Fin Fans Cheer Dolphins 1st Full Contact Practice
MIAMI GARDENS (CBS4) – More than ten thousand Fins fans filled the stands at Sun Life Stadium Monday night to watch the Miami Dolphins first full-contact practice.
The fans were excited and happy, well until maligned quarterback Chad Henne, who had 15 touchdowns passes and 19 interceptions last season, made a couple of bad plays. That's when someone led a chant saying, "We want Orton!" That was a reference to the Dolphins' recent interest in Denver quarterback Kyle Orton.
Nevertheless, there were appreciative oohs and ahhs on long passing plays, big hits and nice moves. Fans were into it and much more enthusiastic than the small crowds Miami had at its practice facility for the first three days of practice.
The first few days of training camp included the signing of former Carolina quarterback Matt Moore, the departure of linebacker Channing Crowder, and wide receiver Brandon Marshall saying he suffers from borderline personality disorder.
Monday was about the on-field product.
Earlier in the day, linebacker Jason Taylor, one of franchise's all-time favorites as well as its leader in sacks (124), rejoined the team for his third go-round. Taylor, drafted by Miami in 1997, was traded to Washington in 2008. He returned in 2009, but played last season with the New York Jets.
"This guy is a tremendous closer, he makes plays at the end of games," Dolphins coach Tony Sparano said.
Taylor, who had five sacks for the Jets and has 132.5 for his career (tied for 9th all-time in NFL history) is expected to play in pass-rushing situations. Ideally, he'll be a bookend to weakside linebacker Cameron Wake, who had 14 sacks last season.
Miami also signed right tackle Marc Colombo, a free agent from Dallas. At the very least, that means competition for veteran Vernon Carey, who missed Monday's night practice. The team said Sparano gave him a "personal night off."
"My vision for Colombo right now is to see where we are in this tackle mix," Sparano said. "This guy has played a lot of football. There are a lot of different formulas right now that can go into the offensive line group."
The Dolphins also terminated the contract of veteran linebacker Tim Dobbins and signed undrafted rookie linebacker Mark Masterson (Maine). Free-agent signees such as Taylor, Moore, Reggie Bush and linebacker Kevin Burnett can't practice until Thursday, according to league rules.
That's fine. At least fans got to see guys such as rookie center Mike Pouncey, the first-round pick from Florida, and defensive end Jared Odrick, the 2010 first-round pick from Penn State who only played one game last season before succumbing to foot and leg injuries.
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