Sports Buzz

Tannehill agrees to terms; receivers emerging; Johnson wants the ball; position switches on defense

Note: I am posting four of my Saturday Dolphins stories here. This one includes Saturday notes from training camp. Please click on the last post for more Saturday notes, including the latest developments on Chad Johnson. Please click on the post before that for my story on Karlos Dansby and Cam Wake changing positions.

SATURDAY DOLPHINS REPORT

Ryan Tannehill has agreed to terms with the Dolphins, a source said. He will sign a four year contract worth $12.6 million, with a team option for a fifth year. The agreement was first reported by ESPN.

The Dolphins made some concessions but Tannehill did not get the offset language fully removed from his deal. That offset language would allow the Dolphins to avoid guaranteeing all of his money if he's cut during the length of the contract. Tannehill did not want to continue missing practice time.

Tannehill had missed the first two days of camp.

### Among Dolphins receivers who lack a large body of work, Roberto Wallace and Julius Pruitt consistently have received the most praise from teammates the past two months.

The Dolphins coaching staff apparently agrees.

With Brian Hartline missing practice because of a calf injury, Pruitt received playing time with the first team Saturday when the Dolphins went to a four-receiver set, along with Chad Johnson, Davone Bess and Legedu Naanee.

“I’m expecting this to be a big year for me,” Pruitt said. “I’ve improved a lot.”

Wallace received some work with the starters during the team’s offseason program, and Pruitt and Wallace appear to be running fifth and sixth among Dolphins’ receivers. It’s difficult to envision Miami keeping more than six, if that many.

But it’s still early, and Clyde Gates and others have a chance.

Of Pruitt and Wallace, coach Joe Philbin said: “You like their body types. They’ve caught the ball very well. You watch them run around the field, they’re the first guys in their drills and they’re hustling.

“I love their attitude. I think they have good skill. I think they run well. I think they have good hands. I think those two guys definitely have a future and I’m excited to see what they’re going to do during training camp.”

Hartline declined to discuss his injury but said he feels “pretty good.” Asked about Hartline’s chances of being a No. 1 receiver, Philbin said: “I can’t tell you right now… if he’s the No. 1 receiver or not.”

THIS AND THAT

David Garrard outplayed Matt Moore for the second consecutive day. Moore had a pass batted down (his third in two days) and made at least seven poorly-thrown passes, including four overthrows. Garrard wasn’t perfect but threw several pinpoint passes.

### Safety Chris Clemons sat out practice with a bruised knee, and Jimmy Wilson replaced him in 11-on-11 drills. Also in the secondary, cornerback Richard Marshall replaced Vontae Davis with the first team for a few reps during those drills, opposite Sean Smith.

### Eric Steinbach, who signed with the Dolphins on Thursday, said he worked out for Baltimore and Miami this past week but the Ravens didn’t offer him a contract because of concerns about last year’s back injury, which required surgery and forced him to miss the season.

“These guys didn’t have a problem with it here, and they figured I’m recovered 100 percent from the surgery, which I have,” he said.

Steinbach again played with the second team at left guard, behind Richie Incognito, and said he has never played an NFL down at right guard, where Artis Hicks continues to run with the first team.

Asked whether he might shift to right guard, Steinbach said, “Not much was said about that. They said… ‘Since you’ve been a left guard throughout your career, start there and we’ll figure it out.’ I have to chip away at some rust…. As long as I’m healthy and getting the system down, I feel confident I’m one of the best five.”

Philbin was Steinbach’s offensive line coach at the University of Iowa and “that’s the reason I’m here,” Steinbach said. “Coach Philbin was such a great offensive line technician. I owe a big part of my NFL success to him.”

Saturday Dolphins report Part 2: Johnson calling for the ball; Dansby, Wake change positions

This is the second of four of my Saturday Dolphins stories that I'm posting here. Please click on our last post for details on the Karlos Dansby and Cam Wake position switches and how they're adjusting.

 

SATURDAY DOLPHINS CAMP REPORT (part 2 of 4) 

CAMP BATTLES

Daniel Thomas remains in the lead in the competition for the No. 2 running back job behind Reggie Bush, with Steve Slaton currently running ahead of Lamar Miller for the No. 3 job. Slaton limped off at the end of Saturday’s practice.

Thomas, Bush and Miller have all had good moments in the first two days of camp. Miller has flashed dynamic skills in the open field throughout the offseason program. Thomas ripped off two long runs Saturday but also dropped a pass.

Asked if he prefers a featured back or running back by committee, coach Joe Philbin said: “I’m not locked into one guy carrying the ball 23 times and the next guy carrying it seven. You want a guy to touch the football X-amount of times because those guys have a higher chance of getting yourself a big play, but I’m not locked into any one formula.”

### Bush reiterated he wants to lead the league in rushing, which seems unlikely. "I think it's very possible," he said.

 

THIS AND THAT

### Philbin said receiver Chad Johnson “has been impressive. He’s very serious. He’s very passionate about what he does. We like his work ethic, the energy, the enthusiasm that he brings.”

### Some defensive highlights from Saturday: There has finally been a Tyrell Johnson sighting. The former Minnesota Vikings safety, who has done little of note since being signed in the spring, made an impressive breakup of a pass from David Garrard to Charles Clay…. Linebacker Jason Trusnik had an interception when Pat Devlin’s pass bounced off the hands of Michael Egnew…. Cornerback Nolan Carroll forced a drop by Legedu Naanee on a pass from Matt Moore…. A reverse to Johnson was stopped by Jared Odrick for a loss.

### The Dolphins say they will start practicing in pads on Sunday, though Philbin added: “We’re going to pick our spots.”

### The Dolphins and the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce will host a 2012 Kickoff Luncheon at 11:30 a.m. Aug. 28 at Jungle Island. The $125 admission includes lunch with a Dolphins player, alum or coach (at least one will be seated at each table) and a lower-level ticket to the Sept. 16 home opener against Oakland.

Philbin will give the keynote address, and the event also includes player question and answer sessions and a silent auction. To purchase a ticket, call 305-577-5451.

 

PLAYS OF THE DAY

Two passes, both involving Garrard. One was a bullet to Julius Pruitt, who made a terrific 25-yard catch against double coverage (Vontae Davis, Tyrone Culver). On another, Garrard showed terrific touch by lofting a pass over Jimmy Wilson and into the hands of Clay.

 

QUOTABLE

Philbin on Chad Johnson: “He certainly wants to let the quarterback know when he’s open. I saw a couple of those today. There was actually one or two where I agreed with him. I’m anxious to see the film. I mentioned one play to David Garrard in particular.”

### FYI: The Dolphins have 13 remaining training camp practices, all open to the public. Ten of the 13 will be held at 8:40 a.m. at the team’s Nova Southeastern University training facility in Davie, including Sunday’s session.

        

           

Dolphins' Wake, Dansby adjust to position switches

For Karlos Dansby, moving to middle linebacker in a 4-3 defense has left him “feeling like a kid in a candy store.”

For Cameron Wake, shifting from a 3-4 outside linebacker to a 4-3 defensive end feels as comfortable as sliding into an old pair of slippers - “it’s like going back to my roots” – because that’s the position he played when he became a pass-rushing menace in the Canadian Football League.   

For the two highest-paid and most accomplished members of the Dolphins’ defense, training camp – which entered day two Saturday - isn’t quite so mundane because of the challenges of switching positions and learning new coordinator Kevin Coyle’s system.

The transition is greater for Dansby than Wake, because Dansby has never played middle linebacker in a 4-3. Wake not only played as a 4-3 end in the CFL, but reminded reporters that he played with his hand on the ground about half the time for the Dolphins last season.

For Dansby, the position switch is “a huge adjustment, a very big difference,” he said Friday. “New techniques, everything is brand new. It feels good to get out there and soak it up.”

Dansby, 30, has been an asset in his two seasons here: 95 tackles, three sacks, two forced fumbles in 2010 and 103 tackles, two sacks, an interception and a forced fumble in 2011. But he hasn’t made quite as many impact plays here as he produced during his best years in Arizona.

He’s eager to see the personal impact of moving from an inside linebacker in a 3-4 to the middle in a 4-3. The biggest difference, he said, will be playing the run.

“It’s being able to read certain keys,” he explained. “You have to see the guards, tackles, running backs. You have to see it all in a 4-3 being in the middle. I’ve got enough height [at 6-4].

“It’s a perfect scheme for me. It gives me the opportunity to be versatile. Play the run fast. Get back in pass coverage.”

Dansby reported overweight to camp after last year’s lockout, but dropped from 270 pounds to 248 by the end of the season and reported Thursday at “247, 248.”

The weight loss improved his mobility, and that will help him in pass coverage; he allowed 35 of 52 passes thrown against him to be completed last season, for an average of 11 yards per reception.

Dansby weighs only six pounds more than the listed playing weight of retired former Dolphins star Zach Thomas, who held down the middle linebacker position for 12 years here, until 2007. But Dansby is five inches taller than Thomas.

“I have watched Zach’s tape and he’s on my to-do list to get in contact with,” Dansby said.

He also has studied tapes of London Fletcher, Jon Beason and Brian Urlacher – “guys that played natural 4-3 middle linebacker. You’ve got to see what they do well and emulate it.”

CBS-4 sportscaster and former Dolphins linebacker Kim Bokamper said Dansby’s position switch should be seamless.

“To me, he’s better suited as a 4-3 linebacker than a 3-4 guy,” Bokamper said. “It gives him the opportunity to make more plays.”

The shift in defenses, to a 4-3 base, means Wake will be playing a natural end spot full-time for the first time since 2008, when he parlayed a 23-sack season with the British Columbia Lions into an opportunity with the Dolphins.

His 22.5 sacks over the past two seasons resulted in a multiyear extension from the Dolphins this past offseason – a deal that will pay him $17 million guaranteed.

“I enjoy putting my hand on the ground,” he said of his new role. “Being able to have that versatility, I’m all for it. I want to be a jack of all trades.”

Though his sacks declined from 14 to 8.5 last season, a deeper analysis reveals this:

### Wake drew 13 holding penalties last season, six more than any other NFL player.

### Pro Football Focus rated him the league’s 16^th best player for 2011, and first among 28 qualifying 3-4 outside linebackers. He also was second against the run, displayed huge growth in an area that was considered a shortcoming when he entered the league.

### His 80.5 combined sacks, hits and hurries were second most among all defensive players for 2011, and his 52 quarterback hurries were the league’s most – eight ahead of second-place DeMarcus Ware.

The difference for Wake in 2011, compared with 2010, is that a far lower percentage of his hurries resulted in sacks.

### Wake went out in pass coverage 53 times last season, something that won’t happen in his new defensive end role.

Wake, 30, said he faced more double teams last season, as teams focused more on stopping him.

In Miami’s new 4-3 base, “you’ve got two big boys in there who can hold their own,” Wake said of tackles Paul Soliai and Randy Starks. “It gives the two guys on the outside [Wake and Jared Odrick] a little more [opportunity] to go get it.”