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| Tuesday, July 15 Updated: August 19, 12:06 PM ET Dolphins: Training camp report Pro Football Weekly |
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In Pro Football Weekly's third and final installment of training-camp reports, we look at the good (biggest positive), the bad (biggest disappointment) and the ugly (injury update) factors surrounding every team halfway through the 2003 preseason. We also set our sights on a rookie to watch on each team, for whatever the reason. Parts 1 and 2 are below. Aug. 19 Biggest positive: Entering his seventh season, cornerback Sam Madison appears to have regained his peak form. Madison was selected as a Pro Bowl alternate last season, but his play definitely dropped a notch. Head coach Dave Wannstedt says Madison has never looked better than he has in this training camp. Not only has he shown noticeable improvement, he also continues to work his butt off while taking charge of the Dolphins' secondary. Biggest disappointment: Miami's calculated gamble that injury-prone Mark Dixon could handle the all-important offensive left tackle spot was thrown for a loop when Dixon, who has missed 21 games over five seasons, suffered a stress fracture in his right ankle that makes his availability for Miami's regular-season opener very much open to question. Dixon has been replaced in the starting lineup by raw third-round rookie choice Wade Smith, who has struggled in practice drills matched up opposite Dolphins defensive end Jason Taylor. Injury update: In addition to Dixon, cornerback Patrick Surtain (knee), fullback Rob Konrad (finger) and reserve defensive lineman Rob Burnett (knee) are likely to miss at least the rest of the preseason following surgeries. Wide receiver Oronde Gadsden, out with ligament damage in his left ankle since July 31, expects to return to practice the last week of August. Long-snapper Ed Perry and a pair of draft picks -- second-round linebacker Eddie Moore and seventh-round defensive tackle Davern Williams - suffered season-ending injuries. Rookie to watch: Certainly, the undersized Smith will be under the microscope. In his starting debut vs. Jacksonville, he more than held his own vs. Hugh Douglas. Another rookie lineman worth keeping an eye on is undrafted guard Billy Yates, who stepped in and did a quality job when starting left guard Jamie Nails injured his shoulder. Yates has outplayed fellow rookie Taylor Whitley, a third-round pick. Part 2, Aug. 12 Veteran to watch: Cornerback Jamar Fletcher has had two seasons to live up to his billing as a first-round pick, and he hasn't. Now, with Pro Bowl starter Patrick Surtain likely to be sidelined for the rest of the preseason, Fletcher gets his shot to prove the last two disappointing seasons were a fluke. Fletcher has added five pounds of muscle and finally looks comfortable in the physical scheme the Dolphins run. He's had a fantastic camp thus far and must continue. Player on the verge: When wide receiver Derrius Thompson signed with the Dolphins, he believed he'd get a shot at a starting job, which is why he spurned his other major suitor, Philadelphia. Thompson nailed down the No. 2 spot after the first weekend of camp and is looking to gain the respect of those around the league who ignore that he caught 53 passes for 773 yards and four touchdowns last season. Strongest position: The Dolphins' backfield is stacked from top to bottom. Running back Ricky Williams by himself makes this backfield one of the best, but if Williams goes down, the Dolphins feel comfortable with backup Travis Minor, who knows the system and has shown fine ability when given the chance. Battling for the No. 3 spot are Robert Edwards and Leonard Henry, each of whom probably could carry the load in a dire emergency. At fullback, Rob Konrad likely will be backed up by Obafemi Ayanbadejo, who seems in line to beat out Deon Dyer for a roster spot. Weakest position: If the Dolphins had more experience among the backups on the offensive line, the team would be set. But after Seth McKinney and Troy Andrew (who may not even end up on the roster when the regular season rolls around), the Dolphins have no players with NFL game experience. In fact, many of the team's backups are considered closer to project players than guys who can fill in if injuries beset the group. Part 1, July 18 Most significant change: On a team that needed a more vocal, more influential veteran leader, LB Junior Seau provides a 180-degree change. Seau not only should keep the troops in line, but he upgrades the weak-side LB spot and allows for more variety in the form of LB blitzes. Reason for optimism: It wouldn't seem as though a roster could have gotten much better than last year's Miami cast. So the Dolphins kept most of the starting lineup intact, added playmakers in perceived weak areas and improved their depth. Cause for concern: It's not as though the Dolphins needed December to be any tougher, but this season's schedule is downright brutal for Miami. The last four games (at New England, vs. Philadelphia, at Buffalo and vs. N.Y. Jets) won't make it any easier for the team to overcome its annual late-season swoon. Training-camp battle to watch: The battle brewing for the starting strong-side LB spot is intriguing. Incumbent Morlon Greenwood has been disappointing in that he hasn't been instinctive or an impact player. Rookie Eddie Moore is expected to make a big push for this job during camp. Don't be surprised if: With the addition of free agent Charlie Rogers, Miami's kick-return game is far better than it has been in recent seasons.
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Material from Pro Football Weekly.
