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HOT TOPIC
A free-agent visit by Dan Wilkinson shows the Dolphins are still considering augmenting their defensive line.
Miami met last Thursday with Wilkinson, a 12-year NFL veteran who was released last month by Detroit after telling coach Rod Marinelli that he wasn't sure whether he wanted to continue playing football.
Wilkinson would likely replace starting nose tackle Keith Traylor if signed. Traylor will be 37 entering the regular season and began showing signs of wear and tear late last season when he missed three games because of knee surgery.
The Dolphins also don't have an heir apparent at the position to replace Traylor, who was signed last May following his release by New England. Although he gives great effort, Jeff Zgonina is undersized (6-feet-2, 290 pounds) and is 36 years old. Defensive tackle Manny Wright also isn't a great fit for the position and appeared overweight at last weekend's minicamp.
Miami coach Nick Saban had interest in addressing the nose tackle position in the first round of April's draft but was unwilling to surrender the compensation required to move up from No. 16 to select Oregon's Haloti Ngata, who was chosen by Baltimore at No. 12.
The 353-pound Wilkinson would serve as an effective short-term solution at nose tackle when Miami used a 3-4 defense. While he has never lived up to the expectations that came with being the No. 1 pick in the 1994 draft by Cincinnati, Wilkinson has proven productive and durable in his stints with the Bengals (1994 to 1997), Washington (1998 to 2002) and Detroit (2003 to 2005). Shaun Rogers blossomed into a top-flight defensive tackle playing next to Wilkinson with the Lions.
Saban is happy with how well his overall defense has played during the team's offseason practices.
"Defensively, we have a lot of new guys in the secondary," said Saban, referring to offseason acquisitions Renaldo Hill, Jason Allen, Will Allen, Andre' Goodman and Deke Cooper. "The front seven is pretty much similar to what it was a year ago. For about half the practices that we had, we were really going through some mental gymnastics trying to learn all the stuff. But it looks like we're starting to develop some chemistry and consistency in our communication. That's been a real positive for us as well. Hopefully, we'll be able to continue to do that."
PLAYER NOTES
--MLB Zach Thomas was one of the handful of players limited in minicamp practice because of injuries. Thomas underwent shoulder surgery at the end of the 2005 season.
"He really does everything (in practice)," coach Nick Saban said. "We just don't put him in the direct runs. His rehab is going well. I don't think we see any significant problems. This is more of a precautionary type of thing than it is anything else. Basically, all he missed is the 9-on-7 stuff (and) sometimes a little bit of team (drills). But he's able to do everything."
CB Will Poole, who missed all of last season with a knee injury, was back for minicamp practices.
--The Dolphins augmented their roster with the signing of two players from the new NFL Europe champion. Guard Emanuel Akah and linebacker Travis Harris played this spring for Frankfurt, which defeated Amsterdam in the World Bowl.
Harris, who played at the University of Florida, led the Galaxy with 61 tackles in 10 games. He was in training camp last season with Tennessee as an undrafted college free agent.
Akah is a London native with experience in the British American Football League.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
FRANCHISE PLAYER: None.
TRANSITION PLAYER: None.
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS
--C Alonzo Ephraim (not tendered as ERFA).
--LB Jason Glenn (not tendered June 1).
--WR Kendall Newson (not tendered as RFA).
--LB Nick Rogers (not tendered June 1).
--S Lance Schulters (not tendered June 1).
--LB Lester Towns (not tendered June 1).
--OT Mark Wilson (not tendered as ERFA).
RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: None.
EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS FREE AGENTS: None.
PLAYERS RE-SIGNED
--S Yeremiah Bell: ERFA; $350,000/1 yr.
--TE Alex Holmes: ERFA; $350,000/1 yr.
--CB Eddie Jackson: ERFA; $350,000/1 yr.
--OT Damion McIntosh: FA, had been released by Dolphins; $585,000/1 yr.
--C Seth McKinney: UFA; $5M/2 yrs, $915,000 SB; 2006 cap: $1.043M.
--RB Travis Minor: UFA; 1 yr, terms unknown.
--RB Sammy Morris: UFA; 1 yr, terms unknown.
PLAYERS ACQUIRED
--CB Will Allen: UFA Giants; $12M/4 yrs, SB unknown.
--FB Fred Beasley: UFA 49ers; 1 yr, terms unknown.
--WR Kelly Campbell: FA; terms unknown.
--S Deke Cooper: UFA Jaguars; 1 yr, terms unknown.
--QB Daunte Culpepper: Trade Vikings.
--CB Andre Goodman: UFA Lions; $5M/3 yrs, terms unknown.
--QB Joey Harrington: Trade Lions.
--TE Keith Heinrich: UFA Browns; terms unknown.
--DB Renaldo Hill: UFA Raiders; $6M/3 yrs, $2M SB.
--LB Sedrick Hodge: UFA Saints; $2M/2 yrs, SB unknown.
--DB Michael Lehan: FA Browns; terms unknown.
--LB Keith Newman: UFA Vikings; terms unknown.
--OT Mike Pearson: UFA Jaguars; 1 yr, terms unknown.
--TE Justin Peelle: UFA Chargers; terms unknown.
--LT L.J. Shelton: UFA Browns; $15M/4 yrs, $3.5M SB/$750,000 RB; 2006 cap: $2.875M.
PLAYERS LOST
--WR David Boston: UFA Buccaneers; terms unknown.
--QB Gus Frerotte (released).
--WR Bryan Gilmore: UFA 49ers; $610,000/1 yr, $25,000 SB.
--CB Reggie Howard (released).
--S Tebucky Jones (released).
--CB Sam Madison (released).
--OT Stockar McDougle: UFA Jaguars; $1.065M/2 yrs, $100,000 SB/$100,000 WO.
--QB Sage Rosenfels: UFA Texans; $6.4M/4 yrs, $2M SB.
--LB Junior Seau (released).
--CB Kiwaukee Thomas: UFA Bills; terms unknown.
--RB Ricky Williams (suspended).
MEDICAL WATCH: No updates.
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