Wednesday Miami Dolphins Notebook: Robert Jones, Wilkins Talk, Kuechenberg’s Hall Call, and More
The three senior finalists for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2023 were announced Wednesday, and they did not include longtime Miami Dolphins offensive lineman Bob Kuechenberg.
But there was a positive development out of the selection process nonetheless because Kuechenberg was among the final six after the first cut from the 12 who were left from an original list of 127.
The three seniors selected as finalists were former Jets defensive lineman Joe Klecko, former Dallas linebacker Chuck Howley and former Bengals cornerback Ken Riley.
Along with Kuechenberg, the two players who made the cut from 12 to six but didn’t become a finalist this year were former Broncos linebacker Randy Gradishar and longtime Packers wide receiver Sterling Sharpe.
Kuechenberg making it to the final six bodes well for his chances to become a senior inductee at some point. Kuechenberg, who died in 2019, would become the third member of the 1972 offensive line inducted into the Hall of Fame.
WILKINS WATCH
While there were no fights at Dolphins practice resembling anything like the altercations between the Panthers and Patriots, tempers did flare a couple of times.
And, maybe not surprisingly, Christian Wilkins always seemed to be in the middle of action. And maybe it has something to do with his penchant for yapping.
Offensive lineman Robert Hunt kind of explained it when he was asked to talk in general about the conversations at the line of scrimmage.
“Christian Wilkins has a nasty mouth, ladies and gentlemen,” Hunt began. “We have to find a way to get him reported and fined for his filthy mouth. I’m joking. (laughter) It’s fun. Christian gets fired up. He’s one of the ones that get fired up. His trash talking is freaking awful, like it sucks. So I don’t say much, man. I’m already tired, I ain’t got time for that. So I just kind of let it go. I let ‘AJ’ (Austin Jackson) do all the talking with him. (laughter)
“They hash it out, but it’s just Christian running his bad trash talk mouth and then some guys say something back to him. But we really are just trying to get a little work in. Christian is just being Christian, so we love him. To have Christian on the team, I love it, except when it’s on field goal or something like that when he’s talking trash to the other team and then they have to just tee off on the o-line. So that’s the only problem, that sucks.”
A TALE OF TWO ROBERTS
During his media session Wednesday, Hunt also was asked for his impressions of second-year offensive lineman Robert Jones from Middle Tennessee.
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Like Jones, Hunt played at a non-Power 5 school, Lousiana-Lafayette.
“Robert Jones is a beast, man,” Hunt said. “I like Rob. Rob reminds me of myself a little bit. He’s a go-getter. He likes to play football. He’s physical. He’s a hard-nosed football player out of Middle Tennessee, so I always have to respect a guy from one of those little bitty schools like that. They come out on fire. He’s a tough guy with big old legs, so that will definitely help him out. He’s good. He’s playing really well.”
DOLPHINS TV INFO
For a second consecutive week, the Dolphins preseason game will not be among those televised live by NFL Network.
The game, scheduled for Saturday at 7 p.m. ET, will be shown on replay Monday at 1 p.m. ET and Tuesday at midnight.
It will be shown live on South Florida CBS affiliate WFOR, with Steve Goldstein on the play-by-play, Jason Taylor doing color commentary and Kim Bokamper on the sidelines.
On the topic of TV, CBS announced its broadcasting assignments for Week 1 of the regular season and will send Greg Gumbel (play-by-play), Adam Archuleta (color) and A.J. Ross (sidelines) to Hard Rock Stadium.
FORMER DOLPHINS NEWS
Catching up on transactions involving former Dolphins players:
— RB Patrick Laird signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He had been without a team since the Dolphins declined to extend a qualifying offer as a restricted free agent.
— WR Isaiah Ford was released (technically, contract was terminated) by the Indianapolis Colts.
— DT Robert Nkemdiche was released by the 49ers.
— CB Cornell Armstrong was placed on IR by the Atlanta Falcons.
— WR Gary Jennings reverted to IR after being waived/injured by the Kansas City Chiefs.
