Vernon Carey
proCanes

Carey hurting, but expects to play

Aug/15/07 06:57 AM
DAVIE — Left tackle Vernon Carey said he still doesn't feel 100 percent healthy since he tweaked his knee and left the Miami Dolphins' exhibition game Saturday.
Carey said he felt his right knee grind and heard a "crunchy noise" when he came out of his stance to pull around the end and lead a running play.

"It felt kind of weak when I made contact coming around the corner," he said Tuesday. "I just kind of stayed down and wanted to see what the doctor said."

Carey, a third-year player and one of Miami's most experienced offensive linemen, said doctors said he had a bone bruise that night. He said his knee felt weak when he tried to get into his three-point stance or ride a bike.

He expects to play Thursday at Kansas City, but might not be at full speed.

"I wouldn't say it's fine," he said. "But it's football and you have to play through some pain."

(palmbeachpost.com)

Dolphins' Carey back practicing

Aug/14/07 08:46 AM
Left tackle Vernon Carey was back on the practice field after leaving Saturday's game with what apparently turned out to be a very minor injury to his right knee. Carey didn't appear to be held out of any drills although he did have ice on his knee in the locker room Monday morning.

Carey had a brace on his knee, but didn't appear to be limited in any way.

(miamiherald.com)

Lineman Carey injured against Jaguars

Aug/13/07 03:40 AM
Miami's offensive line had a scary moment early in Saturday's preseason opener against Jacksonville at Dolphin Stadium.

Vernon Carey, who was switched from right tackle to left tackle during the offseason, sustained an undisclosed right knee injury -- one not considered to be serious -- with 5:40 remaining in the first quarter.

Carey sustained the injury on a sweep by Ronnie Brown to the left in a two-tight end formation. Brown gained 6 yards on the carry.

Carey was helped off the field and was quickly examined. Moments after getting on a table, Carey stood up under his own power and headed to a stationary bike. Carey did not return to the game.

(miamiherald.com)

Vernon Carey Update

Jul/19/07 12:48 PM
carey
Carey is the best offensive lineman on the roster. Last year, he really emerged as a bright young player and proved to everyone that he was worthy of a first-round draft pick. Of course, that breakout happened while starting at right tackle. This year, he will be switching over to the most important position on the line - left tackle. That's also the most difficult and demanding position on the line. Early in his career, he saw time at LT but didn't show the confidence or physical skills necessary to excel there. This offseason he seems to have regained the confidence to take on the LT position. There he will be charged with protecting the blind side of Trent Green. I would have liked to see Carey remain at RT where he played so well, but the team simply doesn't have another adequate option to start at LT. Anthony Alabi was given a shot, but he went down with an injury. This means that if Carey is forced to miss time, the team could be in serious trouble. I think that Carey has the ability to play LT well, although I'm afraid that he isn't going to receive the support that he will need. By that I am referring to the left guard position, which is the weakest point on the line and perhaps the weakest position on the entire team. Whether he's playing next to a very average (at best) Chris Liwienski or a very green Drew Mormino, Carey truly is going to be alone on an island. That is going to make it very easy for teams to line up their top pass rushers over Carey and let them go wild on the QB. Training camp is going to be the first step in showing that Carey has the ability to go out on an island and take care of his assigned man in space - and he will have the perfect opponent to practice against: Jason Taylor.

(phinaticism.blogspot.com)

Vernon Carey Update

May/29/07 01:53 PM
Our sources tell us that Dolphins OT Vernon Carey is not thrilled about making the switch from the right side to the OLT spot, but that he's willing to do so for the good of the team. Word is Carey feels more comfortable, particularly with his footwork, at right tackle.

(pfw.com)

Move to left a right choice for Dolphins' Carey

May/20/07 10:36 AM
Dolphins offensive tackle Vernon Carey possesses the antennae for picking up the local noise, as one would expect from someone working in the town where he was born, raised, went to high school (Miami Northwestern) and college (University of Miami).

So, Carey has heard all the doubts about him since the Dolphins traded up to take him in the 2004 NFL Draft. That includes the latest skepticism, that Carey is ready to make the big move across the line from right tackle to left tackle.

Although Carey doesn't keep a Nixonesque Enemies List of those who don't believe he can handle it, he did call the disbelief ``very motivating.''

Carey said his wife, LaTavia, told him, ``You know what a challenge this is for you. A lot of people feel you can't get it done.''

Then, he said, ``People turned on me in my second year and said I wasn't worth a first-round pick. I changed their minds about me. Now, I need to change their minds about left tackle.''

A big challenge? Carey to tackle it

May/09/07 11:41 AM
DAVIE ?There were different starters at four of the five offensive line spots in the opening practice of this weekend's Dolphins minicamp, but one of the biggest changes from 2006 wasn't quite so obvious.

Vernon Carey was once lukewarm about moving from right tackle to left tackle. Carey now says he is excited about being shifted to the line's most important pass-blocking position.

"It's another challenge I'm willing to take on," Carey said Friday after completing his first practice at left tackle. "It's going to push me to be a better player.

Carey: 'Time to prove them wrong again'

May/06/07 09:47 AM
DAVIE - Vernon Carey is going back to the position the Miami Dolphins had in mind when they drafted him in 2004.

And this time, he believes, it will be different.

Rumored for months, Carey is moving from right tackle to left as the Dolphins reconfigure their offensive line to not only improve pass protection, but also get more push in the running game.

"My first thought was, if I'm going to do it . . . I want to be not good, but great at it," Carey said. "That's my new attitude. I don't want to be good no more. I want to be great.

Confident Carey ready for left tackle

May/05/07 07:20 AM
AVIE — Vernon Carey is the Dolphins' new left tackle because coach Cam Cameron has a good feeling about him.

"Sometimes it's hard to describe what you sense," Cameron said. "I just sense he's a guy that we can develop some trust in."

The last time a Dolphins coach put that much faith in Carey, it didn't take him long to realize he was wrong.

The Dolphins traded a fourth-round pick to the Minnesota Vikings to move up one spot in the 2004 draft in order to select the University of Miami product. That's how confident they were that Carey could fill a big hole at right tackle.

About two weeks into training camp - two days after the first exhibition game was played - then-coach Dave Wannstedt moved Carey to guard, hoping that a "light would go on."

Carey said it took him until last season, when he played well at right tackle in 16 starts, to rid himself of the "bad attitude" that resulted from his rookie year.

"I was just a younger guy," Carey said. "I wasn't a starter yet and probably felt I needed to get some reps at something I wasn't doing all my life. Now, I'm older. I've got a lot more confidence than the previous years and feel I can play on the left side."

Cameron sees Carey at LT

Apr/30/07 10:59 AM
Dolphins coach Cam Cameron said one reason why the team didn't pick a left tackle Saturday is because it already has one in former right tackle Vernon Carey.

"This young man has a lot of ability," Cameron said Saturday. "In my view, we have a guy that can develop into the kind of left tackle we're looking for. Is that going to happen? We're going to find out.

This will be Carey's second go-round at the position. The Dolphins traded up in the first round of the 2004 draft to take the former Miami Hurricane with the 19th overall selection and plug him in at left tackle.

But during training camp, it quickly became apparent that he lacked the confidence to play the line's most important position and he was moved to the right side. Carey finally had a good season last year at right tackle.

Anthony Alabi is expected to replace Carey at right tackle.
(palmbeachpost.com)

Vernon Carey Update

Feb/21/07 03:11 AM
At right tackle, Vernon Carey has emerged as a star… .or at least as much of a star as a right tackle can be. Carey’s selection on draft day 2004 was somewhat maligned since the team unnecessarily gave up a 4th round pick to get him, but the fact is this: Carey is the only legitimate top 10 player at his position on this line. That’s no small feat since he was shuffled among several different positions before he was finally settled in at right tackle. Football Outsiders tells us that the Phins were 2nd in the NFL in Adjusted Line Yards when they ran over right tackle, and 6th in the NFL when they ran over right end. He is a fixture, and should remain at right tackle for the next 10 years.

(finheaven.com)

Miami's future Pro Bowlers, Part III: Vernon Carey

Feb/09/07 10:13 AM
Vernon Carey is possibly the most underappreciated and unheralded player on the entire Miami Dolphins roster. The behemoth right tackle has started 30 of the team's last 32 contests, quietly becoming the line's most consistent performer. But somehow, fans and media seem to either overlook him or flat-out disregard him when talking about Miami's prospects for the future.

And there are several fairly legitimate reasons for that lack of respect.

For starters, the 6-foot-5, 335-pounder was widely considered a major underachiever while playing for the University of Miami. When the Miami native first arrived at the school, he was expected to be a mirror image of Outland Trophy winner Bryant McKinney. Yet that level of production never materialized. Many pundits believed that it was a lack of heart, not a talent issue, that was to blame.