Lots of stuff from Day 2 of Fins camp:
• Miami signed 6-2 cornerback Rashaan Melvin after a Saturday workout, according to agent Mike McCartney.
The Dolphins made room on the roster by cutting tight end Jake Stoneburner.
Originally signed by Tampa Bay as an undrafted free agent out of Northern Illinois in 2013, Melvin has played in 12 NFL games, all over the past two seasons --- four for Baltimore and eight for New England after the Patriots claimed him off waivers last October.
Melvin was briefly on the Dolphins' practice squad in 2014 before the Ravens plucked him.
Melvin has played well at times in the regular season but as a member of the Ravens, he allowed 12 catches for 224 yards against New England in a January 2015 playoff game. But the Patriots claimed him when Baltimore released him last October.
The Dolphins also worked out former Bears cornerback Al-Louis Jean Jr. today.
• Dion Jordan, conditionally reinstated from NFL suspension, was back at Dolphins headquarters on Saturday. But coach Adam Gase said he has no idea when he will be back on the field.
In its announcement Friday, the NFL said Jordan may “participate in meetings, conditioning work and similar activities.” But the league said he could not begin practicing or play in preseason games until “arrangements have been confirmed regarding Jordan’s clinical resources in Miami.”
Gase said: “We’re taking everything very slowly. We’re trying to make sure we do everything by the book, exactly the way the league wants us to do it. He’s trying to do a good job of doing exactly what he’s told to do. You talk about step 1 of like 500. It’s going to take some time for us to make sure we do every little thing right for this thing to turn out the right way.”
• Dallas Thomas again lined up with the starters at left guard in the first 11-on-11 team drills, with Billy Turner at right guard.
But rookie first-round pick Laremy Tunsil later got some first- team work at left guard in 11-on-11 drills, and Jermod Bushrod received some first-team snaps at right guard. And during one sequence, Tunsil was with the starters at left guard and Thomas at right guard.
Asked about Tunsil’s progress, Gase said: “Once we get in pads, we’ll figure out more. Right now, we’ve been nothing but jerseys and cleats and helmets.”
• Good to see left tackle Branden Albert mentoring Tunsil.
“He is the future left tackle of this team,” Albert said. “When my time is done, he’s going to step in [and] I’m going to make sure [he’s prepared]. That’s how you leave your legacy.
“You teach a young guy and sit at home retired and see that young guy flourish [and know] I helped him on his way and have the potential to make a lot of money and change the future of his family generation after generation… They learn something from me and can say, ‘Branden Albert was a great mentor.”
Albert said former NFL guard Brian Waters mentored him.
Albert said Tunsil “has the potential to play next to me and Mike [Pouncey]. He’ll learn. He’s going to have his bumps and bruises. But for the most part, he will flourish. It’s a grown man business. He has the physical capabilities to do it. As long as he learns the plays, I think he’s good.”
• As for other starting battles, defensive tackle Earl Mitchell again opened with the starters, ahead of Jordan Phillips.
“Jordan has done a good job; Earl has done a good job,” Gase said. And “you are seeing [Ndamukong] Suh causing havoc on most plays.”
• Isa Abdul Quddus opened with the starters at safety, opposite Reshad Jones, after Michael Thomas got the nod on Friday. But Thomas remained the first team slot corner in the absence of Bobby McCain.
• McCain said he was placed on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list Friday because he cramped up late in the team’s conditioning test on Thursday. He was taken off PUP late Saturday afternoon.
Going on PUP “was precautionary to let me get adjusted,” McCain said. “Now I’m fine and will be back [Sunday].”
• Kenyan Drake, who played with both the fourth team and first team, fumbled on a poor exchange with Matt Moore but also had a nice run. Arian Foster remains on PUP.
The coaching staff likes Jay Ajayi, and it’s clear the Foster signing was more a reflection of the Dolphins believing they need a second back who can be relied on. (Damien Williams is on PUP because he’s out of shape.)
• Byron Maxwell broke up a touchdown pass, intended for Kenny Stills, that was thrown by a non-quarterback (we’re not allowed to fully describe the trick play or say who threw it, per Dolphins policy). “Anytime Maxwell is covering a guy, he’s so long and has great speed to recover,” Gase said.
Safety Reshad Jones also had a nifty breakup on a Ryan Tannehill pass. Cornerback Chidmi Chekwa broke up a pass to Leonte Carroo.
• Chris McCain, who said he’s very happy to be back at defensive end after being moved to linebacker last year, made two notable plays, including what would have been a strip sack of Brandon Doughty, but faces an uphill climb to make the 53. He still has practice squad eligibility.
• Veteran Jason Jones did a good job rushing the passer. That was a smart post-draft signing. And Andre Branch, another solid signing, continues to work with the first team at defensive end, ahead of Cameron Wake.
• Kicker Marshall Koehn, who was less consistent than Andrew Franks during May/June practices, missed from 33 but made his other field goals, including from 46. Franks was perfect on Friday.
• Gase is non-committal about whether he wants to keep a third quarterback on the 53. (Gase did not say this, but it’s clear it will depend largely on how good Brandon Doughty is over the next six weeks.)
“If you want to keep three, you figure out a way to make it happen,” Gase said, then adding that two is a good option, too.
Gase said Doughty “does a great job as far as finding completions. I made the comment to him one time, ‘Well your progressions are usually wrong, but somehow you find a completion.’ He’s like, ‘That’s what I do.’”
• Still cannot understand why the Dolphins cut Brice McCain and his cap friendly contract. I hear that one Dolphins coach was unhappy after watching 2015 tape of McCain, specifically one play in which he missed a tackle. McCain now plays for the Titans. But McCain does fine in the slot, and the Dolphins could have used the depth there.
• With Bob Griese working the team’s three preseason telecasts on CBS-4, former Dolphins great Jason Taylor will replace him in the booth for preseason games, alongside Jimmy Cefalo and Joe Rose on new rights-holder WQAM (560).
• More than two years after being dismissed as the Dolphins’ offensive line coach in the wake of the team’s bullying scandal, Jim Turner is in trouble again.
This time, Turner was suspended by Texas A&M for injecting sexually suggestive slides into a football clinic for women.
Texas A&M suspended Turner, who is the Aggies’ offensive line coach, and special teams coordinator Jeff Banks for two weeks without pay after they included derogatory sexual humor during the Wednesday evening clinic.
Turner and Banks offered coaching tips with several sexually suggestive terms, such as “keep your hips down.” The comments became known on Thursday after a woman, Tonia Dousay, expressed her displeasure on Facebook. It was unclear if she attended the event.
“There is absolutely no place in our program or in our University community for inappropriate conduct or degrading comments towards women, or anyone, regardless of intent,” Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin said Friday. “While I was in attendance at the Chalk Talk event this week, I was engaged in meeting participants, taking photographs and signing autographs and I was unaware of the contents of Jim and Jeff’s presentations until this morning.
“Upon learning of the details, I immediately consulted with Director of Athletics Scott Woodward, and made the decision that both Jim and Jeff will be suspended without pay for two weeks effective immediately and will serve 20 hours of community service. I have addressed the issue with both of them and have their commitment to be better representatives of our program.”
In a statement, Turner and Banks said "we want to sincerely apologize to the passionate Aggie fans and to women everywhere for our failed attempt at humor during this week's Aggie Football Chalk Talk and fundraiser. We clearly understand now that our comments and slides were not appropriate or consistent with the values of our football program or our Department. We must do better, and we will."
The Dolphins fired Turner in February 2014 after NFL-appointed attorney Ted Wells mentioned Turner several times in his report on the Dolphins’ bullying scandal.
Wells said Turner participated in a running joke in which players questioned the sexuality of one of the team’s offensive linemen.
Around Christmas of 2012, Turner gave that player a male blow-up doll, while giving his other offensive linemen a gift bag including inflatable female dolls.
Wells’ report said Jonathan Martin and another Dolphins player were surprised Turner did this, but Turner told Wells he could not remember if he did that.
Turner later filed a lawsuit against Wells and his law firm, alleging defamation. That lawsuit was dismissed by a Miami federal court on Friday.
Twitter: @flasportsbuzz
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