The Dolphins are hopeful that John Jerry's knee injury will respond to treatment and not require surgery but as there's a possibility the treatment won't work the team will continue searching for possible starting combinations for the interior line that obviously don't include Jerry.
[Update 1: I'm told, as clarification, there is a possibility Jerry's already had surgery and treatment would be for post-op rehab. My source declined to be specific for fear of retribution from the Dolphins who fine players for speaking about injuries, admonish agents not to speak to the media and otherwise want to keep all injury information out of the public eye. Either way, Jerry is expected to miss 2-4 weeks total.]
Think Josh Samuda as either a guard or center.
Think Mike Pouncey as either a center or guard.
Think Dallas Thomas as a left guard.
Think Richie Incognito as either a left guard or right guard.
It's complicated, folks and today I'll be writing my column for tomorrow's paper on the topic. As for the column in today's paper, that was on Cameron Wake and his continued expected excellence. Today' for example, Wake blew up two plays in the backfield, making experienced right tackle Tyson Clabo look bad on the plays.
As I write in my column, Wake started this training camp by passing his conditioning test. He didn't run his test with other defensive linemen, however. He ran with the defensive backs. Please read the column.
As for today's practice, Armon Binns injured his left knee during one-on-one drills versus defensive backs. He limped over to trainers and eventually spent the rest of the practice watching on the sideline. I'd assume he'll have an MRI but don't think it's a catastrophic injury because he wasn't carted off the field and actually walked off after practice on his own power.
[Update 2: Despite limping off the field, Binns is apparently done for the season. The Herald's Barry Jackson is reporting Binns tore his ACL and MCL. The Dolphins should be looking for more WR help this evening.]
Rishard Matthews, meanwhile, was something of a mystery. He was around for stretching in the Nick Saban Memorial Bubble but then was not present when the team moved practice outdoors. Coach Joe Philbin declined to speak about either Binns or Matthews as is his policy about injured players and players not present at practice.
[Update 3: The Herald's Adam Beasley is reporting Matthews will be out for several weeks, citing an NFL source. Not good for a player that needs repetitions in practice to make the team.]
Kicker Caleb Sturgis (groin), running back Cameron Marshall (hamstring) and defensive back Jamar Taylor (hernia), were all held out of practice.
On the bright side for the Dolphins, today was the first day first-round pick Dion Jordan participated in all the drills. He was in during the team period. He got into the one-on-ones versus offensive linemen. He also worked on special teams, as he's been doing for several days now.
My initial impression?
Jordan is lean and long but I didn't see any explosiveness from him in pass rushing. Obviously it is only one practice. Obviously, it is his first getting physical. So This means practically nothing. But if you want to know what I saw from him today ... not a lot initially. He's got to pick up steam.
As to those one-on-one drills between the OL and DL, allow me to share one full period of padded, helmeted, big man football:
Jonathan Martin vs. Dion Jordan. Win to Martin.
Josh Samuda vs. Randy Starks. Draw.
Mike Pouncey vs. Paul Soliai. Win to Soliai.
Richie Incognito vs. Jared Odrick. Win to Incognito.
Tyson Clabo vs. Cameron Wake. Clabo jumps, so illegal procedure.
Jeff Adams vs. Dion Jordan. Draw.
Dallas Thomas vs. Vaughn Martin. Draw.
Sam Brenner vs. Kheeston Randall. Draw.
Lance Louis vs. Tracy Robertson. Win to Louis.
Nate Garner vs. Koa Misi. Win to Garner.
Will Yeatman vs. Olivier Vernon. Win to Yeatman.
Randy Starks blew up somebody but I missed the number of the Olineman.
Andrew McDonald vs. Tristan Okpalaugo. Win to McDonald.
Martin vs. Emeka Onyenekwu. Win to Martin.
Samuda vs. Starks. Draw.
Brenner vs. Chris Burnette. Win to Burnette.
Incognito vs. Martin. Win to Martin.
Clabo vs. Derrick Shelby. Draw.
Chris Barker vs. Jordan. Win to Barker.
Thomas vs. A.J. Francis. Win to Francis.
Burden vs. Randall. Draw.
Louis vs. Robertson. Win for Louis.
Yeatman vs. Onyenekwu. Win to Onyenekwu.
Brian Thomas vs. Burnette. Win to Brian Thomas.
Brenner vs. Francis. Win to Brenner.
Barker vs. Randall. Draw.
Andrew McDonald vs. Okpalaugo. Draw.
Martin vs. Vernon. Win to Vernon.
Samuda vs. Tracy Robertson. Win to Samuda.
Burden vs. Burnette. Bad snap and win to Burnette.
Pouncey vs. Randall. Win to Pouncey.
Clabo vs. Misi. Win to Clabo.
By the way, today's practice featured the first fracas of training camp. Samuda and Odrick had a little difference of opinion and that resulted in a wrestling match that had the offensive lineman on top of the defensive lineman. When the pair got untangled, Odrick snapped off his helmet and wanted to go back for more but by then the coaches and other players had stepped between him and Samuda. No harm done.
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