger and most importantly the speed to excel in this extremely important role for the Dolphins. A player like Cole could be a field position flipper, and a preventative measure against all-world punt returners.
When scouring the current loaded roster of the Dolphins, one must count 53 players to field a team, and of course, add a sprinkle of practice squad players. Cole must be added as not WR7, but ST1. Cole is the player Miami brought in for the palatable price of “show me what you got before we show you the money.” If Cole decides to see this opportunity and well, “run” with it, it could be a savvy way to add yet another under-the-radar piece to a future puzzle of a decade-plus long winner, built from the ground up. You can follow Jason on Twitter @OrangeAquaman
By: Brandon Liguori
Every now and then, an undrafted NFL player proves many wrong and shines throughout the course of a 20-game season, if you care to include four preseason contests. Before the start of the 2019 season, Brian Flores’ rookie season as head coach, the Miami Dolphins took a gamble on undrafted rookie Preston Williams, a Colorado State product after transferring from the University of Tennessee. Williams’ junior season caught attention, catching 96 passes for 1,345 yards, reeling in 14 touchdowns. This, of course, caught Flores’ and Chris Grier’s attention, which is why the Dolphins gave Williams one shot to prove himself. Let’s flashback to Miami’s 2019 preseason opener: a Thursday night contest vs. Matt Ryan’s Atlanta Falcons at Hard Rock Stadium. 
Yes, the Dolphins picked up a 34-27 victory, but the story of the night was Williams, who finished with a game-high 97 receiving yards on four catches. One excellent exhibition game from Williams grabbed the Dolphins’ attention. In Miami’s humiliating 59-10 season-opening loss to Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens at Hard Rock Stadium, Williams secured Miami’s first offensive touchdown with 13 seconds left to play in the first half.
Although the Dolphins were winless through seven games, Williams was a leading receiver in three of those seven defeats: New England, at Dallas and at Buffalo. Williams’ brilliant rookie season came to a devastating end during the Dolphins’ first victory of the Brian Flores era: a Week 7 home battle vs. Adam Gase’s New York Jets November 3. Ironically, Williams suffered a right wrist injury prior to his fourth-quarter knee injury, in which Williams was carted off. 24 hours later, Flores announced Williams would miss the remainder of the season. 
“It’s a big loss for us,” Flores said. “I talked to him Monday. He’s done an incredible job. He came to us as a free agent and has really grown over the last six, seven months. I was devastated for the kid and he was as well,” Flores noted. “But I told him this is just a bump in the road. He’ll be back.”
Williams’ absence resulted in more of DeVante Parker, whose nine touchdowns and 1,202 receiving yards led the team and Mike Gesicki, who blossomed tremendously after a sloppy rookie season. Adam Beasley and Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reported recently that Williams remains on pace to be ready for the 2020 season opener September 13 against the Jarrett Stidham-led New England Patriots. A healthy Williams would be enormous for Flores’ offensive unit because whether the Week 1 starter is Ryan Fitzpatrick, Josh Rosen or Tua Tagovailoa, Williams has proven in eight games that he belongs in the National Football League.
You Can Follow Brandon on Twitter @BrandonRLiguori By: Jason Sarney It is the time of day in most parts of the world that you probably already got the phenomenal hour of The Fish Tank episode with Ricky Williams in to start your Tuesday. In a show full of outstanding quotes by the former Miami running back, as well as the Triple-Treat of Tank hosts Seth Levit, O.J. McDuffie and Sean “DJ Prec” Todd, one aspect of the episode stood out to me. The Birth of the Wildcat. The Fish Tank is the home for stories and origins of heroes of the Orange and Aqua and the battles and tales they tell the guys on their outstanding podcast. As if I were James Earl Jones in “Field of Dreams,” during his epic cinematic speech – when listening to this show, I sometimes feel like I have been dipped into magic waters while hearing the first-hand accounts of the memories I will cherish for a lifetime. One of the greatest seasons in its entirety in my Findom was the 2008 year, which for all intents and purposes is dubbed forever, “The Wildcat Season.” Ricky shared the inception story from his perspective, much like Wildcat-mate and still close-friend Ronnie Brown shared in his dip into the Tank last season. Hearing Ricky tell the story, who in fact was the “Wildcat” in the revolutionary offensive set, was as blissful was watching its birth. An offensive set that defined a team and a season which led to a division title. After starting the 2008 season 0-2, the outlook was bleak for a Miami team coming off a 1-15 season, a coaching change, and the loss of Jason Taylor to the hated Jets. Then came a road game to Foxborough on September 21st against the Patriots.  We will get back to that in a moment. Rewinding to the 2008 training camp, this is where the idea of this offense was hatched by a new Miami coach within new head coach Tony Sporano’s staff, named David Lee. As Ronnie Brown told us, to refresh or even introduce some to the back story, Lee was part of the University of Arkansas coaching staff that had Wildcat success with running backs Darren McFadden and Felix Jones. Lee, who became the Dolphins quarterbacks’ coach in 2008, installed the set to his offense and the veteran in Ricky Williams told the Tank, “what is this high school sh*t?” Williams, who is a consummate student of the game as well as practice player, and armed with a photographic memory, was ready to pay attention after coach Lee said, “Ricky, you’re the Wildcat.” It was after those words, as Williams said, “I guess I better pay attention,” and as Levit told us all, “in 2008, the Wildcat was born.” Ricky will continue to say that the delivery date of this new package was ready at any moment, as the 2008 Dolphins would exclusively “walk-thru” their Wildcat sets prior to their games. “All we did was Wildcat...everyday.” As fans of this franchise knows, practice makes perfect. In the conclusion of this portion of the Tank episode, Ricky describes the blissful chaos he noticed across the sidelines as the New England team was as shocked as they have ever been when the Wildcat officially made its debut. Ricky, ever the artist, paints a pretty picture of that glorious Sunday afternoon. “The beautiful thing about that, is that the Patriots, you know, they are always prepared. To see them running into each other and being unprepared and yelling at each other on the sidelines…it was beautiful.” No wonder Ricky goes by the moniker of @Rickthelaureate on Twitter. A warrior poet. That game against New England saw Miami rush for a team total of 216 yards and four touchdowns. Ricky “The Wildcat” Williams was the teams 2nd leading rusher that day with 98 yards, as we all know that Ronnie Brown put in a performance for the ages with 113 yards, 4 touchdowns on the ground, as well as the “Southpaw Special” of a touchdown pass to tight end Anthony Fasano. Miami won the game 38-13 for the first victory of the season, and that game started a 6-2 stretch for the team, heading to a 11-3 mark following the opening two defeats of the year, as newly acquired quarterback Chad Pennington settled into his new colors and offense. On the year, the Wildcat was an NFL sensation, which was often duplicated in attempts but never replicated in efficiency. “So much of that offense was in one room,” said Williams, and made sure to credit teammates Patrick Cobb and Lousaka Polite for the full season of Wildcat success. As for what the Wildcat did for Ricky 3.0, he tells us all, “I think it revitalized my career.” Ricky ran for 659 yards and a total of five scores in 2008 as the compliment to Ronnie Brown’s 916 yards and 13 rushing scores. In 2009, Ricky was back to the 1,000-yard club as he finished that campaign with 1,121 rushing yards, 35 receptions for 264 yards with 13 total touchdowns. This was all after his retirement year in 2004, suspension year in 2006 for the league substance-abuse policy violation, and his season ending 2007 injury, which jokingly was a blessing in disguise for Williams.  For me, 2008 was a special year in football as well as family as that was the year I got married in November. I knew I had the right girl when the Sunday of our Honeymoon in Aruba, there was a Dolphin Game already on at the bar near the beach waiting for me during an important mid-season battle. She planned it with the bartender. Miami beat the Seahawks 21-19 that Sunday, and Ricky ran for 105 yards on just 12 carries and a score. What a great day, and I was 1-0 as a married Fin fan. Miami would rattle off six wins out of the following seven games to finish the regular season, which included a Week 17 finale in my literal backyard at the time in New Jersey against the Jets for a win-and-in situation to clinch the division. Living minutes from the stadium then, my younger Brother and I were not only in attendance, but up close and personal to witness Ricky, Ronnie and company win the only division title Miami has seen this century. To say the least, 2008 was one of the best years of my life. Listening to The Fish Tank, and the Wildcat story directly from the man himself, was magical as indicated earlier. Give this a listen, as this sub-plot of Ricky Williams’ story, is almost like a Spin-off television show from an already established universe. That universe is the World of Ricky, and what a world it is to be a small part of, as we all are. We rooted for the player then, as much as we root for the person now. When he was running up the middle through the gaps, or in motion before a sweep we thought, “Run, Ricky, Run.” And now, with all the good he is doing and all the positivity he brings the mindset is the same, but a tad different in wording. Go, Ricky, Go! And never stop being Ricky Williams.  You can follow Jason on Twitter @OrangeAquaman
By: Jason Sarney In 2002, the Miami Dolphins traded for running back Ricky Williams in a massive deal with the New Orleans Saints. That September, Ricky made his debut with Miami against the Detroit Lions and ran for 111 yards and a pair of scores. That was the start of a memorable career with the Dolphins with several different phases. In what was one of the more enjoyable experiences of the recent times we are living in for me personally, the Boys over in The Fish Tank brought the former Heisman winning running back in for a discussion about all things Ricky, and as per usual, the show was perfect. Williams, as many Fin fans know, is the closest thing the NFL has ever had to Leonardo Da Vinci…but in pads. Williams talks to O.J. McDuffie, Seth Levit and DJ Prec about life and football. His abilities and passions off the gridiron are even more impressive than his work hitting the A and B Gaps during his playing days.  With limited to zero spoilers in this preview, do yourself a favor and check out the latest episode of The Fish Tank, and magically get whisked back to the 2002 and 2003 seasons, where Ricky totaled 3,225 rushing yards, 714 receiving yards and a total of 27 TDs as the newly acquired star. He also carried the ball 775 times in those 32 games, meaning he never missed action, despite being the NFL's leader in rushing attempts for those two seasons. Of course, the heavy usage in the “Run, Ricky, Run” era led to a few points in Ricky’s football destiny which he discussed, but don’t take it from me. Listen to the player, the pupil, the poet, the photographer, the philanthropist…the person.  Listen to the Student of the Game, and more importantly life, discuss his work both in-between the lines, and outside of them, as #34 is far and away one of the most unique, talented, and captivating individuals to ever run a football, swing a baseball bat, snap a photo, or teach a yoga position. Certifiably, Ricky is a latter-day Renaissance Man.
Please rush like the man himself to your devices and listen to the best hour of the Week in the Ricky Williams episode of The Fish Tank! “The Star of the Symphony,” as he put it, brings home one of the best episodes of this cornerstone show in Findom! Dive In. You can follow Jason on Twitter @OrangeAquaman By: Jason Sarney The Miami Dolphins were once again active post-Draft, as they signed eight undrafted free agents. Among them, was a very intriguing prospect from Middle Tennessee State University who also caught the eye of another AFC East coach in Bill Belichick. Tyshun Render is a defensive end who could even be a outside linebacker in the NFL as he is a freakish athlete with upside to boot. The stats do not scream at you off the page, but the film sure does. Render plays all the way through the whistle and does so with ferocity. The Dolphins have a project who needs a bit of study as well as strength to help excel at the professional level, but the work ethic matches the athleticism, so the Dolphins have another solid training camp prospect to watch out for this summer. By: Jason Sarney The Miami Dolphins made a savvy signing post-7th round with Division II wide receiver/special teamer, Matt Cole. The McKendree University standout scored 12 receiving touchdowns his senior year and added a punt return and kick-off return score. While able to be utilized as a slot receiver, as well as a threat on the ground, Cole could make his bones as a special teams gunner, much like a New England Patriots perennial pro-bowler in Matthew Slater. With Walt Aikens now not in Miami's plans, the gunner role is open, and Cole could sneak his way onto the 53-man roster in that capacity, and potential find himself sniffing an offensive formation or two. By: Jason Sarney Although the Miami Dolphins have a crowded and deep wide receiver room, Kirk Merritt was an undrafted free agent that had to be given a chance. A well traveled prospect started his career in 2015 at Oregon, then had a successful community college run at East Mississippi where he helped the Lions to a NJCAA national title. The speedy and strong track and field high school star put together two impressive years at Arkansas State and continues to fly under the radar despite impressive stats and pro-day numbers such as a 4.33 40-yard dash time and a ridiculous 45.5'' vertical leap. Merritt could push Albert Wilson and Jakeem Grant very hard during training camp. By: Jason Sarney The Miami Dolphins brought in a solid group of undrafted free agents following their impressive draft just a few weeks ago. Like 2019, there are a few players who may fight for a spot on the 53, and actually make the Week 1 roster. There are also a few practice squad spots that perhaps a mid-season call up could be in the future for one of these players. Perhaps the most likely to make this 53-man roster is defensive lineman, Benito Jones from Mississippi. Much like the player profile series prior to April's draft, PhinManiacs will feature a few of the top UDFA's Miami signed, starting with the 329 lbs. steal in Jones, who truly should have been drafted. |
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