2008 cutdown and roster additions

[YoFuggedaboutit]

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/palmbeach/miamidolphins/entries/2008/08/31/armstrongs_dream_ends_in_less.html

Armstrong’s dream ends in less than 24 hours

By Edgar Thompson | Sunday, August 31, 2008, 01:06 PM

Wide receiver Anthony Armstrong, one of the feel-good stories of training camp, has been placed on waivers, said a source familiar with the situation.

Armstrong, a 25-year-old rookie who used to play in the Arena League, was one of six wide receivers to make the Dolphins’ 53-man roster on Saturday, joining Ted Ginn Jr., Derek Hagan, Ernest Wilford, Greg Camarillo and Davone Bess.

Armstrong’s happiness was short-lived as the team replaced him with one of the cast-offs from one of the other 31 teams.

If another team does not pick up Armstrong from waivers, the Dolphins then could add him to their eight-man practice squad.

Armstrong, who played at West Texas A&M, was one of the surprises of training camp, outlasting a three-year NFL veteran (David Kircus) and three fellow rookies (Selwyn Lymon, John Dunlap and Jayson Foster).

Blessed with some of the best speed on the team, the 5-foot-11, 175-pound Armstrong was the Dolphins’ best deep threat along with Ginn, the team’s first-round pick in 2007.

I wonder who he was replaced with.  And will they sign him to the practice squad?

[Philly Fin Fan]

I wonder who he was replaced with. 

Guard Any Alleman, who was cut by the Saints. He was a thrid round pick of theirs in 2007, and didn't play as a rookie.

[Defense54]

London has also had fun by joking with his teammates that the Dolphins "are going to come in and take me."

Why Miami?

"I love Miami," London said. "I love the girls down there. I love everything about Miami."

http://www.nj.com/giants/index.ssf/2008/08/wr_brandon_london_claimed_by_m.html


http://www.nj.com/giants/index.ssf/2008/08/giants_wide_receiver_london_ho.html

[DolFan619]

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/football/pro/dolphins/sfl-dolmoves083108,0,4569452.story

Dolphins add two lineman; waive WR Anthony Armstrong

By Harvey Fialkov
Sun-Sentinel.com

2:30 PM EDT, August 31, 2008

The Dolphins have begun the bolstering of the offensive line depth by claiming two young linemen, according to a source.

The Dolphins have claimed 6-foot-7, 318-pound guard/center Nate Garner and 6-4, 310-pound guard/center Andy Alleman. By doing so, that put the Dolphins at 55 players, or two over the mandated 53-man roster, so they waived AFL standout receiver Anthony Armstrong. One more player needs to be cut today.

Armstrong will most likely be placed on the eight-man practice squad, which the Dolphins are putting together today and are expected to announce at a 2:30 p.m. press conference with General Manager Jeff Ireland.

Alleman was drafted out of Akron by the Saints in the third round last year, while Garner, who played for Arkansas, was taken by the Jets in the seventh round of last year's draft. Neither played in a game last season and both are eligible for the practice squad.

[DolFan619]

http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/sports_football_dolphins/2008/08/dolphins-rost-1.html

Dolphins roster churning underway

The Dolphins have begun filling into the numerous holes on this paper thin roster, adding depth to the bottom portion of the team.

The offensive line was the first unit to receive an influx of waiver wire additions, as the Dolphins claimed linemen Nate Garner and Andy Allenman.

To make room for those two receiver Anthony Armstrong was waived, and another cut is coming. I suspect Lionel Dotson, Paul Soliai, Rob Ninkovich, Ikechuku Ndukwe, Rodrique Wright, Quentin Moses and Joey Thomas are the players most at risk.

This team still needs help at offensive tackle, receiver and nose tackle. It would also be wise to identify a young inside linebacker to invest in.

Once I hear from General Manager Jeff Ireland today I'll be giving you an update.

I'd like to give you a heads up that I'm hosting my first radio show, as a guest, today on 790 AM. I'll be on with the Sports Brothers from 7-9 p.m. on Sunday and would love to hear from The Mob. Give me a call at 888-790-3776. Or you can text your comments and questions to 74965.

Please help make my first radio showing a success....Pretty please.

Deuces.

> Posted by Omar Kelly at 1:22:31 PM

[Bubba]

Been watching London all preseason (he's from my alma mater, Umass).  He did a good job from the Giants camp, I am surprised they cut him (though they are deep at WR).  Hope he continues to impress for the 'fins.

[Sunstroke]

If the new regime's talent evaluators think that London would improve our WR corps, then I am all for it. We definitely need WR help, and we won't be able to draft Michael Crabtree until next April. 

[Bubba]

Some Links about London from training camp.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/01272008/sports/giants/hes_mini_moss_727112.htm

http://www.nypost.com/seven/08012008/sports/giants/a_giant_in_london_122491.htm

Something from Peter King http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/peter_king/08/17/august/2.html

[Sunstroke]

Good links, thanks!

I do think it was an overcrowding issue that got London cut from the Giants, but I think his injured left shoulder (sprained AC joint) keeping him from being out there making catches in preseason games to showcase his skills was the real issue. I hope his shoulder recovers fully and he can make the roster...again, we can use all the receiving help we can get.

[DolFan619]

http://miamiherald.typepad.com/dolphins_in_depth/2008/08/dolphins-add-th.html#comments

Dolphins add three, trim three to finalize roster

The Dolphins have claimed center Andy Alleman from New Orleans, offensive tackle Nate Garner from the Jets and receiver Brandon London from the Giants.

But as they say in baseball, three up and three down. (Yeah, I covered the Marlins Saturday).

So receiver Anthony Armstrong, linebacker Rob Ninkovich and offensive lineman Trey Darilek have been waived.

By the way, the headline above is misleading. To say the Dolphins have "finalized" their roster is to assume they will not continue to try to upgrade the bottom of their roster. Bad assumption. That work will continue well into the season.

The Dolphins have added five players to their practice squad. They are: CB Will Billingsley, WR Jayson Foster, OT Darren Heerspink, RB Lex Hilliard, and TE Matthew Mulligan.

General Manager Jeff Ireland talked to the media today for the first time since the April draft. I will post his entire interview when the transcript is available, so check back later.

[DolFan619]

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/palmbeach/miamidolphins/entries/2008/08/31/fins_extend_ricky_add_three_na.html

Fins extend Ricky, add three, name practice squad

By Edgar Thompson | Sunday, August 31, 2008, 04:00 PM

The day after the Dolphins’ trimmed their roster to 53 players, the team continued to make roster moves.

The team waived wide receiver Anthony Armstrong, offensive lineman Trey Darilek and linebacker Rob Ninkovich, adding center Andy Alleman (from Saints), tackle Nate Garner (from Jets) and wide receiver Brandon London (from Giants).

“There’s a need there,” GM Jeff Ireland said earlier. “We felt like their ability fit what we needed.”

Ireland also confirmed an ESPN report that the team had decided to extend RB Ricky Williams’ contract through 2009 so he didn’t become a free agent after the season.

Williams, 31, enters Week 1 of the regular season No. 1 on the depth chart, ahead of 2007 starter Ronnie Brown.

“He’s done an excellent job in the weight room, in the meeting rooms,” Ireland said “He’s jumped out at us on tape. He’s looked good the pre-season.”

Ireland said the new regime has been impressed with Williams from Day 1 and didn’t hold his checkered past against him.

“It was 0-0 when we got here,” Ireland said. ” He’s done everything he’s asked us to do.”

The Dolphins also announced the team’s practice squad: CB Will Billingsley, WR Jayson Foster, OT Daren Heerspink, TE Matthew Mulligan and RB Lex Hilliard - the only draft pick who didn’t make the 53-man roster.

The team can carry eight players on the practice squad, so if Armstrong clears waivers he could end up back with the Dolphins.

“He’s a player we still have an interest in,” Ireland said of Armstrong.

[Defense54]

No doubt WR was a need we needed to fill. I would feel better with just a little bit of depth now on defense.

[Defense54]

Andy Alleman...........

http://www.nfl.com/players/andyalleman/profile?id=ALL044677

[DolFan619]

Ireland: Beck “had more upside"

By Edgar Thompson | Sunday, August 31, 2008, 05:21 PM

GM Jeff Ireland said John Beck’s play of late helped the team decide to trade Josh McCown on Friday.

Ireland said the powers-that-be believe Beck, the No. 40 pick in the 2007 draft, has more potential than McCown, a six-year veteran with 31 NFL starts.

“We felt like John was still a young player,” Ireland said earlier today, speaking to the South Florida media for the first time since the NFL draft. “He’s done a great job the last week and a half. That’s the player we felt like had more upside and more future to him and more developmental possibilities.”

Ireland said he’s happy with the team’s three quarterbacks - Chad Pennington, Chad Henne and Beck - doesn’t expect the Dolphins to bring in a veteran QB.

“We feel good where Chad Henne and John Beck are,” Ireland said “Chad Henne is obviously someone we feel very good about. He’s our No. 2 right now.”

Ireland also touched on several other topics.

Here’s some of the highlights:

On if there was as much talent on the waiver wire as he would have hoped for: “It’s never as good as you want it to be, it’s never as good as you want it to be. Teams are smart, they are not just going to let go because they have a certain number of receivers. If that is a strength of their team they are going to hold on to the strength of their team.

“As much as you project and try to analyze, the ones that you want to come free never come free. I feel very good about the three players that we were able to get. They fit a need and we all feel very good about where they can go on this team.”

On if the team will continue to be active in adjusting the roster: “We have been here for six or seven months now and it’s never stopped, so I don’t think that it’s going to stop now. That is the one thing that has been constant is change around here.

“I can see ourselves being active, there are several more waves of player availability, and so I would say that we’d be active in just about all of them if the player and the need fit.”

On if anyone exceeded his expectations during training camp: “I think pretty much everybody was about what we thought they would be. I’ll give kudos to Donald Thomas, he came in and really played well. All the rookies exceeded a little bit of my expectations, but I will say that Donald Thomas did a nice job. For the most part they kind of were what they were; I mean they are what they are.”

On his overall impression of the 53-man roster going into Week One: “I feel pretty good about the 53-man roster. As a matter of fact I feel very good about the 53. I think we’ve made some improvements in pretty much every area.”

On if there is a position where he thinks they lack depth and need to shore up: “We got to see these guys play a little bit more before we can go into where we have a weakness right now. We’re not where we want to be, that’s for sure, in a lot of different areas, but to come out and say that this position is weak; I don’t want to get into that.”

On if Ricky Williams is more dedicated now than he has been in the past: “I wasn’t here in the past so I don’t really know how he had a lack of dedication in the past. I know what I read and what circulates in NFL circles. When we sat down coming here, we said that we’re going to give this guy every benefit of the doubt and he’s got to show us that he is dedicated. He’s done everything that we’ve asked him to do.”

On the release of Keith Davis: “We did not know much about Yeremiah Bell when we first got here. We knew he was coming off an Achilles injury, and coming off three seasons where he hadn’t finished the season on the active roster. We knew Renaldo (Hill) was coming off a knee injury and we didn’t have (Chris) Crocker at the time and we knew a little about Jason (Allen) but it hadn’t all been positive at the time when we found out. We learned that those are four players that we felt pretty strongly about as we are going through this process. So Keith really just didn’t fit in the long term plans as some of these other guys did.”

[YoFuggedaboutit]

The Dolphins also announced the team’s practice squad: CB Will Billingsley, WR Jayson Foster, OT Daren Heerspink, TE Matthew Mulligan and RB Lex Hilliard - the only draft pick who didn’t make the 53-man roster.

These five guys are breathing normally again, and I'll be surprised if Armstrong isn't on this list tomorrow.... that is if another team doesn't snatch him up first.

In regards to Alleman, Garner and London, that's some more lineman beef for the rebuilding BBQ, and a slight upgrade at the #5 receiver spot.