Suh More Receptive To Current Fins' Staff
The Dolphins have defeated winning teams in each of their past two games and are responding to the Adam Gase-led coaching staff more than their group of leaders last season, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald writes.
During his first, “very few people in the building” liked Ndamukong Suh, writes Salguero, who characterizes the standout defensive tackle as not buying into Philbin or Kevin Coyle in leadership positions. This season, Suh’s been living up to his $19MM-AAV price tag, with 3.5 sacks through seven games, rating as Pro Football Focus’ No. 5 interior defender. The Dolphins remain 3-4, though, with a No. 20-ranked defense. They have an uphill battle if they’re going to contend for a playoff spot in Gase’s first season, even if they’ve created some rare momentum.
Here’s more from the AFC, beginning with a team whose momentum the Dolphins stunted.
Dolphins Promote Duarte, Activate Vigil
- After moving Jordan Cameron to IR, the Dolphins are promoting tight end Thomas Duarte from their practice squad, James Walker of ESPN.com tweets. Miami’s also opted to activate linebacker Zach Vigil. A wideout/tight end hybrid at UCLA, Duarte came to the Dolphins as a seventh-round pick. He’s spent the season on the practice squad. Vigil spent the first half of the season on the NFI list. He made 11 tackles as a rookie last season, one in which he played in all 16 Fins games and made two starts.
Dolphins Place Jordan Cameron On IR
After having suffered his fourth concussion in four years, the Dolphins are shutting down tight end Jordan Cameron for the season. According to Armando Salguero of The Miami Herald, the team will be placing the veteran on the injured reserve.
Cameron hasn’t taken the field since late September after having suffered yet another concussion. Reports at the time indicated that the 28-year-old was mulling his NFL future, and the two sides agreed that Cameron wouldn’t take the field until he was 100 percent healthy.
The 28-year-old pass-catcher continues to consider leaving the game, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports.
A recent visit to a specialist indicated that the tight end was recovering, and Cameron even started participating in non-contact physical activities. However, it was evident that he was still months away from being fully healthy.
Cameron had a career year in 2013 with the Browns, when he established career-highs in receptions (80), receiving yards (917), and touchdowns (seven). The tight end hasn’t come close to matching that production over the past two-plus seasons, compiling 67 receptions, 870 yards, and six touchdowns in 29 games. The former fourth-rounder signed a two-year, $15MM deal with the Dolphins prior to the 2015 season, and he reworked his contract this past winter.
With the six-year veteran set to hit free agency following this season, Salguero assumes that his tenure with the Dolphins is finished, and the writer even wonders if Cameron may decide to hang up his cleats. In the short term, MarQueis Gray and Dominique Jones will continue to get snaps at tight end for the Dolphins until Dion Sims returns from his concussion. The team could look to promote tight end Thomas Duarte from the practice squad, though that’s entirely my speculation.
Ravens Claim Chris Lewis-Harris From Bengals
The Ravens have claimed cornerback Chris Lewis-Harris off waivers from the AFC North rival Bengals, reports Jim Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer. In a corresponding move, Baltimore has waived corner Will Davis, per Field Yates of ESPN (Twitter links).
Lewis-Harris, whom the Bengals cut Thursday, will now join his second organization. The fifth-year man originally signed with the Bengals as an undrafted free agent from Chattanooga in 2012. Lewis-Harris, 27, logged 26 appearances with the Bengals, including seven this season. He also racked up his first career interception in a Week 4 win over Miami this year and participated in 31.7 percent of the Bengals’ special teams snaps during the first half of the season.
In addition to the Ravens, the Dolphins also put in a claim on Lewis-Harris, according to Owczarski. Notably, Dolphins defensive coordinator Vance Joseph was previously the Bengals’ defensive backs coach. To Joseph’s chagrin, Lewis-Harris will head to Baltimore, which is banged up in the secondary and facing an important meeting with division-rival Pittsburgh on Sunday.
Reshad Jones Played Through Shoulder Injury For Two Seasons
- Dolphins safety Reshad Jones, who was recently ruled out for the rest of the season with a torn rotator cuff, told Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald that he played with the injury for the past two seasons (Twitter link). The reporter notes that the team discussed surgery with Jones about a year ago, but the player opted against it. The 28-year-old estimated that it would take four months to recover from the surgery.
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Dolphins Work Out Jonas Gray
- The Dolphins worked out players on both sides of the ball. ESPN’s Adam Caplan tweets that the team auditioned running back Jonas Gray and defensive end Martin Ifedi.
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Dolphins Rumors: Haden, Culliver, Branch
Here’s a quick look at the Dolphins as the trade deadline approaches:
- Could the Dolphins make a play for Browns cornerback Joe Haden before the deadline? Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald isn’t so sure that Miami would make that move. So far, Pro Football Focus has Haden ranked as the 29th overall cornerback in the NFL and if Miami views him in the same light, then they won’t want to move the necessary resources to acquire him. Salguero notes that safety, linebacker, and running back are also potential positions of need for the Dolphins, but it’s not clear if they’ll look to the trade market to address those problems either. For more on Haden and other top trade targets, check out our 2016 NFL Trade Deadline Primer.
- Dolphins cornerback Chris Culliver says he’s ready to make his 2016 debut after being sidelined with a knee injury, as Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes. “I feel good; I can play Sunday,” said Culliver, who has been on the PUP list since the start of the season. “If I’m not activated, I’ll be mad. It would be a disappointment. I’m ready to rock.” Culliver’s contract calls for him to earn $156K+ for each game he’s on the 53-man roster, so it would greatly benefit him if he were activated.
- Dolphins defensive end Andre Branch has hired agents Jimmy Sexton and Tory Dandy of CAA Football for representation, according to Rand Getlin (on Twitter). Branch signed a one-year, $2.75MM deal ($2.5MM guaranteed base) with the Dolphins this offseason. He’ll be eligible for free agency after the 2016 season. Branch, a second-round pick in 2012, spent the first four years of his career in Jacksonville, where he amassed 14 sacks in 51 Andre Branch appearances (13 starts). He logged a career-best 10 starts in 13 appearances last season, totaling 24 tackles, four sacks and two forced fumbles. So far this year, he has 17 total tackles and three sacks.
Cowboys Interested In Richardson, Wake?
Could the Cowboys reach into the AFC East to bolster their defensive line? Dallas has shown interest in Dolphins defensive end/linebacker Cameron Wake, according to sources who spoke with SiriusXM NFL Radio (on Twitter). Meanwhile, the Jets have reached out to the Cowboys to gauge their interest in Sheldon Richardson, Todd Archer of ESPN.com tweets. 
As outlined in our 2016 NFL Trade Deadline Primer, the Jets have fielded calls of trade interest in Richardson. However, their asking price might be too high, especially considering Richardson’s behavioral issues in recent years. Interestingly, Archer’s report indicates that it is the Jets who initiated contact with the Cowboys, which could be a sign that they are warming up to the idea of trading the defensive end. Richardson would be a huge acquisition for Dallas, but they would also have to weigh their willingness to give him a long-term deal beyond 2017.
Wake has spent his entire NFL career with the Dolphins and, therefore, has never been to the playoffs. Still, he says that he won’t request a trade. At 3-4, it seems possible that Miami could move the 34-year-old, whether he wants to leave or not. The seven-year veteran made only seven appearances last season due to a torn ACL. So far this year, he has eight tackles and three sacks.
Dolphins Notes: Alonso, Jordan
The Dolphins are hoping to keep linebacker Kiko Alonso for the 2017 season, but are wary that he may receive an “uncomfortably high offer” as a restricted free agent next March, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. Because Alonso spent his entire sophomore season on the NFI list, he won’t be eligible for unrestricted free agency until 2018, and Miami could re-sign him via a RFA tender. A first-round tender will likely cost ~$4MM, but that could be a price the Dolphins are willing to pay. In his first season in Miami, Alonso has started all seven games while posting 34 tackles and two fumble recoveries.
- Dion Jordan told Jackson that his second knee procedure was a result of “trying to too hard to come back too soon,” and also admitted that he isn’t sure when he’ll be back on the field (though Jordan does think he can return during the 2016 season). Jordan, who now sits at 275 pounds, is fully committed to playing defensive end for the Dolphins, and realizes that outside linebacker isn’t an option at his current weight. The 26-year-old is on the non-football injury list at the moment, and Miami hasn’t given any hint that Jordan is still in their plans for this season, or beyond.
Opinion: Dolphins Should Target Karlos Williams
- After Arian Foster‘s surprising retirement, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald suggests the Dolphins should pursue Karlos Williams. The troubled tailback recently hooked on with Pittsburgh’s practice squad and while he has issues, he can be a very effective tailback as evidenced by his 517 yards and seven touchdowns off of 93 carries last year. Miami scheduled a visit with Williams earlier this month but that trip was cancelled once he signed elsewhere.