*** DOLPHINS NEWS ***
Nov 05, 1998: -- Copeland Waived --
** Horace Copeland and Ray Nealy Released
The Dolphins announced yesterday that they have released wide
receiver Horace Copeland from the regular roster just a month after
they signed him to a 2 year deal on October 1st. Copeland was signed
to help boost a receiving corps that was depleted even more when
Charles Jordan was placed on injured reserve.
However, during his time with the Dolphins, he played in just
2 games and didn't make a catch. He dropped one of the passes thrown
his way and was unable to get open the other time Dan tried to throw
to him.
Copeland was a rookie sensation with Tampa Bay in 1993, but
has steadily declined over the years and after missing the entire 1996
season with a serious knee injury, has not returned to his previous
form.
Ray Nealy was also waived injured off the injured reserve
list. Nealy was originally picked up as an undrafted rookie free
agent in 1997 to be a fullback. After being impressed with his
running ability in training camp and on the practice squad, the
Dolphins moved him to the regular roster last year.
The year, Nealy was in the running for one of the regular
roster spots as a running back, but never came on as strong as the
coaches were hoping and was put on the practice squad this fall before
he was injured.
** Denis Montana and Barry Stokes Sign
The Dolphins have signed wide receiver Denis Montana and
offensive lineman Barry Stokes to 2 year contracts to take the vacant
roster spots left by Craig Erickson and Horace Copeland. Montana was
drafted into the CFL in 1996 by Montreal and has played there for the
last 2 years. Last summer, he went to training camp in Houston but
was cut in August and this summer, he was in training camp with the
Patriots, but was cut again in August.
During his 2 year stint in the CFL, the 6'1", 200 pound player
has caught only 8 passes for 89 yards and 2 touchdowns. In his 4
years of college at Concordia University in Montreal, he caught 53
passes for 1,016 yards and a touchdown.
Barry Stokes has been on the Miami Dolphins' roster for 2
years, signing as a free agent last spring and making it through
training camp last year to the practice squad. This year, he survived
most of training camp but was cut in August. Stokes plays mainly at
the offensive tackle spot.
** Mark Dixon to Replace Richmond Webb - Maybe
The latest reports out of Miami say that the Dolphins are
planning on moving Mark Dixon to Richmond Webb's left tackle spot and
plugging backup guard John Bock in at left guard. That is, if Mark
Dixon can get enough reps in practice this week with his strained
neck.
Jeff Buckey is the normal backup for Webb, but he is listed
as doubtful for Sunday's game against the Colts with a back problem.
He has not been practicing this week and will probably not be ready to
start on Sunday.
So that leaves Mike Sheldon and Brent Smith as the two backups
with experience at tackle. However, Mark Dixon also has experience
playing left tackle, where he spent the majority of his CFL career.
And John Bock has proven to be a reliable backup at the interior line
positions, having filled in well for Tim Ruddy last season at center.
As of today, Brent Smith is getting all the practice reps at
left tackle while Mark Dixon rests his strained neck. If Dixon
doesn't get enough practice this week at the left tackle position,
Brent Smith will most likely start on Sunday. If Smith does a good
job, Dixon will stay at guard and Smith will stay at tackle.
However, if Smith has trouble on Sunday, Dixon will move to
the left tackle position next week and John Bock will move into the
guard position.
My Comments:
Horace Copeland has proven to be a disappointment. It was
hoped that he might have enough ability in him to help out the
Dolphins passing game, but that has proven to not be the case. With
the Dolphins' passing game as anemic as it has been, Copeland must
really be playing (and practicing) poorly for the Dolphins to cut him
so quickly.
The cutting of Ray Nealy is more of a surprise. I thought he
showed some promise this summer as a bruising running back with some
speed, but the Dolphins apparently didn't think that he's make the
team when he came back from his injury.
The funny part about the signing of Denis Montana and the
return of Barry Stokes is that the headline on the Dolphins Endzone
read "Dolphins Release Copeland; Sign Montana and Stokes". When I
saw the words "sign Montana", I had a weird moment in which I thought
about the fact that the Dolphins may be looking for an experienced
quarterback and about a certain quarterback who is currently retired.
But then I figured that there could be more than one Montana
in the world and that the Endzone was probably talking about some
other Montana - and I was right.
As to the move of Dixon to tackle and Bock to guard while Webb
is out, I have only one thing to say - why didn't I think of that?
Now that it's being proposed, it seems like it's easily the best
solution to the problem.
With Dixon's experience and level of play this year, he's
probably the best player on the team to move to the left tackle spot.
And Bock played well in relief of Tim Ruddy last year against the
Jets. He played well enough, in fact, that some people proposed that
he might replace Ruddy in the starting lineup.
Fortunately for the Dolphins, the Colts' defensive line is not
the best in the world and that will give the Dolphins a chance to try
out Brent Smith at that left tackle spot if they want to. This will
be Smith's first chance at playing in an NFL game.
Personally, I would feel much more comfortable with Dixon at
left tackle, but who knows? Maybe Brent Smith will turn out to be a
really good replacement, but I kind of doubt that he'll be as good as
Dixon.
Related Info:
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Curt Fennell,
curt@phins.com, DOLFAN in New Rochelle (almost)
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