Will Allen not happy to be on IR - understandably

Will Allen is on injured reserve. And he's not very happy about it.

Allen, out on injured reserve for the second consecutive season, has told multiple sources how unhappy and displeased he is with the fact the Dolphins decided to effectively shut him down for the 2010 season and not hold a roster spot open for him until he could return to full health.

That timetable for Allen returning to full health was initially reported as the first game of the season but the truth is Allen isn't ready now. Multiple sources are saying he would more likely be ready to contribute in the Miami secondary by the start of October or the Oct. 4 game against New England.

The Dolphins decided against holding a roster spot open for Allen, privately telling The Herald's Jeff Darlington there were too many uncertainties with that timetable. Publicly, the club has shown no desire to explain its thinking on placing Allen on injured reserve.

"I'm not going to get into the specific reasons why we did any of these things," Coach Tony Sparano said this week when asked the reason for Allen being shelved. "But it's something that had to be done right now."

Allen disagrees, according to those close to him. In the days following his Aug. 11 arthroscopic surgery, Allen felt like he had turned the corner on the injury that forced him to miss all of the 2009 season. Yes, he had passed his physical and was practicing at the start of training camp, but he didn't feel quite right.

He felt right following the latest surgery and all he wanted, I am told, was a couple of weeks to prove that on the field.

He will not get that chance.

So why is this even a topic?

Well, the Dolphins have had issues in the secondary, and particularly at cornerback, this preseason. Sean Smith struggled. Jason Allen, often dismissed as only a special teams player after being selected in the 2006 first round, showed more promise than in the past.

And although Jason Allen wasn't stellar, himself giving up scoring plays in the preseason, he displaced Smith as the starter for the regular-season opener at Buffalo on Sunday. Sparano confirmed that Monday.

"The decision hasn't been made all the way," Allen said Monday. "But I'm preparing like I'm the starter. That's how I always prepare and this week is no different."

There is nothing here that suggests benching Smith for Allen is the wrong decision. That is a coaching decision and Sparano and his staff know better than anyone, certainly better than me, which players they have confidence in starting.

But the question that lingers is why the rush to discard Will Allen? Sure, there is uncertainty about his return to health. But tell me what is guaranteed in today's NFL, anyway?

Why not hold the roster spot open for a week or two just in case the Allen prognosis turns from a question mark to an exclamation point? And if that question mark lingers, then the Dolphins could put Allen in IR and move on.

The Dolphins, silent on the matter, might argue that roster spots are precious and they cannot hold any spot open for Allen. Really?

So the waiver wire additions of Joe Reitz, Robert Rose, Jermey Parnell and Clifton Geathers were all that important? Do these unproven, untested guys come with no uncertainty?

Are they all more likely to contribute to the Dolphins this season than Will Allen would once he got fully healthy?

And, yes, I know it is uncertain Allen would reach 100 percent health regardless of what sources are saying. But one must admit it is uncertain the young untested guys taking up the roster spots will ever help the Dolphins in any way, either.

We'll see how it works out.

[Broadcast note: Tune in to Armando and the Amigo Tuesday morning 6-10 a.m., as our guests will include former Bills WR Steve Tasker, who is broadcasting Sunday's game, Mike Florio of profootballtalk.com, Dolphins Pro Bowl safety Yeremiah Bell, former Mets GM Steve Phillips, and Jacksonville State head coach Jack Crowe, fresh off his team's upset of Ole' Miss. If you're not in South Florida, listen live here.]

Comments

[redsky]

aloco, there are so many funny stories, and this website cuts me off! We need to get a bunch of us south fl. fans together...pick a game and place! we'll get together and have a blast! heck, we can make it the buffalo game if you want. no wives! girlfriends are ok, unless they are from buffalo!

[R & R EXPRESS]

I said Trent Edwards will spend the day on his back like a two dollar ho.
Make that a nasty one dollar crack ho.

[pistol]

I can't believe the season starts in less than a week. The only thing left to decide is if I will drink Heineken or St Pauli Girl or just go straight to the Johny Walker.

[pistol]

Boise St/VT going down to the wire.

[odinseye]

R&R,

I thought one and two dollar ho's only spent time on their knee's?

Dilward a cheap ho!

[redsky]

aloco, BTW, funny to me, might not be humorous to all.....FYI I've been married thrice, 34 years as a cop, 11 of them as a Homicide Lieutenant

[cowkilla]

You dont need liquor if you have kratomherbs.com on your side people, i speak from personal knowledge

[odinseye]

Pistol,

C'mon man, it's almost game time. You should've already had this worked out.

Priorities man. It's important. I compare it to choosing my starting QB.

If I were you, I'd go with Johnny Red at least to halftime.

[redsky]

aloco, full post went on dol-fan site if you want to read it....it's frustrating to get partial comments on this one.

[pistol]

I'm ready odin. I have them all in house. The red sounds good but there's no stopping at halftime.

[odinseye]

The more Edwards and his truly offensive line tries to pass the more bad things start to happen.

If we shut down their run game and contain Spiller, the rest should be a cake walk.

[koamisi]

glad to see ANAYA on the practicw squad!

[DyingBreed]

Guys I figured out why Will Aleen was placed on IR.

[DyingBreed]

Allen

[primetime]

why is everybody complaining about Smith. He has the best hand in the secondary. He just didn't really care to play too much in (fake) preseason. He will show up in Regular Season and win his starting job again.

[odinseye]

The red sounds good but there's no stopping at halftime.

Posted by: pistol | September 06, 2010 at 11:36 PM

I've went "all the way" on Johnny Walker Red a few times myself.

[primetime]

I think this is just a strategy to get Jason Allen to play better some encouragement, that's all.

[R & R EXPRESS]

Lee Evans is the only one that really worries me.
That man has been a fins killer in the past.

[pistol]

Take it easy everyone. Fcck the bills.

[DyingBreed]

I know why Allen was placed on IR, would anyone like to know?

[odinseye]

Inquiring minds want to know?

Do tell!

[odinseye]

Hey,

Is this one of those "how do you keep an odin in suspence" jokes?

Funny funny, ha ha!

You got me.

[cowkilla]

I know why, Allen tea-bagged Parcells coffee pot right?

[Marc]

Will Allen drops INT's with the best of 'em...Just sayin'. They likely feel that the nickle corner can work the slot which is where Allen would have likely gone anyway. Either way, you won't hear me crying about it until J Allen and SEAN SMITH get abused badly

[R & R EXPRESS]

Allen stole Ricky's stash.

[odinseye]

What the heII DyingBreed.

What happened to you.

His woman must of came in and caught him with that second window opened to the naughty screen.

I hate it when that happens.

[DyingBreed]

LOL! Im back. I was over in the Dolphins forum reading what those idiots there were threading. There are only maybe 4-5 people there all using multiple id's to make it seem like about 15 different posters are there. LOL

[redsky]

All these great comments will not matter when the games begin! Then it will be about the performance of men, not selected by us whom we will criticize adinfinitim

[DyingBreed]

Anyway Dolphins put W_Allen on ir because they only planned to keep 4 corners. Think about it, they keep Allen then most likely they gotta dump Carroll.

J_Allen's had his best camp as a Dolphin, Smith's had his moments but they aren't ready to cut bait with him. Carroll shows a lot of promise and would have never cleared waivers. W_Allen injured and just hit 30-31yrs old.

On the flip side had not W_Allen been injured J_Allen may have been cut because he wouldnt have gotten the reps to prove he was worth keeping had W_Allen been healthy.

Now with 2 straight season on ir W_Allen's fin career is over. it would mean 2 straight seasons out of pro football. Not good to have that on your resume when you're on the plus side of 30yrs old.

Allen's career maybe over period. Those are just the nfl breaks. The fo has moved on. Thanks for the memories W_Allen.

[DyingBreed]

Actually kept 5 corners counting nickelback Sapp. Noway was the fo cutting Carroll because he would never clear waivers to land on the PS. Carroll shows too much upside.

[DyingBreed]

What if they cut Carroll, he doesnt clear waivers and then when W_Allen did return he had another regression with the knee. Then we loose 2 players instead of one.

The fo made the right decision so ev1 needs to stop complaining. Allen was good at corner but nothing special. The guys we have now have the upside to do that much, lol. Wills on the plus side of 30, there's no upside left.

[DyingBreed]

Thats all folks thanks for your eyes and ears.

[DyingBreed]

Oh yesh, what if Allen did comeback and play well this season. He has maybe 2 more seasons max to play at a legit starter level. By that time Nolan Carroll could be on some else's roster in his 3rd season possibly being considered for his first pro bowl while W_Allen's giving his Dolphins retirement speech, lol.

[redsky]

I apologize! I meant to say, all of these great comments will not matter when the games begin! Then it will be about the performance of men, not selected by us, in a contest, not designed by us.....whose performance we shall criticize ad infinitum!

[mrmikejohnson]

With Will Allen, JT, Goodman, and Porter gone, this team might officially be worse than the team the Trifecta inherited. They're younger, but worse.

[DyingBreed]

With Will Allen, JT, Goodman, and Porter gone, this team might officially be worse than the team the Trifecta inherited. They're younger, but worse.

Posted by: mrmikejohnson | September 07, 2010 at 12:59 AM

Dont forget all of those players you named hadnt seen a playoff game until the current management arrived. LOL.

[redsky]

mrmike'sjohnson

[redsky]

mrmike'sjohnson

[redsky]

mrmike'sjohnson

[DyingBreed]

Does this squad look like a legitimate SB team? No but close. Can they get there if the right sequence of events occured? Absolutely!

At the beginning of last season I would have answered no and highly doubtful to both questions.

[Tracy474]

Ok, I've looked at the Bills. They're kinda small on the O-line and their D-front seven. We should be able to maul them. That is if the coaches take the gloves off and show what they've got planned for the season. I mean, they've been game planning for the Bills for over a month now, right? Time to take it out for a spin! If that happens, then it'll be Miami 33 Buffalo 17.
If not, oh well! I've been a fan since I was a kid back in 1966 (anyone else remember Coach George Wilson? Didn't think so). So, I can live with the Fins not being very good. I've done it before. Still rooted for them anywho!
FEED THE WOLF! (Even if it's Fruit Loops! Lol.)

[redsky]

dyingbreed, go to sleep and tell mrmike'sjohnson to get my comment on the dol-fan site

[FB]

Guys,
I just got back from the best game ever! Virginia Tech-Boise State. What a game. It went down to the wire.
These Hokie fans are unreal. I wish our UM fans were like that. Kinda sucks.
Anyway, I think I'll be here till the 17th so I'll have to catch the Buffalo game at a bar in VA.

[redsky]

tracy474

[DyingBreed]

We have the pieces for a SB team on offense. The x factor is how well will the youngsters play on defense. If the answer is positive we have a SB contender for years to come. The greatest x factor on offense is how Henne perform's in yr 2 as a starter.

So stop whining everyone this is the season we find out whether or not we have a future championship contender. As I stated, under the right sequence of events we could possibly steal a SB appearance this season.

Had the Jets played anyone but the Colts they may have been in last yrs SB. Also the right sequence of events occured for them to even enter the playoffs. Or they would have been sitting home watching them themselves.

[redsky]

tracy474

[FB]

Hey, how come no one mentioned that we signed Bobby Carpenter? Another Parcells disciple.

[redsky]

tracy474, i'll try posting on dol-fan site

[DyingBreed]

Tracy474,

I remember back to Bobby Beathard, the best fins GM ever! But before Beathard GM Joe Thomas had a hand in bringing in the likes of Griese, Czonka, Kiick and a few others. Then Beathard finished it off with the likes of Earl Morral, Paul Warfield, Nick Bounticonti and few of the other great.

Really we've been sort of down hill since Beathard left to join the Redskins and built 2 SB champions with Gibbs as coach. Bobby Beathard was the man, too bad we let him go, havent won a SB since.

[DyingBreed]

Carpenter maybe more of a st's and 3rd down passing sit specialist. He was a first rd bust with the c-boys. Nothing really positive to say about him now except obviously the fo see more in him than Anderson. That speaks ill of what they really thought about Charlie. Sorry Charlie!

[DyingBreed]

Boise St Kellen Moore will be a great nfl qb. The kid's still in college and knows looking off the safeties. There're pro qb's that still havent figured this out. Hate to say it but Henne's a culprit at this most times.

[redsky]

dyingbreed

[redsky]

dyingbreed my comments posted on the dal-fans site.

[redsky]

dyingbreed

[DyingBreed]

whats the link?

[DyingBreed]

redsky

[redsky]

dyingbreed, on this site, bottom, 2nd from right. When you 1st open it. says dol-fan.

[Mike]

Well said NYScott. People are crying like little girls. This team is not yet ready for the Super Bowl, but nobody can argue the fact we ARE better then we were before the trifecta came in. Do you forget Cam Cameron, and the idiot in Alabama?

Patience people, we are young and rebuilding the right way. Through the draft. We are getting upset over players that will not be around when we are a force to be reckoned with. Certainly Allen, even if healthy wouldn't be.

If the team deserves critique it is for the wasted picks on Pat White, Merling, and some of the other top 3 round mistakes. Not in the shuffling of the bottom of the roster. Each miss hurts over the long term. Losing Allen may hurt in the short term, but seriously he is on the downside of his career anyway.

[Jose]

Uh oh, I thought the days of seeing Jason Allen get burned were over and done with? Apparently, I was wrong. It's going to be a long season.

[koamisi]

only move that does not make sense is Wil Allen???