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Title: Fins' Brown physically ready, but needs time Post by: DolFan619 on August 03, 2008, 02:39:12 am http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/football/miami-dolphins/story/627355.html
Fins' Brown physically ready, but needs time BY SARAH ROTHSCHILD Miami Herald Dolphins running back Ronnie Brown finished Week 1 of training camp unscathed, but he said his comeback from season-ending knee surgery is not complete -- especially from a mental standpoint. The last serious tackling Brown faced came Oct. 21, when he tore his right anterior cruciate ligament against the Patriots. Brown said the pain is gone, although he experienced stiffness earlier this week. The occasional discomfort in his knee is to be expected, but Brown said that regaining the mental side has been more difficult to overcome. ''Physically, I put in all the work, but from a mental aspect it may take some time just to be out here, being a part of practice and taking those licks where you're not thinking about it,'' Brown said after Saturday's scrimmage. ``Being in situations where we do have some contact stuff, going through drills and running the ball where I have that contact, it's going to help me over the next few weeks to get over the mental part of not being hit for a while -- since what, Week 7 [of last season].'' Brown said he sometimes has to focus on proper technique while making certain cuts or blocking because otherwise he starts favoring his left knee. ''I find myself thinking about it, especially when I make certain cuts and it may not feel as comfortable as it did before,'' Brown said. The Dolphins are trying to ease him back into action, though Brown has not been limited in drills and appeared fine during Saturday's scrimmage. Coach Tony Sparano will prior to the team's exhibition opener whether Brown will play against Tampa Bay on Saturday. Sparano said that at some point Brown will ''need'' playing time, perhaps partially to build the third-year player's confidence in his knee. ''When you're coming off an ACL, you're not going to get those answers until you get into a game,'' Sparano said. ``I'm sure Ronnie is anxious, but we're bringing him pretty close in practice and I know he's starting to feel a little better about himself.'' KICKING JOB ON LINE Sparano said past history won't be enough to win the kicking job, after veteran Jay Feely missed two field goals Saturday. Rookie Dan Carpenter was perfect. ''There's competition at the position,'' Sparano said. ``When we're competing every opportunity matters, it really does, whether it's Jay, whether it's the wide receivers.'' Sparano said he was not concerned by Feely's afternoon but added: ``How we evaluate the kickers and quarterbacks is not different.'' Translation: All three quarterbacks are getting a chance to win the starting job and that will be the case with Feely and Carpenter. A GOOD EFFORT Sparano said he is pleased with linebacker Junior Glymph's performance. Glymph looked solid in the scrimmage, pressuring quarterback John Beck several times. The Dolphins signed Glymph as a free agent in January. He was in Cowboys' training camp last year with Sparano, before being cut, but again is making a positive impression. ''He's familiar with the system, I think that is able to help him a little bit,'' Sparano said. ``Junior's got a pretty good motor. I know that this guy is a pretty driven guy, pretty hungry to make a team so it's nice to see.'' PLAYERS RELEASED The Dolphins waived injured tight end Aaron Halterman and rookie tackle Rueben Riley on Saturday. Halterman had been sidelined by his back and Riley with blister on his feet. Rookie wide receiver John Dunlap, an undrafted free agent out of N.C. State, was excused Saturday for personal reasons. |