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The Dolphins will be without backup guard Nate Garner for at least the next 8 weeks due to surgery on his left foot. He played in 16 games (8 starts) for the Fins last season. The 25-year old, 6′7″, 325 pound Garner is important to the Dolphins’ offensive line so they hope he will be ready to return in 8 weeks.
UPDATE: (8/31/2010) - The Dolphins have placed Nate Garner on I.R. ending his season.
The Dolphins must really like what they have seen out of 25-year old DE Ikaika Alama-Francis in practice as they have extended his contract through 2011 even though he didn’t play a down for the Fins in 2009. Alama-Francis has played in 19 games (2 starts) in 2007 + 2008 with the Lions in which he had 35 tackles, 1 sack and he defensed 1 pass.
The Dolphins didn’t look too good Saturday night on offense. Chad Henne started the game and he didn’t look too good completing 5 of 11 passes for 19 yards. Tyler Thigpen finished up the game by completing 10 of 19 passes for 145 yards. Ronnie Brown led the way on the ground for the Fins in this game with 20 yards rushing on 5 carries (4.0 ypc). Lex Hilliard pitched in with 19 yards rushing on 8 carries (2.4 ypc) with 1 TD run. He also caught 2 passes for 18 yards (9.0 avg) on Saturday night. WRs Patrick Turner (2 rec, 44 yards) and rookie Marlon Moore out of Fresno (2 rec, 44 yards) led the way for the Fins in the passing game. The Dolphins rushed for only 50 yards (2.4 ypc) and passed for 156 yards on Saturday.
Rookies Rashad Jones (5 tackles) and Austin Splitter (4 tackles) both had solid games for the Fins. Safety Nate Ness also had a good game with 4 tackles and 3 passes defensed. The Dolphins finished up with 139 yards rushing (4.2 ypc) and 170 yards passing on Saturday night.
27-year old RB Patrick Cobbs will likely get his old job back returning kickoffs with Ted Ginn out of town. Cobbs played in 5 games for the Dolphins last season and he returned 16 kickoffs for 361 yards (22.6 avg). He has now played in 38 games in his three years with the Fins and he has returned 29 kickoffs for 594 yards (20.5 avg). Cobbs gets the ball and runs straight up the field like a true RB would. Don’t expect a lot of big returns out of Cobbs but he will be moving forward whenever he is hit.
PROJECTED GRADE FOR DOLPHINS KICKOFF RETURNERS in 2010: C-
Opposing teams knew the Dolphins were going to run the ball but they couldn’t stop them because of their O-Line. LT Jake Long is the anchor of the O-Line. He is good at protecting the back of the QB and he’s also a very solid run blocker. Donald Thomas and Nate Garner will likely duke it out for the starting job at RG and they are both solid players. Center Jake Grove is a tone setter in the middle of the field for the Dolphins as he is a outstanding run blocker. Rookie 3rd round pick John Jerry out of Mississippi will battle veteran Richie Incognito for the starting job at RG. Incognito is a nasty ballplayer and he’s one of my personal favorites. RT will belong to Vernon Carey who is a great athlete for a man his size. He’s good at both run and pass blocking.
PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE DOLPHINS O-LINE in 2010: B+