Home
THIS SITE
  Sitemap
  About this Page
  Search Here
TEAM NEWS
  Team Info
  News Wire
  Features
  Training Camp
  On Porpoise
GAMES
  Recent Game
  Schedule
  Statistics
PERSONNEL
  Coaches
  Roster
  Transactions
  Depth Chart
  Draft
  Free Agents
  Salaries
FOR THE FANS
  Places To Watch
  Chat Board
  Mailing Lists
  Other Links
HISTORY
  Team History
  News Archive
  Past Games
  Past Transactions
  Past Rosters
 
Dolphins News: Free Agent Update
    News Wire | Roster | Last/Next Game | Schedule | Links  
         
Last Update:
Dolphins News: Free Agent Update
Back Home
Team News

*** DOLPHINS NEWS ***
Mar 06, 1997: -- Free Agent Update --

** Dolphins Talk Numbers with CB Corey Harris

The Dolphins are not making a lot of serious offers in the free agent market, but they have been talking dollars with CB Corey Harris, who has been the starting cornerback for Seattle for the last 2 years. Harris, at 5'11" and 200 lbs is bigger than any of the cornerbacks that the Dolphins have now and has been an effective player for the Seahawks for the past 2 years.

** Other Free Agents Drift Away

Other than Harris, the Dolphins have not been actively pursuing many players this spring and a number of free agents who had been looked on as possible Dolphins' signees have been moving farther away from signing with the team.

First, WR Kevin Williams of the Cowboys has decided to talk to some other teams after receiving offers from the Dolphins and Cowboys. Apparently his agent has convinced him that he could get more money elsewhere.

Also, LB Ron George, who was considered to be the fastest linebacker available in the draft, has probably eliminated the Dolphins from his list of teams that he would consider offers from.

And CB Dave Thomas, whom the Dolphins had in for a visit last week, re-signed with his old team the Jaguars, over the weekend.

** Stubbs, Parmalee and Hollier talk to other teams

Dolphins' free agent Danny Stubbs has been talking to at least 5 other teams and is apparently confident that he can get the $1 million per year that he has been seeking as a salary. His agent has not shown any preference for the Dolphins and he has said that if he gets an offer he wants, he will take it without giving the Dolphins a chance to match it.

Bernie Parmalee has also been shopping himself around, talking to Indianapolis, Chicago and New England. However, his agent has said that he would give the Dolphins a chance to match any offer that Bernie got from another team.

And LB Dwight Hollier has been talking to the Atlanta Falcons, who are concerned over the loss of LB Ron George. Right now, it's not clear how much interest they have in him.

The Dolphins have made an offer to one of their free agents, extending Lamar Thomas a contract offer for a minimum salary. Thomas is still in the process of deciding when he will serve his 8 day jail sentence.

** Off-Season Conditioning Begins

The Dolphins off-season conditioning program officially began on Monday, as JJ and conditioning coach John Gamble began preparations for next season. The program is not "mandatory", but JJ has said that anyone who doesn't participate in the program would not be in his favor this coming year.

The program consists of 3 phases. Phase I began Monday and consists of strength and conditioning workouts on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 8:30 AM to 11:15 AM. Phase II will drop the workouts to 3 days a week and will run from the draft to minicamp in May. Phase III will begin in June, and will prepare players for training camp in July.

My Comments:

First of all, let me apologize for the lack of news over the last week. I had to go to Florida on short notice for my Grandmother's funeral and I've been out of touch. My Grandmother was an amazing woman and I needed to say goodbye to her.

As far as the Dolphins go, they have been talking to a lot of players, but have been making very few serious ovatures to any free agents. This makes the attempt to sign Corey Harris all the more interesting. I don't know much about Harris, but JJ must see something there if the Dolphins are talking money - either that, or he's so worried about the cornerback situation that he'll sign anyone.

I suspect that it's a little bit of both.

Losing any chance to sign Dave Thomas is a little disappointing, but not entirely unexpected as is the loss of interest on the part of Ron George.

The Kevin Williams situation is different. My best guess is that his agent convinced him to hold out for more money, but I think that he's wasting his time. Defensive players are getting big bucks, but has anyone else noticed that there seems to be very few offensive players getting signed? That's possibly because there aren't really that many big name offensive players out there, but I think that Williams is not that hot a property.

I'm a little concerned about the Dolphins' lack of interest in Danny Stubbs. Stubbs is not that great a player, but as of right now, the Dolphins don't have anyone to play the right defensive end if Stubbs leaves. While they could find someone in the draft, that's not exactly a sure thing. I hope that they at least show some interest in Stubbs.

On the other hand, Bernie Parmalee is more expendable because the Dolphins are deep at running back with Abdul-Jabbar, Spikes and McPhail. But I'd hate to lose Bernie because he's such an unselfish team player and a good special-teamer.

Dwight Hollier is, in my mind, a similar player to Stubbs. He's not that great, but who is there to take his place?

Related Info:

PLAYER PROFILES:


[Return to Dolphins News]
Curt Fennell, curt@phins.com, DOLFAN in New England
     
   

Home TOP
Curt Fennell
curt@phins.com
DOLFAN in New England