On the first play of the first game of the 2017 preseason.. nah, scratch that, it was the kickoff of the first game of the of the 2017 preseason, and Miami Dolphins linebacker Raekwon McMillan was sitting on the turf, staring at his right knee.

“Man, this is crazy,” he thought. “This is the first time I'm touching the field, period, and I'm hurt.”

Yes, it was crazy.

McMillan was a prize second-round pick in the NFL draft last Spring, and had progressed through organized team activities (OTAs) to the point that he had already been named the starting middle linebacker for the team, the position that called out the formations and plays for the defense on the field.

A leader by nature, McMillan had made his name roving the middle of Urban Meyer’s Ohio State Buckeye defense, winning a national championship along the way. He carried himself in such a way that if was obvious to anyone he encountered that leadership was second nature to him.

"It all comes with confidence and knowing what I'm doing,” says McMillan. “Being able to tell guys what they're doing around me, and when they ask, have a definite answer. Not like 'Oh, I don't know. Let me go ask coach.' When they come to me as the Mike linebacker, I need to know. A leader isn't just a title that you get because you're the Mike linebacker. Leader is a title that you get because you put in the work, day in and day out during the offseason, and leading up until now."

And yet, there he was, sitting on the field while medical personnel attended to his knee. The next day, it was confirmed: torn ACL, and he’d be placed on injured reserve, ending his rookie season before it even started.

"It was hard at first; but then I kind of sucked it up and told myself that I could either let this year be a waste, or prepare myself for next year, because I know next year there is going to be a role to start.”

McMillan found himself frustrated with the slow, never-ending rehab process. “That's the hardest part is just the daily grind … just getting back, just baby steps. Not walking one day and then walking the next. It was taking one step today, taking two steps the next day and then eventually getting to full speed.”

But he was wasn’t alone in his recovery. Another leader on the team, a guy named Ryan Tannehill, was also going through the same process after re-tearing his left ACL during a preseason scrimmage.

"We got our surgery on the same exact day,” says McMillan. "We got back here on the same day and we started rehab the same exact day.”

The competitive fire within both players pushed them to a friendly competition.

“From Day One, it was always a competition,” McMillan laughed. “Who could walk without their crutches first? Who could run full-speed under water first? It was just little stuff. Who can get a bigger quad muscle? It was just really stupid stuff like that to keep competing with each other. Also, Isaiah Ford was in that competition with us, even though he had a smaller injury. We all kept the light on each other."

As organized team activities continue, the Miami Dolphins have added some more competition to the offensive line, signing former Steelers and Browns center Mike Matthews.

Matthews, 24, was an undrafted free agent out of Texas A&M from the 2016 NFL draft who was initially signed by the Cleveland Browns. After failing to make the team, the Pittsburgh Steelers decided to pick him up in 2017, but he never got much of a chance to show much, as he wound up tearing his patellar tendon in training camp.

Now with the Dolphins, Matthews will receiver another opportunity to make a good impression and uphold his family name. Matthews is the son of Hall of Fame offensive lineman Bruce Matthews, and the younger brother of Atlanta Falcons left tackle Jake Matthews.

He now joins a competition that consists of himself, projected starter Daniel Kilgore, and potential backups Jake Brendel and Ted Larsen.

Matthews was scouted prior to the NFL draft as being an athletic center who has good footwork and is able to get to the second level, as well as having very good technique and football IQ. Unfortunately, he lacks size which held him back immensely during the draft process.

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

When it comes to the Miami Dolphins offensive line woes of the past few years, it would be an understatement to say that the team lacked a starting front five with any sort of cohesiveness. And head coach Adam Gase is well aware of that. When asked how the starting lineup was coming along, he was typically succinct with his answer.

“It's probably written more in pencil than pen right now.”

But other than one guard spot, the line is coming together, with Laremy Tunsil, Josh Sitton, Daniel Kilgore, and Ja’Wuan James expected to be manning four of the five offensive line positions throughout the season. The team liked what they saw from second-year pro Jesse Davis last year, and he’s the front runner to fill that fifth spot.

Add in a lot of good depth, and the offensive line may finally not be the worry it’s been in seasons past. Jake Brendel, Ted Larsen, and Sam Young all have starting experience and versatility to fill in where and when needed. Gase seems pretty happy with the players he has, and can already see some cohesiveness among the group.

“We'll keep taking it one day at a time and see how everything goes,” says Gase. “I don't want to jump the gun and say, 'Here's what it is locked in stone.' … We did make an emphasis (to) make sure we firm up inside and help the center, and get those guards and the center working together well and letting those two guys work on the edges. We'll just kind of see how everything plays out."

Gase is especially happy with the addition of Sitton, who has extensive experience and a Super Bowl ring from his time with the Green Bay Packers.

“In the amount of time that he's been here, you can see that he's a veteran player that has the type of swagger you'd want from an offensive lineman,” Gase said about Sitton. “He's got something about him that's probably different than a lot of guys I've been around. He's very confident, very knowledgeable. He helps those other guys. It's really a great thing to see how he works, him and Laremy (Tunsil), and how they talk through things and the amount of time they spend with each other. Then when we get on the field, you see the way he moves. He's a big man that moves really well. He knows exactly what the defense is trying to do and he knows how to react to it.”

It speaks volumes to hear the two new additions to the group, Kilgore and Sitton, talk about their new team.

"It's a special group,” says Kilgore, who was acquired via trade this spring. “Coming in, I knew right away just by the makeup of the room that you got a bunch of really good guys led by two really good coaches that care about their players ... I knew right away that this could be a really good group. Getting to know them on and off the field, we've got some players who've played a lot of ball, and we've got some young guys who are able to step up and play. There's obviously a lot to learn early in OTAs, but we're in a good situation right now."

Sitton concurs, adding, "It is early but I know that we've got a talented group of guys. (We have) two first round tackles, and some pretty good players on the inside. It's only our second practice, so it's kind of hard to tell everybody's strengths and weaknesses but I think that we've got a group of guys that can compete. I think we're going to be pretty good. We've got a couple of guys that have played that are backing up right now and you can't put a price on that experience.”

It should also be heartening to Dolphins fans to hear Sitton talk about why he decided to come to Miami, when he had interest from several other NFL teams.

"A lot of the decision had to do with 'Coach Wash' (Offensive Line Coach Jeremiah Washburn) and (Offensive Coordinator) Dowell (Loggains), and being familiar with those guys and being familiar with the system. I loved how they coached in Chicago and when I came here and met Coach Gase, I kind of had a feeling that I was going to end up signing pretty quickly. I knew I liked him right away.

“Honestly, I look back at the season they had two years ago. I forgot how many games they won in a row, but I think they won nine out of 10 or something like that. You can see the foundation of a good football team here.

“I want to win. I wanted to be in a place that I could win and I think we can."

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

Expectations have never been higher for Miami Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard. After struggling for his first one and a half seasons, the former 2016 second-round draft came on strong at the tail end of 2017, allowing a mere 39.2 passer rating in weeks 10-17.

And he'll be expected to build upon that success in 2018, as he is projected to be the team's number one cornerback on the boundary. In a conference call with Miami Dolphins fan sites, former Dolphins All-Pro cornerback Sam Madison revealed his personal expectations for Howard.

​"I'm really happy with the steps he's already taken," Madison said. "I'm looking for him to be a Pro Bowl player this year. I mean, I'm not talking about a guy that's selected third or fourth ... I'm looking for him to take the next step in the AFC and be a Pro Bowl player."

So what changed between weeks 9 and 10 last season that prompted such a drastic change in Howard's effectiveness?

“Really just going out there and knowing the quarterback," Howard said on Thursday. "What I put on film earlier during the season, stuff they’re going to try to attack and really just working on that.”

But was that all it was? Just watching film? Surely not, you might say. All players watch film, right? 

Well, apparently, Howard had some bad habits back during his Baylor days that he's had to break in the NFL.

"Really, it was just learning everything, trying to get to it." he said. "I was really big on trying to know what they’re going to do and stuff like that. In college, I wasn’t really watching film and stuff like that. I was just going on my athletic ability; but in the league, it’s a different level.”

But now he is watching film, paying attention and learning the tendencies and strategies of the opponents he faces week in and week out. This new dedication to study helped Howard finish the season with 48 tackles, 13 pass deflections and four interceptions. All four of those interceptions came in weeks 13 and 14, with two of them being against future Hall of Fame QB Tom Brady.

Howard also credits his increased physicality near the end of last season for his improved play.

“I was pressing more towards the end of the season. I was going to get my hands on the guys and stuff like that." Howard said. "They (the coaches) said they want us to put our hands on receivers and stuff like that. We played a couple of good receivers and stuff like that. So, just knowing what our best … What my strength is doing is just pressing, knowing what I do well.”

It hasn't been an easy road for Howard, a knee injury in his rookie season limited him to only seven games, and he had some more growing pains in 2017 as he began learning how to be a professional. Now, all that's left is to bring out the full potential that's been flashed since day one as he enters his third year.

"From his rookie year to this year, I always talked about his footwork," said Madison. "In his rookie year, he had some injuries here and there, so he couldn't get the lift and the push and to be able to come out of his breaks that we needed him to do. But last year we saw it, we saw the recovery speed in the New England game when he comes up and makes interceptions.

"We saw him breaking off the ball and then having the athleticism to catch it and then finish and get into the end zone. And we've always known that he's been a tackler, so for me with Xavien (Howard), I'm looking for him to be a Pro Bowl player."

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

Ever since being drafted in 2014, wide receiver Jarvis Landry was a favorite target for Ryan Tannehill. His talent, physicality, passion and fire made him someone that Tannehill looked to when the going got tough, and he responded by putting up two straight 1,000 yards seasons in 2015 and 2016, and becoming the NFL record holder for most catches in a player's first four seasons.

Now, after sitting out 2017 due to injury, Tannehill is back, and Landry has moved on to a big pay day in Cleveland, leaving the now veteran quarterback without his favorite receiver to have his back.

“Losing Jarvis is tough." Tannehill said on Wednesday. "He’s a heck of a competitor. He’s one of the most competitive guys on the football field. He loves the game. He loves playing. He loves competing. He loves winning. I think everyone saw that."

Landry, affectionately called "Juice" for his energy and unrelenting motor on the football field, had the franchise tag placed on him this offseason while the Dolphins attempted to keep other teams from signing him to a deal, in hopes that a long term solution could be worked out.

Ultimately, the price was too high, and Landry was traded to the Cleveland Browns for a 2018 fourth-round pick and a 2019 seventh-round pick, where he then signed a five-year, $75 million dollar contract. For the foreseeable future, Landry will be catching passes from Oklahoma standout Baker Mayfield, while Tannehill will have to make do without Landry for the first time since before he was drafted in the first place.

But with the money saved from not paying Landry, the Miami Dolphins went on a shopping spree that landed former Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Albert Wilson, and former New England Patriots wide receiver Danny Amendola, both of whom will now be called upon to take Landry's place in the offense.

"Obviously he (Landry) is not the easiest guy to replace and he’s tough to replace, but I’m really excited about the guys that we brought in." Tannehill said. "I think we’ve brought in veteran guys, guys that have played at high levels, guys that have played for championships and can really help us.

"With the combination of the guys we have, we really have a stacked receiver room right now and you feel really confident that no matter who is in the game, we have good matchups and can win. When you add Albert Wilson, when you add Danny Amendola, Frank Gore in the backfield, all of these guys have played at a really high level for a long time. I’m excited about playing with them.”

Yes, it will be tough at first without Landry around. Surely, the dynamic of the offense will change since his unique fire and passion are no longer present.

But from what seems to be going on in practice, Tannehill is already building chemistry with his new players, making the void left by Landry just a little bit smaller.

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

When players join a new team, there is always this moment where they need to get used to their new surroundings and teammates. Naturally, one of the first things that come to mind is what kind of person and player is the quarterback? Is he someone you would follow into battle? How does he compare to the QB who was on the previous team?

As day two of organized team activities (OTAs) draws to a close, Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill has already left quite an impression on the new members of the Miami franchise.

"Seems like a great leader," said guard Josh Sitton. "He always takes command of the huddle, he takes command of the meetings, from that aspect everything's been positive."

This should come as no surprise to anyone. Ryan Tannehill's work ethic is unquestioned, and his merits as a leader have only ever been questioned by those on the outside looking in...and a rather specific occasion where a certain woman had an ax to grind.

But as stated in the past, Tannehill's ability to lead comes from how he carries himself and handles his own business. He is the ultimate lead-by-example guy, and by his own admission, Tannehill's wife Lauren had to help him through some dark times as he sat on the sidelines in 2017, unable to contribute beyond offering input and advice when possible.

"It was tough," Tannehill said. "It was a long year, some dark times. I tried to stay positive, take it in stride as much as I could, do my best that I could in rehab and grow and get stronger each and every day. But it's hard, it was a hard time for me. Not being around the guys, not being out in practice. I was around in meetings but it's just not the same."

Now being back on the field, Tannehill has apparently picked up right where he left off, catching the attention of his new teammates who came away impressed with what he can do.

“I think he’s in the right place, especially after what happened to him this past season." said wide receiver Albert Wilson. "I feel like he’s trusting himself, trusting all of the hard work he put in in the offseason, and I think he’s going to pick up where he left off. love his ball. He’s definitely good with the timing. He puts it to where you can make a play on the ball. It’s a great thing.”

Center Daniel Kilgore, acquired from San Francisco in an exchange of 2018 seventh-round draft picks, echoed the sentiments of both Sitton and Wilson, and even brought up specific traits such as his ability to throw on the run and his deep ball, the latter of which has been steadily improving despite being a weakness of his entering the NFL.

“Ryan has been great." Kilgore said. "He’s a leader, obviously, in and out of the huddle. His ability to move in the pocket and throw the deep ball, it’s been great. (His) knowledge of the game is what you would want of a starting quarterback, and getting to know him and his wife and their little boy off the field has been great as well. Nothing but first class with Ryan Tannehill.”

Culture and chemistry have been major talking points all offseason, and from what the new players are saying, things are already looking up.

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

The music pounds in the eardrums of all who are gathered inside the Miami Dolphins practice bubble, the atmosphere is electric, excitement building for the young athletes waiting for their chance to show what they can do on the football field. It's a dream come true for them, as not many can say they played with NFL-caliber players.

But the Dolphins 2018 draft class are not the athletes being talked about in this story.

Instead, we turn our attention to the 110 Special Olympics athletes who are taking the field for a game of football, with the Miami rookies acting as their eager and willing coaches.

​"It's fun for me," says Dolphins cornerback Minkah Fitzpatrick. "I love watching the game of football no matter who's playing ... I love just watching people play, because it's a fun game, anybody can play it, just having fun, making plays, doing what they do."

This event marks the fifth time the Miami Dolphins and Special Olympics Florida have teamed up to give athletes from across Miami-Dade and Broward Counties the experience of a lifetime.

"I first wanna say that we serve over 15,000 athletes in South Florida, and flag football is actually one of our most popular sports." said Linsey Smith, Regional Director for Special Olympics Florida. "The athletes that we brought out here today, over 100 of them, all participate in flag football. So for them to be able to come out and train on the same field as their idols, with the rookie class, this is probably going to be one of the most memorable days of their life."

Every one of the Dolphins rookies made appearances, both drafted and undrafted. One rookie in particular, offensive tackle David Steinmetz, has a much stronger connection to this particular event than his new teammates.

"When I was in third grade, I started doing Special Olympics as a unified partner," he says. "Did it until I was probably a sophomore in high school. Throughout that time I created my own fundraising for my own town to do bowling, stuff like that ... I don't know why, I guess it was just how I was raised. 'Always be nice to the nice,' that's something my dad always used to say."

The Dolphins rookies are getting plenty of opportunities to do just that. This event is the second they have done in a mere week's time, perhaps as a way of showing the young players that football is about more than just what happens on the field, it's also about what happens off it.

The message is coming in loud and clear.

"I think that the Miami Dolphins stand for a lot, on and off the football field." says Dolphins tight end Mike Gesicki. "All our interaction in the community last week, this week and moving forward, it means a lot to us."

And it means a lot to the wide-eyed athletes playing with them, who will likely remember this event for years to come.

“Over five years, I have been very successful in Special Olympics. Today was great to be back playing football. It was great to meet the Dolphins players,” Special Olympics athlete Daniel Fundora said. “Special Olympics is my home.”

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

There was (and is) a lot of talk about culture change surrounding the Miami Dolphins this offseason. There was talk about how players were not "buying in" and how necessary it was that they do so. Many players are now gone, replaced by players who are projected to be true veteran leaders, players who are prime examples of what it takes to achieve greatness.

Already, that decision is paying dividends, particularly in the case of wide receiver Danny Amendola and running back Frank Gore, two free agent signees who were brought in to fill the leadership void and teach the young players how to do be a professional in the NFL.

"I spoke to Frank the past couple of days." rookie running back Kalen Ballage said last week. "We were kind of just talking a little bit back and forth. Obviously he’s 33-34 years old so he has a wife and kids and family and stuff like that, so he has his own stuff to worry about. I’m looking forward to meeting him ... I reached out to him on Instagram after I got drafted. I didn’t think he would see the message or anything; but he messaged me back right away. That was welcoming for sure.”

​That is precisely the kind of result the Miami Dolphins were looking for when they signed these older players. Head coach Adam Gase has been preaching since late last season how important it is that everyone be on the same page, that they take it upon themselves to go above and beyond the call of duty for the sake of team success.

As a former member of the New England Patriots, no one knows that better than Danny Amendola, who spent the past five seasons with the most team-oriented franchise in the NFL.

“I think when you’ve got a guy that’s been in a lot of big games, has won a lot of games, made plays in big games and the professionalism you just see it. The way he walks around, there’s just something about him that guys kind of gravitate to." said head coach Adam Gase. "They kind of want to watch how he does things. The way that he’ll grab guys … The younger guys follow him. It’s interesting to watch just Drew (Morgan) and Isaiah (Ford) just following him around mimicking a lot of the things he does. I think between him and Kenny (Stills) – both of those guys have been around for a minute – and watch those guys lead that group and have an effect on the other guys in the locker room in a positive way, that’s a big thing for us.”

As Gase says, this is a very big thing for the Dolphins. Back in April, I wrote a story detailing exactly what players felt made someone qualified to be a leader, and every single one of the players interviewed stated the same time: dedication and leading by example.

That, so far, has been Gore and Amendola in a heartbeat, and already it's having an effect in the locker room. Culture change is happening.

Another veteran that was brought in during free agency is former Bears and Packers guard Josh Sitton, who will turn 32 in June. Besides being one of the top pass-protecting guards in football, Sitton also brings that veteran presence to the locker room, and already he's made a tangible impact, just like the other veterans.

"He’s not a vocal leader." said offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains. "He’s a lead-by-example guy and there’s certain things, like the way he finishes in drills and stuff. We’re early in the process, two weeks in, but you start to see some of these younger guys watch him. He doesn’t talk a lot but they start to mimic what he does and how he finishes.

​"Those are the type of leaders (we want), like Danny Amendola and Albert Wilson. What they’ve really brought … They’re not vocal guys. You don’t hear them a lot, but all of a sudden you see Drew Morgan trying to copy something Danny did or DeVante (Parker) watching something Albert did or what Danny did. I think he’s a lead-by-example guy that’s really intelligent and really good at those two things we mentioned.”

Will this lead to wins for the Miami Dolphins in 2018? It's impossible to say until something happens on the football field that can be observed and evaluated. But as of now, there's no reason to believe things won't work out given the way things are projected.

As long as the team continues to follow the example of their new leaders and works on studying what the coaching staff expects of them, the team could be set to make a jump. Over and over we've heard how Gase has had to dumb things down for his players, who apparently weren't putting in the extra necessary work.

If things go the way Gase hopes they will, there won't be anymore holding back.

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

I'm a big fan of this strategy. Draft picks are more likely to bust than to succeed in the NFL. Taking two at a weak position helps your chances of success. I think people see Smythe as a blocking only TE but the little evidence there is with him as a receiver is promising. He looks athletic enough in his routes. He can high-point the ball. I believe Grier and Gase see potential for Smythe to be more than just a blocker. He can also be a weapon in the passing game. 

Here, Smythe is lined up at the snap at the H-Back spot at the bottom of the formation. He is blocking the bottom defender, #4 on the defense. He demonstrates great blocking technique: hands are inside, good pad level, and he keeps his feet moving, giving the running back a nice, wide hole to run through for a first down.

Smythe displays a great down block on this play, helping bring down the defensive end and making a pile that the rest of the defense has to get past to reach the running back, allowing for another first down. He is better than some offensive linemen in this draft at blocking.

On this play, Smythe shows off his seal blocking skills. He gets his feet into position, locks on inside and keeps his feet moving, handling a bigger D-lineman on this outside run attempt. Unfortunately, through no fault of Smythe's, the play doesn't go very far. 

Recall how often screen passes seem to be called in the Adam Gase offense, and how often they seem to fall apart due to sub-par blocking. Here, Smthye gives a great screen block, taking the linebacker (#6) out of the play instead of allowing a free run to the ball-carrier. The importance of this in Gase's offense cannot be stressed enough. 

Notre Dame's offense is very run heavy, but in all honesty, they didn't use Smythe in the offense nearly enough. He shows enough athleticism and soft hands to be a weapon in the passing game. Watch here as Smythe runs a nice square in on this play. 

Here, Smythe gets open on a deep post route and catches the pass for a touchdown. It's plays like this that indicate that he has more to offer on offense than just blocking. At 6-foot-5, it's catches like these will help him get opportunity on passing downs, particularly in the red zone where his size will come in handy in tight spaces.

And finally, while it may seem like fellow rookie tight end Mike Gesicki has cornered the market on making spectacular catches, Smythe shows that he too has some ability, as he high-points the ball in the flat on this play.

This film review was written by Matthew Knowles. Follow him on Twitter: @M_PorterKnowles

Durham Smythe has been scouted and labeled as a blocking tight end, with little to no mention being made of his ability in the passing game. But what no one seems to realize is that Smythe has done more than block during his time at Notre Dame, despite his overall lack of numbers to back it up.

"Throughout my four years at Notre Dame, I tried to be a guy who was what we called a complete tight end." Smythe said Saturday. "We went through a few offenses in my time at Notre Dame. A couple of them were spread it out and a little bit more pass-happy, so I was in the slot a lot those years. These last two years, specifically this last year, we ran the ball a lot. We had an offensive change. It was more of a pro style this last year, so this last year I was more at the point of attack a lot."

As a blocker, Smythe's ability is unquestioned and the Dolphins believe that paired with the athletic Gesicki, they could contribute early on as rookies.

"Any time you draft people, you expect them to come in and make an impact early on." said offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains. "The one thing that stuck out obviously with Mike (Gesicki) was his athleticism and his ability to be flexed out and do things that (Head Coach) Adam (Gase) has done in his past with the tight ends flexed out. The thing with Durham (Smythe) was he’s a really intelligent guy that can play and block at the point of attack and stuff. I think that both of them are really good players on their own, but I think together, in the rotation of tight ends, they complement each other very well.”

​Both Gesicki and Smythe have chemistry working together from the past, which gives them a base to work on in Adam Gase's offense.

"I’ve played with Mike (Gesicki) before." Smythe said. "I knew him through the whole pre-draft process. We were teammates at the Senior Bowl, so we got to know each other a little bit. We played actually in a couple of two-tight end sets together during the game and practice. He’s a guy I’ve played with before, gotten to know and overall, I was just really excited about it.”

So despite the knowledge that Smythe's role changed as a result of the offense that was run at Notre Dame, and the film that showed what he can do, why did evaluators neglect to mention Smythe's potential as a seam threat?

Whatever the reason, Smythe did everything in his power to make it so no one would question his ability.

"Like I said, I had different roles throughout my time." Smythe said. "I think when I had the opportunity, I tried to make the most of it. Ultimately, through this whole pre-draft process and stuff, that’s something that questions were asked about that I tried to put those questions to rest through the Senior Bowl and the Combine and things like that.”

The questions may still linger, but in the end, all that matters, at least until the rookies hit the field for the first time, is what head coach Adam Gase believes he can get out of his two new tight ends. In the case of Smythe, Gase believes what Smythe has been saying all along, that blocking is not all he's capable of.

"We were interested in him; we were high on him." Gase said. "We weren’t sure where he was really going to be and if he would fall to that spot; and when he did, we felt like that was a guy that we knew had extreme value as far as his blocking in run and pass protection. We felt like he was a better route-runner than a lot of people were giving him credit for. We felt like his production could be something that we value a lot here, especially with what he showed in the run game.”

It will be an open competition at tight end in 2018, which means between Gesicki, MarQueis Gray, A.J. Derby, Gavin Escobar and Thomas Duarte, Smythe will be given every opportunity to back up his words with what he does on the field.

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

​Former Miami Dolphins and current Philadelphia Eagles running back Jay Ajayi is the subject of a lawsuit that alleges some rough behavior while staying in a mansion in the Los Angeles area.

Ajayi rented the house and threw multiple parties after the Eagles won the Super Bowl in February. The owner of the property told Ajayi not to throw any parties while staying there, but Ajayi ignored him. The owner allegedly tried to collect $5,000 to cover damages for each party thrown, but when confronted, Ajayi supposedly shoved the owner in the chest and refused to pay the $25,000 in accumulated penalty fees.

Ajayi, 24, was traded from Miami to Philadelphia during October of the 2017 season. He rushed for 873 yards during the season and added another 57 in the Eagles Super Bowl victory. He has one year remaining on his rookie contract, and is expected to be the Eagles lead running back this season.

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

As one of only two kickers taken in the 2018 NFL Draft, new Miami Dolphins rookie kicker Jason Sanders wants you to know that spending his college career at a school that sits 5,300 feet above sea level wasn’t a factor in only having 22 kickoffs returned in his four-year career.

“People say it's the altitude in New Mexico, 'You've got altitude,' But we go to Texas A&M at sea level, Tulsa, New Jersey and I was still kicking touchbacks. The altitude wasn't the issue."

And special teams coach Darren Rizzi, who had some heavy input in the seventh round selection of Sanders, concurs.

“I've heard the things about the altitude." he said. "Certainly, he's not going to pick his school by the altitude. Certainly it was beneficial at some point, but he played plenty of games that weren't in high altitude and did very well.”

Sanders earned his renown by having a booming strong leg, but didn’t have a lot of field goal opportunities at New Mexico, with only 35 attempts in four years. And he only made 25 of those attempts, which raised some eyebrows in Dolphinland when the team selected him in the draft. Although he did connect on a school record 81 consecutive point after attempts, why take a kicker with only a 71% accuracy rate?  

“You want a guy that's got an NFL-type leg, and is able to do a lot of different things … and have great range,” said Darren Rizzi. “It's probably easier to take a guy with great leg strength and get him a little bit more in tune or fixed technique-wise on field goals than it is to go the other way. It's much harder. You can't teach leg strength. You can teach a guy technique. You can teach a guy to get better certainly at accuracy and things like that. You can't teach leg strength. It's like a baseball comparison. You're not going to teach a singles hitter to be a home run hitter; but you can certainly teach a home-run hitter to make more contact and things like that.”

When the Miami Dolphins selected linebacker Quentin Poling in the seventh round of the 2018 NFL draft, most Dolphins fans didn’t know who he was. And that’s okay, because he’s kind of used to that.

Coming from a town so small it only has one intersection, Poling jokes that that it’s a settlement, not big enough to be called a village. And he’s not even the most famous person to come from Gomer, Ohio, population 102, because a baseball player named Ed Sandy holds that distinction, having played Major League Baseball and rumored to have once struck out Babe Ruth. What would it take for Poling to surpass Sandy?

“I don’t know if I could ever dethrone that,” Poling said Friday. “Maybe if I strip-sack (Tom) Brady a couple of times, it might get the job done.”

Jokes aside, the 6-foot, 218 pound Poling doesn’t have the typical size of an NFL linebacker, but he’s got something you can’t teach, and that’s speed. At his Pro Day at the University of Ohio, Poling ran a 4.52 40-yard dash, which was quicker than all but two linebackers at the NFL Combine. That speed will help Poling as he tries to stick with the Dolphins by making a mark on special teams.

“Absolutely,” Poling said when asked if he expects to play special teams. “Special teams are a lot of fun. It wasn’t something that I was asked to do in college, because I took so many reps on defense and coaches didn’t want me to potentially get hurt. It’s a third of the game and it’s exciting. It’s man-on-man, who’s the better athlete, who’s going to beat who. In terms of that aspect, just going up against someone and competing, I don’t think there’s any more true form than special teams.”

Poling may have been overlooked by many NFL teams because of his size, but he is confident he can play in this league. When asked if he has any doubts about playing in this league, he was resolute.

“No.”

When asked if his size was a reason he dropped in the draft in spite of impressive collegiate stats, he replied, "Maybe. For some people, that's an issue. I'm a little short for maybe some people and their liking – maybe a little light; but it was a good year for linebackers in my opinion in the draft. (There were) a lot of great athletes. I think I attribute that to being a big reason."

Asked how he intends to make the transition to the pros, Poling said, "Just knowing that I'm going to prepare to do it. Preparation and knowing what you're doing will allow you to make up a lot of the game-speed type things. You can't play fast if you don't know what you're doing. Just hitting the books a little harder than everyone else, and trying to learn my position and the whole defense and everything."

Known as a good coverage linebacker, Poling quite often covered running backs out of the backfield in Cover 4 schemes, but was utilized more and more in Cover 3 and Cover 2 in his last two years. And with 18 sacks in college, Poling was also used as a blitzer quite often.

“We got after people,” he said. “We had some blitzes that were very effective in the run and pass game. We blitzed a lot and did some limited man stuff, but a lot of it was kind of a hug-and-add to your man pressure-type-thing on the running back when you have man (coverage). So it gets you some coverage sacks and stuff like that."

As for how he plans to approach learning the professional game, Poling knows he has a lot to learn. While comfortable with where he is now, he knows there’s a long road ahead to making it in the NFL.

​“I know I'm going to prepare and give my best effort. I've got to make the transition here, so you've got to stay a little uncomfortable with everything. I can always get better.”

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

Head coach Adam Gase made it clear last season and this offseason that he is looking for players who will go the extra mile to be great players, which all ties in to the "culture change" story that has surrounded the organization since the purging of some of the Dolphins' best players, such as Ndamukong Suh, Jarvis Landry, and Mike Pouncey.

So now the team has brought in players who are textbook examples of professional football players, players like Danny Amendola and Frank Gore who put more time and effort into preparation than most of their peers in the league.

And that's also a big reason why they drafted safety Minkah Fitzpatrick out of Alabama with the 11th overall pick of the 2018 NFL draft. His preparation was second to none in college, and he even went as far as to show up to games up to six hours early just so he could sit down and watch film.

“I thought that was a common practice that people did." Fitzpatrick said on Friday. "I thought that people just watched film before the games. I would either watch it in my hotel room on the iPad or I would go in before meetings and just watch film in the meeting rooms, just breaking down some small stuff, going over formations, going over different plays and stuff like that. I just assumed everybody did (that).”

That alone is telling of Fitzpatrick's attitude towards preparation. It's as natural to him as breathing, which means by now he's already started studying and looking at what he'll be needing to do as a member of the Miami Dolphins. His personal background was filled with adversity and heartache, and he knows more than anyone what it means to overcome expectations.

​Now as a member of the Miami Dolphins, Fitzpatrick has already been told by the coaches what he needs to do.

“Just to start off and keep learning the defensive backfield," Fitzpatrick said. "Whether it be at the nickel spot or the safety spot. They’re just making calls to make sure I’m learning the defense and whatever happens, happens.”

Versatility is a big part of Fitzpatrick's game; he acted as a Swiss army knife (a very sharp one at that) for Nick Saban in Alabama, and the way he approaches the game even led to Saban doing something he very rarely does: giving out compliments.

“It’s a major compliment coming from him. Like you said, he doesn’t give them out often." Fitzpatrick said. "He’s had a lot of great players come underneath him and he hasn’t said too much about them so when you receive a compliment from him, it means a lot. I’m honored to have played for him. I learned a lot from him. I’ve just got to live up to his compliments. I can’t let it get to my head. I’ve just got to keep on pushing forward, receive it, and that’s it.”

Fitzpatrick joins a secondary that includes veteran safeties Reshad Jones and T.J. McDonald, as well as other young players like cornerbacks Xavien Howard, Tony Lippett, Cordrea Tankersley, Bobby McCain, Walt Aikens, Torry McTyer, and fellow draft pick Cornell Armstrong.

If you’ve been waiting to find out jersey numbers before ordering that custom Minkah Fitzpatrick or Mike Gesicki jersey, you’re in luck, as the Miami Dolphins announced jersey number assignments for the thirty one new additions to the team, as well as three jersey number changes for veteran players.

While these are official assignments, keep in mind that many of these players may not make the final roster, and as cuts are made throughout the summer and training camp, some players could still switch numbers if one that they desire becomes available. Also, some jersey assignments may need to change to adhere to NFL rules on position assignments (for example, a cornerback wouldn’t be allowed to wear number 1, as is currently assigned to Utah State rookie Jalen Davis).

The veterans added (so far) this season, and their jersey assignments:
80 - Danny Amendola, wide receiver
89 - Gavin Escobar, tight end
21 - Frank Gore, running back
67 - Daniel Kilgore, center
8 - Brock Osweiler, quarterback
14 - Bryce Petty, quarterback
94 - Robert Quinn, defensive end
71 - Josh Sitton, guard
93 - Akeem Spence, defensive tackle
15 - Albert Wilson, wide receiver

The 2018 Draft Class:
31 - Cornell Armstrong, cornerback
55 - Jerome Baker, linebacker
33 - Kalen Ballage, running back
29 - Minkah Fitzpatrick, safety
86 - Mike Gesicki, tight end
51 - Quentin Poling, linebacker
7 - Jason Sanders, kicker
46 - Durham Smythe, tight end

Undrafted Free Agent signings:
41 - Johnathan Alston, cornerback
53 - Cayson Collins, linebacker
1 - Jalen Davis, cornerback
49 - Lucas Gravelle, long snapper
61 - Connor Hilland, center
38 - Buddy Howell, running back
5 - Greg Joseph, kicker
60 - Claudy Mathieu, defensive end
58 - Mike McCray, linebacker
43 - Anthony Moten, defensive tackle
65 - Jamiyus Pittman, defensive tackle
66 - Quincy Redmon, defensive end
69 - David Steinmetz, tackle

Players who are changing numbers:
84 - Isaiah Ford, wide receiver (previously 15)
2 - Matt Haack, punter (previously 16)
78 - Laremy Tunsil, tackle (previously 67)

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

1. Regardless of the leaked comments from the owner, the Dolphins front office was very pleased with their first round acquisition, Minkah Fitzpatrick, and rightfully so.

“I didn’t expect Minkah to be there, to be honest with you, for the first pick,” general manager Chris Grier said. ”For me, he was probably — however you put it — one of the top five or six players in this draft. As we got calls after the pick, other teams kept calling us telling us, ‘He was in our top five players in the draft.’ For us, the value at that point was surprising that he was there.”

There were really only three no-brainer picks in this draft: running back Saquon Barkley, defensive end Bradley Chubb and offensive guard Quenton Nelson. All went very early.

Below those three, you could make a case for any of the top prospects remaining going anywhere down to roughly the 15th pick. But of that remaining group, Fitzpatrick easily had the highest floor.

The pre-draft criticism that Fitzpatrick didn’t have a position was a bunch of hooey. Since when is being versatile considered to be a disadvantage? Fitzpatrick could play safety or cornerback and could play either one well. He has the range and coverage skills to be an excellent free safety and could be a valuable chess piece for defensive coordinator Matt Burke.

2. On the down side, the blame for needing to draft a safety after previously addressing the position last year lies squarely on the shoulders of executive vice president of football operations Mike Tannenbaum. Tannenbaum has a bad habit of being enamored with “name” players and he did it again in this situation. He jumped at the chance to acquire T.J. McDonald from the Rams without properly evaluating his fit beside All-Pro Reshad Jones. Both should be strong safeties and the two didn’t work well together last year.
 
Tannenbaum has to stop chasing names and has to give more thought to how both age and fit determine whether a player is right for the Dolphins roster.

3. Mike Gesicki and Durham Smythe were also excellent fits for the Dolphins and a good value where they drafted them, especially Gesicki who could have gone in the first round. Miami lost tight ends Julius Thomas and Anthony Fasano, and Dion Sims the year before last.
 
This was a position of need and drafting young players - both a guy who could catch the ball in Gesicki and block in Smythe - was a necessary step to refilling that spot on the roster. Gesicki could contribute right away.

4. New running back Kalen Ballage believes he’s found motivation in being overlooked.

“In my opinion, I don’t believe there are 130 guys that are better than me and definitely not 11 other running backs. It’s fuel to the fire and motivation for me and I’m just excited about the opportunity.”

Ballage is just a fourth round pick and though the odds are he won’t be cut, if I were him I think I’d just be motivated to find playing time with the Dolphins instead of worrying about what other teams thought.

5. The Dolphins have one massive hole in their roster which they did not address: defensive tackle. Tannenbaum said they’re happy with what they have at the position and, fair enough, 2017 5th round pick Davon Godchaux shows promise.

But depending upon Jordan Phillips to fill the void on the other side is a recipe for disaster. At 229 pounds, new linebacker Jerome Baker is going to need some help from his defensive linemen to keep him clean and allow him to make plays. I’m having a hard time seeing it, in spite of the acquisition of Akeem Spence from Detroit.

6. Speaking of Phillips, I simply cannot understand this organization’s stubborn insistence that Phillips will eventually develop the consistency needed to start and play at a competent level in what will now be his fourth year on the team. These delusions that this 2015 second round pick is anything but a situational backup are disturbing. Sticking with your draft choices just because they’re your draft choices in the face of years of evidence that they simply can’t play is a bad look for this front office at a time when the owner is reportedly losing patience with the franchise’s direction.
 
I can’t imagine a well-run, elite franchise sticking with Phillips year after year with a faith bordering on religious that he’ll finally fulfill what they say is his potential.
 
It is not an exaggeration to say that Ndamukong Suh literally stopped the run over the entire half of whichever side of the offensive line he was on in the face of constant double teams. And the Dolphins still were below average to poor stopping the run in recent years. Without him now and without an adequate replacement, the problem is going to be even more acute. The effect of losing those double teams on the inside is going to hurt Cameron Wake’s sack production as well.
 
Even with the addition of Fitzpatrick, this defense took a step back in the off season.

7. I went through the entire NFL draft with post-selection comments and didn’t hear or read the phrase “alpha male” once. Let’s hope we’ve heard the end of it.
 
Every team in nearly all competitive sports is, to some extent, a reflection of its head coach. It’s no coincidence that the Dolphins players pointed the thumb and held themselves accountable when Adam Gase was doing the same during the 2016 season.

It was not at all uncommon to hear Gase say in a post game press conference that he could have called a better play or could have done a better job of putting a player into a better position to succeed. Then Gase stopped doing that in 2017 and its no coincidence that complaints in the locker room about players not being accountable followed. Things like having an offensive line coach snorting coke before team meetings also certainly didn’t help.
 
Gase has to stop calling upon players to be leaders and to start setting an example by being a better leader himself and his coaches have to do the same.

8. Want to have a little fun with a Bills fan in your life? Go up to him and point to #7 overall pick Josh Allen and whisper two words: “Jay Cutler.” Just don’t do it unless you have an extra pair of pants on hand for him to change into.

Coming out of Vanderbilt, Cutler had loads of talent but never was able to win at the college level. The excuse was that he was surrounded by mediocre players. But his penchant for losing followed him to the NFL level anyway and his potential never translated to much in the way of playoff wins.

Allen performed horribly whenever he was faced with a Power 5 conference foe at Wyoming. He might be able to correct flaws which have led to some terrible accuracy issues in college. But can you make a winner out of a guy who was a career loser when the heat was on? The Bills have bet big on it.

9. Overall this looked to me like a pretty poor draft in terms of talent and I certainly wasn’t alone in that assessment. But what counts more than my opinion or anyone else’s is what the NFL evaluators think.

In this regard, the reaction of the Patriots to this draft was interesting. The Patriots had such a hard time finding players that provided adequate value in this draft that they made eight draft weekend trades. If their reaction is any indication, this could be one of the worst drafts in modern NFL history.

10. I find that I often see eye-to-eye with Dave Hyde at the Sun-Sentinel and his reaction to this offseason is no exception. When I look at the talent that the Dolphins have lost in the offseason, I am fascinated. Head coach Adam Gase has gone all in with the notion that if he gets guys who will do it right, he can win games with Xs and Os. He has sacrificed a great deal of talent to test the theory.

The notion that you can win a game with brains over brawn and with hard work instead of a more talented roster is so extremely appealing to the average sports fan. Doing it with guys who just do their job and work as a team is what it's supposed to be about. There’s a huge part of me that really wants this to be true.

But there’s also this huge part of me that is really wary. Everything in the NFL is dependent upon execution and there’s no doubt that knowing where you need to be and making getting to that spot your highest priority is a big part of it. But if your opponent is more talented than you, don’t they have a better chance of being capable of executing their part of the plan than you do?

Can good coaching overcome a talent deficit? Yes. To an extent. Do the Dolphins have enough of that kind of coaching? Buckle up because we’re about to find out.

This story was written by Tom Shannon. Follow him on Twitter: @bearingthenews

Kalen Ballage is more than a freak athlete that plays football. He has the skills to be a good running back in the NFL. He has vision, speed, patience, and runs hard and tough. I didn't get to watch Ballage during the draft process. I did what I constantly preach against. I listened to other people's opinion to form my opinion.

There are some people who said he runs soft. I took this opinion and didn't research for myself. After watching him I came away impressed, but I also came away confused and cautious. I watched him and kept thinking to myself...why is this freak athlete not given the rock more often. 

Yes, his pass protection left me wanting more, but there are running backs with less talent and worse at pass protection that got the ball more than Ballage. You could also use Ballage as a WR instead of leaving him to pass protection. A good offensive coordinator would find ways to get him the ball. I feel Adam Gase will do that.

Here, we see Ballage showing good patience as he runs the ball. He takes the handoff, does a couple of stutter-steps as he waits for a hole to open up instead of just slamming into the pile, and he manages to sneak through for a good chunk of yards.

I love how Ballage finishes his runs. I saw in some reports that Ballage is a soft runner, but I don't see that in his game at all. Watch how he takes the handoff here on 3rd and short and leans forward as he runs to make sure he falls forward when he's taken down. Soft runners do not consistently run with forward lean. 

I love how Ballage has a second gear through the hole, you can see him accelerate a bit more after getting through; if he manages to get into the clear, he runs a 4.46 40-time, which is a good deal faster than Jay Ajayi's 4.57.

Speaking of Jay Ajayi, we all loved how easily he always seemed to be able to break tackles. Well check out Ballage on this play as he sheds two would-be tacklers and manages to regain his balance as he runs into the endzone for a touchdown.

Looks familiar, no?

So what happens if there's no hole to run through at first? Well, Ballage demonstrates great patience, vision, and acceleration on this play. His initial hole gets swallowed up, but he sees an outside hole open up. He bounces outside and accelerates to the endzone for a touchdown. 

Ballage recently stated that former Miami Dolphins RB Ronnie Brown was one of his favorite players growing up. Appropriate, since in this play he's running the wildcat. Here he shows off his patience as he waits for the hole to open and then bursts through for a touchdown. 

Here we see Ballage in the wildcat formation again. Going back to the presumption that he's a "soft" running back, soft running backs do not move piles. Look at him drive his legs and push for extra yards. 

Remember a few plays ago when I mentioned that Ballage is faster than Ajayi? Here's a play that puts that 4.46 speed on full display, as he follows his blockers and outruns the whole defense to the endzone. That long speed is something to be excited about.

Ballage is more than just a runner though, here he demonstrates his ability to catch out of the backfield. He runs a simple flat route. But watch how at the end of the play, he again has his pads leaning forward in order to get that extra yard. Ballage is not soft. 

Solid work from Ballage as a pass catcher on this play. He weaves through traffic and immediately turns around to give his quarterback an option to throw a screen pass as the defense goes after him. Then he makes the catch and dives forward. 

Here Ballage shows off some freaky athleticism. He makes a simple catch in the flat and then leaps over a defender attempting to go low on him. As soon as he lands, he's leaning forward to finish the play. Not soft.

There's definitely something in Ballage's game that makes him an intriguing option in the passing game. Watch him go past the defenders on a wheel route. After a flea flicker back to the QB, the ball is thrown his way and Ballage makes the catch deep in coverage. The most impressive thing here is he has to spin around to catch the ball and he makes it look easy. 

Not everything is wonderful with Ballage though, there are times where his pass protection is uninspiring. You have to break off what you were planning on doing and block the defender if the situation arises, but instead Ballage just runs his intended route instead of breaking off to address the pressure.

I don't know what Ballage was doing on this play. He even jumps out of the way of the defender instead of blocking the pass rusher.

So to recap, Ballage has everything you'd want in an offensive weapon, but he does have some kinks to work out - especially in his blocking skills. However, with the added emphasis on speed and athleticism, as well as head coach Adam Gase's intention to be able to swap out RBs at any given time between Drake and Gore, Ballage will definitely get a good chunk of playing time if he can repeat what he's done on his college film, at the NFL level.

This film review was written by Matthew Knowles. Follow him on Twitter: @M_PorterKnowles

One of the more memorable plays of the otherwise forgettable 2017 season for Miami Dolphins fans came on December 17, when Ndamukong Suh and Cameron Wake met in the New York Jets backfield and destroyed quarterback Bryce Petty. The team seems to be making amends now, as the Dolphins have claimed Petty off of waivers as Spring training camp drills approach.

Petty was released by the Jets on Thursday this week, and the Dolphins wasted no time adding him to the roster. He is a former fourth round pick for the Jets, and in three seasons has thrown for 1,353 yards, four touchdowns, and ten interceptions. He has a career passer rating of 57.7. Yep, that’s not pretty, folks. In fact, along with Brock Osweiler, the Dolphins now have quarterbacks with two of the worst ten passer ratings from last season. Good times.

Petty will compete with current backups Osweiler and David Fales.

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

The Miami Dolphins left one need unfilled in the 2018 NFL draft, and that need has now been addressed.

The Dolphins traded a conditional 2019 seventh-round draft pick to the Detroit Lions for defensive tackle Akeem Spence. Spence had been asked to take a pay cut from the Lions as the team attempted to save approximately $500,000 against the cap, taking Spence’s salary below $3 million for the upcoming season. That move coincides with the available cap space for the Dolphins, who are hard-pressed for funds after making several off-season moves to rectify a few bloated contracts.

The 26-year old Spence, who weighs in at 6-foot-1 and 307 pounds, was a fourth-round pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2013 NFL draft. He signed with Detroit in 2017, and had career highs, including 11 starts, 39 tackles, three sacks and a forced fumble. Spence replaced an injured Haloti Ngata in Week 5, and started the rest of the season. 

ProFootballFocus ranks Spence as the 51st best DT out of 79 qualifying players.

The Dolphins had a Detroit connection that likely played a role in the acquisition, as defensive line coach Kris Kocurek, coached as the defensive line coach for the Lions from 2009-2017, which of course includes last season while Spence was there.

This is the third defensive tackle the Dolphins have taken from the Lions in the past several season, the first two being veteran C.J. Mosley, who played one season for Miami in 2015, and All-Pro Ndamukong Suh, who was released as a cap casualty this past offseason.

Spence will now join a rotation that includes young players Davon Godchaux, Vincent Taylor, Gabe Wright, Jordan Phillips, and veteran DE William Hayes, who has experience inside as a defensive tackle.

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

The Miami Dolphins selected running back Kalen Ballage with their first of two fourth round picks on Saturday, and the 6-foot-2, 228 pound back from Arizona State thinks he should have been picked sooner.

"I'm really excited about the opportunity,” said Ballage. “Watching the draft this whole time ... In my opinion, I don't believe there are 130 guys that are better than me, and definitely not eleven other running backs. It's fuel to the fire and motivation for me, and I'm just excited about the opportunity."

Ballage may have slipped in the draft because many evaluators consider him raw. And while he admits that label is probably accurate, he explains that the team wouldn’t have selected him if they didn’t see a good fit for their offense.

"Absolutely,” he said about the fit. “I don't think they would've picked me if I didn't fit that mold. I think that I have many strengths to my game. I feel like I'm kind of a player that is raw and has a lot of talent and ability. With the right coaching and everything, I'll be able to make a lot happen."

"In college, I had four running back coaches and three different offensive coordinators. For me, I think I'm at the floor of what my talent is right now. I think that I'm a guy that's going to continue to grow and be special in the future."

Ballage joins a running back room that is fairly set with starter Kenyan Drake backed up by newly-signed Frank Gore. But competitions doesn’t scare him.

"I'm competitive in everything I do, no matter what it is, so I'm excited about the opportunity. I think that competition breeds greatness. I feel like being around those guys that have had quite a bit of success, I think it's going to up my game."

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

So you went undrafted in last week’s NFL draft? Miami Dolphins wide receiver Danny Amendola knows a little bit about that and wants to help you out.

Eleven seasons ago, the young kid out of Texas Tech went undrafted in the 2008 NFL draft. He was then signed by the Dallas Cowboys, where his attempt to make the team was chronicled on HBO’s Hard Knocks. He ended up being cut by the Cowboys, but was resigned to the practice squad for the season, never seeing action in a game.

The Philadelphia Eagles signed Amendola in 2009, but again he was cut and signed to the practice squad, but one week later was poached by the then St. Louis Rams, where he spent the next four years making his mark when he wasn’t recovering from a myriad of injuries. He made enough of a mark to then be signed by the New England Patriots just hours after they lost Wes Welker to the Denver Broncos.

Amendola then became known as “Playoff Danny” with the Patriots, serving as a reliable receiver and an integral part of two Super Bowl winning seasons.

But he hasn’t forgotten where he came from, and the struggles that came with it. He penned a letter to The Players Tribune, where he outlined what this year’s crop of undrafted rookies can expect as they pursue their NFL dreams, starting off with, “First off: I get it.”

“I know this situation sucks, and your head is spinning, and you probably feel like just staying in bed for about a week,” he continues. “But forget about that. Trust me when I tell you there’s no time to waste feeling bad right now.

“Maybe you’re still upset about sitting through seven rounds of names that weren’t yours, or maybe you were expecting to be in this position. Either way, you don’t have time to dwell on what you think you deserve because after months of … being stuck in this limbo that is the draft process, suddenly your entire reality has changed.”

Brutal honesty. But in the NFL, life comes fast, and it isn’t easy, says Amendola.

“You’ve been playing this game for most of your life. It’s probably the thing most people know you for, the first topic of conversation brought up by anyone you meet. And now you have no idea how close your career is to ending.”

“But,” says Amendola, “You know what? I was right where you are, 11 years ago. And I’m still playing football. And on that note, I’ll start with the good news for most of you: This definitely doesn’t mean football is over for you. You still have a shot.

“But here’s the bad news: That’s all you have now. One shot. Moving forward, you don’t need to be perfect, but you no longer have the benefit of making the same mistake twice.”

Amendola admits that not testing particularly well at the NFL Combine hurt his chances, and while in camp with the Cowboys, he learned quickly that every day is cut day. Every day he tried to “do something spectacular,” whether it was on the field, in the weight room, or during film study.

Every NFL team has a massive playbook that players need to learn, and it’s not going to be in the same format or ‘language’ that a player is used to from his college playing days. Amendola doesn’t mince words on that front, saying, “You better get conversational out of the gate because not knowing a play is an easy reason to get cut.

“What your job comes down to on a day-to-day basis - and this is true even if you’re an established player in this league - is to not give anyone a reason to think there’s anyone who can fill the team’s needs better than you.”

Amendola then described how on his first day of camp with the Cowboys, he had to line up across from All-Pro safety Roy Williams. Amendola’s job on the play was to block Williams, and it didn’t go well.

“I gave it my best effort, but Roy put me on my ass in fairly short order. Fortunately that didn’t make me look too bad because Roy put pretty much put everybody who tried to block him on their ass. There was nothing I could really do about that, so I leaned hard into the things I was good at. I could play special teams, catch the football and run routes.”

In spite of giving it everything he had, Dallas still cut Amendola. And while he cautions this year’s players that if you want to make playing in the NFL your living, you will get cut at some point, the fact is, you’re not playing for just that team. Every team in the league is constantly looking to upgrade their talent, and general managers and the pro scouting departments for each team talk to each other all the time. If you have something a team needs, they’ll find you.

Amendola describes the downside of being a fringe player in the NFL, noting that he was in a cheap room at an Extended Stay America while in Dallas, and the flashy bling that players dream of in the NFL is as far from their minds as can be when every day could be your last in the league. He describes it as unsettling and unfulfilling, and he spent many nights wondering if he would ever get his shot.

And here’s a nugget of interest:

“Finally, can you listen?” asks Amedola. “Truly listen. If a coach yells at you, are you paying attention to why he’s yelling or do you just shut down because he’s yelling? If your position coach tells the head coach or GM that you aren’t a player who listens or that you keep making the same mistake, you’re done. You are done. And your odds of getting a second chance won’t be great, because word spreads fast in this league.”

The main point Amendola tries to instill in his letter is that players should never give up. As long as there is a chance, give it your all every day. Show up on time every day. Outwork everyone every day. And maybe, just maybe, luck will shine on them as it did for Amendola, when while sitting on the Eagles practice squad, he got a call out of the blue that the Rams wanted him. Not for their practice squad, but for real, to play in a game, that week. Two weeks later, the starting wide receiver broke his ankle, and Amendola was a starter in the NFL.

Amendola ends his letter with the following.

“No matter what, you can never stop believing that your time will come. Unfortunately, I can’t teach you how to do that. That’s something that you need to find inside yourself. But if that fire is there — if this is what you know, beyond any doubt, that you were meant to do — you can a find a way.

“That’s the only reason I’m still here.

“Good luck with whatever comes next, and hopefully I’ll see you soon.”

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