According to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun, the Dolphins have agreed to terms with running back Mike Gillislee, the first of the team’s two fifth round selections. Once the signing is official, Gillislee will join Jelani Jenkins, Dion Sims, Caleb Sturgis and Don Jones as rookie draft picks who have signed with the team.
Dolphins fifth-round running back Mike Gillislee’s deal is worth $2.322 million, including $162,800 bonus
— Aaron Wilson (@RavensInsider) May 17, 2013
Gillislee had an impressive senior year for the Gators in 2012 as he rushed for 1,152 yards and 10 touchdowns. Gillislee joins a young Dolphins running back room that includes Lamar Miller, Daniel Thomas, Jonas Gray, Marcus Thigpen and undrafted rookie free agent Cameron Marshall.…
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It’s an overly obvious one to make now that he’s a Dolphin, but the Dion Jordan-Jason Taylor comparison likely would have happened anyway. After all, Jordan has a similar tall, wiry frame and is incredibly athletic.
Jordan has heard the comparisons, telling NFL Network’s Michelle Beisner this week in Los Angeles that he’s focused on himself at this stage.
“After watching JT play for a while, I can see why they try to (compare) us, maybe because of our body size, the way we’re built.” Jordan said. “For me, I just want to build my own name. It’s good to be compared to somebody of his caliber, who has done a lot for that organization. But I’m Dion, and I’m looking forward to carving out my own path.”
How Jordan will initially be used remains a bit of mystery.…
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The freshness that a regime change injects into a franchise can be difficult to carry over into a second year, but there is still a genuine enthusiasm around the Dolphins facility these days.
A bold offseason has a host of Dolphins players, including Jimmy Wilson, buzzing about what could be in 2013.
The California native never left South Florida this spring, telling The Finsiders in a recent interview that he decided to stick around to start working out.
So what, exactly, are he and his teammates doing this early in the program? Well, the defense has yet to see much of the offense on the practice field — though Wilson says he is excited to go up against Mike Wallace, Brandon Gibson and the rest of the team’s new faces — so right now it’s all about becoming familiar with some of those much-publicized additions.…
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Another year, another influx of local talent makes its way into the NFL. South Florida continues to be one of the nation’s true football hotbeds, consistently churning out future pro prospects.
In last month’s draft, South Florida’s high schools were again well-represented. Of the 17 high schools that had multiple players selected, three are located in the tri-county area, USA Football announced on Tuesday. Miami Norland (Xavier Rhodes, Minnesota; Tourek Williams, San Diego), Miramar (Geno Smith, Jets; Stedman Bailey, St. Louis) and North Miami Beach Senior (Jonathan Cyprien, Jacksonville; Kemal Ishmael, Atlanta) each had two players drafted.
With 27 players selected, no state produced more draftees than Florida and California.
Chandler High School, located in Chandler, Arizona, was the only school that had three former players selected.…
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A new influx of talent is set to enter the NFL this season after last month’s draft. But what would happen if we suspended reality and every single player was eligible to be acquired? Who are the best NFL players heading into 2013?
CBS Sports’ Pete Prisco, the longtime NFL reporter, took a shot at figuring it out , putting together a list of the 100 best players in the NFL heading into 2013 based on film study and talking to coaches and general managers, and three Dolphins — Cameron Wake, Mike Pouncey and Reshad Jones — made the cut.
Wake, who came in at No. 13, was the second-highest ranked player in the AFC East, trailing only Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (No.…
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There are going to be times next year, mostly in passing situations, where the Dolphins will be able to kick Jared Odrick inside and turn up the heat. Kevin Coyle, if he so chooses, is going to be able to cook up some pretty crazy sub-packages to pressure the quarterback.
If it’s all just a game of chess, Dion Jordan is a damn good piece, who, as he adjusts, should be able to be used all over the field.
ESPN’s Matt Williamson, in fact, recently told The Finsiders that the Dolphins’ rookie may create the most mismatches initially by dropping back into coverage, using his extraordinary athleticism to take on an opponent’s premier seam threat.
“He might actually be able to be a Gronkowski and Hernandez killer,” Williamson said.…
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The idea — in practice — is that Mike Wallace will instantly change the Dolphins offense this fall, his speed adding something that has been missing for quite some time.
But the work has already begun, even before the team reconvenes for next week’s OTA, and Ryan Tannehill has been blown away by Wallace’s speed.
“Everything I heard about him coming in has proved to be true – he’s as advertised,” Tannehill told the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson. “He’s the fastest guy I’ve ever thrown to. It’s exciting.”
When the two were recently working through the route tree, Tannehill told Jackson, he asked Wallace to ratchet it back, go at half speed for a little while. Wallace responded that he already was going half speed.…
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The Dolphins, dissatisfied with the amount of big plays generated in 2012, targeted a handful of offensive playmakers this offseason. The subsequent acquisitions of Mike Wallace, Brandon Gibson and Dustin Keller should give the passing game that sought-after jolt.
The unit’s key returnee, Brian Hartline, told “NFL AM” on Monday morning that the Dolphins’ retooled receiving corps is the class of the AFC East.
“Absolutely, I think we are,” Hartline said. “Then you have to add Dustin Keller in there. Lamar Miller’s a great back and then Daniel Thomas is a great back out of the backfield. The whole passing game is an advantage of ours.”
Hartline quickly became Ryan Tannehill’s safety valve during the latter’s rookie season, establishing himself as the team’s go-to receiver.…
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In the midst of an offseason that has included a logo/uniform change, some big-ticket free-agent signings, and a bold draft-day trade, there is one important constant heading into this Dolphins season: continuity at quarterback.
After a steady rookie season, Ryan Tannehill seems poised to eventually grab face-of-the-franchise status. The offseason’s roster overhaul, which, in the process, has produced a younger, more athletic team could help, allowing Tannehill and others to increase their locker-room presence more organically than last year’s oft-mentioned — and as a result, probably over-analyzed — leadership council.
NFL Network’s Jeff Darlington, who recently spent time at the Dolphins’ facility, told The Finsiders the wait for Tannehill to take the leadership reins is already over.
“This is Ryan Tannehill’s team – right now,” Darlington said.…
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As the Dolphins made moves via free agency and the draft to re-work their offense, there was still a missing piece: they needed to find a tackle to play opposite Jonathan Martin.
Though he had the pedigree — a 2010 Pro Bowl selection – Tyson Clabo had not been the hot name in the Dolphins’ offseason tackle search. His size (329 pounds), many observers thought, would not make him an ideal fit in the Dolphins’ zone blocking scheme. But while some waited on a draft-day trade for a tackle that never came, the Dolphins continued to look at the veteran right tackles available, including Clabo, and eventually decided that the former Falcon was a good fit.
What some may have overlooked prior to his signing was that Clabo had, indeed, played in a zone blocking scheme in Denver and early on in Atlanta.…
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