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Dolphins News: Michael Timpson Signs
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Dolphins News: Michael Timpson Signs
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*** DOLPHINS NEWS ***
Jul 28, 1998: -- Michael Timpson Signs --

** Michael Timpson and Terry Guess Sign

The Dolphins signed WRs Michael Timpson and Terry Guess to one year contracts yesterday to fill in the holes at wide receiver left by the injuries to Derrick Steagal and Larry Shannon. Timpson is a 9 year veteran who has played in New England, at Chicago and with the Eagles. Guess is a 2nd year player who was drafted in 1996 by the Saints but released after the season and spent last year in the CFL.

Michael Timpson, at 31, is a seasoned veteran. He spent 6 years with the New England Patriots before signing with the Bears as a free agent. After two years in Chicago, he moved to Philadelphia last year where he started 9 games for the Eagles, catching 42 passes for 484 yards and 2 touchdowns. His best season was in 1994, where he started 14 games for the Patriots, catching 74 passes for 941 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Timpson is generally regarded as an inconsistent speedster, who is fast, but not particularly talented otherwise. Despite his speed, his yards-per-catch average is fairly low. He was kept on the Patriots roster for years because of his speed while the coaches waited for him to blossom, but he never really fulfilled their expectations.

The most interesting aspect of Timpson's career is that JJ tried to recruit him back in 1985 to play for the Miami Hurricanes when Timpson was a track star and multi-talented player at Hialeah-Miami Lakes High School. At that time, Timpson turned down JJ.

Terry Guess played in 5 games two years ago for the Saints, only catching two passes, but one went for a 57 yard touchdown.

In order to make room on the roster for the two players, the team released rookie free agent linebacker Selvesta Miller.

** Mark Dixon Promoted To Starting Left Guard

Two days after the Dolphins' scrimmage on Sunday and one day after JJ's film review of that scrimmage, JJ announced after morning practice today that he was especially pleased with the play of offensive lineman Mark Dixon and was therefore promoting Dixon to the starting left guard spot.

Dixon came to the Dolphins this winter as a free agent from the Canadian football league. He played the last 3 years in the CFL and last season, started at left tackle in 18 regular season and 2 playoff games with the Montreal Alouettes. He attended college at the University of Virginia, where he started at left guard his senior year and was a consensus All-America selection.

On Sunday, Dixon started with the second team offensive line at left tackle, but after 2 series, moved to starting left guard in place of Jeff Buckey. When he was in the CFL, he was widely regarded as one of the best - if not the best - offensive lineman in the league.

My Comments:

Timpson could make the team based on experience. However, he is not that consistent a player and all things being equal, I think that JJ is more likely to keep one of the younger players. He does have the kind of speed that JJ likes, but he is not a playmaker.

Terry Guess is really just a placeholder for training camp. I know that sounds cruel, but as JJ pointed out the other day, they sign 100 players each year and end up cutting half of them. The Dolphins need someone to run those routes and catch those passes for the rest of the summer.

When Mark Dixon came to the Dolphins, I - along with many others - said, who is this guy? The fans who watched the CFL told me that I should keep an eye on this kid, because he was very, very good, but I only half listened.

I should have listened more.

While many of the CFL players are leftovers or rejects from the NFL, they do play a fast and aggressive game up in Canada and it appears that Mark Dixon has learned how to play well enough to come to the NFL and play.

Of course, it's a long time until the start of the season and many things can happen between now and then and Anthony Redmon is also getting a long look at left guard. But Dixon would turn out to be quite a story if he managed to keep that spot.

By the way, JJ also said that the whole team had a very good practice this morning, but I'll talk more about that tomorrow in my training camp report.

Related Info:


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Curt Fennell, curt@phins.com, DOLFAN in New Rochelle (almost)
     
   

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DOLFAN in New England