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Goldie’s Week 5 Picks: Can the Dolphins cover in Tampa? (and more)

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Goldie:

All Time Record: 163-78          

Vs. Spread: 119-119

 

21-22 Season:  37-23                

Vs. Spread: 30-30

 

Week 4 Record : 8-7                 

Vs. Spread: 5-10

 

Guarantee All Time: 11-7       

21-22 Season: 2-2

 

Upset All Time: 11-6              

21-22 Season: 2-2

 

Crazy Uncle Jeff 

All Time: 23-3              

21-22 Season: 7-2       

Week 4: 2-1

 

Goldie’s Guarantee

Tennessee Titans (2-2) @ Jacksonville Jaguars (0-4)

Vegas Picks: TEN -4.5

Goldie’s Take: Titans WIn 31-14

After a bit of a disappointing start to the season, the Titans look to get back above .500 with a win in Jacksonville. The Jags, on the other hand, have been a mess recently. Following their loss to the Bengals on TNF, inappropriate photos of head coach Urban Meyer at an Ohio bar surfaced. The organization has been dealing with these off field issues all week. Leaves me to believe that I’m not so sure they’re too focused on football over there in Jacksonville. Even if they WERE focused on this game, I’d still take the Titans to win and cover. Henry runs wild as T’s go into Jacksonville and destroy the Jags. I GUARANTEE IT!

 

Goldie’s UPSET of the Week

Buffalo Bills (3-1) @ Kansas City Chiefs (2-2)

Vegas Picks: KC -3

Goldie’s Take: Bills Win 30-28

Game of the Week, also UPSET of the week. The Bills have had this rematch of last season’s AFC championship game circled on their calendar since January. The Chiefs have been shaky to start the season, and the Bills have, so far, clearly looked like the best team in the AFC. Buffalo has been running through teams and seem to have found their groove. They’ve won their last three games by an average of 32 points. Plus this is a revenge game for them. Sunday Night UPSET in Arrowhead!

 

Crazy Uncle Jeff’s Lock of the Week: NO -2.5

New Orleans Saints (2-2) @ Washington Football Team (2-2)

Vegas Picks: NO -2.5

Goldie’s Take: Saints Win 27-23

Uncle Jeff and I view this game as a trend breaker. The Saints have seemed to lose their mojo a bit since that Week 1 beatdown they put on Green Bay. Last week’s loss to the Giants at home was not a good look for N’awlins either. On the other hand, Washington is feeling great after a miraculous late game comeback in Atlanta last week. We don’t see Taylor Heinicke continuing to play like prime Brady, and Jameis still has something to prove on the other side. Never fade the Crazy Uncle. Saints get back on track this Sunday with a win in the nation’s capital.

 

Crazy Uncle Jeff’s Lock of the Week: PIT +1

Denver Broncos (3-1) @ Pittsburgh Steelers (1-3)

Vegas Picks: DEN -1

Goldie’s Take: Broncos Win 24-21

A RARE occurrence where Jeff and I don’t see eye to eye. Jeffy likes the veteran presence of the Steelers at home to prevail. Whereas, I think Big Ben and the Steelers have finally fallen off the cliff. Big Ben can’t throw like he used to, and he sure as hell can’t run/move like he used to. Denver’s pass rush is going to give Pitt troubles all day. Teddy-Two-Gloves is a great game manager, and that’s the perfect counterattack to a stingy defense like Pittsburgh. Give me the Broncos to go in and take this one on the road. 

 

New York Jets (1-3) @ Atlanta Falcons (1-3) (LONDON)

Vegas Picks: ATL -2.5

Goldie’s Take: Falcons Win 30-23

Dirty Birds are kicking themselves after another 4th quarter collapse last week. However, no better remedy to get on track than a game against the New York Jets. That being said, New York does come into this one with some swagger after an overtime win against Tennessee. Anything can happen in a 9:30AM game across the pond, but the safe play is to take Atlanta in this battle of 1-3’s.  

 

New England Patriots (1-3) @ Houston Texans (1-3)

Vegas Picks: NE -9

Goldie’s Take: Pats Win 24-13

If you live under a rock, maybe you didn’t hear that Brady returned to Foxboro last week. However to many people’s surprise, the Pats were a first down away from probably winning that game. Moral victory? Belichick and the Pats will carry that momentum right into this one and cruise past Davis Mills and the frail Texans. 

 

Detroit Lions (0-4) @ Minnesota Vikings (1-3)

Vegas Picks: MIN -10

Goldie’s Take: Vikings Win 27-14

Although I’ve been one of the biggest supporters of the Lions’ fighting spirit this season, their already weak roster has recently been hit with the injury bug. Detroit has three starting O-Lineman iffy to play to go along with losing one of their best pass rushers to a season ending Achilles injury. Not to mention it’s a divisional game on the road. Expect Minny to win and cover with ease at home this Sunday.  

 

Philadelphia Eagles (1-3) @ Carolina Panthers (3-1)

Vegas Picks: CAR -3

Goldie’s Take: Eagles Win 27-23

Lots of question marks surround this matchup, but none bigger than the status of Carolina star RB Chistian McCaffrey. He’s iffy to play, and it’s evident that the Panthers offense is not the same without him. Even if he does play, he shouldn’t be at 100%. A hobbled CMC could be enough for the Eagles to steal this one on the road. Three straight losses after a win in the opener has the desperation starting to set in for Philly. ‘Birds get back on track with a much needed win. UPSET!

 

Miami Dolphins (1-3) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-1)

Vegas Picks: TB -9.5

Goldie’s Take: Bucs Win 24-20

Tua-less ‘Fins head to Tampa for an all-Florida battle. Brady and the Bucs barely put away the Pats last week in an emotional roller coaster, so they could be resting on their laurels a bit for this one. Honestly, that’s probably just my Miami-bias talking. However, don’t be surprised when Brian Flores and the Dolphins defense keep this one competitive. Taking Tampa to win at home, but taking the ‘Fins to cover.

 

Green Bay Packers (3-1) @ Cincinnati Bengals (3-1)

Vegas Picks: GB -3

Goldie’s Take: Packers Win 30-21

Since the week 1 anomaly against the Saints, the Packers have looked like the contenders we all thought they were. Wins against good teams in back to back weeks has resolidified the Packers status across the NFL landscape. On the flipside, the Bengals have surprised many by their 3-1 start, but struggled to put away the Jags last week. That has me questioning their validity. Bengals are a nice up and coming team but I don’t put them in the same category as Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. Give me the Pack by multiple scores in Cincy. 

 

Chicago Bears (2-2) @ Las Vegas Raiders (3-1)

Vegas Picks: LV -5.5

Goldie’s Take: Raiders Win 28-16

Chicago has named Justin Fields the starting quarterback moving forward. Awesome move for the Bears, let the kid see NFL action and develop as the season goes on. However rookie quarterbacks with subpar weapons usually don’t result in a lot of wins. Not to mention the Raiders have been great this year. I envision Fields struggling on the road, and Vegas cruising to a victory to improve to 4-1 for the first time since 2016. Al Davis said it best, “Just Win Baby!”

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Cleveland Browns (3-1) @ Los Angeles Chargers (3-1)

Vegas Picks: LAC -2

Goldie’s Take: Browns Win 27-26

In my mind this game is basically a pick ’em. I love both of these teams and view them both as legitimate contenders. Usually in a game like this I make it a venue call and go with the home team, but the Chargers historically have been the most unlucky team ever. So I’m taking the Browns. I like Cleveland’s run-heavy offense to control the pace of play in this one, as the Chargers defense should have a hard time getting off the field. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, the Cleveland Browns are the real deal this season. 

 

New York Giants (1-3) @ Dallas Cowboys (3-1)

Vegas Picks: DAL -7

Goldie’s Take: Cowboys Win 28-24

The Giants showed us something last week in their overtime win in the Superdome. That’s why I’m picking New York to cover in this one, but I do believe the ‘Boys are the better team. However in a divisional matchup, 7 points seems like way too hefty of a spread. It seems every time these teams face off it’s a competitive matchup. Dak and the Cowboys have shown no signs of slowing down, but the G-Men are better than most think. Cowboys win in a close one. 

 

San Francisco 49ers (2-2) @ Arizona Cardinals (4-0)

Vegas Picks: ARI -5

Goldie’s Take: Cardinals Win 31-27

The Upset of the week committee took a hard look at this one before deciding to play it safe and take the Cardinals. Just couldn’t trust rookie Trey Lance in his first NFL start in a divisional game on the road against an undefeated team. The Cardinals murdered the Rams last week, and many thought the Rams were the best team in football. Kyler Murray has also emerged as the MVP frontrunner and all is well in ‘Zona right now. Good times keep rolling with a home win this Sunday to improve to 5-0.

 

Indianapolis Colts (1-3) @ Baltimore Ravens (3-1)

Vegas Picks: BAL -7

Goldie’s Take: Ravens Win 30-17

Hobbled Colts finally got a win last week against the hobbled Miami Dolphins, but now they have to go on the road to face Lamar Jackson and the Ravens?? Good luck with that. Baltimore defense will be too much for Wentz and the slow-moving Colts offense to handle. Ravens cruise to 4-1, while Colts are starting to get desperate at 1-4. 

Miami Dolphins

Preseason Week 2 – Miami Dolphins vs. Atlanta Falcons: 5 players to watch

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After the first preseason game ended in a disappointing loss against the Chicago Bears, the Miami Dolphins will look to bounce back against their second training camp partner, the Atlanta Falcons. To be fair to Miami, the starting players looked impressive. QB Tua Tagovailoa looks vastly improved, even if the one interception in the endzone ruins his stats. As for the defense, even without Xavien Howard and Byron Jones, they stifled Andy Dalton and Justin Fields. The Bears didn’t get their first 1st down of the game until just a few seconds left before the end of the first half.

It wasn’t until the 3rd and 4th string players entered the game that things went awry. So when Justin Fields says the game was slow to him, remember who he was facing. He may live to regret that comment. The only true concern the entire game was the offensive line. They could not run block at all. The Miami Dolphins hope to change that against the Falcons. Alex Donno did his show, “Donno Daily,” and the five starting offensive linemen were the immediate choices for five players to watch during the live stream.

Now while that comment was made mostly as a joke, it is still valid. The offensive line needs to perform better than last week. So with that said, let’s take a look at the other top five players to watch during the second preseason game.

1. Tua Tagovailoa – QB

Let’s not beat around the bush this time. Obviously, everyone will want to see what Tagovailoa does in his second preseason outing. Will he continue to find holes in the defense? Can he navigate the pressure in the pocket? Will he make better decisions with the football in the red zone? Again, Tagovailoa looked masterful against the Bears. Except for that one bad decision that resulted in an interception in the end zone.

Some have said it’s a result of Tagovailoa’s lack of arm strength. True, he doesn’t have a cannon for an arm like Justin Herbert. His success is based on timing and reading the defense. Which, for those who paid attention to how Tagovailoa played at Alabama, has been his game from the very beginning. Watching the throw on replay, the main issue was when he decided to throw it, not how fast the ball got there. Even for a super strong arm, the throw was risky.

These are the kinds of things that happen with young quarterbacks, particularly ones that don’t have immense physical capabilities. Tagovailoa is learning how to dissect defenses and find the openings in them. His arm isn’t “weak,” it’s merely average. Sadly, average has become the new weak in the eyes of many. QBs like Tagovailoa take a little longer to develop. But history has shown that some of the QBs in NFL history were not known for their cannon arms.

They did, however, have an innate knack for knowing where to go with the ball and when. That is what to expect from Tua Tagovailoa. Watch to see if he displays more of that trait tonight.

2. Salvon Ahmed – RB

It’s no secret that the Miami Dolphins want to use a running back committee approach. There is no set “starter” per say, it’s all about the matchups. Basically, every time anyone asks head coach Brian Flores about the starter at running back, he gives a similar answer.

“We like all our backs.” He said on Thursday. “They’re all a little bit different. They all have the ability to play multiple downs. We are going to try to use them all. From Malcolm (Brown) to Myles (Gaskin) to Salvon (Ahmed). Patrick Laird has gone in there and done some good things. (Jordan) Scarlett has gone in there, he had a couple good runs last week. (Gerrid) Doaks has gone in there and had some good runs. We try to use them all.”

Nevertheless, it doesn’t stop specific players from standing out above the rest. Only one RB actually managed to shine against the Bears, and that was Salvon Ahmed.

Both Ahmed and Myles Gaskin hail from Washington. They were teammates there and between the two of them, Gaskin was the starter while Ahmed was the change of pace back. That dynamic seems to be repeating itself, as Gaskin tends to get the heavier carry load. However, if the pattern continues where Ahmed gets production with his superior speed, the Miami Dolphins may need to reanalyze that.

The Atlanta Falcons run defense isn’t exactly top-tier. Unless there’s a complete meltdown in blocking, Ahmed or one of the other backs should be able to gain some yards on the ground. Keep a close eye on Ahmed and see if he looks better than the others.

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3. Austin Jackson – OT

At least one offensive lineman still had to make this list, in spite of the discussion with Alex Donno. Without doubt, Austin Jackson has taken a beating over this past week. Reporters, fans, coaches, they’ve all been pushing him in hopes that he’ll rebound after his terrible performance against the Bears in his first ever preseason game. True, they are being patient with him. On the other hand, the Miami Dolphins obviously want to see some improvement from him as time passes. This will be an opportunity to do so.

Jackson was a high ceiling prospect coming out of USC. That’s why the team felt compelled to draft him 18th overall. He has all the physical tools, it’s just a matter of putting them all together. That’s partly coaching, but it’s also on him to do his part. He’s working hard, trying to make the most of his reps. Even Tua Tagovailoa is doing his part to help Jackson get back on his feet.

The Atlanta Falcons pass rush isn’t known for being dangerous. In fact, most Falcons fans have lamented their complete inability to get to the quarterback and create any sort of pressure. That changed during the joint practices with the Dolphins. According to numerous reports, Tagovailoa was harassed in the pocket all week long, which isn’t a good sign for Miami. The struggle is so real that the Dolphins even decided to give up a 7th round draft pick to take a flyer on former Panthers OT Greg Little.

Austin Jackson is the man to watch simply because his struggle was the most obvious last week. Any sort of improvement this week will be welcome.

4. Jaelen Phillips – LB

The Miami Dolphins kept Jaelen Phillips out of the first preseason game in spite of the fact he participated in practice against the Bears. The plan, according to Brian Flores, was to bring him along slowly. Now Phillips has gotten in a full week with no setbacks. It’s more likely that this time, the former Miami Hurricanes star will get a chance to see real game action for the first time in his career.

But that isn’t guaranteed.

Phillips has the potential to become the modern-age Jason Taylor if he reaches his full potential. In many ways, he’s what Dion Jordan could have been if he hadn’t essentially thrown his career way with off-the-field issues. The only thing stopping Phillips from getting there is his own health. His ceiling is staggering, but he won’t reach it if he doesn’t play. The first thing to watch against the Falcons is if Flores allows him to play.

If the answer to that is yes, then watch to see how Phillips does rushing the passer, dropping back into coverage, and being an overall menace to the Falcons offense. If he happens to start, then that will say even more about what the Miami Dolphins think of him.

5. Jakeem Grant – WR

Depending on who you ask, Grant is either a lock to make the Miami Dolphins roster, or his days are numbered and it’s only a matter of time before he’s cut. The split opinion of the Texas Tech standout is truly remarkable. He is undeniably a dynamic playmaker once the ball is in his hands. But that in and of itself is the problem. It’s not always a guarantee that the ball will get into his hands.

As a kick and punt returner, it’s hard to find better options on the roster than Jakeem Grant. The only one who even comes close is rookie Jaylen Waddle, and he’s expected to contribute much more as a wide receiver. It might not be in Miami’s best interest to put Waddle out there to be targeted. As a wide receiver, Grant has a checkered past marred by multiple drops. These drops have caused the fan base to largely turn on Grant, but apparently the coaching staff still sees value in him.

It’s still not a guarantee that Grant will make the roster. He has to show he’s reliable as a receiver as well as a return man. Thankfully, he and Tua Tagovailoa seem to have a strong rapport building in training camp. He’s been the target of a number of Tagovailoa’s practice touchdowns, which shows they can make it work even against Miami’s starting defense, as well as Chicago and Atlanta’s.

Love him or hate him, Jakeem Grant brings electricity to the roster. As it’s unlikely most of the projected starters at wide receiver will play against the Falcons, Grant will have ample opportunity to showcase his skills. He needs to make the most of it to keep the leg up he has on some of the other fringe players.

Luis Sung has covered the Miami Dolphins for numerous outlets such as Dolphins Wire for seven years. Follow him on Twitter: @LuisDSung

Everything Tradeshows is a one-stop-shop for trade show exhibit rentals and custom exhibit display purchase solutions to companies of all sizes.

Visit them at everythingtradeshows.com or call 954-791-8882

 

Thrive Fantasy takes away the hours of research required to make the most out of your fantasy sports experience. Thrive’s featured $100K guaranteed contest is only $20 to enter, and the first-place winner takes $20K.

Go to https://www.thrivefantasy.com/?promo=5Fins and use the promo code “5Fins” to match up to $100 on your first deposit when you sign up, and you can also take advantage of your Dolphins knowledge with their special Dolphins-based contest by using the promo code “dolphins” to get started.

Tua Tagovailoa

Tua Tagovailoa doing his part to help develop Dolphins OL

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An offensive line needs to work together as a team in order to properly protect their quarterback. Coming from Alabama, no one knows that better than Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa. Alabama offensives lines are notorious for being some of the best in college football on a regular basis. In college, Tagovailoa was well protected and could properly showcase his ability. Unfortunately, things are different in Miami.

It’s no secret that the Dolphins have struggled to build a solid offensive line over the past decade or so. Sometimes the front office doesn’t invest enough resources. Other times the players acquired simply don’t live up to lofty expectations. Regardless of the why, Miami’s offensive line has not seen stability in a long time. Even now, 1st round pick Austin Jackson is fighting to prove he was worth picking 18th overall in the 2020 draft.

For now, the Miami Dolphins are being patient with Jackson. He is extremely young and his ceiling is high, but he is also in need of coaching to reach that ceiling. Jackson’s performance against the Chicago Bears in the preseason can only be described as abysmal. While reports indicate he’s doing marginally better against the Atlanta Falcons in joint practices, there was also a report that Tua Tagovailoa pulled Jackson aside and had to have a talk with him about something.

Later that same day, Tagovailoa spoke to the media and was asked about the nature of this discussion. His answer was straightforward, but revealed something that should not be overlooked.

“It’s just communicating.” Tagovailoa said. “Just, ‘hey, how are you feeling in the back there.’ For me, just kind of talking to those guys about what I’m feeling and what I’m seeing as far as pressure and just communicating that to them. They don’t see everything. All they see is the guy they’re blocking.”

That right there says a lot about Tua Tagovailoa. He’s not only taking command of his own level of play, he’s doing his part to elevate the others around him. It is important for leaders to lead by example, which he’s doing. But there’s also the verbal aspect of it, which Tagovailoa was limited with during his rookie season. When Ryan Fitzpatrick was with the Dolphins, Tagovailoa took a step back. Now this is his football team, and he’s treating it as such.

“He’s doing a great job, he’s doing a great job leadership-wise.” Austin Jackson said on Thursday. “He’s going into his second year. Him also like myself, having a whole year under your belt and then getting an offseason to prepare, you can anticipate more things. That’s really what football comes down to. We all can line up and play but you have to anticipate stuff. I think he’s definitely gotten a lot better with that … He’s our quarterback … being a quarterback is a lot of responsibility at the end of the day. He can’t run our routes, he can’t call all of our protections, so I think that’s kind of where the 11 people working as one thing comes together. He’s definitely a leader of the offense.”

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For Jackson to still speak so highly of Tua Tagovailoa just one day after being pulled to the side by him, that speaks volumes about the level of respect Tagovailoa has built inside that locker room. Fans can fondly look back on the memories created by Ryan Fitzpatrick’s two-year tenure with the Miami Dolphins, but this is Tagovailoa’s team now. The only real weak spot left is the offensive line, and Tagovailoa is not letting the chips fall where they may.

The young QB out of Alabama is taking a very active role in developing the offense, even on the offensive line. Already, they’re showing signs of improvement as practices continue. Give credit to what he’s doing. Not every QB has the charisma or the courage to do what Tua Tagovailoa is doing.

Luis Sung has covered the Miami Dolphins for numerous outlets such as Dolphins Wire for seven years. Follow him on Twitter: @LuisDSung

Everything Tradeshows is a one-stop-shop for trade show exhibit rentals and custom exhibit display purchase solutions to companies of all sizes.

Visit them at everythingtradeshows.com or call 954-791-8882

 

Thrive Fantasy takes away the hours of research required to make the most out of your fantasy sports experience. Thrive’s featured $100K guaranteed contest is only $20 to enter, and the first-place winner takes $20K.

Go to https://www.thrivefantasy.com/?promo=5Fins and use the promo code “dolphins” to match up to $100 on your first deposit when you sign up, and take advantage of your Dolphins knowledge with their special Dolphins-based contest to get started.

Austin Jackson

Dolphins practicing patience with OT Austin Jackson

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Looking back on the Miami Dolphins first preseason game of the 2021 season, it’s safe to say that the offensive line is going to be a concern. To make matters worse, one player stood out above the rest with his struggles against the Chicago Bears. That’s offensive tackle Austin Jackson. According to ProFootballFocus, Jackson gave up five pressures in 18 pass blocking chances. His run blocking was only marginally better.

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By every available metric, Jackson struggled in his first ever preseason game. It’s no secret that numbers sometimes lie in sports. However, in this case, the film seems to support the numbers.

Austin Jackson is a 1st round draft pick. He is expected to perform as such. If Jackson doesn’t figure things out quickly, then Tua Tagovailoa could find himself hitting the ground a lot more than what is necessary. Granted, there is still time, and Jackson is only 22 years old. He showed what he’s capable of during his rookie season, having plenty of ups to go with his downs. As a result, the Dolphins seem to be taking the same approach they’re taking with Noah Igbinoghene.

Patience.

“I thought he did some good things. I thought he competed well.” Head coach Brian Flores said on Sunday. “We were playing against a good front, some good players over there. I thought he competed well, I thought he did some good things in the running game, did some good things in pass protection. I thought he did a lot of good things. Obviously there were some instances where his techniques and fundamentals weren’t as good and we’re making those corrections right now. But I was pleased with how he played.”

It’s no surprise to see Flores defending his players. He’s never been one to throw any one player under the bus. As for Jackson himself, he’s focusing on trying to get up to speed, and declines to comment on where the OL is versus where they want to be.

“That’s a tough question to ask, especially with all of the moving pieces going in.” He said after the game. “We’re putting in the offense right now, so we’re all learning; but I know one thing we do do is we come in and compete every day. The effort part, if you’re not lacking the effort part – which is a struggle for a lot of people and teams – then you can go great places. We’re staying on that track and just keep building until we get a brick wall.”

While Austin Jackson struggled against the Bears, not all hope is lost. The offensive line was not able to do anything while run blocking, but their pass protection was better than given credit for. QB Tua Tagovailoa even went out of his way to credit them after the game was over.

“I think the line did a tremendous job today.” Tagovailoa said after the game. “They kept the pocket clean, gave me a lot of time to step up into the pocket and make that throw. And it wasn’t just that play. There were numerous occasions throughout the first quarter and second quarter where they’ve really shown up and given me a clean pocket.”

Watching the film, the pass protection actually was better than it seemed. Tagovailoa’s best throws of the day came with no one around him. The real glaring weak spot was Austin Jackson. Fortunately for the Miami Dolphins, there’s still time to bring him back up to speed.

Luis Sung has covered the Miami Dolphins for numerous outlets such as Dolphins Wire for seven years. Follow him on Twitter: @LuisDSung

Everything Tradeshows is a one-stop-shop for trade show exhibit rentals and custom exhibit display purchase solutions to companies of all sizes.

Visit them at everythingtradeshows.com or call 954-791-8882

 

Thrive Fantasy takes away the hours of research required to make the most out of your fantasy sports experience. Thrive’s featured $100K guaranteed contest is only $20 to enter, and the first-place winner takes $20K.

Go to https://www.thrivefantasy.com/?promo=5Fins and use the promo code “dolphins” to match up to $100 on your first deposit when you sign up, and take advantage of your Dolphins knowledge with their special Dolphins-based contest to get started.

 

Adam Shaheen

Miami Dolphins sign TE Adam Shaheen to 2-year extension

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While teams scramble to acquire the unwanted players of other teams, the Miami Dolphins are taking care of their own. Early Monday morning, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the Miami Dolphins officially extended tight end Adam Shaheen to a 2-year extension. His previous contract was set to expire after this season. Shaheen’s new deal is worth up to $7.9 million and includes a fully guaranteed $3.2 million.

This turns out to be a nice feather in the cap of general manager Chris Grier, who acquired Shaheen from the Chicago Bears for a conditional 7th round pick back in late July. While by no means a superstar, Shaheen has proven to be a reliable role player, much like Nick O’Leary was for Miami back in 2018-19.

Through six games this season, Adam Shaheen has only five receptions on seven targets. However, two of those receptions have gone for touchdowns. Also, he has 58 reception yards, most of which came from a huge 44-yard play down the seam against the New York Jets.

Seeing that the Bears originally drafted Shaheen in the second round of the 2017 NFL draft, it’s obvious he’s talented. But injuries derailed his early career, and during the games he did play in Chicago, he struggled to make an impact. Through 33 career games, Adam Shaheen has a grand total of 31 receptions for 307 yards and and six touchdowns.

“I think he’s come in obviously via trade and he’s really worked hard.” Head coach Brian Flores said Wednesday. “I think he’s been productive over the first six weeks of the season. We just felt like he was somebody we wanted to keep around for a few more years. There were some discussions ongoing and those guys were able to strike a deal.”

Shaheen’s extension indicates the Miami Dolphins believe his best football is still ahead of him. Together with Mike Gesicki and Durham Smythe, the three have turned into a reliable trio.

Luis Sung has covered the Miami Dolphins for numerous outlets such as Dolphins Wire for seven years. Follow him on Twitter: @LuisDSung