*** DOLPHINS NEWS ***
Sep 02, 1998: -- Practice Squad Filled --
** Dolphins Fill Practice Squad
The Dolphins filled the practice squad yesterday by signing 2
more rookies to bring the total up to five. They signed WR Andy
McCullough and DT Antoine Simpson to the practice unit.
Andy McCullough (6'3" 210lbs) was a 7th round draft pick of
the Saints this spring following a college career catching passes from
Peyton Manning at Tennessee. During his 4 years there, he caught 59
passes for 903 yards and 8 touchdowns.
Antoine Simpson was signed as an undrafted rookie free agent
this summer by the Dolphins from the University of Houston. He played
pretty well during training camp but was a victim of the numbers game
on August 25th, when he was cut.
** Harper and Copeland Work Out
WR Alvin Harper, who played on JJ's SuperBowl teams of the
early 90s and WR Horace Copeland, who played for JJ at the University
of Miami both worked out for the Dolphins at the training facility in
Davie, yesterday. However, according to comments made following
their workouts, neither player was offered a contract.
Copeland was impressive playing for Tampa Bay early in his
career, but after missing all of the 1996 season due to a knee injury,
Copeland was not his old self last year. He started 11 games for the
Bucs in 1997, but caught only 33 passes for 431 yards (13.1 ypc) and
1 touchdown. In his first 3 years at Tampa Bay, he averaged 18.8 yard
per catch.
Harper had great years in Dallas, but since leaving the
Cowboys for a free agency contract with the Bucs, he has produced very
little in the NFL and last year with Washington, he caught just 2
passes despite being active in 12 games.
My Comments:
The practice squad signings are more surprising for those who
weren't signed than for those who were. It's surprising to me that
Nathan Strikwerda and Brad Jackson were not brought back to the
practice squad, even though they appear to be still available. I
guess JJ wasn't as high on those guys as I thought he was.
Still, these last 2 signings finish off the roster for 1998
and unless there is some secret blockbuster deal in the works, I think
that the roster is pretty well set for this season.
JJ commented after the workouts of Copeland and Harper that
the team was interested in seeing what kind of shape they were in, in
case the Dolphins have an injury later in the year. He went on to say
that the Dolphins have no plans to sign any other wide receivers at
this time.
Of course, with JJ, "at this time" means right at the second
that he is speaking. He could change his mind 20 minutes later.
Still, it does seem unlikely that the Dolphins will sign any
new players right now unless they are sure they can get someone who
will make a big difference right away. A trade may still be in the
works, but with the first game of the season coming up quickly, it
doesn't make a lot of sense to try and bring someone in and learn the
playbook in 3 days - especially when you want guys like Oronde Gadsden
to get as much work as they can.
I've had a lot of people write and tell me that I was way off
base thinking that Larry Brown would be a good pickup. All I can say
about that is that Brown must have had some ability in him to start
for JJ back in Dallas. I mean, it's not like JJ to keep a guy who
can't play. And Brown started for JJ's SuperBowl teams, not only
Switzers'.
And from what I hear, it's his attitude that has taken a
nosedive, not his ability. Certainly if there's anyone who can
straighten out his attitude, it's JJ. So I still don't think it would
be a bad pickup, but it isn't going to happen.
Related Info:
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Curt Fennell,
curt@phins.com, DOLFAN in New Rochelle (almost)
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