Phillip Merling activated from reserve list

It took Phillip Merling a while and there was a detour jog in South Carolina along the way, but the defensive end's 2010 season has officially begun.

Merling was today activated from the reserve non-football injury list by the Dolphins, meaning he is now eligible to begin playing after spending the past five-plus months rehabilitating an Achilles' tendon injury.

The Dolphins made room for Merling on the 53-man roster by waiving quarterback Patrick Ramsey. The Dolphins still have Chad Henne and Tyler Thigpen as quarterbacks on their roster. Tom Brandstater is on the practice squad.

Merling, the 32nd overall pick in the 2008 draft, had hopes of finally meeting the grand potential and expectations the club had for him but he had a pretty bad offseason. First came the domestic battery arrest on his pregnant girlfriend -- an issue that was ultimately dropped because the girlfriend declined to go forward with the matter.

And then there was the injury ... away from the team practice facility ... while simply jogging.

The Merling addition means the Dolphins get a solid contributor (assuming Merling is ready to go full tilt) as a rotation player. Merling in recent years has accounted for 25-35 plays even when he wasn't starting.

The Merling return also lessens the blow of losing rookie starter Jared Odrick for the season.

Comments

[Kris]

1st..peace

[student1776]

Could not have come at a better time. We are decimated with injuries. Glad to see the younger unheralded players like Moore stepping up to make plays. Hopefully Merling can finally live up to his potential - a better thing than looking back as a failure a decade from now complaining about what could have been.

[NextYear]

There is a 98.3% probability we will be mathematically eliminated from the playoffs two Sundays from now.

[ALoco]

TOM BRANDSTATER WILL BE NUMBER 3 QB ON SUNDAY

[cowkilla]

Lets have Merling beat up Giselle Brady to throw Tom off when we play NE

[NextYear]

Will be interesting to see how the team plays when they are out of it. I expect Brandon to throw the ball at a baby in the stands.

[ALoco]

RAMSEY HAS TAKEN W/HIMTHE AUTOGRPH OF CHAD HENNE AND A SIGNED FOOTBALL BY R.BROWN AND B.MARSHALL .

[Borat Sagdiyav]

Agreed, student 1776. Another decent lineman to rotate in and out will only make the defensive line that much better.

Incidentally, for all of the Henne haters, should the Colts give up on Peyton Manning because he has thrown seven interceptions the past two weeks? Just sayin...

[americananarchist]

Keep him away from the cheerleaders...woman beaters like Merling may get off the hook once or twice,but a women beater like Merling will make a serious mistake sooner or later...and he will pay the price...so will the female unless she follows through ,unlike his pregnant, goldigging,spineless girlfriend..when Merling's playing days are over and he is broke like most NFL players ,she'll drop him like an old ,out of style pair of shoes...

[LAPhinsPhan]

NextYear: So we still have a 1.7% chance of going to the playoff then. WooHoo! Fist Pump!

[zonk-39]

Now is the Time to SHOW us Mr.Merling....what ya got??????????????????

[Richard3000]

Now is the Time to SHOW us Mr.Merling....what ya got??????????????????

Posted by: zonk-39 | November 30, 2010 at 07:57 PM

he ain't got &^&%

[Borat Sagdiyav]

Football is great - but there are many single people waiting to be met at www.whythehelldoIinteruptsportsblogswiththiscrap.com.

Just kidding...I hate these kind of posts, though.

[phinaddict]

I was never a big fan of drafting this guy comng out of Clemson, I sat thru that draft and was pissed when Parcells took this guy and passed on Calais Campbell who goes 6´8, 305pds. and runs like the wind, for a guy 6´3 and a very giggly 310 who`s stat report said was lazy about practice and was recuperating from a sports hernia, this pick was a bust and aways will be, were lucky if he`s good for 2 sacks a year, campbell had 7 for Arz. last year and alot of people said that with his play got snubbed in pro bowl voting. Also how does passing on Aaron Hernandez in the 4th. round looking now, I meen we took some kid who supposedly was going to be a cover LB. for us, really a cover backer hmmmm !!!!!!!!!!1

[Jests don't even have atheir own statdium]

NextYear - come back to bed sugar... you are my favorite jests fan.... Bobby Jets

[Kris]

Aloco,

I don't need twitter, you are like Armando's Echo with the news on players....I apperciate it, cause I think twitter is for......

[Kris]

Twitter is beneath me but posting all day on a football blog some how is not....weird

I see myself in a whole new light

[phinaddict]

twitter sucks

[ALoco]

Kris, i hate tweeter ,i just hate it .it makes you not meet or talk to people or meet your friends ............... posting on blog is fun when you want to and when when you want shut it down it's easy .

[Kris]

agree phinaddict....

later Gents

[Kris]

True Aloco.....later man...i'm out for real

[ALoco]

gruden will be the NEXT UM HEAD COACH ,THEY R WORKING THE YEARS AND THE MONEY .

[ALoco]

THE DEAL COULD BE FOR 3 YEARS W/GRUDEN .

[ALoco]

THE UM WILL PAY HIM THE ESPN SALARY FOR NEXT YEAR SINCE HE'S GOING TO LEAVE IT .

[phinaddict]

I think Chucky brings them back and fast, he will trim the baby fat quick but I worry about him when it comes to recruiting, I meen it ain´t the N.F.L. were free agent players come to you or you break down film on prospective draft picks in your office. It requires alot of travel and dealing not just with players but families and alot of things that got to really make it a grind. I have no doubt he coud do it thing is will he want to

[NextYear]

Gruden isn't going to give up a cush, high profile, high paying easy broadcast gig to go slave at the U 24/7 for the next 3 years. Won't be surprised if he stays out of coaching for awhile if not forever.

[ALoco]

next year, ESPN PAYS AE MOST 60 THOUSAND A YEAR .HE'S NOT BARBARA WALTERS ....A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD LOVE TO GET IN ESPN FOR FREE .JUST TO BE ON THE FORNT OF THE CAMERA .

[NextYear]

Where did you get that stat? Make it up? I think it has to be more for MNF. How many SB winning coaches go back to slave through a college grind? 0. Besides, not like he needs the money anyway.

[ALoco]

IN 24-48 HOURS YOU WILL SEE GRUDEN THE NEXT HC FOR THE UM.

[ALoco]

NEXT YEAR..... ESPN IS DISNEY CO FAMOUS FOR BEING CHEAP ON THE MONEY THEY PAY FOR ESP PEOPLE ,GRUDEN WILL APPEAR AT MOST IN 10 FOOTBALL GAMES THIS YEAR .HUNDERED OF EX PLAYERS,COACHES WOULD LOVE TO DO IT FOR FREE .

[NextYear]

Gruden has about 11 years NFL HC experience, a SB ring, an easy high profile job at ESPN. That isn't the profile of someone going back to the daily grind in college sports. You are probably just buying into all the rumors you find on google .

[NextYear]

Speaking of next year, I hope they trade up to get at least a serious RB and TE, pick up a center in later rounds. But, my guess is they will trade down to try to accumulate picks. The pats are STACKED with pics next season. They know what they are doing.

[phinaddict]

Agree with NextYear there is no way he starts that whole process of recruiting and traveling, then Spring practice while having to worry everybody goes to class ect... and we still haven`t gotten to getting ready for games, no way !! He`s using us to put his name in newspappers for N.F.L. owners and V.P.`S to see, he has his ajenda just not with us

[ALoco]

AN ANNOUNCEMENT TOMORROW TO SAY, GRUDEN WILL BE THE NEXT HC FOR THE UM .

ALSO, HIS BROTHER JAY GRUDEN WILL BE THE NEXT OC FOR THE UM .

[Craig M]

Next Year,

Your kidding right? Trade up? We already don't have a second pick. We're not giving up any more picks. If anything we should trade down and get some more picks. TE and RB,agreed. How about C and FS? How about another good ILB? We have more needs than we have picks. We're not giving up any more picks.

[Craig M]

I'm not expecting much from Merling. He's been out all year and missed training camp. He can't possibly be up to speed with the guys who have been there since day one. He's filler right now.....a guy to give some of the other guys a break.

[NextYear]

Craig - don't you think we NEED a seriously good RB and TE? We aren't going to find them in the 5th round. We have lots of needs yes, but how many later rounders turn into impact players? We most likely will trade down, but I'd rather trade up and get two or three players that will give defenses something more to worry about.

[NextYear]

A source close to Jon Gruden said Sunday night that there's a "zero percent chance" that the former Oakland and Tampa Bay head coach winds up at the University of Miami.

Several reports indicated that Gruden and Miami either were close to a deal or a deal already was in place.

The source did not deny that there may be interest in Gruden but said that "there's always going to be interest in Jon" -- adding that Gruden has no intention of coaching there.

[NextYear]

Aloco - i think you are just trying to have fun. If Gruden goes anywhere it will be the NFL. He is still getting pay from his Tampa contract, he is sitting pretty right now.

[Craig M]

Next Year,

Yes, we needed a good TE THIS year. And we BLEW IT by not addressing it in THIS year's draft. But yes, TE and RB are positions we need to address in 2011 off-season whether it be in the draft or free agency.

[ALoco]

NEXT YEAR, THERE'S A MEETING TOMORROW BETWEEN GRUDEN AND HOCUT THE UM MAN TO FINALIZE THE CONTRACT.IT'S A DONE DEAL .

[NextYear]

Craig - they gave up too much for Marshall (50 mil plus two 2nd rounders?? I'd have rather taken dez first instead), even though I think he will be extremely effective for years if we get a serious running threat and tight end. We need some speed SOMEWHERE on the offense. The problem is we really need two backs, a speed guy and a power back, although maybe Kory Sheets will turn out to be the speed guy.

[ALoco]

IT MAKE SENSE FOR GRUDEN TO TAKE THE JOB;

1-ALL IN THE FAMILY ,HIS BROTHER IS THE OC ..SHANHAN STYLE

2-WHO NEEDS THE HELL OF THE NFL AND WATCHING YOUR BACK ALL THE TIME SINCE YOUR BROTHER ISN'T THERE

3- WORD IS THERE'S NO INTEREST IN HIM IN THE NFL.

[NextYear]

Aloco - do you believe in unicorns and fairy tales?

[ALoco]

next year, what did you have for dinner ? i had eggplant pizza and fried rabbit .

[NextYear]

For dinner I went down on my girl and we had shrimp with lemon and herbs with a sauvignon blanc afterwards. Then a chocolate truffle with mint tea.

[ALoco]

oh my god next year ,life is so good to all of us .

as for our dear friend BOBBYDD12,WE WISH HIM WELL COPING WITH THE LOSS OF HIS DAD .WE MISS YOU GREATLY BD12.

[NextYear]

Back to football... I think the team is close, had some bad breaks with injuries this year, happens to all teams, but the D is good and getting better. I admire Ricky and Ronnie, two class acts, but I think all we need now is a scary RB, a top tier tight end, and depth at center. This team could make a serious push next year.

[NextYear]

Aloco do you cook?

[ALoco]

SOMETIMES .

[NextYear]

Cool. It's the fastest way to a womans heart and soul and .....

[cowkilla]

Espn pays gruden 7 million for his contract with them mr aloco. plus hes getting paid by tampa still...the man is set. zero chance he goes to UM, my buddy id good friends woth jay..no college chance at all bro. its the nfl all the way, either announcing or coaching. shoot, he gets 7 mill to talk and not deal with players and winning and all that jazz..he is staying in the booth for now

[Darryl Dunphy]

Nice Words ALoco....

Somebody said we wouldn't get a good running back in the 5th round? Why not. Of all positions running back is the easiest to adjust if you played in a pro style offense. The reason some of these guys struggle is they don't pick up protections. This is one reason I believe we passed on CJ Spiller. He can't block. Ingram is perhaps the most rounded back. But I think he is the wrong guy for what we need. I would like to see an explosive playmaker. Someone that could also return on special teams too. As great as Ingram has been, he is to similar to the backs we already have. 1 late round gem that would certainly be a first or second rounder(he still may if he stays in school) if he played in the FBS. Look up running back Tawain Jones from Eastern Washington. I have had the opportunity to see him play 2 times. This guy is the complete package of speed, egility, toughness, and size. I think he is a junior, but I'm not positive. This guy is insane.

[ALoco]

COWKILL, NO ONE PERSON MAKES 7 MILLION A YEAR EVEN DIANE SWAYER THE ANCHOR OF ABC NEWS ,GO HAVE A NAP .

[michael lash]

Henne starter next yr. resign ronnie for two yr deal. get ricky a one yr extension. first rd a big fast running back.

[NextYear]

Darryl, I think its time to get not only in the win now mode, but in the win RIGHT FURKING NOW mode. This D is coming along, if there is some SERIOUS talent at RB or TE, I say trade up if necessary. I'm not an Ingram fan for this team either, I think he will only be ordinary in the NFL. I think our current receiver corp is just fine and a serious running threat will make them golden.

[Swamy]

who will be the 3rd QB?

[ALoco]

TOM BRANDSTATER 3rd QB

[Swamy]

is he already signed?

[ALoco]

he's signed to the squad right now