*** DOLPHINS NEWS ***
Aug 19, 1997: -- 12 Players Cut --
To meet the August 19 deadline for cutting the roster to 60
players, the Dolphins cut 12 players yesterday, trimming the roster to
59 players before Thursday night's preseason finale against the
Redskins.
The twelve players cut were S Charles Anthony, T Jerome
Daniels, DE Larry Jackson, LB Marc Lillibridge, DT Mike Mohring, FB
Ray Nealy, TE Walter Reeves, WR Dimitrious Stanley, DE Oscar Sturgis,
OL Randy Wheeler, FB Robert Wilson and OL Donnie Young.
Of the players cut, only FB Robert Wilson spent any
significant time on the team last year. He has been with the Dolphins
since 1994, when he was acquired by the Dolphins as a free agent and
has been the main backup fullback ever since.
His departure means that former linebacker Dewayne Dotson has
made the team as the principal backup fullback behind Stanley
Pritchett.
The only draftee cut was OL Jerome Daniels, who had been
hobbled with injuries for most of training camp, but had appeared to
be coming on strong towards the end. This cut leaves 10 of 14
draftees still on the roster.
Also in the news, WR Kirby Dar Dar, LB Larry Izzo and WR Yatil
Green were all placed on injured reserve in order to make room on the
roster.
My Comments:
The biggest surprise on the list was Jerome Daniels. After
hearing that he looked good in practice, I thought that the Dolphins
would keep him at least until final cutdown day and then put him on
the practice squad. They may still try and sign him to the practice
squad, but there's a good chance someone else will have picked him up
by then.
Robert Wilson was a little less of a surprise, but still, it's
rare to see a guy like Dewayne Dotson, a converted linebacker, come in
and unseat an established veteran like Wilson, even at a backup
position. I must admit, though, that I was hoping that Dotson would
make the team.
Another rookie who beat out an established veteran was Ed
Perry, who sent Walter Reeves packing. Reeves was signed in the
off-season to be a backup tight end, but Perry has completely
overshadowed Reeves in the competition to play behind Drayton and
there was not enough room on the roster for 4 tight ends.
There are a few surprises in the list of players who were not
cut - safety Earl Little, wide receiver Jasper Strong and quarterback
Damon Huard are still with the team. I expect, though, that these
guys will form the nucleus of the practice squad a week from tomorrow.
If you forced me to guess who will be gone when the team makes
the cut next week to 53, I would guess that the three I've mentioned
above will be cut, along with CB Jerry Wilson, LB OJ Brigance and
either DT Barron Tanner or DE Dunstan Anderson.
Of course, the big question mark is Lamar Thomas. After the
little incident on Friday, in which he got into a public fight with
his girlfriend, he was sent home by JJ and didn't play in the Bucs
game. Personally, I don't really want him on the team, but it looks
like JJ is bending over backwards to give him every chance to
straighten up and fly right.
If Thomas is cut, JJ keeps both Tanner and Anderson.
Of these guys, either Wilson or Strong don't make the practice
squad, but the rest will most likely be signed and play on the Dolphins'
practice squad this year. Of course, if Thomas is cut as one of the
6 players, the rest will make the practice squad.
Related Info:
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Curt Fennell,
curt@phins.com, DOLFAN in New Rochelle (almost)
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