On this week's episode of PhinManiacs Live, it's time to have a nice, long discussion about Dolphins wide receiver Jarvis Landry and the franchise tag; what does this mean for the team going forward, and what should they do given the implications.

We'll have all that and more on this week's episode of PhinManiacs Live.

If you'd like to interact with us during the show, you can chat with us live through the YouTube chat, tweet us at using the hashtag #PhinManiacsLive, or - if you prefer to be more hands on - you can call in and talk with us on-air using the number: 954-376-5704.

​We look forward to hearing from you!

The NFL announced compensatory picks for the 2018 NFL draft, and to no one’s surprise, the Miami Dolphins were not awarded any of them.

Comp picks, as they are called, are awarded based on a team’s gains and losses in free agency during the previous offseason. Most teams who do get comp picks have suffered in the previous campaign, having watched highly talented players leave for another team while not being able to sign adequate replacements.

The maximum 32 picks were awarded this year, and those picks can be traded prior to this year’s draft. The Arizona Cardinals, Houston Texans, Denver Broncos, and Cincinnati Bengals each picked up the highest-awarded picks, gaining an extra pick at the end of the third round.

The Bengals, Green Bay Packers, Dallas Cowboys, and Oakland Raiders were each awarded four extra picks, while the Cardinals and Texans gained three each.

As for Miami, this coming offseason could potentially heavily into next year’s comp picks, as the team is currently exploring options with one of their best players, wide receiver Jarvis Landry.

​This story was written by Eldon Jenson. Follow him on Twitter @EJFootball

Once again the Miami Dolphins BullyGate scandal comes back to haunt the franchise; former Dolphins offensive lineman Jonathan Martin has been taken into custody after Harvard-Westlake High School in California (Martin's alma mater) was shut down due to an ominous post that was posted on Martin's private Instagram account, per ABC News.

The post, which tagged former Dolphins teammates Mike Pouncey and Richie Incognito (now with the Buffalo Bills) included the caption: "When you're a bully victim and a coward, your options are suicide, or revenge."

​The photo shows a shotgun and 18 shells.

​According to KTLA, the school was closed due to “a possible security threat posed on social media.”

“Last evening, we learned of an Internet post that mentions Harvard-Westlake by name,” the school’s statement reads. “Out of an abundance of caution, and because the safety of our students, faculty, and staff is our top priority, we made the decision to close school today. We are working closely with law enforcement and will share more information when we are able."

This situation comes merely nine days after the tragic shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland where 17 people were killed.

Martin, a former second round pick of the Miami Dolphins back in 2012, and only played for the team for about a season and a half. Halfway through the 2013 season, Martin left the team and accused former teammates Incognito, Pouncey, and ex-lineman John Jerry of racism and verbal and emotional abuse.

This of course led to the NFL-appointed Ted Wells investigation, in which it was determined that the accusations were true, and the three players had engaged in abusive behavior. Incognito was suspended halfway through 2013 and never played another down for the Dolphins as a result of the scandal, while Pouncey - as of now - is still a highly-paid player on the Miami roster.

Martin has not played football since 2015, and has a long history with battling depression and suicide attempts.

While the Miami Dolphins organization declined to make any official comments, the Miami Herald learned that the team’s director of security reached out to the NFL and made the league aware of the post; the Dolphins are pleased that whoever became aware of Martin’s threatening Instagram story informed the proper authorities before any potential harm could come to others or himself.

It would seem that the core of the issue was not reached during the BullyGate investigation, and so we can only hope that now, Martin gets the help that he so desperately needs

This story was written by Luis Sung. Follow him on Twitter: @LuisDSung

After talking to four teams and declaring his free agent visits complete, former Miami Dolphins cornerback Vontae Davis is in Miami Friday, visiting with his former team.

Davis, who was drafted as the 25th overall player in the 2009 NFL draft and is the younger brother of Washington Redskins tight end Vernon Davis, was considered one of the top two cornerbacks (Malcolm Jenkins was the other) coming out of college that year. He returned his first career interception for a touchdown against the Buffalo Bills in his fourth game.

Davis played three years for Miami before famously getting traded by then-coach Joe Philbin to the Indianapolis Colts on HBO’s Hard Knocks during the 2012 preseason. He was named a Pro Bowler in 2014 and 2015 with the Colts.
2017 was a forgettable season for Davis, as he missed the first three games with a groin injury, then re-aggravated that injury five weeks later and had season-ending surgery. One day after the surgery to repair that injury, the Colts waived him. Davis has been quite public in his opinion that the Colts disrespected him.

Now deemed 100% healthy, Davis has visited the Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers, and Oakland Raiders this offseason, and had tweeted on Wednesday that his ‘amazing tour’ had ended, and he was headed home to reflect on his options.

It’s not clear what if any offers have been made to Davis, but with 22 interceptions and 109 passes defensed, he will likely command a hefty salary wherever he lands. And that alone may eliminate cap-strapped Miami from serious consideration.

This story was written by Eldon Jenson. Follow him on Twitter @EJFootball.

Last season, as with pretty much every season over the past decade, the Miami Dolphins offensive line has rarely - if ever - rated as more than ‘adequate’ in the minds of most observers. No matter how much some fans may deride the play on the offensive side of the ball, one thing that is universally accepted in Dolphins Land is that the offensive line perpetually underperforms from year to year.

It is this writer’s opinion that as much as talent plays into a player’s success, coaching (or lack thereof) and cohesiveness play equally if not more important roles.

As the Miami Herald’s Armando Salguero alludes in a recent article regarding possible future plans for center Mike Pouncey as the team officially begins its 2018 offseason, one contributing factor to this less-than-stellar play could be the lack of cohesiveness along the offensive line.

And he’s right.

Mike Pouncey has dealt with a chronic hip issue for several years, costing him games or in-game snaps in almost every season that he’s been with the team. The Dolphins managed Pouncey’s practice time last season in hopes of keeping him on the field. That plan worked in the sense that Pouncey did start all 16 games in 2017.

But that plan may have also been a large part of the reason that the Dolphins revamped offensive line still underperformed throughout the season.

No one is discounting the negative impact that having an offensive line coach on crack can’t have helped the Dolphins, and former coach Chris Foerster paid dearly for that.

But of all the pieces and parts of an NFL team that need to move in synchronicity, none are as crucial as the offensive line. And that cohesion comes from tireless practice time together, as players learn and adapt to the strengths, weaknesses, and tendencies of their fellow linemates.

And when the core player of that unit, the guy calling out blocking assignments and making the decisions of which players are going where, who is blocking whom, and setting up the first line of attack on every play, the center is crucial to the offensive line’s success.

This could well explain why, at times when Pouncey did miss some time during games this past season, and backup Jake Brendel took over, that the team seems to perform better: Brendel practiced all week, while Pouncey rested up those bad hips on the sideline.

All of this leads Salguero to speculate that Pouncey could be a candidate for seeing his salary adjusted, or possibly even be cut this offseason. And while both options are possibilities, Salguaro also adds (along with other points that add to the complexity of Pouncey’s situation, that the team can’t afford more holes on the roster, and as of now, Pouncey is still very much a part of this team.

But Pouncey does need to practice. Offensive line cohesiveness and continuity will be crucial to the team’s success, and this writer firmly believes that talent-wise the offensive line isn’t far away from being very, very good. The missing component is stability, and Pouncey’s health will go a long ways towards determining how good this unit will be in 2018.

This story was written by Eldon Jenson. Follow him on Twitter @EJFootball

With the start of free agency looming ever closer, the Miami Dolphins have made their first real move of the offseason, placing a non-exclusive franchise tag on impending free agent wide receiver Jarvis Landry. The tag - as it stands - essentially means that - unless a long-term deal is reached - Landry will play for Miami in 2018 with a cap hit of around $16 million dollars.

While the team could just stand pat and move into the season with that in place (after making the necessary cuts to put the franchise under the salary cap of course), this move is more than likely being used as a means to keep other teams from negotiating with Landry during the combine which is notoriously known as the "illegal tampering period."

By using the non-exclusive tag, it allows Landry to sign an offer sheet with another team, but the team that signs him would owe the Dolphins two first-round picks, which is almost guaranteed to be a price that is far too steep for any team to pursue him in the offseason.

Back in January, Landry spoke to the Miami Herald and stated that he felt the negotiations had been "a bit disrespectful" by that point.

“I displayed I was a team guy,” Landry told the Herald a month ago. “I understand not going to OTAs and training camp would raise eyebrows. My agent and I talked about being a leader and setting a good example so I silenced all those things by going to OTAs and training camp, by putting the team first and being a team guy. I feel like in the NFL, they preach loyalty and family and they have none for you. As a player, you see it’s not a family during negotiations, how it becomes them versus me or me versus them. That’s part of the NFL I believe the fans don’t see.”

It seems more than likely at this point that the Dolphins are wanting to sign Landry to a long-term deal, and this move buys the team more time to negotiate with their top wide receiver without other teams meddling in their affairs. But there is still the possibility of Landry being traded to another team, and Miami can always rescind the tag if things completely fall apart between the two sides.

There's no doubting what Landry brings to this team, his energy and fire is unmatched on the roster and his determination and will to be great has led him to great things. Staying in Miami would mean a lot to the Dolphins, hopefully this move is a sign that Landry will remain in Miami for years to come.

But even if that isn't the case, this move almost completely ensures that Landry will either play in a Dolphins uniform in 2018, or the team will get some real compensation for letting him go, rather than simply letting him walk out for free. It's a sure win-win for the franchise here, so give credit to the front office where it's due.

This story was written by Luis Sung. Follow him on Twitter: @LuisDSung

Sports Illustrated stirred the proverbial pot this week when Peter King summarized his opinions on quarterback movement this offseason. In his article, King noted that the Miami Dolphins should be “keeping their eyes open” for former Buffalo Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor.

This would be a surprise for most, as the Dolphins are clearly and dearly committed to Ryan Tannehill in 2018, and have stated so publicly on several fronts. According to King, the Dolphins “never know about Ryan Tannehill, from either an injury or a talent perspective. Taylor will fare well under mechanics specialist Adam Gase.”

All in all, it’s a fairly cryptic comment from a writer that is clearly speculating in his Monday Morning Quarterback column. And his comments miss the point that with Tannehill healthy, Taylor would be relegated to backup duties for the Dolphins, something that a former starter is unlikely to consider in free agency.

Taylor is also likely to command a mid-range salary, something that hardly makes sense for the Dolphins given their current financial commitment to Tannehill through the 2019 season. The Dolphins learned a painful lesson on that front in 2017 when they gambled on Jay Cutler, whose production would have likely been equaled by Matt Moore through the 2017 season, but without the additional $10 million cost.

And don’t forget, it’s the silly season in the NFL, with speculation and rumors running rampant, often fueled by overzealous agents. This could simply be a case of an agent dropping hints in an attempt to drive up his client’s bargaining power.

So take it all in, but toss in a grain of salt mixed with some common sense, and you’ll likely find that this will most likely play out as a non-story in the next few weeks.

This story (which you so dutifully read anyway) was written by Eldon Jenson. Follow him on Twitter @EJFootball.

The desire for cap space can lead some teams to consider some rather peculiar options. Obviously, the first choice that many would consider is to cut dead weight, which - no doubt - the Miami Dolphins will be doing this offseason, as they look to increase their mere $8,293,035 in cap space (according to overthecap.com).

For instance, releasing veteran tight end Julius Thomas - who never truly regained his Denver form and was a disappointment throughout the 2017 season - will save the Dolphins $6.6 million dollars and will bring Miami's cap space to a total of $14,087,613.

Then there's linebacker Lawrence Timmons, who did contribute to Miami's improved run defense (ranked 14th overall in 2017) but was ultimately a major liability due to his lack of coverage ability and sideline-to-sideline speed; he also undermined the team when he went AWOL before the team's first game against the Los Angeles Chargers. Releasing Timmons would free up a net total of $5,475,000 in cap space, which increases the salary cap to $19,562,613.

Those two moves are the ones that everyone expects to see coming, and already that frees up a lot of cap space that Miami will need - not just to make overall improvements, but to sign their incoming draft picks, whoever they may be.

But obviously, more cap space is needed even though those two moves alone would raise the cap to over $19.5 million, but the first solution that everyone seems to come up with is restructuring the contract of the team's already highest-paid player, Ndamukong Suh.

Granted, I can see the appeal in doing so; Suh is currently set to count for $26.1 million against the salary cap in 2018, and restructuring his contract and turning - let's say $10 million - of that into a signing bonus would lower his 2018 cap hit to roughly $16.1 million, and would give Miami a whopping total of nearly $30 million in cap space if they did it.

Plenty of room to maneuver with in the offseason, right?

Well, yes and no.

Keep in mind that restructuring contracts does not solve cap space issues, it only delays them. Eventually, all of the cap space that gets removed through signing bonuses will eventually be attributed to the salary cap, and it will make things even more difficult in the future when it comes times to re-sign other players who may have earned a new contract, because that cap space that would be freed up in 2018, would end up subtracting from the amount of space for the next year.

One step forward, two steps back.

As it stands, the only safe year to get out from under Suh's contract is 2020 - his final year -  when Miami will finally be able to release (or possibly trade if someone is willing to take that contract) Suh for a whopping cap savings of $18,375,000. But that's only if Miami doesn't restructure his contract.

There's no denying that Suh is the best player on Miami's roster, and if anyone deserves the guaranteed contract, it's him. But no matter what happens, Suh is going to count for a lot of money against their cap in the next three years, and common sense would dictate that it's better to have the option of releasing him and freeing up cap space than being locked into a contract, even if it's on its final year.

​Mortgaging the future is only a semi-good idea if the team in question is but one step away from competing for a Super Bowl. I myself have admitted that the Dolphins are not in as bad a shape as many seem to think, in fact I feel their future is quite bright...but they are not going to be taking down the likes of the Eagles anytime soon.

Miami is building a true franchise right now, drafting young and talented players and developing them to take on roles that we never would have dreamed they would be able to with the previous regime. As I said in a previous story, Miami's drafting effectiveness has gone up since Gase took command, and so far in just two years, the Dolphins have managed to draft at least nine solid players, players that will eventually make up the core of the team.

The real core, which likely will not include Ndamukong Suh.

Restructuring would be a sign that the front office is desperate to win, and desperation seldom leads to results. It takes time, patience, good scouting and development, and above all...common sense...to lead a franchise. Right now, Miami is shifting towards that frame of mind. Mistakes were made in the past, and it would be best to not repeat those mistakes.

I will not say that signing Suh was a mistake in and of itself, simply because he is still - and likely will be for at least a few more years - one of the best defensive tackles in the NFL. But restructuring him would absolutely be a mistake in my mind, because the Dolphins are building a bright future, while still potentially competing for the playoffs with the return of the team's starting QB, Ryan Tannehill.

There are other options to free up space; dead weight to trim and - admittedly - hard decisions to be made with fan favorite players (Mike Pouncey, Cameron Wake), but a restructure should be the last thing on Miami's mind to free up cap space for 2018, because by making sure the future is safe, the Dolphins will give themselves plenty of room to build and fill gaps once the team's core has been built, which we are in the process of watching happen.

This story was written by Luis Sung. Follow him on Twitter: @LuisDSung

Being a fan of the Miami Dolphins isn’t an easy thing to do if you are about 30 years old or younger, simply because you don’t really remember the Dolphins ever being consistently good. You might have seen Dan Marino at the very end of his career with no real help around him, but that’s about it.

Ever since about 2000, the Dolphins franchise has been in a downward spiral that has yet to stop. Yes there have a been a couple of years of respite from the doldrums that they have been in, like 2001 when they beat the Indianapolis Colts in overtime, or 2008 when they went from 1-15 the previous year to 11-5 thanks to Chad Pennington and the “Wildcat,” or even as recent as 2016 when Adam Gase, Ryan Tannehill, and current Philadelphia Eagle Jay Ajayi led the Dolphins to a 10-6 record and a playoff berth after starting 1-4.

Aside from those anomalies, the Dolphins have been consistently a mediocre team in the NFL, usually going for quick fix signings in hopes of tweaking the roster to get back to the playoffs. Signings and trades like A.J. Feeley, Daunte Culpepper (over Drew Brees), Gibril Wilson, Jake Grove, and Ndamukong Suh have doomed this franchise.

Terrible drafting has also set this team back, drafting Jamar Fletcher over Drew Brees in 2001, or Ronnie Brown over Aaron Rodgers in 2005, or Ted Ginn Jr. over Patrick Willis or Darrelle Revis in 2007, or Jake Long over Matt Ryan in 2008, or trading down from #12 in 2010 and missing the opportunity to draft Earl Thomas, or finally, trading up in 2013 to pick DE Dion Jordan over the current best RT in the NFL, Lane Johnson, when they already had Cameron Wake and Olivier Vernon and an awful offensive line.

And those are just their first round misses.

​I said all of that to say this: the only way the Dolphins are going to be able to get out of the mess they are in is if they are aggressive. There is a difference between being foolishly aggressive, like they have been in free agency in recent years, and taking calculated risks aggressive. So let me explain what I mean.

Recently, Doug Pederson, head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles, said after his team’s Super Bowl win. 

​​“You learn if you play passive, if you play conservative, if you call plays conservatively, you are going to be 8-8, 9-7 every year,” he said. “Every year Frank and I just having that collaborative spirit to talk about things and talk with our quarterbacks and just come up with ways of keeping this game fresh and fun and exciting for our players. And that’s really where it all stems from.”

The Eagles are in the spot they are right now because they took calculated, aggressive risks in a number of areas in their franchise. They took risks in play calling, in player acquisition, and in coaching hires. And the Dolphins could learn a little bit from the Eagles.

​The Eagles traded up all the way from pick #13 to the second overall pick to draft Carson Wentz because they believed he would be a franchise quarterback and it looks like they were right. They already had Sam Bradford, an established veteran who had a solid year previously. That didn’t matter though, because solid quarterback play doesn’t win Super Bowls, spectacular quarterback play does, so they went out and got Wentz because they believed he could be that guy.

​For the Dolphins this year, that means that even though they already have a solid veteran in Tannehill, whose contract looks like a bargain now compared to what other quarterbacks are getting now, they need to be aggressive in acquiring another quarterback that they believe can be special. It’s pretty clear by now that Tannehill isn’t special. That doesn’t mean he’s not good, he’s just not special. So in my eyes, the Dolphins need to be aggressive in getting another young quarterback on this roster that can step in and win games, but also can sit and develop for the next year or two.

​So if the Dolphins are going to be aggressive in drafting another quarterback, who should it be? Well let’s go over some of the options.

First, Sam Darnold, who is, by most, considered the best quarterback in this draft. He is tall and broad, can make every throw that you want, is mobile enough to extend plays and get out of the pocket, and reads defenses well. Unfortunately for the Dolphins, he’s unlikely to get to them considering he’s most likely going first overall, or at worst second.

Next is Josh Rosen. He is the most NFL ready quarterback in this draft in terms of reading defenses, getting through his reads, making good decisions, and being accurate with the ball. He has a slighter frame than Darnold though, which has already led to injuries for him. He is also tough to coach according to coaches within the UCLA program, but he is definitely NFL material. Again though, he’s unlikely to fall in range of the Dolphins.

The two most likely options for the Dolphins though are Josh Allen out of Wyoming and Baker Mayfield out of Oklahoma. Both have their positives and negatives. So let’s start with Josh Allen.

Josh Allen easily has the best arm talent in the NFL Draft this year. He can make any throw you want, the deep out, back shoulder fade, etc. He’s a huge man, standing at 6-foot-5 and weighing in at 237 pounds with amazing athleticism for his size. He can get out of the pocket to extend plays, throws great on the run, and ran a pro-style system at Wyoming, which means he’s familiar with play action calls, starting from under center, and going through reads.

What he struggles with is being consistently accurate, staring his receivers down, and reading a more complicated pro-style defense, especially zone coverage. To be successful in the NFL, you have to be able to read defenses, and be consistently accurate and Allen will have to improve on that if he is going to be a starter in the NFL.
Baker Mayfield is a quarterback with a huge chip on his shoulder, is very accurate, can extend plays with his feet and quickness, throws accurately on the run and on deep passes, has a good arm but not great, and was a great leader for Oklahoma.

His negatives are his size (6-foot-0, 210 pounds), him not being in a pro-style offense and having to learn play action and to be under center, throwing with anticipation, and holding the ball too long sometimes, trying to make a play happen.

There are strong cases to be made for both, but in light of the Dolphins being aggressive here, to me, the pick has to be Josh Allen. You can’t teach the arm strength, athleticism, and the ability to make every throw you want. What you can teach and develop in a player is how to read defenses better, how to get through reads quicker and better footwork in order to help his accuracy be more consistent.

While I don’t think Mayfield would be a bad pick, I think Allen has a significantly higher ceiling, and in the interest of being aggressive, why not go with the guy that has great talent and is a small school guy that a lot of people who have compared to none other than, you guessed it, Carson Wentz.

So, in following the aggressive model that the Eagles have made, the Dolphins should start being more aggressive in everything that they do, and that includes acquiring a long term quarterback, even if that means upsetting people who might not agree.

This story was written by Seth Fisher. Follow him on Twitter: @sethAfisher

​In years past, the Miami Dolphins Cancer Challenge has become a staple of cancer research fundraising, so much so that the event has grown to become the largest of its kind in not just the National Football League, but in all of professional sports, a milestone that the organization could not be more proud of.

"I think that just shows you how great the Miami Dolphins' commitment to the community is," said senior vice president of special projects and alumni relations and former Dolphins WR Nat Moore. "The fact that we are the biggest fundraiser in the NFL, the fact that the Miami Dolphins are able to partner with the University of Miami and their medical facilities, I mean it shows you the collaboration of what can be done when people put their minds together for the same cause.

"And we just think it's going to continue to grow, we're patterned after another event, and we've seen what they've been able to do over a period of time, so hopefully as they grow, we'll continue to grow, and hopefully one day we'll be able to catch and surpass them."

In just eight years, the Dolphins Cancer Challenge has managed to raise over $22 million dollars, with every cent of that money being donated to the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center in South Florida, all for the sake of cancer research and finally finding a way to end the tragic disease once and for all.

While the event itself has not changed much in recent years, the Miami Dolphins did place more emphasis on survivors this year, putting the focus on those who have fought the disease and won, and everyone who has done so has a story of inspiration to share.

"My story was very scary," said Camille Moses, who is on the patient and family advisory council at Sylvester. "I came to Sylvester with stage four pancreatic cancer, and I am today - after 17 months of chemo - I'm cancer free since July of 2013. I was very scared, because my mother died of pancreatic cancer when I was only 24, so I knew I was in big trouble. But then what happened was I came to Sylvester and I got the best treatment, and I'm alive, strong and healthy and here to do DCC, my third one."

Over 250 of the 4,000 DCC participants are cancer survivors themselves, and there was a large turnout of Dolphins players who came out to show their support, including defensive end Andre Branch, whose stepmother is a survivor of breast cancer.

Then there's former Dolphins wide receiver and legend Mark Duper, who himself is also a cancer survivor.

"Every year I try to make this run," said Duper. "It puts a toll on my body, but you know that's something special. I try to participate because it's for a good cause. Sylvester saved my life, I really believe that."

Duper went on to say that when he was first diagnosed with cancer in his kidney, the first thought that came to him was his immediate family.

"My first reaction was I thought about my immediate family, my kids, and I thought about my other significants, I just really thought about all the people I was going to leave behind." he said. "I didn't think negative about it, I just thought positive about it, said it is what it is, let's just see what I can do to prevent it and let's just see what I can do to keep my life going."

Duper underwent surgery and the rest was history, but there are so many other stories that don't have that happy ending, and that's why the Dolphins are continuing to do this challenge year after year, putting more and more effort into it just like the late Jim 'Mad Dog' Mandich would have done.

The event technically began on Friday night, with the kickoff party at Hard Rock Stadium. Then on Saturday morning, the over 4,000 cancer fighters took off from distances ranging from 14 to 100 miles from five different points in South Florida - the Training Facility at Nova Southeastern University in Davie; Esplanade Park in Fort Lauderdale; the Watsco Center in Coral Gables; Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton; and of course Hard Rock Stadium itself.

As participants began to trickle into the stadium, the atmosphere grew steadily until it was time for the finale event, where riders and guests alike were treated to a full concert from Big Head Todd and the Monsters, as well as the Goo Goo Dolls.

Fittingly enough, both bands have also been touched by cancer.

"I can't talk specifically about who in my family it is because I don't think they would appreciate it, but to sit in the car with her and for two hours driving to the hospital or the treatment center and watching her get better has just been an amazing thing," said the lead singer of the Goo Goo Dolls, John Rzeznik. "The treatments have come so far so fast. To know that people now can get cancer and they can get treated and then go on with their lives is pretty amazing. Pretty amazing to see how fast how things are growing."

And that growth is, of course, in large part thanks to the contribution that the Dolphins make each and every year to the cause.

"This is just a tremendously important event for cancer research and the Dolphins' involvement makes it really special," said Dr. Edward Abraham, the CEO of UHealth. "We couldn't do it without them. The funds that we raise with this event touch every aspect of cancer care, from the research and discovery efforts to treating patients, helping their families, supporting them and reaching out to our communities. It's really very, very special. It couldn't be duplicated without the help of the Dolphins."

It is no secret that the Miami Dolphins are one of the most - if not the most - involved teams in all of professional sports when it comes to making the world a better place. With all of the advancements in cancer treatment that has come about thanks to their efforts, the number of victims has fallen while the number of survivors have increased; with any luck, soon cancer will be nothing but more than a painful memory.

Until then, we can all celebrate the many survivors who are now taking their experience and helping others fight their battles, spreading the word that if they can do it, anyone can do it.

Perhaps it was Big Head Todd and the Monsters guitarist Jeremy Lawton who put it best: "It's hard to find someone who doesn't have a cancer story or survivor story or have a six-degree connection to a cancer story. It's easy to find a survivor." 

And we call all be grateful for that.

This story was written by Luis Sung. Follow him on Twitter: @LuisDSung

The 2017 Miami Dolphins training camp turned into a nightmare for everyone involved, as player after player went down with season-ending injuries before they could get a chance to contribute in the regular season.

One of those players was now fourth-year cornerback Tony Lippett, who after clawing his way into the starting lineup in 2016, tore his Achilles tendon in training camp and spent the entire year on injured reserve. Now, several months later, Lippett is continuing to rehab, and during a discussion at the eighth annual Dolphins Cancer Challenge, Lippett made the implication it's been a surreal experience.

"It's been intense, it's been good, I learned a lot of stuff about my body, learned a lot of stuff about the body, and I've just been grinding, taking in every day, getting better every day, not thinking too much about the situation it is, taking it one day at a time just like I did when I was playing."

Lippett, one of four 5th-round picks selected by Miami in 2015, was selected to be a long-term project by the Dolphins coaching staff - headed by Joe Philbin at the time - as he was to undergo training to switch from wide receiver to cornerback. The project was sped up, and it seemed that he was on the fast track to being a viable starter in the NFL, racking up 45 tackles, 10 pass deflections and four interceptions in 2016.

​On this week's episode of PhinManiacs Live, the crew will discuss some underrated talent that may be hiding on the Dolphins roster and could make an appearance in 2018.

Then, with all of the contracts already being signed around the  league, it's time for some more money talk.

Then at 8:30, we'll be joined by University of Cincinnati OT Kendall Calhoun to talk some football and training for the draft.

All this and more on this week's episode of PhinManiacs Live.

If you missed our live show, you can download it and listen via YouTube, iTunes, Stitcher or SoundCloud.

The Miami Dolphins continued their rebuild of the coaching staff on the defensive side of the ball, hiring secondary coach Renaldo Hill from the University of Pittsburgh. Hill will likely serve as an assistant secondary coach for the Dolphins, under newly-hired defensive backs coach Tony Oden.

Hill spent the past three seasons with Pat Narduzzi's staff at Pitt. Narduzzi wrote on Twitter, "Coaching in the NFL has been Renaldo's aspiration and we are thrilled he's getting this opportunity with the Dolphins."

When head coach Adam Gase was working as a scouting assistant on Nick Saban’s Michigan State staff, Hill played for the team as a cornerback. Hill was a seventh round draft pick for the Arizona Cardinals, and went on to play for four teams over 10 years in the NFL, including three years (2006-08) with the Dolphins. His signing in Miami coincided with Saban’s short stint as head coach of the Dolphins.

He tallied 596 tackles, 6.5 sacks, and 19 interceptions in his NFL career.

Renaldo is the younger brother of Ray Hill, who also played at Michigan State and with the Dolphins as well (1998–2000). They are the third set of brothers to have played for the Dolphins, joining the Blackwoods (safety Glenn, 1979–87; safety Lyle, 1981–86), and the Ayanbadejos (fullback Obafemi, 2003; linebacker Brendon, 2003–04).

​This story was written by Eldon Jenson. Follow him on Twitter @EJFootball.

The offensive line is the key to the offense, and adding UTEP's Will Hernandez could keep Tannehill clean and keep the Dolphins in the hunt for the playoffs.

As we all know, the Dolphins have had a poor offensive line in recent years. In the 2014 and 2015 seasons the offense allowed 46 and 45 sacks, respectively. Tannehill broke 4,000 yards both of those seasons, but the Dolphins also finished with 8-8 and 6-10 records for those two seasons.

And as we all know, that's the ultimate bottom line.

Then something changed. In 2016 Tannehill was having a career year with just shy of 3,000 yards and his best QBR to date. The Dolphins were finding a groove and just coming along until an unfortunate knee injury took Tannehill out for the remainder of the season in week 14. The Dolphins had only allowed 29 sacks until that point, the lowest of Tannehill’s career. The Dolphins were able to recover still under Matt Moore and make it to the playoffs, only to make a first round exit at the hands of the Steelers.

They ended up giving up 30 sacks total on the season and 33 in 2017. Clearly there have been strides made to shore up the line, but they could make more.

The point here is this: Tannehill is much more valuable to the Dolphins team on his feet, rather than on his back. Here is where Hernandez would come in mighty handy. Sure, I’ve heard the argument that he is undersized, but at 6’3 and 330 pounds. I think he will do just fine (NFL average for O-linemen is: 6’5, 312 lbs). Hernandez is a quick brute of a man. Much like that of Richie Incognito, who has had quite the career.

Here are the things that jump out when looking at Hernandez:

• Strength: ​ Has phenomenal upper body strength, giving him control of his opponent when he gets his hands on them, and also making him very hard to push back at the point of contact.
• Big Frame: He has a wide frame which he uses well to shield defenders away in both the passing and running game.
• Very Athletic: Hernandez also has more athleticism than his frame would suggest, he has very good speed in short bursts which would help with opening up running lanes especially when he gets to the second level.
• Smart: Disciplined blocker, he doesn’t make many mental errors and finds a way to regain leverage even if he is beaten off the line.

These are all very good attributes would help sure up both the run and passing game. Larsen has been a decent option for the Dolphins, but at 30 with not stellar production and basically no upside they may need to look in a new direction.

Hernandez does struggle in open space trying to get the block, and with defenders who are able to extend and keep him from getting in. All in all he would still be an upgrade and breathe of fresh air to the O-line. Also he is predicted to be a 2-3 round talent which makes him a very good option for the Dolphins.

Hernandez has a ton of upside and can clean up defenders. The Dolphins need more from the offensive line to be successful. If they limit the pressure and give Tannehill the time to get the ball out there will be a much higher chance of success in the future.  We have seen it happen, and hopefully the Dolphins will address the line early and often in this draft to keep the playoff hopes alive, both for next season and hopefully many more to come.

This story was written by Nate Tucek. Follow him on Twitter: @ntucek

On this week's episode of PhinManiacs Live, the crew will bring back the quarterback talk that was cut off in last week's show, with topics such as Ryan Tannehill's fate and the recent reshuffling of NFL quarterbacks that is set to take place in Washington.

Then, NIU linebacker Bobby Jones IV will call in to the show to discuss how he's preparing himself for the draft, and who he models his game after and what he expects at the next level.

Finally, the crew will begin discussing what their goals are for the offseason as it draws ever closer. What moves should the team make and what free agents should they keep an eye on? All this and more on this week's episode of PhinManiacs Live.

If you missed this show and would like to listen to it on the go, you can either watch it via YouTube below, or download it from iTunes, Stitcher or SoundCloud.