Good Article On Cobbs

[MeanGreenBuzz]

http://www.miamidolphins.com/newsite/news/...?contentID=5334

From the looks of it Cobbs is one of 3 backs competing for the job. They don't even mention Booker. Brown will start of course but Cobbs has a very good chance of being #2 on this team plus he can play both ways on special teams.

Born To Run; Other Training Camp Notes

August 23, 2007

By Andy Kent

Special for MiamiDolphins.com

Nothing is settled with the running back position, even though Head Coach Cam Cameron's offense revolves so much around it. And the group at his disposal has begun to form a unique bond.

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CAMP NOTES - August 23, 2007

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Ronnie Brown, being the second overall pick of the 2005 NFL Draft, is the incumbent trying to beat out journeyman Jesse Chatman and second-year back Patrick Cobbs, with rookie Lorenzo Booker and second-year free agent Ray Perkins looking to make their mark before the first roster cuts.

Chatman spent the first three years of his career in San Diego where Cameron was the Chargers' offensive coordinator, so his familiarity with the system would seem to bode well for his chances. After being out of football entirely in 2006 and bouncing around a few practice squads in 2005, his competitive fire is burning, but he is not selfish.

"Obviously, for Jesse being in the system before, he knew some things that Cam expects that some of us may not have known and he kind of just tells us," said Brown, who is coming off of his first 1,000-yard season (1,008). "We're just in this thing together to try to make sure that we're all on the same page and trying to help each other out."

Brown and Chatman also lined up as the kick return unit against Kansas City last week, and Cameron has emphasized that he is looking for versatile football players that can help out the team a number of different ways. In Cameron's system, the running back is counted on to be a sure-handed receiver and a tough blocker in addition to being able to run the ball in between the tackles and accelerate in the open field.

All five backs have shown the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield, and Brown ahs caught more than 30 passes in each of his first two seasons with the Dolphins. LaDainian Tomlinson had 56 receptions for 508 yards with the Chargers last season and over his career has caught 398 balls for 2,900 yards.

"Basically, just the type of offense we have, you're liable to line up anywhere in our offense," Chatman said. "We've got to know our position just as well as the wide receiver position because depending on what formation is called, we might have to run the wide receiver's route or the receiver might have to run our route. … Pretty much if you read the defense just like how the quarterback reads the defense you know what's going to be called.

"That's what makes the Emmitt Smith's and the LT's of the world the LT's and the Emmitt Smith's of the world, because they're reading and thinking just like the quarterback. If not, they're ahead of the quarterback or they're on the same page with the quarterback before the quarterback even gets there."

In differentiating each back from another, Chatman described Brown as "more of a bruiser type back," and Cobbs and Perkins as two runners with good vision who are not afraid to "stick it up in there."

Perkins, being only 210 pounds, sees himself as being more effective on the edge or lined up wide, but he is more capable of running up the middle, and he also talked about Cobbs as being a hard-nosed runner, which Cobbs embraces. As hard as he and the others have been worked by running backs coach Bobby Jackson, he said the group gave themselves the affectionate nickname "The Junction Boys."

Cobbs also is prepared for wherever he might land on the depth chart and to do whatever it takes to secure his spot on the final 53-man roster.

"For a guy like me, who's going to come in maybe as the third string back, you're going to have to contribute on special teams," said Cobbs, who began his rookie season as an undrafted free agent with New England before being traded to Pittsburgh, waived and then signed to Miami's practice squad and activated for the last five games. "The more you can do on special teams is definitely going to help you out, so that's what I want to do. I want to show that I can do a lot of different things as far as returning the ball on punts, kickoff returns and even blocking out front."

Because Cameron's offense is so flexible and built to suit any size running back, Cobbs is confident he can fit in there somewhere, as are Chatman and Perkins.

Brown just likes all of the options that are available to the quarterback and what type of nightmares this system will cause for opposing defensive coordinators, and he believes the more running backs that can be rotated in the merrier.

"We've got the opportunity to have two running backs in the game at the same time doing different things," Brown said. "One of us may be in the slot, one of us in the backfield, so it kind of takes pressure off of some of the other guys on the offensive side and we're able to equally distribute the ball and keep the defenses off guard. So I'm excited about that."

BREAKING CAMP: Training camp will officially come to an end for the veterans and married players tomorrow night, as Cameron will allow them to check out of the team hotel and return to their homes. The rest of the players will break Saturday morning.

INJURY UPDATE: Fullback Reagan Mauia (wrist) participated in the team stretching minus the sling he had on Wednesday but with a cast ... Linebacker Joey Porter (knee) did not practice but watched the drills ... Cornerback Andre Goodman (shoulder) and offensive tackle Joe Toledo (foot) are on the Active/Physically Unable to Perform Lost and did not practice ... Offensive tackle Mike Rosenthal (shoulder) also did not practice ... Nose tackle Keith Traylor sat out the afternoon practice as part of his regular routine being a 17-year veteran.

BRING ON THE GENERAL: Legendary basketball coach Bobby Knight will be the guest of Cameron and Bucs head coach Jon Gruden at Saturday night's game.

Cameron played for Knight at Indiana for two seasons (1981-83) while also playing football for the Hoosiers and considers him the best teacher he has ever been around. His two football coaches were Lee Corso and Sam Wyche, but it was Knight who had the biggest influence on him.

"I remember my senior year he called me in and I was all excited because he offered to put me on basketball scholarship my last year," Cameron said. "Honestly, I'm thinking that's a pretty good deal, Bob Knight's offering me a basketball scholarship. But he said there's one stipulation; you've got to be working on your master's.

"Right away I went, finished my degree that summer and worked on my master's the next year, and there aren't many guys that are doing that, trying to not only elevate you as a player. … There's nothing I wouldn't do for that man and if any of my kids ever had the opportunity to play college basketball that would be the first place I'd recommend."

Cameron said Knight is supposed to arrive in South Florida tomorrow but the schedule won't allow for him to address the team.

HALL OF FAME ACCESS: Hall of Fame quarterback Bob Griese, who is part of the television broadcast team for Saturday night's game against Tampa Bay and quarterbacked the Dolphins to the NFL's only perfect season in 1972, is scheduled to be the featured guest tomorrow on MiamiDolphins.com All-Access Internet radio. The show, co-hosted by Barry Buetel and Andy Kent, airs live from 2-3 p.m., and also can be listened to at any time on the site and downloaded as a podcast.

[pollock]

In differentiating each back from another, Chatman described Brown as "more of a bruiser type back," and Cobbs and Perkins as two runners with good vision who are not afraid to "stick it up in there."

Paging Quoner........

[GoMeanGreen1999]

Don't know if anyone else saw it or not (I am sure there are people who did) but there is a great (2) page photo of Patrick in Sports Illustrated this week.