*** DOLPHINS NEWS ***
Aug 30, 1998: -- Final Roster Cuts Announced --
The Dolphins announced their final roster cuts for the 1998
season this afternoon. The 8 cuts that they made reduce their current
roster to 53 players for the 1998 season.
Waived were guard Jim Bundren, tight end Chris Fontenot, wide
receivers Nate Jacquet, Brian Manning and Phil Savoy, running back Ray
Nealy and fullback Jamie Reader. And offensive lineman Anthony Redmon
was released from his contract.
The practice squad will be named tomorrow, August 31st.
These cuts leave the Dolphins with 3 quarterbacks, 3 running
backs, 2 fullbacks, 5 wide receivers, 4 tight ends, 9 offensive
linemen, 5 defensive ends, 4 defensive tackles, 7 linebackers, 5
cornerbacks, 4 safeties, 1 kicker and 1 punter.
In unrelated news, Jerris McPhail was signed by the Detroit
Lions and guard Scott Shaw was signed by the Bengals.
My Comments:
I am very surprised by at least one of these cuts - running back
Ray Nealy. I thought that his performance in the preseason justified
keeping him on the roster. Cutting him reduces the number of running
backs to three, which is one less than I thought JJ would carry this
fall.
Also, only cutting two offensive linemen leaves the team with
one more than they normally carry. It is possible that JJ is still
contemplating a trade with someone.
As to the practice squad, I would guess that Jim Bundren, Chris
Fontenot, Jamie Reader and perhaps Ray Nealy are four players that the
Dolphins might try to sign to the practice squad, although I'm not sure
that Nealy is eligible anymore.
Also, tight end Hendrick Lusk has appeared out of nowhere to
make the regular roster, giving the Dolphins 4 tight ends to start the
season. That is one more than JJ normally carries.
Kirby Dar Dar, OJ Brigance and Bernie Parmalee have used their
special teams expertise to survive on the team this year, but the
biggest survivors of the year are Dwight Hollier and Trace Armstrong,
who are predicted to be released or traded every year and who keep
making the team.
Right now, you have to be pretty happy with the regular roster,
especially when you compare it to the roster last year at the beginning
of the season.
Related Info:
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Curt Fennell,
curt@phins.com, DOLFAN in New Rochelle (almost)
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