March 18
Miami Herald
columnist Armando Salguero
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`I'm not running the Father Flanagan boys' home,'' Nick Saban told me years ago when the Dolphins brought a handful of players with arrest records to an otherwise forgettable offseason tryout camp. Saban went on to explain that his intent was to build a good football team, not a happy place where good boys could become great men. Saban was unapologetic and his candor jarring because while most NFL teams often hire troubled players, they don't always make the case that it's OK. Saban wasn't embarrassed to make the case. And the Dolphins still aren't embarrassed. NOTORIOUS PAST Witness the addition of interior offensive lineman Richie Incognito. Even a cursory Internet inspection of ..."
March 18
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
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Adding depth and attitude to an offensive line that struggled through numerous injuries last season, the Miami Dolphins have signed veteran lineman Richie Incognito to a one-year contract. Dropped by the Rams and Bills over the past four months, the controversial Incognito will have a chance to compete for a starting job at right guard with third-year men Donald Thomas and Nate Garner. Incognito, 26, also provides insurance elsewhere as he has started at center and tackle as well over the past four seasons. In all, the former Nebraska standout has made 47 starts since entering the league as a third-round draft pick of the Rams in 2005. NFL.com reported the deal is worth up to $1.35 million ..."
March 17
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
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According to a league source, the Miami Dolphins have signed controversial offensive lineman Richie Incognito to a one-year contract. Terms were not released, but more than likely his base salary will be right around the $1 million Incognito earned last season. According to the Palm Beach Post, the deal includes incentives that could push the total value beyond $1.3 million. The sixth-year man out of Nebraska (by way of Oregon) is expected to be given a chance to compete for the starting job at right guard along with Donald Thomas, Nate Garner and even Canadian Football League import Dmitri Tsoumpas. Like Garner, Incognito has played center and tackle as well in the NFL."
March 15
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
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Richie Incognito, voted by his peers as the NFL's dirtiest player last season, will make a free-agent visit to the Miami Dolphins on Monday, a league source said. The Cincinnati Bengals and Indianapolis Colts also are after the controversial offensive guard, the source said, but he will make his first visit to South Florida in hopes of signing here. Incognito, 26, nearly joined the Dolphins in December, but they lost out on their waiver claim to the Buffalo Bills, who were lower in the standings. Fined nearly six figures for various on-field incidents so far in his brief NFL career, Incognito is a former third-round draft pick of the St. Louis Rams. He has made 47 career NFL starts, ..."
March 14
Miami Herald
columnist Armando Salguero
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Brandon Marshall is a one-man receiving corps, and that's not a metaphor if you ask the Indianapolis Colts because last year, against the NFL's second-best team, Marshall caught 21 passes in one game. One game. The Dolphins wide receiving corps -- all five guys combined -- did not catch 21 passes in any game in 2009. Marshall has caught all variety of passes the past three seasons, from the jumping, one-handed variety against the Giants, to the downfield bombs against the Redskins -- 307 receptions in all. It is an impressive football resume Marshall can carry with him on job interviews, and that's the reason NFL fans in a variety of receiver-starved outposts, including Miami, lust after ..."
March 13
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
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Nat Moore has served the Miami Dolphins in a variety of roles since joining the organization in 1974. Now, the former All-Pro wide receiver is gaining a new title: vice president/senior advisor to team CEO Mike Dee. Moore, 58, will continue to oversee the Dolphins' alumni activities and will work with Dee on a variety of special projects. "Nat personifies the core values and skills that every senior executive should possess," Dee said in a statement. Also Friday, the Dolphins named former Michigan State linebacker Kaleb Thornhill as their new director of player development. Thornhill, 25, is less than three years removed from his playing career but he spent last year in the front office of ..."
March 13
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
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The Miami Dolphins' chance to get Anquan Boldin has come and gone. So, too, are Derrick Mason and Antonio Bryant off the board. T.O.? Brandon Marshall? They ain't coming here. As promised, here's another in a series of guest-blogger offerings, this one sent in by proud Mobster Jahndoh BEFORE Boldin was traded. I still think it's worth discussing here because A) Jahndoh put a ton of research time into this and B) it's looking more and more like Boldin would have been the best the Dolphins could do at WR before the draft. OK, Jahndoh, take it away here on Guest Blogger Friday: "Here's an in depth look at Anquan Boldin and the questions that mobsters raised about him on the "is Anquan worth a ..."
March 12
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
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The Miami Dolphins named Kaleb Thornhill Director of Player Development on Friday. Thornhill will be responsible for assisting players in various roles off the field, including the transition into and out of the NFL, continuing education, financial education and family counseling. "Kaleb was an outstanding student-athlete at Michigan State University, respected by both his coaches and his teammates alike," Dolphins General Manager Jeff Ireland said in a statement. "His leadership and personal attributes there were obvious and he brought those same qualities to the NFL when he joined the Lions. When you combine that with his passion for the game of football and the people who play it, I ..."
March 10
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
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Jason Ferguson is considered the epitome of a Bill Parcells guy. He's played on three of Parcells' teams. He served as a team captain the past two seasons for the Dolphins, easing this regime's transition in the locker room. And the nose tackle has anchored the most critical spot in the 3-4 defense. In Parcells' world, loyalty is important. That's why loyalty is the best way to explain why the Dolphins re-signed Ferguson to an undisclosed deal Monday, overlooking the fact he's facing an eight-game suspension this year for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing substances, and is rehabbing a season-ending quadriceps injury that will likely keep him sidelined this summer. He had ..."
March 9
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
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Ryan Clark probably isn't very popular with Dolphins fans right now. The veteran safety and unrestricted free agent came to town Sunday night on a visit, saying he had every intention of signing as Gibril Wilson's replacement if things went well. And then Monday evening, after Clark went back to his hotel at the end of a long day of physical examination (which he passed) and get-acquainted discussions at the Dolphins facility, he called his agent and told him to make a deal that would keep him with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Family considerations and loyalty to an organization that took him from anonymous grinder to Super Bowl champion were the driving factors in that phone call. Clark, 30, ..."
March 8
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
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The last time Ryan Clark was in South Florida, he was making a diving interception at the goal line to foil a Dolphins' fourth-quarter comeback in the regular-season finale. This visit promises to be more hospitable on both sides. Clark, a ninth-year free safety who won a Super Bowl ring with the 2008 Pittsburgh Steelers, landed in South Florida on Sunday evening and will visit the Dolphins' Davie headquarters Monday, agent Joel Turner said. If all goes well, Clark could join former Arizona linebacker Karlos Dansby as splashy new additions to the Dolphins' overhauled defense. "You're looking for a place where you've got an opportunity to go to an organization that truly gets it, not only ..."
March 7
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
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Karlos Dansby is officially a Miami Dolphin. The highly productive inside linebacker signed a five-year, $43 million contract on Saturday, one day after agreeing in principle to leave the Arizona Cardinals as an unrestricted free agent. Dansby will receive $22 million in guaranteed money after averaging 114.5 tackles the past two seasons. He is expected to continue wearing No. 58 for the Dolphins, where he will replace Akin Ayodele, released Friday after two seasons in South Florida. Meanwhile, the one-year deal to retain quarterback Chad Pennington has not yet been announced but that could come as soon as Sunday. Dansby spent the past two years as an inside linebacker in Arizona's 3-4 ..."
March 6
Miami Herald
columnist Armando Salguero
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Linebacker Karlos Dansby is the thing in Miami now. He is our guy, our free agent headliner, a man as important to us as Julius Peppers is in Chicago this year and Albert Haynesworth was in Washington last year. The Dolphins visited with Dansby on Friday and pitched a diamond-studded, gold-plated contract to his agent. The deal Dansby accepted and is scheduled to sign Saturday is worth $43 million over five years. It is the biggest free agent contract the Dolphins have offered since Bill Parcells became football czar in 2008. And that means Miami plans to make Dansby the first piece to a newly minted defense that could lift the team out of its 7-9 mediocrity. It means Dansby will be the ..."
March 6
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
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Friday wasn't the greatest day in Miami Dolphins franchise history, but it certainly has to rank as one of the busiest. Starting with the news just after midnight that free agent linebacker Karlos Dansby would make his first official visit to South Florida (en route to signing a five-year $43 million deal) and continuing on through the midday news (courtesy of his agent's Twitter account) that starting free safety Gibril Wilson would be released and finally ending (maybe) with the news about 11 hours later that the extremely popular Chad Pennington would be returning to the team after all, the Dolphins were extremely active. Oh, yeah, in between the Dolphins also saw Arizona free safety ..."
March 6
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
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The Dolphins are increasing prices on more than half the seats at Sun Life Stadium next season, but offering significant cost-savings and extras to fans who buy season -- rather than single game -- tickets. The team is raising prices on 56 percent of seats, and freezing prices for 31 percent and reducing 13 percent. Six new categories show an eye to pricing seats in the shade and closer to the 50-yard line higher than those in sunny and endzone locations. Season ticket prices range from $34 a game in the "Phan Zone" on the 400 level of the east end zone -- $31 for fans who renew by March 31 – up to $120 in the Lower Prime South -- 100 level seats on the shady, home side between the 20-yard ..."
March 6
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
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The Dolphins are taking a fiscally responsible, but risky approach to retaining their own free agents on the eve of free agency's start. On Wednesday the Dolphins voided the final year of Ronnie Brown's contract and placed a first-round tender on the team's Pro Bowl tailback. According to league sources, the team's decision makers also tendered starting tight end Anthony Fasano at $1.176 million at his original draft position, enticing any team that wants the two-year starter to make an offer in exchange for a second-round pick. Outside linebacker Quentin Moses was also given a one-year, $1,101 million tender for his original draft pick, which was a third-round selection. Opting out of the ..."
March 6
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
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Karlos Dansby isn't signed, sealed and delivered, but by Saturday morning the former Arizona Cardinals linebacker should be, beginning his relocation to South Florida. A source close to the situation confirmed Dansby has agreed to a five-year, $43 million contract with the Miami Dolphins after an intense day of negotiations. According to the source, the framework of the deal still needs to be hammered out, but it will likely pay the six-year veteran $22 million in guaranteed money. Dansby was hoping to trump the five-year, $40 million deal the Jets gave linebacker Bart Scott last season and got it. Dansby is coming off his second consecutive 100 plus-tackle season. He has spent the past ..."
March 6
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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Karlos Dansby said Friday afternoon that he planned on taking his time and checking out all of his options. Just a few hours later, he's made his decision. The six-year veteran out of Auburn has agreed to a monster five-year deal worth $43 million, according to a tweet from Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. The deal contains a whopping $22 million in guaranteed money. The Miami Dolphins were considered to be the front-runners in the race for Dansby since the free agent market opened early Friday morning. The team made it clear in recent weeks that they were looking for a 3-4 inside linebacker to fit their scheme and improve their defense--and Dansby was the best option on the board. The 6'4", ..."
March 5
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
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The Gibril Wilson Experiment with the Miami Dolphins is over. According to the Twitter account of Wilson's agent, Alvin Keels, the Dolphins "will be releasing" their starting free safety today after just one season in South Florida. This probably shouldn't come as a shocker considering the fact the Dolphins offered a five-year contract in the range of $30 million to $35 million, according to an NFL source, to Arizona free agent Antrel Rolle, a former University of Miami star. Should the Dolphins fall short in their pursuit of Rolle, who is visiting the Giants today, they could turn their attention to Pittsburgh Steelers free agent Ryan Clark. Clark has received initial interest from seven ..."
March 5
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
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Anquan Boldin wants a new team, and a new contract. The Arizona Cardinals are convinced this is the best time to move their disgruntled receiver, and want a high enough draft pick in exchange for the three time Pro Bowler from Pahokee. The Miami Dolphins are convinced they are a play-making, run-after the catch, quarterback-friendly receiver away from having a dynamic offense. Everything fits right? Sounds so considering the NFL Network's Mike Lombardi, who is pretty connected, said on Wednesday he's hearing the asking price for Boldin is NOW a third-round pick. The Cardinals have a deep and talented stable of receivers, so it appears they are finally moving off last year's asking price ..."
March 5
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
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Call it the changing of the linebackers. Joey Porter is on his way out the door, and free agent Karlos Dansby apparently is on his way in. The Dolphins are expected to announce Porter's release Friday, which will save the team $9.5 million over the next two seasons. An NFL source says plenty of that savings will be offered to Dansby. However, on Friday Dansby and his representatives will be in Davie to work out the details of a lucrative, multiyear contract that the Dolphins hope will end the linebacker's brief free agency. The NFL's free agent signing period begins at midnight. Dansby is pursuing a contract that will trump the five-year, $40 million deal the New York Jets gave Bart Scott ..."