RG Donald Thomas out for the season; Grigsby cut

[unowen85]

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/football/pro/dolphins/sfl-dolinj090909,0,7173610.story

After a preseason of not incurring any serious injuries, the Dolphins revealed today that rookie starting right guard Donald Thomas will be out for the season with a left foot injury.

Thomas, the sixth-round pick out of Connecticut who was labeled as the most pleasant surprise of training camp by General Manager Jeff Ireland and called a, "Godsend,'' by team vice president of football operations Bill Parcells, was placed on injured reserve Tuesday.

The Dolphins signed three-year guard Evan Mathis, a nephew of Killer Bs star Bob Baumhower, to bolster the young offensive line and possibly take Thomas' place. Mathis, a former third-round pick by the Panthers in 2005, played for Dolphins offensive coordinator Dan Henning and offensive line coach Mike Maser in Carolina from 2005-06.

[url]
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/foot ... 5322.story[/url]

After just one game in which the Dolphins running game was basically stopped, they have cut fullback Boomer Grigsby and signed former Titans fullback Casey Cramer to a two-year deal.

Cramer, 26, a seventh-round pick by the Bucs in 2004, eventually played for Dolphins offensive coordinator Dan Henning and Dolphins offensive line coach Mike Maser when the three were together on the Carolina Panthers in the 2004 and '05 seasons.

"He's a Dartmouth graduate, very intelligent, and will have the playbook down pat by Sunday morning,'' said Joe Linta, Cramer's agent. "He's tough, smart, a good pass-catcher, a good blocker and excellent special teams player.''

Cramer has two career catches for 18 yards and no carries. The 6-foot-2, 235-pounder has some experience as a kick returner, but his job with the Dolphins will be primarily as a blocking fullback with the ability to catch passes out of the backfield.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/palmbeach/miamidolphins/entries/2008/09/09/cramer_gives_dolphins_more_opt.html

Damn, this blows. This would be the right time for Shawn Murphy to start blossoming.

[heat4life]

Losing Thomas is a big blow. I would've been nice for him to develop this season. Now hopefully someone else steps up. As for Boomer, I have a feeling that Parcells is going to cut a borderline player or two after every loss just to make a statement and push for results. Boomer didn't make an impact so we won't miss him. There are several other players who are in the same spot. If Arizona receivers trash our secondary for a second week, I sense someone back there will get cut (Crocker, JAllen, Hill, Lehan, Goodman)

[Lane1974]

Crocker should get cut and then placed in that pit with that dinosaur monster Luke Skywalker had to fight

I am bummed about Donald Thomas -- they are so vague with the injuries in this regime but initially he expected to play this weekend... I wonder what is wrong with his foot? Maybe it's an 8-12 week injury and they figured to just IR him... either way, he was on his way to being a stud, hopefully this doesn't derail his career

[GameTime_3]

Whats weird about Donald thomas is that he thought he would play this week. He was on the radio talking about next week and bam, they hit us with IR. Hopefully Murphy shows us by we wasted a 4 rounder on him.

[heat4life]

People in Atlanta say Crocker would give up big deep ball plays all the time and his act got old hence why they cut him. First TD, the CB got no support from the Safety (Crocker) and up goes NY with a punch on the gut.

As for Donald Thomas, he was exaclty what this line needed, a tough SOB. He hurt his ankle midway thru the 2nd Qtr and never said a word and play through the pain. At the end of the game, Jets lineman where more impressed with Thomas than with Jake Long. IMO Thomas would've played with that bad ankle if necessary. Maybe it would've hurt the team more than help but at least we have some toughness there as opposed to they type of players from recent years who would go on IR with a broken nail.

Side note: Am I the only one who doesn't understand why Jason Allen does not start? I mean, he's shown "in games" that he can come up with a big play more often than Crocker but for some reason this is the 3rd coaching staff that rather have him on the bench..

[GameTime_3]

Side note: Am I the only one who doesn't understand why Jason Allen does not start? I mean, he's shown "in games" that he can come up with a big play more often than Crocker but for some reason this is the 3rd coaching staff that rather have him on the bench..

I am with you on that. Jason Allen does not practices well but plays "good during games", one reason why they down play him alot. Another thing to remmber is Lehan was out this weak, so we should have our top corners for next week, which we really need.