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Dolphins put Jones (torn pec) on injured reserve
By Len Pasquarelli
ESPN.com
Strong safety Tebucky Jones, who had started all six of the Miami Dolphins' games this season and played well against the run, will be lost for the rest of the 2005 season, after undergoing surgery to repair a torn right pectoral muscle suffered in the second half Friday night.
Given the structure of the contract that Jones signed with the Dolphins in March after his release by the New Orleans Saints, there is some question as to whether the veteran safety will return to Miami in 2006.
The Dolphins placed Jones on injured reserve and signed Norman LeJeune, who played for coach Nick Saban at LSU, to replace him on the roster. Second-year pro Yeremiah Bell, who has appeared in 19 games but never as a starter, is expected to move into the No. 1 strong safety spot.
Jones, 31, had 39 tackles, the third-most on the team, in six games and also had two sacks, including one in the loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, a game moved up by two days because of the advance of Hurricane Wilma on South Florida. Always regarded as an "in the box" safety, tough against the run but inconsistent as a pass defender, Jones was playing well in a Miami defense in which his role was structured to his strengths.
The eight-year veteran, who began his career in New England as a first-round selection in the 1998 draft, was nearly traded to the Dolphins in the spring. The Saints eventually released him, after being unable to agree the Dolphins on trade compensation, and Jones quickly signed with Miami, in part because he owns a home in the area.
Whether he stays with Miami after his rehabilitation, though, remains to be seen. The club owes Jones a $3.3 million bonus in March and then a base salary of $3 million. While the Dolphins coaches seem to like Jones, and what he provides the defense, his contract probably will have to be reworked. The team likely will assess how well Bell plays, along with other offseason options, before making a decision on Jones' future.
In another roster move, the Dolphins signed free agent fullback Darian Barnes, a three-year veteran who has appeared in 36 games and started 10 of them. He replaces Heath Evans, who had started in three of six games, but who was released over the weekend.
Known as a solid blocker, Barnes, who started for the Cowboys in 2004, has carried just five times for 10 yards and has 11 receptions for 65 yards and a touchdown.
Len Pasquarelli is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com. [/b][/quote]
By Len Pasquarelli
ESPN.com
Strong safety Tebucky Jones, who had started all six of the Miami Dolphins' games this season and played well against the run, will be lost for the rest of the 2005 season, after undergoing surgery to repair a torn right pectoral muscle suffered in the second half Friday night.
Given the structure of the contract that Jones signed with the Dolphins in March after his release by the New Orleans Saints, there is some question as to whether the veteran safety will return to Miami in 2006.
The Dolphins placed Jones on injured reserve and signed Norman LeJeune, who played for coach Nick Saban at LSU, to replace him on the roster. Second-year pro Yeremiah Bell, who has appeared in 19 games but never as a starter, is expected to move into the No. 1 strong safety spot.
Jones, 31, had 39 tackles, the third-most on the team, in six games and also had two sacks, including one in the loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, a game moved up by two days because of the advance of Hurricane Wilma on South Florida. Always regarded as an "in the box" safety, tough against the run but inconsistent as a pass defender, Jones was playing well in a Miami defense in which his role was structured to his strengths.
The eight-year veteran, who began his career in New England as a first-round selection in the 1998 draft, was nearly traded to the Dolphins in the spring. The Saints eventually released him, after being unable to agree the Dolphins on trade compensation, and Jones quickly signed with Miami, in part because he owns a home in the area.
Whether he stays with Miami after his rehabilitation, though, remains to be seen. The club owes Jones a $3.3 million bonus in March and then a base salary of $3 million. While the Dolphins coaches seem to like Jones, and what he provides the defense, his contract probably will have to be reworked. The team likely will assess how well Bell plays, along with other offseason options, before making a decision on Jones' future.
In another roster move, the Dolphins signed free agent fullback Darian Barnes, a three-year veteran who has appeared in 36 games and started 10 of them. He replaces Heath Evans, who had started in three of six games, but who was released over the weekend.
Known as a solid blocker, Barnes, who started for the Cowboys in 2004, has carried just five times for 10 yards and has 11 receptions for 65 yards and a touchdown.
Len Pasquarelli is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com. [/b][/quote]
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