Patrick Turner Questions Continue
By Brian Miller
Amidst all the ooh’s and ahh’s of meaningless OTA’s and mini-camps one thing stands out above all others. Injuries. Those you know about, and those you don’t. Who they effect and how long that will be. So when I click over to read about the most recent mini/ota update, I skip all the “looking good” comments and find the one that matters the most. In this case, it’s Patrick Turner.
Turner is a question mark. After last season in which he saw nothing on the field and this year with the Brandon Marshall trade, many fans have wondered aloud if Turner would even make the team. Now, it appears that he won’t be ready for training camp, putting that whole QUESTION in capital letters.
Turner has an unspecified back injury that apparently required some sort of procedure. This according to a report in today’s Miami Herald. Turner said he would be able to “play at some point this season”. That is not a very high endorsement for a guy who is floating inside a bubble that is waiting to pop.
The Dolphins have suddenly found themselves in a WR heaven so to speak. The impressive Brian Hartline returns for his sophomore year and Davone Bess looks to have the slot job on lock-down. Then of course there is Greg Camarillo who is specialized in converting 3rd downs to FIRST DOWNS! And now Brandon Marshall as the number 1.
So while the top spots are all locked up, the 5th spot is open if the Dolphins choose to carry 5. Not only are they likely to carry 5 but it’s entirely possible and likely to have 5 on the active roster for game day. Last year, Ted Ginn, Hartline, Camarillo, and Bess were the only 4 that were active every game. So why 5 this year?
Ryan Grice-Mullen.
Last week on my Tuesday night Finsradio broadcast, I was asked who I thought would be the opening day KR/PR. Grice-Mullen was the name I found myself attached too. Mullen has decent speed and is impressing coaches thus far with his awareness. Plus, he hasn’t started running directly to the sidelines yet.
If the Dolphins value Mullen in a return role, then they will carry 5 WR’s on game day.
It would bring up an intriguing issue where Turner is concerned. Would the Dolphins carry 6 WR’s on their roster and activate 5? Probably not. If this injury will keep Turner off the field for any real period of time, the Dolphins will likely put him on the PUP list and keep him away from teams that may want to poach him off the practice squad…assuming they could hide him there.
What this all comes down to is simple. The Dolphins have some promising receivers that could elevate the Miami offense and right now Turner is not one of those guys. Whether he is at all a Miami guy, will remain to be seen. If I were a betting man, I would say that Turner will never see the field in a Dolphins uniform.