Cutdown day the list: Not any surprises, really

The Dolphins needed to make 20 moves today to get down the NFL mandated 53-man limit by 6 p.m.

They waived Kevin Hobbs, Rolly Lumbala, Chris McCoy, Nate Ness, Julius Pruitt, Austin Spitler, Donald Thomas, Pat White, Patrick Turner, Erik Walden, Ryan Baker, Ross Weaver, Lionel Dotson, Jonathon Amaya, J.D. Folsom, Andrew Gardner, Andrew Hartline and Ray Fienga.

The Dolphins also terminated the contracts of David Martin and Montavious Stanley.

Twenty names. Twenty moves.

The Dolphins are at the NFL roster limit.

Are you surprised by any of this?

Perhaps the David Martin termination is surprising. His agent, Terry Williams, told me he was surprised by it. But if you look at the depth chart, Martin was running third behind both Anthony Fasano and John Nalbone.

It is likely the Dolphins didn't want to pick up Martin's $755,000 contract which would be guaranteed for the year if he is on the roster the first week. Also, the Dolphins will be looking for TE help. Anthony Becht, cut in Arizona on Friday, is a possibility. He was drafted by Bill Parcells in the first round back with the Jets.

The waiving of Turner and White means the Dolphins blew it with a second-round and third-round pick in 2009.

Miami will go with three quarterbacks -- Chad Henne, Chad Pennington and Tyler Thigpen -- in that order with Pennington being the long-term backup. That means that if Henne is injured and out for the year, Pennington is the player who takes over. What is uncertain is whether the Dolphins will use Thigpen in a package similar to the one they used with Pat White last year. That would mean Thigpen would be active every week while Pennington would be inactive.

That package's name, assuming it exists? WildThig?

Marlon Moore and Roberto Wallace made it as undrafted free agent wide receivers. Amazing! 

Another undrafted free agent -- Micah Johnson, who was picked up after training camp began when the Giants waived him -- has made the team.

Interestingly perhaps only to me, Quentin Moses has made the team for now. He missed nearly two weeks of the preseason nursing an injury but earned a spot anyway.

I say for now on so many of these because the Dolphins are spending tonight looking through the wires for the talent on other teams. So none of the guys that make up roster spot Nos. 53, 52, 51, or 50 should rush out to buy a house.

Comments

[H3at23]

Most shocking: TE D.Martin

Least shocking: QB P.White

[Dexter]

HOW THE HECK DID MOSES MAKE IT?

[Meh]

Most shocking, people being shocked about a TE who missed 2009 and was available in Aug. Nobdoy wanted him, he's done.

[odinseye]

Armando,

I'm surprised. Not by who's on the list, by who's not on the list.

Can you go back and check again please? I didn't see Channing Crowders name on that list anywhere.

[Belchos]

I don't consider Turner "blowing it." They were desperate for receivers at the time, and if Hartline and others hadn't exceeded your expectations Turner would still be on the team with lots of promise. And you would not consider it a blown choice. White? I never did understand that one, but just because I don't understand it doesn't mean it was a mistake under the facts and circumstances known at the time.

[Jimmy Jam]

At the risk of being reptitive: Nalbone over Martin?

I understand Becht but, if brought in, Nalbone should be gone. One 30-yard and one 10-yard catch do not make him worth any more of a sh*t than he was before. Martin is so much better, just has some age on him. Faster, better blocker, better hands.

Why are you so amazed by Moore and Wallace? Because they weren't hand picked? They were obviously better than Turner. Not picking on you, just asking why.

While I cannot understand the Martin deal (unless they are working on a cheaper deal - or a non-guaranteed one) I think they made some uncharacteristic (and good) choices in washing their hands of two draft choices in Turner and White.

[greg z.]

i don't have alot of confidence in jeff irelands ability on selecting of draft picks. he has had some obvious misses that caused fans and experts to scratch their heads.

[octavio de armas]

It don't matter who they keep. We are looking at an 8-8 team at best. Way too young on defense and offense has been strugling all pre-season. It's about time someone holds Dan Henning accountable for this strugling offense. But wait, he is Parcell's buddie so he is untouchable.

[Mike Gentile]

I'm glad they keep Moore and Jackson. They are such exposive recievers.

[greg z.]

3 bad picks from last year early on; pat white, pat turner and sean smith. cant afford to miss on all those in 1 year. all 3 picks were questioned by fans and experts alike. jeffs right there with al davis IMO.

[Chris]

Moses - before hurt- more effective rusher than Walden. Most pundits had Walden making it b/c of STs but he's not really THAT great on STs. Moses doesn't even play STs much where we suk....so he'd better not get comfortable. Reshad Jones was pretty awful in preseason - missed tackles always late in coverage. Should have been cut. But, so was Clemons...so I guess he's the weak back up to a weak FS.

[greg z.]

yup safety position really scares me. we gotta try to poach one cause clemons doesnt have the instincts. nate ness and amaya were better.

[tampafin]

Someone more committed to the spread offense will give White an opportunity.

[Mike Gentile]

Sorry, I need more coffee. I mean Moore and Wallace. It's great to see them make the team. They give me a little feeling of Duper and Clayton in there first year.I think they will make some big plays this year.I also love Brian Hartline.You would of never know he was a rookie reciever last year with all the plays he made.

[Mike Gentile]

When it comes about making bad decisions. How about Dallas trading Crayton. Who does Romo have to throw the ball to? Very weak reciever staff now in big D. Go Dolphins!

[ALoco]

odinesye, you got to admit chris's posts are great to read .

[redsky]

jimmy jam

[redsky]

jimmy jam, my post got cut off again...it was complimentary!

[ALoco]

redsky, you the only bad boy on this blog .

[ALoco]

i miss my dear friend cuban ,when he's not here i feel there's some thing big is missing .

[Tracy474]

Hmm...interesting. Only a couple of surprises, but you can't keep everyone. Hope we find some help on the waiver wires. TE, CB, maybe a FS or speedy WR to go with. BMarsh.
As for the draft busts. Any GM will tell you that if you can average 50 percent or better making your tem (and being on the roster in 3 years) then you did an awsome job!

[Tracy474]

Hmm...interesting. Only a couple of surprises, but you can't keep everyone. Hope we find some help on the waiver wires. TE, CB, maybe a FS or speedy WR to go with. BMarsh.
As for the draft busts. Any GM will tell you that if you can average 50 percent or better making your tem (and being on the roster in 3 years) then you did an awsome job!

[boulderfinfan]

I'm happy for moore, wallace and johnson.

[Phin4Life]

No Teddy Ginn, no Patty White, no Duh'ta Fumblepepper. No Jimmy, No Wanny,No Saban, No Cammy.

Life is good.

[Vinny T]

It's gonna be a long season, fellas. Mediocre preseason, team showed nothing, and today we find out our "expert" talent evaluators whiffed on their 2nd and 3rd round picks last year. Ugh, 6-10 I predict.

[redsky]

aloco, from you, i'll take that as a compliment!

[Rich]

I think letting Pat White go will actually HELP Henne because they wont keep taking Henne out of the game just when he gets into a groove.

[ALoco]

REDSKY, when i say the bad boy it means to me the guy w/thing for the lady,the guy who's fun to be around .not the bad boy jail time thing .

[ALoco]

odinseye, what's you drink of the night tonight in the honor of mr /turner and white ?

[bobbyd12]

Vinny, please go to tennis blog...6-10. Ur ridiculous

[BLACKCEROTE]

To get a big wr.ERNEST WILFORD WAS A BUST so they went after patrick turner...than turner was a bust' than they went after brandon marshall,.i remember hearing the conference call of pat white with the local media when he was drafted ..he was more suprise than anyone..he seem real nervous..2 years later he's gone''all of pat white long runs in college were huge holes .he didn't realy have to make no one miss..ala mike vick..as for patrick turner he lacked desire ..his catches in college were wide open catches ..he never attacked the ball when it was in the air,. when a wr is 6'5 with 4.7 speed he has to be more fiesty.he's a finese wr..go fins4life!

[Jefferson]

Stop jumping all over Ireland, etc. Every draft pick is a gamble. You can draft a guy, give him every opportunity, but if he doesn't step up for whatever reason, it doesn't work out. It's like being a teacher. You can give a student every opporunity to learn, but in the end, the STUDENT has to do the learning. Pat COULD have been a decent NFL quarterback at some level, or a good player if he wanted to switch positions. Had he been a decent WR (and probably could have, but I guess we'll never know) no one would be questioning the pick. In the end, it's what the player does on the practice field and on game day that ultimately matters, not what the GM or others think on draft day.

[ALoco]

ireland is bust .

[Westcoastphinfan]

i agree with the cuts to the 53 player roster. What i do not agree with is that decision that henne be the starting qb. we stand a much better chance of winning with pennington starting at least the first 5 games. henne is still raw and too inexperienced.

[Scalzo]

Awesome moves. Moore and Wallace deserve a sot on this team. I think they will become very solid WR's. All teams wifff at the draft. It's the teams that are quick to realize it and move on that become better. You don't keep terrible players because of where they were drafted.

[redsky]

aloco, that's why i thanked you sir! you hit the nail on the head. no jail time, but the rest is true!

[Scalzo]

No Pat White! Awesome.

[greg z.]

ireland messed up bad in last years draft. he drifted away from parcells philosophy of big strong football players; not projects(white,smith and turner). it will take a long time to make up for these misses. these players were taken way too early in the draft! definite mistakes and mistakes taken early. disturbing for a GM.

[sjay]

keep nate ness

cut sean smith

[Phishman]

Mike Gentile: you DO realize Dallas has Miles Austin, Dez Bryant, Jason Witten, Felix Jones, and an underachieving but still talented Roy Williams, right? Patrick Crayton? Puhhhlease. They'll be fine throwing the ball.

[budtki@aol.com]

two names that i KNOW tony and tuna stewed over, DONALD THOMAS and DAVID MARTIN. these two guys had to be the last on the cut list. either martin's year away from football was truly detrimental or he is injured, and donald thomas must have hit a mental barrier. both of these guys will be picked up by another club tomorrow.

[Marco]

I cant believe they cut Austin Spitler. Is it too much to ask that we have at least one White guy on defense. Damn!

[greg z.]

spitler will be on the practice squad.

[odinseye]

Aloco,

Just having a few beers tonight.

I had a bottle of Jack on hand just in case they cut Crowder.

It would have been a nice party.

[Wil]

"WildThig" you make my heart sing....
(go youtube his KC film)
hands down an amazing piece of work cannot wait to see it unleashed this season
full camp for Tyler and ready to Smack up the AFC EAST!!!!

[odinseye]

Did anybody notice Cameron Wake in the Dallas game?

Neither one of Dallas's tackles could block him one on one. They had to hold and arm hook him the entire game.

I hope this is a sign of things to come.

[bobbyd12]

Lol odinseye, just got ready to post Wake is going to have a monster game vs. Buffalo, he looked great in Dallas game!!

[Jonny]

Sean Smith is awful. That's all.

[bigalfy]

Love the Wallace and Moore moves...Nalbone over MARTIN..???....I cant see it..Donald Thomas is a surprise...is he on the PS.???

I really wanted Amaya...brings the wood every time....

Ok...some of the draft moves have been very poor...I was hopeful of TURNER

[redsky]

aloco, let's not allow odinseye bottle of JD to go stale....I think we should help him demolish that! You?

[odinseye]

Bobby,

A couple of things I've noticed about Wake's pass rushing this pre season.

1. The more he lines up against a tackle, the better he gets. It looks like he learns their tendencies on the fly and figures out how to exploit them. Hopefully a combination of being a regular starter, game planning and film study will get him over the hump this year.

2. Unless the tackle has quick feet and great technique, the have a lot of trouble blocking him.

I also think he's set the edge and played the run real well. The one thing I know about him for sure, he's an all around upgrade over J Peazy every day of the week.

[ALoco]

dustin hoffman did only one movie i like it's (( the graduate )) w/ anne bancroft .

[Ea]

I find it real funny people say get rid of this person and this person, Crowders has been hurt and when he played there is no one better at his position, Pat White and Turner everyone thought they would be gone, im sure spittler will be on the Practice team and Martin is a contract thing, im not a big fan of WR Hartline think we could get better, and Sean Smith reminds me of T Buckly goes for the big play and burns us he needs a veteran to knock some sense into him. Hoping we get a good DB and WR

[ALoco]

bobbyd12, how the faking game going ?

[Westcoastphinfan]

seems like a lot of time was spent erasing last 2 year's GM mistakes: Ginn, White, Turner, Gibril Wilson, etc.
our special teams seemed a little better against Dallas than against Atlanta, but they still have a lng way to go. i am most concerned about Sean Smith and about Chad Henne right now. if somehow those two get their stuff together in the next week, we will be a much improved team over last year.

[Scooby]

odinseye.....good job

[odinseye]

I find it real funny people say get rid of this person and this person, Crowders has been hurt and when he played there is no one better at his position

EA your paragraph needs a little editing. Allow me:

I find it real funny people say Crowders has been hurt and when he played there is no one better at his position

There you go, that's better.

PS: Your Welcome

[superPHIN]

so much for nate ness making the roster....maybe he'll waive thru to the practice squad

[Home]

Odin
Get your dumb drunkenAZZ off my blog

Camarillo and Turner are much better than some flash in the pan crap undrafted rookies

Sparano lost his mind

Bring in CHUCKIE

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