Training Camp Preview: Tight Ends
By Brian Miller
This Saturday morning we will look at the TE position. Changes have been made and it could be an interesting battle come TC.
The Roster:
"David Martin – 7 yearsTim Massaquoi – 2 yearsJason Rader – 2 yearsJustin Peelle – 6 yearsAaron Halterman – 1 year"
The situation:
The Dolphins dumped long time TE and staple Randy McMichael in early March. Cap room, different coaching philosophies, a lot of speculation. Randy signed with the Rams a few days later and rejoined former OC Scott Linehan.
To replace Randy M, the Dolphins signed FA David Martin from the Green Bay Packers. Martin has not put up numbers close to McMichael but he is considered by some to be a poor mans Antonio Gates. O.k. a really poor man.
David Martin:
"Martin is the type of TE that Cam Cameron is used to having. He is big, physical, and according to Cam Cameron is smart and able to block both on the line and in the second tier or off the line down field. The knock on Marten is his hands, and some have seen him drop easy passes, something that we have seen in Randy M. for the last few years. This will surely be disheartening if it continues and Cameron will face even more ire from fans still reeling from the fact that Randy was let go for nothing.Martin is a smart player, according to Cameron and Cameron believes that he sees the same qualities in Martin as he did in Antonio Gates. Cameron helped develop Gates and thinks he can do the same thing with Martin.Martin will be the starter. Cameron likes what he has seen thus far and has said that the TE is one of the most important spots in the offensive scheme to create mismatches with the TE, the wr’s, and the backs out of the backfield.Although we are not likely to watch any battle in TC with Martin for a job, we will be watching to see how Martin fits into this system. Martin could very well be a very big key to the success of this offense this year. He could also be a huge failure as well. Keep an eye on Martin and his repoir with Green as it has been reported that the two of them were already getting well acquainted during the final mini-camp. His hands are the thing to watch closely."
Tim Massaquoi:
"Tim is going to be a project and depending on how many TE’s Cameron plans on keeping, he could be on the outs. He needs to bulk up as he is a little thin for the type of TE that Cameron likes to have. He has good hands and was considered a solid athlete coming out of college. His run blocking, especially off the line into the defense is suspect and he tends to get stood up. He does however have good hands and can go up for the ball. He has never caught an NFL pass in a game though.Tim is going to be a bubble player. In my opinion it will come down to whether or not Cameron sees enough of his ability to keep him around long enough to make the practice squad. I do not believe that he will. I do not think that he will make the final roster, or the practice squad. Still, the fact that he is fighting for a job, could mean that if he does make the team, then a position battle was worth watching, so keep an eye on how he practices, he could be trying t take a spot away from Rader or Peelle, which is why I do not think that he will make it."
Justin Peelle:
"Peelle was signed by the Dolphins in 06 following his tenure with Cam Cameron and the San Diego Chargers. Cameron knows this kid. In fact, it may be a reason that Cameron is taking a risk with David Martin. He knows what he has in Peelle. Of course you could also say that Peelle is not that good if Cameron feels the need to spend money on a possible number 1 TE.Either way you look at it, Peelle is entering his 6th season and has the experience working with the Cameron offensive style. It would be hard pressed to say that Peelle won’t make the team, and although it is possible, it is highly unlikely.Peelle has good hands if unspectacular, but he is consistent on the positive side of receptions. He can block and gets off the line well enough to drive the DE, just not on a consistent basis. Peelle can achieve separation but he can’t explode off the routes and will not burn anyone down-field. He is more of a possession type receiver. Peelle suffered in SD as he was behind Gates, and in Miami he sat behind McMichael until both teams went to the two TE set. Peelle has the tools to make impacts and under Cameron this year, he could have his best year as a pro. But before you get to enthused about this possibility, remember that his seasons thus far are far from anything special.It will be interesting to see how he plays during TC. He will need to build a relationship with Green and show that he has the hands and the speed to run consistently in the Cameron system. I think he will, and although he will likely be relegated to the 2nd TE on the depth chart or the first in the 2 TE set, he will contribute and make the team."
Jason Rader:
"Rader has had an NFL career that has been up and down. He was undrafted and signed by Atlanta, cut, tried out with SF, spent a year out of football, then played hop-scotch with the Phins roster after coming back from a year in the NFL Europa league where he caught 21 passes for about 189 yards.His Dolphins time has been training camp, cut, practice squad, cut, resigned, cut, training camp cut, practice squad, active, cut, resigned. He is no stranger to not seeing his name off the cut list, that is for sure. Still, he goes out there and fights every practice and it says something about him that he has not given up yet and walked away. He has been going through that since he came out of college in ’04.The question here is does he or can he show enough upside potential to make the team or be assigned to the practice squad. His biggest competition in my opinion will not be Tim Massaquoi, but Aaron Halterman instead. He is signed to what is called a future contract so I believe that unless Rader can show some very solid contributions on Special teams, he will not make it past the 2nd round of cuts."
Aaron Halterman:
"If it is true that Cam Cameron loves familiarity then Aaron Halterman has a fighting chance. Halterman has been mentored by Cameron both at Indiana and at SD. Does that translate into a spot on the final roster? No, but it does mean that he will be given every chance to show that he is ready.Halterman is an interesting player, he has bounced around the NFL and over in Europe and spent the final 2 games and all of the playoffs on the Indy Colts practice squad. Halterman has one thing that could make his opportunity to stick in Miami better. He is also a long-snapper. Earlier the Dolphins has said that they would be seeking a long-snapper for the team and if Halterman can show that he is capable of doing that job consistently, the Dolphins could fill two needs. The ST spot and a backup TE."
Outlook/Predictions:
The outlook is pretty easy to see, this is David Martin and Justin Peelle. Martin is a definite and Peelle is as close to a lock as can be without being a lock. The Dolphins will likely keep 3 TEs’ 4 if Halterman makes the team as a long-snapper. With Martin, Peele, and possibly Halterman on the roster, that could leave only 1 spot left to be filled by Rader and Massaquoi. Assuming that Halterman does not make the roster as a special team snapper, it is not out of the realm of possibility that all 3 end up cut and 1 of them are signed to the practice squad.
There are other positions that have more talented players sitting on the bubble. On both sides of the ball. Wasting a space for a TE that is on that same cusp is not likely. Halterman will be the key to how many may be on the active roster, and again that is on special teams.
Keep an eye on the 3 of them and see if any are able to emerge as a legitimate TE. I don’t think we will see that from them this year.
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