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Dolphins News: Players Added to Practice Squad
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Dolphins News: Players Added to Practice Squad
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*** DOLPHINS NEWS ***
Sep 01, 1998: -- Players Added to Practice Squad --

** 3 Players Signed to Practice Squad

The team announced yesterday that they have signed running back Ray Nealy, wide receiver Nate Jacquet and fullback Jamie Reader to the practice squad. All three players were cut by the Dolphins on Sunday to bring the roster down to 53 players.

Nealy spent most of last year on the practice squad for the Dolphins and had a pretty good training camp this summer, but the addition of John Avery to the roster left the team without an extra spot.

Jamie Reader is a rookie who joined the team last month after being cut by the Cardinals. Nate Jacquet was on the practice squad of the Indianapolis Colts part of last year, but also played in 5 regular season games as a punt and kickoff returner for them.

A player can be named to a team's practice squad twice in their career, if he has less than one full year of free agency credit or if he has been on a team's regular roster for less than 9 games.

The Dolphins still have 2 practice squad vacancies to fill. They will probably be filled in the next day or two.

** Rumor - Wide Receivers to Work Out

There are a number of reports indicating that the Dolphins will have some wide receivers in for workouts today and tomorrow in the hope of fleshing out their receiving corps. Most prominent among the names mentioned as possibilities are Horace Copeland, who was cut by the Bucs on Sunday; Willie Jackson, who was cut by the Jaguars and Alvin Harper, who was cut by the Saints earlier this year.

Horace Copeland is a product of the University of Miami and was expected to move up and possibly start this year for the Bucs, but the addition of Bert Emmanuel and the drafting of Reidel Anthony last year, along with a knee injury, have moved Copeland off of Tampa Bay's roster.

Willie Jackson had some good stats in his first years at Jacksonville, but Jimmy Smith and Keenan McCardell have taken over the starting jobs there and made Jackson expendable. However, it's important to note that Jackson's agent has made a public statement that the Dolphins have not talked to him.

Alvin Harper had terrific success with Dallas, but since leaving Texas has been a terrific bust. He has not had success with any of the teams he's been with since then and he's been with the Bucs, the Redskins and the Saints.

** Other News

Linebacker Anthony Harris returned to work out yesterday for the first time since injuring his knee three weeks ago in training camp. He is working with a knee brace and hopes to be ready for Sunday's game against the Colts.

And Jason Taylor is walking without a limp and without any pain after the injury on Friday night. While it's way too soon to predict what will happen, he may be available for the game on Sunday against the Colts.

My Comments:

I was surprised that the Dolphins didn't add an offensive lineman to the practice squad, but Scott Shaw had signed with the Bengals and Jim Bundren was picked up off waivers by the Jets. That leaves only Nathan Strikwerda available of the players the Dolphins drafted and they may sign him today.

Also, as far as I know, Brad Jackson is still available and he may be signed today by the Dolphins.

While the names of the players who will work out today are unknown, it is pretty certain that the Dolphins will have some receivers work out today for them and may sign one by the end of the day. If that happens, the Dolphins will have to cut someone on the current roster, with Raphael Ball and Henry (Hendrick?) Lusk being the two guys on the bottom of the totem poll, so to speak.

As to Alvin Harper, I have only this thought - just say no.

Another intriguing possibility, although it's not any more than conjecture on my part at this point, is the idea that the Dolphins may want to sign cornerback Larry Brown. Brown, you may remember, was the SuperBowl MVP the last time Dallas won the game and was signed to a big free agent contract by Raiders - and was a bust there.

He went from the Raiders to the Vikings, where he didn't fit in and they cut him. He seems to be more of a zone defense player than a man-to-man defender, but that would fit in with the Dolphins' nickel and dime defensive packages.

Brown is clearly a reasonably talented player and does fit well in JJ's system of defense. And if he could be had for a minimum salary (plus incentives, of course) he would probably be a better backup cornerback for the team than Raphael Ball - no offense, Raphael.

However, as I said, this is just speculation. I have no information, either from the team or from any other source, that would make me think this is even a possibility. Of course, JJ did draft Larry Brown initially, so it is a possibility.

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

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Curt Fennell
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DOLFAN in New England