Coming off a six-win season thronged with calamity, the Miami Hurricanes lost five players to the first three rounds of the NFL Draft. The future is uncertain but Vegas isn’t optimistic, pegging their over/under next year at 5.5 wins early in the offseason.

Clearly expectations have plummeted radically since the Canes of the early 2000s when the annual expectation was National Championship or bust.
Bryant McKinnie, a key cog at left tackle for those teams who went on to play 12 years in the NFL, thinks although “maybe they’re not being coached properly,” the mentality of the team is lacking compared to the old days.

“See they need those personalities that we had back then,” McKinnie said on the Kup and Crowder Show . “It was a lot of big personalities. We had a lot of people who wanted to take each other’s position. When you came in, you had James Jackson. Clinton Portis was like ‘oh I’m coming to take your position.’ I was coming to take the left tackle’s position. Everybody was coming to take somebody’s position and didn’t care and would battle each week in practice because they wanted their name called. That was the mentality and I feel like now they kind of sit back and say ‘Oh, I’m just happy to be here and go to UM.'”

“It was like alright we go to UM, but we want to play, we want to start so we were battling each other like we didn’t know each other because we wanted to take somebody’s position.”

If Bryant could change one thing with the current football program what would it be?

“I would let it go back to what it was, where you allow people to show their personality,” he said. “Let their personality shine and stop trying to make people become what you want them to be. Let them be who they are and go out there and play how they want to play. That’s how we always were. They never tried to make us conform and be like these good guys.”




(miami.cbslocal.com)

Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald believes the Dolphins should sign veteran offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie.

Morning take: For the veteran minimum, this move could make sense to improve depth. Miami may keep McKinnie on the short list in case there is an injury.

According to new court documents, McKinnie recently struck a settlement agreement with Trick Daddy‘s father Charles “Pops” Young after Young sued McKinnie for $375,000 in 2012.

Young claimed McKinnie ran up the bill over a 20-month period at two of his strip clubs, including the Miami staple King of Diamonds. According to Young, McKinnie promised to pay the bill back in 2010, but never did.


(slumz.boxden.com)

The National Football Post's Aaron Wilson reports the Dolphins haven't closed the door on re-signing free agent Bryant McKinnie as their right tackle.
Per Wilson, it's "most likely" McKinnie signs somewhere after the draft. Going on 35, McKinnie appeared near the end of the line last season, and has yet to take a visit in free agency. He'd almost certainly have to compete for the right-tackle job in Miami.


(rotoworld.com)

After the 2013 season came to an end, tackle Bryant McKinnie said he’d like to return to the Dolphins in 2014.

Miami has since signed Branden Albert to play left tackle and shown little public sign of interest in having McKinnie return as a backup or contender for the right tackle job, but McKinnie’s future in South Florida won’t impact what they have to send to the Ravens as compensation for acquiring McKinnie during the 2013 season.

The Ravens announced that they will get a seventh-round pick in return for McKinnie, who was originally dealt for a conditional draft pick. The conditions on the pick had to do with playing time and McKinnie started 10 games for the Dolphins after arriving in Miami. Baltimore now has two picks in the seventh round and one pick in the first, second, third and sixth rounds. They dealt their fourth and fifth-round picks to Jacksonville for tackle Eugene Monroe, who they re-signed this month.

McKinnie recently amended his hopes for the 2014 season for a chance to compete for a job in Miami or anywhere else in the league. His play in 2013 didn’t do much to recommend him for that opportunity, but it still might be enough to help the Ravens in the future if they use their extra pick wisely.


(profootballtalk.com)

At this point in his career, Bryant McKinnie will play just about anywhere for anyone.

The Dolphins have a vacancy at right tackle.

And yet, there’s no sign that the two will reunite in 2014. As of Tuesday morning, the Dolphins had not reached out to McKinnie about returning next season, the Miami Herald has learned.

McKinnie, 34, has made the media rounds in recent weeks, and told 560-WQAM recently that he would even be willing to play on the right side after an entire career at left tackle.

“It shouldn’t be too hard,” McKinnie, a former University of Miami standout, told the radio station. “I have done it in practice a few times. It shouldn’t be too much of a transition.”

As for the Dolphins, they added a left tackle (Branden Albert) and a guard (Shelley Smith) in the first week of free agency — but nothing since. They haven’t even announced any other offensive lineman visiting, despite having two more spots to fill.

If the season began today, Nate Garner or Dallas Thomas would be the team’s starting right tackle. Neither took a snap at that position in 2013.

And so, with each passing day, the likelihood grows that the Dolphins will look to the draft to fill that crucial spot.

They’ve shown little interest in McKinnie, who started the last 10 games for Miami after joining the Dolphins in a midseason trade. (The Ravens are expected to get a late-round pick in return.) They made a play for Zach Strief, but he ultimately re-signed with the Saints.

After that, there’s not much left — and few options better than Tyson Clabo, their 2013 starter at right tackle who remains unsigned.

The Dolphins have expressed preliminary interest in former Texans linemen Wade Smith and Ryan Harris, although they haven’t been in a rush to sign either.
Former Buccaneers tackle Donald Penn is on the market and would be an intriguing fit considering his ties to first-year Dolphins general manager Dennis Hickey. The Washington Post reported that Penn will visit the Redskins this weekend.

Charles Brown, David Stewart and Eric Winston are among the other options remaining in free agency. Winston, a University of Miami alum, visited the Dolphins in each of the past two years but doesn’t appear to be an immediate priority for the team.


(miamiherald.com)

According to Bryant McKinnie himself on WQAM sports radio, he is willing to play the right tackle position.

This should be the flag that Dennis Hickey needs to see.  Re-signing McKinnie makes a ton of sense.  First he will be cheaper than what the Dolphins would have paid at the outset of free agency.  Secondly, he showed last year that he could still play the game and finally, the Dolphins really need a right tackle.  The fact that McKinnie was a solid locker room player should be considered a bonus.

Signing McKinnie would give the Dolphins flexibility.  They could draft a RT in May and allow that player to compete for the starting job.  It would be a legit competition and should bring out the best in McKinnie.  The fact that Miami could have a veteran who already knows the schemes and philosophies on offense doesn’t hurt either.  The RT position is vacant right now and the Dolphins should not be banking on the draft to solve that situation entirely.  There are other veterans available but McKinnie might be a good choice to fill that void as a stopgap veteran.


(phinphanatic.com)

Even though Ted Wells found that Richie Incognito bullied Jonathan Martin, fellow Miami Dolphin Bryant McKinnie stood up for the troubled former Pro Bowl guard.

Speaking on SiriusXM Radio, McKinnie said Martin handled the situation poorly and that he never witnessed any bullying in the locker room.

“I don’t feel like ‘bullying’ is the term because nobody physically harmed him or made him do anything,” McKinnie said on-air. “He always had an option to say yes or no. It was never that he got bullied like he feared for his life. I just feel like he went about it the wrong way and didn’t communicate properly with the proper people."


(nationalfootballpost.com)

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Just before Jonathan Martin left the Miami Dolphins, the team acquired left tackle Bryant McKinnie in a trade. McKinnie was in the locker room for a short time with both Martin and Incognito and shared his thoughts on the Wells report, the locker room culture and the Dolphins to CBSMiami.

“It’s a very long report, 144 pages, I guess based off what they put together, they’re saying that Incognito and those guys weren’t trying to push him (Martin) out,” McKinnie told CBS4. “Maybe he could have communicated, even with myself, or you know Coach Philbin or Turner to express what was going on and why he felt a certain way and maybe things could have worked out a little better.”

McKinnie joined the Dolphins shortly before a final incident caused Martin to walk away from the team. From the time McKinnie was in the locker room, he didn’t see harassment, but said Martin could have seen it differently.

“I looked at it like it was just a joke. I never took it as someone was being harassed or felt any type of way so I never thought it was anything too bad with the situation,” McKinnie said. “Obviously you never know what people are going through. I guess he was keeping a lot of stuff inside and eventually people will snap when they keep it inside and get frustrated.”

In the aftermath of Martin leaving the team, McKinnie said that everyone tried to find Martin and help bring him back to the team.

“Immediately when he left, everyone called his phone and texted him, but it was going to voice mail because they were trying to reach out to see if he was okay,” McKinnie said. “That was the immediate reaction to the incident when he left. After that, when everything came out, it put people in awkward positions. They really just wanted to fall back from the situation and see what would happen from there.”

In the Wells Report released Friday, Coach Joe Philbin was exonerated, but the report took issue with some of offensive line coach Jim Turner’s actions. McKinnie said neither coach is responsible and he had no problem with Coach Turner.

“I don’t hold Coach Philbin or Turner responsible for incidents that take didn’t take place in the locker room. You can’t hold them responsible definitely for things that are taking place outside the locker room,” McKinnie said. “What’s going on in the locker room sometimes, if people feel they are joking, I don’t think that that’s something that he would be made aware or because it was nothing he felt was kind of harmful at the time. If he was made aware of it, he probably would have been able to stop it.”

McKinnie continued, “My time with Turner was great. I didn’t see anything that showed me any signs of Turner encouraging or doing anything with the situation. I don’t feel like him or Philbin had any clue to the extent of what was going on with the whole situation.”

McKinnie also spoke highly of the Dolphins organization which he believed handled the entire incident “well.”

“The team still moved forward and it brought the team together and win a couple of more games and get close to making the playoffs,” said McKinnie. “I don’t look at it like a black eye for the organization and at the end of the day; we’ll see if those guys will be back or not.”

Finally, McKinnie tackled the biggest issue facing Jonathan Martin, Richie Incognito, and the 31 other teams in the NFL: which player will be brought back into a locker room first?

“I think out of the two, who will have a harder time coming back into the locker room might be Jonathan because people will feel like, ‘I don’t know how I should talk to him or how I should treat him,’” McKinnie said. “From that standpoint, I don’t think Richie will have a hard time because a lot of people look at it as it’s just a guy thing and that’s just something that goes on in some other locker rooms as well. So, I think if anyone it would be Jonathan has the harder time and people might categorize him as being soft.”


(cbslocal.com)

Free agent tackle Bryant McKinnie deserves credit for playing with a torn meniscus through his entire 10-game Dolphins tenure. And McKinnie is lobbying for the Dolphins to re-sign him. "I wasn't afforded enough time to help like I wanted to help," he told WQAM. "I'm a leader. I know what it takes to win. I still can play. I'm... getting my weight down." 



(miamiherald.com)

Tackle Bryant McKinnie’s 2013 season was something of a whirlwind.

He was traded by the Ravens to the Dolphins, but not before his birthday party played host to an incident involving a stripper named Sweet Pea and a champagne bottle to the side of wide receiver Jacoby Jones‘ head. Once McKinnie got to the Dolphins, he was bothered by a knee injury and saw their struggling offensive line lose both guard Richie Incognito and tackle Jonathan Martin in the wake of Martin’s harassment allegations against his teammate.

McKinnie said he felt more comfortable playing alongside Incognito on the left side of the line because of how little time he had to learn the Dolphins’ scheme, but added he felt better closer to the end of the season. McKinnie is set to become a free agent, but he’d like to return for a full season in Miami in 2014.

“Hopefully I return back with the Dolphins,” McKinnie said, via the team’s website. “You know you have four out of the five [offensive lineman] whose contracts are up. I’ve been in the healing process and everything and I’m feeling better, working out and stuff like that. We have a new general manager so that’s good, and we’ll just see how things go. I plan on playing for a couple more years and it would be great to just finish my career there where I already have a home.”

McKinnie turns 35 early next season and there’s definitely room to upgrade, although it might be hard to do while also addressing the other needs on the offensive line. That would put McKinnie in play for another year in Miami and allow him to possibly end his caereer in the same town he called home in college.


(profootballtalk.com)

DAVIE, Fla. -- Miami Dolphins veteran left tackle Bryant McKinnie has a theory that the Buffalo Bills' defense was onto Miami's snap count most of the game. In fact, McKinnie's hunch is so strong that he approached his team's coaching staff about it this week.

According to McKinnie, the Bills' knowledge of Miami's snap count contributed to Buffalo's 19-0 shutout win over the Dolphins that included seven sacks by the Bills.

"They were getting [a jump]. I feel like they were getting a rhythm with our cadence," McKinnie said after practice Tuesday. "Me being around, I knew some things that we can do to help counter that. So I definitely brought that to my offensive line coach."

There have been discussions among media and fans in South Florida for several weeks about the Dolphins' predictable cadence. However, Miami's coaching staff recently denied there was a snap-count issue when asked about it.

Tuesday was the first time a Dolphins player mentioned that a predictable snap count could have contributed to the Dolphins' offensive struggles. The Dolphins set a new franchise record this year with 58 sacks allowed.

McKinnie said he didn't mention his suggestions to Dolphins offensive line coach Jim Turner until after Sunday's game. But the 12-year veteran said the coaching staff appeared open to changes.

"Oh definitely, because it will work," McKinnie said. "It will keep the defenders honest. It was something that's worked for me before, so it will work here."
The Dolphins (8-7) will host the New York Jets (7-8) in a game with playoff implications. The Dolphins, Baltimore Ravens (8-7), San Diego Chargers (8-7) and Pittsburgh Steelers (7-8) are fighting for the final wild card in the AFC.


(espn.com)

DAVIE, Fla. — Miami Dolphins left tackle Bryant McKinnie says he wishes he knew years ago what he knows now about physical maintenance.

"I was just going out there and just playing and not knowing to get massages and get in ice tubs and things like that," McKinnie told USA TODAY Sports this week. "You learn as you get older you've got to take care of your body."

McKinnie always has possessed immense physical talent. But he long has struggled with his weight, which memorably ballooned so much the Minnesota Vikings cut him during training camp in 2011, and gained a reputation for trying to do just enough to keep his job.

The Baltimore Ravens put a weight bonus in McKinnie's contract when they re-signed him for two years in May, only to unload him in October for a late-round conditional draft pick. He's 34 now and says he's trying to be more diligent to make sure his body doesn't break down.

"I get (massages) once a week," McKinnie said. "I get adjustments and I get stretched and all that stuff."

The Dolphins deleted the second year of McKinnie's contract after acquiring him, meaning he can become a free agent in March. He has helped stabilize a line that was struggling even before losing two starters to a bullying scandal, but Miami surely will eye upgrades in the offseason.

Asked how much longer he wants to play, McKinnie said "just three more" seasons. That'd give him 15 years in the NFL — reaching his goal of playing as long as former teammate Matt Birk, who retired after they won a Super Bowl together with the Ravens in February.

"I don't mind staying here," said McKinnie, who starred at the University of Miami and still makes his offseason home in the area. "I'm not worried about getting another place or anything like that. I'm home. I can sleep in my own bed. As long as we're injury-free, I'll be good."


(usatoday.com)

When Bryant McKinnie got to his phone after the Dolphins' wild win over Pittsburgh Sunday, there was a text message from an old friend awaiting him.

Ravens running back Ray Rice, who as of two months ago was McKinnie's teammate, had an urgent question.

"Did you win?" Rice asked.

McKinnie's response: "Yes, we won. We'll make it hard for y'all. As long as I'm still here, I'm going to make it hard."

Has he ever.

The race for the AFC's sixth and final playoff spot is now essentially down to two teams. And it's put the massive left tackle squarely between the team he helped make a champion a year ago and the team he hopes will win the next one.

McKinnie played a large role in the Ravens' Super Bowl run last year. Before the playoffs began, the year-long backup was inserted into the starting lineup and helped shore up a once-leaky offensive line.

The Ravens allowed just six sacks in four postseason games, giving Joe Flacco ample time to throw.

Now, either by causation or coincidence, the same thing has happened in Miami. The Dolphins' pass protection was a train wreck through the season's first six games, allowing a league-high 26 sacks.

That prompted Jeff Ireland to send a late-round pick to Baltimore for McKinnie, who has started every game since.

And while McKinnie hasn't been great, he's been good enough to help at least slow the pass-rushing tidal wave. In the seven games since the trade, the Dolphins have surrendered 22 quarterback sacks -- still not great, but a 27 percent improvement over what they were without him.

"He's picked up the system well, number one. He's fit into the locker room well, number two, and he’s made a good contribution on the field," said Dolphins coach Joe Philbin. "He's done a good job."

"I haven't got the full concept of each play," countered McKinnie, who has allowed four sacks in his seven games as a Dolphin. "I know general enough. I basically know who I need to block."

He's blocked well enough to help the Dolphins (7-6) win four of their last six games and become a coin flip to make their first postseason since 2008. But if they do so, it'll come at the expense of the Ravens, who have the same record but are ahead in tiebreakers.

That has led to a lot of Sunday scoreboard watching and -- in the case of Rice -- texting. McKinnie knows his old team has a tougher remaining schedule -- the Ravens play three division leaders to finish the season -- and stated the obvious this week: "I would like to make it over them."

Still, he insists there are no hard feelings toward a team that benched and then ultimately traded him.

The way he explains it, McKinnie wanted to be traded to the Dolphins after his demotion, and the Ravens accommodated his request.

"[Ravens] general manager [Ozzie Newsome] came to me and said, 'I understand where you want to go. Bare with me for two weeks and we'll try to get this thing done and make it happen,'" McKinnie recalled this week.

There were other teams interested in McKinnie, but he only wanted to go to Miami, the town where he attended college and where he lives in the offseason.
McKinnie added: "The conversation that we had, it was like, 'I was a trooper last year. I hung in here, helped us get a Super Bowl. Can you at least respect my wish?' And [Newsome] was professional about it. It happened."

Now that he's finally here in his 12th NFL season, McKinnie doesn't want to leave. While some questioned if he could handle the Miami nightlife if the infamous night owl lived here full-time, McKinnie has stayed out of trouble as a Dolphin.

His contract expires at the end of this season, and while he hasn't yet had any talks with the front office about a new deal, he hopes one happens.
Another playoff push would strengthen his case.

"There's another notch that you have, and you have to turn it up when you get to the end and to the playoffs," McKinnie said. "Once I get in the playoffs, I look at it as, 'I don't know if we're going to win or lose, so I'm going to give it everything I've got. And if we win, I'll give you everything I've got again because you never know when it's going to be over.'"


(miamiherald.com)

Bryant McKinnie and the Dolphins agreed to void the final year of the two-year, $6.3 million contract he initially signed with the Baltimore Ravens this past offseason.

"That was part of the agreement we made," McKinnie said addressing the conditions of the trade, which McKinnie admits he sought, and his agent helped broker.

Who wanted to void the final year? According to McKinnie, both sides wanted to make him a rental for the final 10 games of 2013.

"Play well and become a free agent again," said McKinnie, a former UM standout who is concluding his 12th NFL season.

McKinnie, who has started the past five games at left tackle for the Dolphins, was guaranteed $2 million for this season and earns $588,235 in base salary.

He was slated to earn a base salary of $2 million in 2014, which included a $500,000 roster bonus if he made it out of training camp. Now he'll become an unrestricted free agent.

If the Dolphins had released McKinnie instead of reworking the contract ,Miami would have accrued $1 million in dead money. That concern is now gone.

Now that McKinnie is slated to become a free agent in 2014, the only returning offensive line starters under contract moving forward will be center Mike Pouncey and offensive tackle Jonathan Martin, who has been away from the team for a month because of claims the Dolphins created a hostile working environment.

While Martin's attorney, David Cornwell, claims his client wants to continue his NFL career, there is doubt Martin wants to do it with the Dolphins.

McKinnie ($2 million), Richie Incognito ($4.2 million), John Jerry ($755,000) and Tyson Clabo ($3.5 million) are all playing on the final year of their existing contracts.


(sun-sentinel.com)

DAVIE, Fla. -- The Miami Dolphins have been the biggest NFL story for the past week following the controversy involving teammates Richie Incognito and Jonathan Martin.

Incognito is suspended indefinitely after Martin left the team and claimed he was harassed and bullied by Incognito. The NFL also is conducting a full investigation.

But at least one veteran in Miami's locker room -- starting left tackle Bryant McKinnie -- feels the story has become bigger than necessary.

"Things could probably have been a little exaggerated with that whole situation," McKinnie said candidly on Wednesday. "You heard one side of the story and now you're starting to hear the other side. So give it time before you make a decision on who's right or who's wrong and let it go from there."

When asked if other Dolphins players agree with McKinnie's point of view, he responded, "They might. I can't speak for everybody."

McKinnie was among the many veterans in Miami's locker room who came to the support of Incognito last week. There hasn't been the same sentiment for Martin, who left the team on Oct. 28 and hasn't returned. The national media attention and scrutiny has caused a huge distraction for Miami, which has lost five of its past six games.

McKinnie, who said he wasn't upset at Martin, believed Martin could have handled the situation differently.

"If he had some emotional issues, he should've took that up with somebody upstairs and maybe we wouldn't have this situation right now," McKinnie said. "It could have been a more professional way to handle it instead of walking out on your team, because that's what you did at the end of the day."

McKinnie played on three teams throughout his 12-year career and won a Super Bowl title last season with the Baltimore Ravens. McKinnie only joined the Dolphins three weeks ago following a trade with the Ravens. However, McKinnie was not afraid to offer plenty of strong views on the Incognito-Martin saga.

"You have to remember this is an NFL locker room at the end of the day. Guys are going to joke around. This is an aggressive environment," McKinnie said. "You're going to joke around and play and say things. But you're not being serious. This is just an aggressive environment. You say things. You joke. All locker rooms are very similar.

"If you was in Baltimore with me and Ray Rice, or to listen to him Vonta Leach talk to each other, the way they talk to each other, that could have easily been this situation. Somebody could have just got fed up and did the same thing. It's not that serious. You know what I mean?"

Martin will meet with NFL on Friday to discuss his issues with Miami, according to ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter. The Dolphins (4-5) will host the San Diego Chargers on Sunday.


(espn.com)

Acquired Oct. 21, McKinnie had just three days of practice before being thrust into the Dolphins' starting lineup as Ryan Tannehill's blindside protector. The shuffling along the line didn't do much in the way of improvement, as the Dolphins surrendered six second-half sacks against the Patriots and are up to 32 on the season, most in the NFL. The job for McKinnie doesn't get any easier this week, as he'll face a Cincinnati defensive line that has reserves with starter-level ability such as Wallace Gilberry, on pace for six sacks despite starting just one game in 2013. The front-line defensive ends, Carlos Dunlap and Michael Johnson, are long, powerful and athletic, something McKinnie must account for. The mountainous McKinnie needs to tap into his own length to keep the rushers at bay.


(espn.com)

Miami made a risky decision to start new left tackle Bryant McKinnie after just three practices with the team. The Dolphins acquired McKinnie on Oct. 21 in a trade with the Baltimore Ravens. He got his first start Sunday and played relatively well. McKinnie held New England’s best pass-rusher in Chandler Jones to six tackles and zero sacks. Miami also had its best running day of the season. The Dolphins gained 156 rushing yards and averaged 5.0 yards per carry. McKinnie should improve with more practice time. He was already an upgrade over former starting offensive tackle Tyson Clabo.


(espn.com)

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- It wasn’t all bad for the Miami Dolphins during their 27-17 loss to the New England Patriots.

Yes, the Dolphins lost their fourth straight game. Yes, Miami allowed 24 unanswered points in the second half to New England. But there were a few bright spots in defeat.

One of the biggest signs of life in Miami’s loss was the impromptu performance of new left tackle Bryant McKinnie. He was acquired less than a week ago and had just three practices. Yet, the veteran and former Pro Bowler held his own under tough circumstances.

McKinnie showed good feet in pass blocking and was a cog in Miami’s season-high 156 rushing yards. The Dolphins averaged 5.0 yards per carry and controlled the line of scrimmage most of the game, in part due to McKinnie.

“I feel like I did a decent job,” McKinnie said in the locker room afterwards. “To come in here on Tuesday and play on Sunday and had to learn a bunch of stuff in a short couple days, it only gets better from here. I get more time to learn.”

The final pass protection numbers were deceiving. Miami wound up allowing six sacks. But all six came in the second half once the Dolphins lost momentum and became predictably pass-heavy.

McKinnie was solid against New England’s top pass-rusher Chandler Jones. The Patriots' defensive end was held without a sack. McKinnie was certainly an upgrade over embattled offensive tackle Tyson Clabo, who was benched Sunday after allowing eight sacks this season.

Most of New England’s sacks came from outside pressures and lack of blitz-pickups. That is something that must improve.

“We’re going to make some adjustments I’m sure, and we’re going to get things corrected,” McKinnie said.

Sacks remain an issue for Miami. But McKinnie’s performance on short notice Sunday is proof that the Dolphins’ pass protection can make strides.


(espn.com)

Now that Bryant McKinnie is a Miami Dolphin many are questioning his commitment to the team as opposed to the South Beach party scene. McKinnie has been known in the past to frequent the Miami nightlife, but according to the offensive lineman, there’s stipulations to his party personality. The Miami Herald reports that McKinnie addressed his infamous partying ways to the media.

“That’s when I’m off. See, that’s Big Mac in the offseason. Bryant McKinnie is the person who comes to work and handles his business. That is what you’ll get right now.”

That’s all fine and well, but there have been more than one occasion where McKinnie was out during the regular and his partying ways got the best of him. Most recently it was a party bus incident with his former Ravens teammate Jacoby Jones. McKinnie’s new boss, Joe Philbin, is well aware of the off-field issues that surround his new star offensive lineman, and he addressed it as well.

“I don’t mandate what people do outside the building. I enjoy my free time when I have free time. We expect him to be a professional, just like we’d expect anyone.”

No doubt McKinnie realizes that he will be under close scrutiny from everyone, not just the Miami Dolphins, so all anyone can do is wait to see if this speeding train can find the brakes or if there will be a train wreck in the near future.


(blacksportsonline.com)

The Miami Herald expects the Dolphins to install Bryant McKinnie at left tackle, shifting Jonathan Martin to the right side.

That would send RT Tyson Clabo to the bench. The Dolphins have remained coy, but McKinnie was spending time at left tackle in Tuesday's practice. Speaking to ESPN's James Walker, McKinnie said the blindside was "all he knows." We'd suspect that's where he'll end up, if not in Week 8, then Week 9.


(rotoworld.com)

DAVIE – Dolphins defensive end Olivier Vernon, who attended the University of Miami, said Tuesday he thought UM losing three scholarships a year for the next three years was a bit too harsh of a penalty.

Vernon, who served a six-game suspension in 2011 for his role in the scandal, said he thinks UM’s self-imposed penalties should have sufficed. But he also understood the NCAA had to do something.

“I don’t think they should have (received any additional penalty),” Vernon said, “but they were under that scrutiny for a while so they had to do something.”

Vernon, however, said Tuesday’s announcement was palatable.

“I think it was better than what was expected,” he said. “You only got a few scholarships taken away for three years. So that’s better than what was expected was going to come down on us. I’m happy for those guys.”

Running back Lamar Miller, a former UM player, said, “losing three scholarships later on will be a big factor, but right now it really doesn’t matter.”

Miller said he thinks the self-imposed bowl ban was successful judging from Tuesday’s announcement.

“I thought it was going to be a bowl ban, too,” he said, “but the last two years they didn’t go to a bowl game.”

Miller played with the cloud of NCAA sanctions and scrutiny hanging over his head in his junior season, and possible sanctions were one of the factors that made him enter the draft a year early.

“I think it’s a relief for (the players),” he said. “When I was there we really didn’t know much about it until after the season.

“Everyone wants to play in a bowl game. That’s what you work hard for the entire season. Now it gives (the players) more motivation to want to go to a BCS bowl because we haven’t been there for a while now. I think they will be more motivated and hungry to go get it.”

Recently-acquired offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie also said the end of the bowl ban is a good thing.

“I’m glad they get to go to a bowl game because they’ve had a good season so far,” he said. “I’m glad it is behind them and they can move forward now. I’m happy for them.”

That seems to be the bottom-line thought of all the Dolphins that are former ’Canes.

“It’s done with,” Vernon said. “It’s finally overwith, behind, so now those guys can move forward and play for something.”


(sun-sentinel.com)

The Dolphins have a load of problems on the offensive line.  Coincidentally, the Ravens have a load they were looking to unload.

Jay Glazer of FOX Sports reports that the Ravens have shipped left tackle Bryant McKinnie to the Dolphins.

McKinnie has not played since the Ravens traded for Eugene Monroe.  On Sunday against the Steelers, McKinnie was inactive.

McKinnie, the seventh overall pick in the 2002 draft, has had an up-and-down career, with arguably more down than up.  He anchored the left side of the offensive line through the 2010 season, but he contributed to a major distraction with his role in the 2005 Love Boat fiasco (again, more down than up).  Three years later, he was arrested in Miami on charges of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest without violence.  The incident resulted in a four-game suspension.

But the Vikings kept him, until he showed up after the lockout reportedly north of four bills.  Minnesota promptly cut him, the Ravens signed him, and he did fairly well in 2011.  Last year, McKinnie was meh for much of the year, but he got it together in the postseason.

He became a free agent, later re-signed the team, but presumably fell out of favor after a party bus incident last month that resulted in receiver Jacoby Jones reportedly being gashed in the head by a giant champagne bottle wielded by a woman know as Sweet Pea.

It became obvious that McKinnie was out once the Ravens acquired Monroe.  The fact that the Ravens were able to actually trade him shows just how desperate the Dolphins, who have allowed 26 sacks in seven games, have become.

And now he goes to back to Miami, where he went to college and where his 2008 arrest occurred.  What could go wrong?


(profootballtalk.com)

Bryant McKinnie isn’t ready to hand off his starting job, and he is open to moving on from Baltimore if that’s the case.

There are reports that the Ravens are expected to try to trade McKinnie with the arrival of Monroe. He was asked whether he would be want to stay in Baltimore as a backup. 

“We’ll have to see when the time comes,” McKinnie said. “Maybe a trade. Who knows?”

Shortly after the trade for left tackle Eugene Monroe was finalized, McKinnie was asked whether he’ll have to adjust to being a backup again. 

“Who said that’s what I have to adjust to?” McKinnie said. “Maybe not, so we don’t know yet.” 

McKinnie said the Ravens coaches haven’t told him he’s lost his starting job. He could be out there at left tackle this Sunday in Miami, especially if Monroe can’t get a hold of the Ravens offense fast enough. 

“I’m just looking to go out there and play the best at my position, and that’s it,” McKinnie said. 

McKinnie got a phone call from the Ravens Tuesday, giving him a head’s up that they were about to make a trade. 

“Yeah, I’m kind of surprised,” he said. “This is business, so they’re going to do whatever is best for their business.” 

McKinnie has gotten mostly neutral grades on his pass blocking this season from Pro Football Focus. He’s allowed one sack and 11 hurries. But his run blocking has been a tough spot, and the Ravens are looking to get their ground game going. 

McKinnie received his first overall positive grade of the season after Sunday’s game in Buffalo.

“I’ve gotten better and better each game,” McKinnie said.


(baltimoreravens.com)

Now that Ozzie Newsome has acquired Eugene Monroe to shore up Joe Flacco's blindside, the Baltimore Ravens general manager apparently is going to attempt the equivalent of selling a ketchup popsicle to a woman in white gloves.

The Ravens are expected to explore a trade that would send Bryant McKinnie out of Charm City, league sources tell The Baltimore Sun's Aaron Wilson. It should be noted that Wilson stops short of reporting that Newsome is shopping McKinnie.

McKinnie is four games into a two-year, $6.3 million contract signed in May, and the team's brass has concluded that he's a lost cause in his age-34 season. Although the Ravens already have paid his $2 million signing bonus, McKinnie has another $1 million in guarantees remaining on his base salary.

McKinnie has allowed one sack, 10 quarterback hurries and two quarterback hits this season while struggling as a run blocker.

Newsome has to be hoping the Miami Dolphins grow desperate enough to spin the wheel on McKinnie now that Ryan Tannehill leads the league in fumbles and sacks absorbed.

McKinnie attended the University of Miami and weighed an offseason offer from the Dolphins before re-signing with the Ravens.
If the Dolphins take a pass, it's hard to imagine Newsome finding a trade partner.


(nfl.com)

There is speculation that left tackle Bryant McKinnie wants to be traded now that the Ravens have traded for the Jacksonville Jaguars' Eugene Monroe, but it would be difficult to see anyone wanting McKinnie, not if a team has seen tape on him this season. The entire offensive line has played poorly, but none more disappointing than McKinnie and right tackle Michael Oher.

It has been reported that the Ravens will ultimately give up two mid-to-late round picks for Monroe, and that's OK because the Ravens apparently feel they have a shot at repeating as Super Bowl champions. But unless they get some blockbuster offer, I wouldn't trade McKinnie if I was in their shoes. The Ravens have little depth at tackle and rookie Rick Wagner has already proven he isn't ready to start. It's still a long season, so the Ravens need as much depth as possible.

I'd make McKinnie the backup, and he'd have to compete for playing time just like he did last season. As for Monroe, he isn't elite but a good, solid player. You're going to get a good effort from him every week and that's an upgrade over McKinnie.

It's a move the Ravens had to make, especially after they invested so much money in quarterback Joe Flacco during the offseason. It's wise to protect the investment, and Flacco had been getting hammered in the first four games.


(baltimoresun.com)

The Jacksonville Jaguars have agreed in principle to trade offensive tackle Eugene Monroe to the Baltimore Ravens.

ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter first reported the deal.

The Ravens will send multiple third-day draft picks to Jacksonville in exchange for Monroe, a league source told Schefter. The deal is still pending a physical.
"It was shocking news," Monroe told The Associated Press. "It came out of nowhere for me. I'm just preparing to make the move. It's a fresh start."

Monroe, 26, was taken by the Jaguars with the eighth pick in the 2009 draft out of Virginia.

He has started 62 games over five seasons, including the team's past 30 games. He was Jacksonville's best offensive lineman this season, getting beat at times as he tried to pick up the slack for struggling guard Will Rackley. Rookie Luke Joeckel, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2013 draft, now will switch from right tackle to left tackle for the Jaguars.

The Ravens have rushed for only 256 yards this season -- the fifth-lowest total in the NFL -- and have allowed 12 sacks through four games.

Monroe likely will replace Bryant McKinnie, who has struggled this season and was involved in a party bus incident last week. McKinnie was benched for the entire 2012 regular season but redeemed himself by starting throughout the Ravens' Super Bowl run.

The Ravens re-signed McKinnie this offseason to a two-year, $6.3 million contract, which included a $2 million signing bonus.

With Monroe in the final year of his contract and the winless Jaguars clearly in the early phases of a complete rebuilding project, it made sense to trade him now and get something in return. If Monroe does break into Baltimore's starting lineup and plays well, it could mean a long-term deal for the former Virginia standout and Plainfield, N.J., native.

"I hope it works out," said Monroe, whose wife is from the Baltimore area. "I've never really been focused on a new contract. I've always just been the same guy, ready to give the best I've got and let everything work itself out."

The Ravens hope Monroe can help an inconsistent line that has had difficulty opening holes for running backs Ray Rice and Bernard Pierce. Baltimore allowed four sacks Sunday in a 23-20 loss to Buffalo.

Ravens coach John Harbaugh didn't single out McKinnie as the problem behind the team's lackluster running game, but it was apparent something had to be done after Baltimore set a franchise record for fewest rushing attempts (nine) against Buffalo. Baltimore also is 28th in the league in rushing, averaging 64 yards a game.

"I think the whole O-line is disappointing right now," Harbaugh said Monday. "There's no one more disappointed than they are right now. We've got to run block better, we've got to pass block better."

The question now in Jacksonville: Who's next? With Monroe gone, the team has just one player on the roster (defensive end Tyson Alualu) from any of the three drafts between 2008 and 2010.

The Jaguars aren't close to being competitive, so it makes sense to try to trade players with value who aren't in general manager Dave Caldwell's long-term plans.

The players could include running back Maurice Jones-Drew, tight end Marcedes Lewis and linebacker Paul Posluszny.

(espn.com)

Ravens left tackle Bryant McKinnie was fined $7,875 by the league for unnecessary roughness, according to an NFL spokesman.

McKinnie committed two facemask penalties during a 30-9 win over the Houston Texans. Those personal fouls came during the second quarter, stalling a drive.

Houston Texans outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus was fined $15,750 for roughing the passer during the game. Mercilus was penalized for hitting Joe Flacco in the chin area.


(baltimoresun.com)

There are a lot of characters and unique relationships in the Ravens locker room. Perhaps my favorite is the one shared by running back Ray Rice and left tackle Bryant McKinnie.

Here’s why:

Nature has made them the odd couple. Rice is the team’s shortest player at 5-foot-8. McKinnie is the biggest at 6-foot-8. They seem much more than a foot apart in height, but luckily their maturity is on the same level.

The size jokes are never ending, and thoroughly entertain both.

Rice likens their friendship to “Rob & Big,” a hilarious reality TV show featuring skateboarder/actor/producer Rob Dyrdek and his best friend and bodyguard Christopher "Big Black" Boykin. Guess who’s who.

McKinnie says they’re more like characters in the movie “Twins.” Rice is Danny DeVito and McKinnie is Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Rice has nicknamed McKinnie “Slim Slow.” McKinnie nicknamed Rice “Shorty Smalls.”

At practice, Rice often sprints directly at McKinnie, then swerves at the last second. It’s as if a Volkswagen Beetle is playing chicken with a Hummer. Rice does it just to see the big guy sweat and flail wildly in pursuit.

“I’m like that gnat at the barbeque that you just can’t catch,” Rice said. “I’m that gnat that keeps getting on his nerves.”

One of Rice’s favorite jokes is to mock the posture McKinnie has when he’s exhausted. “Big Mac” leans back, rests his wrists on his hips and lets his hands dangle. The other day at practice, McKinnie caught Rice and Jacoby Jones doing it behind his back. (McKinnie actually loves it, and made sure he had a picture of him and Rice doing the pose at the Super Bowl.)

“He’s that annoying kid brother,” McKinnie said with a laugh.

During Monday’s practice, Marshal Yanda pointed out to McKinnie that he was wearing two different cleats. “Whatever you do, don’t let Ray know,” McKinnie said. When the linemen joined the rest of the offense, the jokes immediately started.

Don’t worry, McKinnie gets in some shots too.

He pranked Rice on a Yahoo! web series called “Blindsided" a couple years ago. McKinnie and a fake marketing agent convinced Rice to dress up like an infant for commercials that would only air in Japan. Rice admitted he'd do it for half a million dollars. Check out the video.

“He got me good, man,” Rice said.

McKinnie makes plenty of size jokes at Rice’s expense too. He says Rice is the first child ever to be let into the NFL. McKinnie cuts off Rice’s chattering by saying, “enough of the small talk.”

A couple days ago, McKinnie posted a picture on Instagram making fun of Rice’s miniature pillow. McKinnie snapped a picture of Rice sleeping with it as proof.
While the two tease each other incessantly, it’s all out of love. Both McKinnie and Rice said the other is one of their best friends on the team.

They help each other out. McKinnie gets Rice’s shoulder pads from the top of his locker. Rice helps McKinnie stay on schedule and on weight. Rice suspects that the coaches put McKinnie’s locker near his so that he might pick up Rice’s eating habits.

“Hey, he’s been working hard. He’s Big Mac, not Fat Mac,” Rice said, sticking up for him.

At the end of the day, there’s really a lot of bro love.

“Mac is one of the funniest people in the world,” Rice said. “He’s just one of those guys that when you get close to him, you’re in. You know what you’re getting. We understand each other.

“He’s a great football player, but an even better person off the field. This is my man. I’m telling you, there’s not a day that I come in and don’t first look for Mac.”


(baltimoreravens.com)

Ravens starting offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie reported overweight to training camp and wasn't allowed to practice Thursday.

It's a familiar predicament for the former Pro Bowl blocker.

McKinnie has a long history of weight and conditioning issues, failing a mandatory conditioning test a year ago when he reported late to camp and ballooning up to nearly 400 pounds two years ago during the NFL lockout.

The veteran left tackle is listed at 6 feet 8, 354 pounds. He is roughly 10 pounds overweight and is expected to lose the weight quickly to get back on the field, according to sources.

McKinnie, 33, wasn't required to take the conditioning test because of his high level of participation in the offseason conditioning program

“Bryant is just too heavy right now,” coach John Harbaugh said. “He needs to lose weight. He's in good shape and he has good cardiovascular fitness, and I can tell he's worked hard, but I wasn't real comfortable putting him out there at that weight. We will figure it out in the next 24 hours, the next 48 hours, what we want to do and the best way to deal with it. He will be out there at some point.”

McKinnie drew praise from Harbaugh this spring for his work ethic after signing to a two-year contract with a maximum value of $7 million.

Annual reporting and workout bonuses worth $200,000 in the deal were designed to provide motivation for McKinnie, who boldly proclaimed in June that he was dedicated to becoming the best left tackle in the game.

“Yeah, we're both disappointed,” Harbaugh said. “I'm not sure who's more disappointed, Bryant or I, because he was pretty darn disappointed, but I was feeling pretty disappointed myself. We had a long talk about it. It's not that effort wasn't put in and there's an issue. But we're going to get it fixed together and we're going to get him out there.”


(baltimoresun.com)

Ravens LT Bryant McKinnie showed up to offseason workouts in "significantly" better shape than he was "at any point" in last year's training camp.

The Ravens' internal hope is McKinnie will perform for 16 games as he did during Baltimore's four-game playoff run, when McKinnie allowed just two sacks and three quarterback hits in 286 snaps. From left to right, the Ravens' Week 1 O-Line is expected to read LT McKinnie, LG Kelechi Osemele, C Gino Gradkowski, RG Marshal Yanda, and RT Michael Oher. It's a very talented group.


(baltimoresun.com)

Ravens LT Bryant McKinnie showed up to offseason workouts in "significantly" better shape than he was "at any point" in last year's training camp.
The Ravens' internal hope is McKinnie will perform for 16 games as he did during Baltimore's four-game playoff run, when McKinnie allowed just two sacks and three quarterback hits in 286 snaps. From left to right, the Ravens' Week 1 O-Line is expected to read LT McKinnie, LG Kelechi Osemele, C Gino Gradkowski, RG Marshal Yanda, and RT Michael Oher. It's a very talented group.


(rotoworld.com)

Ravens offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie raised eyebrows -- well, he at least raised mine -- last week when he said that his goal for the season is to be “the best left tackle in the league.”

"When people turn on film, they’ll just see that I’m dominating, and I just feel that I’m going to do better than everybody else this year," the 6-foot-8, 350-plus-pounder said after Thursday’s minicamp workout.

While there is nothing wrong with that mindset -- shoot for the stars, big man -- I think Pro Bowl left tackles like Joe Thomas, Duane Brown, Ryan Clady and Joe Staley might have something to say about that this season.

That’s OK, though. The Ravens don’t need McKinnie to dominate for their offensive line to be better in 2013 than it was in 2012.

During the regular season, with McKinnie chained to the bench because of poor performance in practice, the Ravens’ offensive line allowed starting quarterback Joe Flacco to be sacked 35 times.

As for the Super Bowl run, you know the narrative by now. McKinnie started at left tackle during the playoffs, the offensive line protected Flacco better (six sacks in four games) and Flacco went off.

But outside of the wild-card win over the Indianapolis Colts, McKinnie was pretty much average in the playoffs. He was beaten for a sack in the AFC championship game and another in the Super Bowl win, allowing seven total pressures in those two games, according to Pro Football Focus.

Plus, Pro Bowl back Ray Rice and the Ravens averaged 4.3 yards per carry in the regular season but just 3.9 in the postseason.

But what playoffs proved was that even if McKinnie’s inclusion in the starting lineup doesn’t significantly improve the left tackle position, it greatly improves two others on the offensive line.

Michael Oher wasn't as much of a liability in pass protection when he started at right tackle. And rookie Kelechi Osemele played at a Pro Bowl level once the Ravens moved him inside to left guard.

The question remains: Can the Ravens count on McKinnie again?

As of this writing, McKinnie is in shape (so far, so good), he feels fresh (he claims he feels like he is 26, not 33) and he sounds motivated to play hard (he certainly said all the right things Thursday).

We’ll see if McKinnie still checks off all those boxes in late August -- and more importantly, in late December and early January.

He doesn’t have to be the best tackle in the league. If McKinnie can simply be reliable, the Ravens will be better because of it.


(baltimoresun.com)

With Ray Lewis and Ed Reed gone, tackle Bryant McKinnie, 33, is the team's oldest player.

Last week, Bryant McKinnie was sitting at his locker at the head of the Ravens locker room, looking at all the young faces surrounding him.

“I looked around and I was like, ‘Wait, who’s been around longer than me?’” McKinnie said. “Ray Lewis is gone, Ed Reed is gone, Matt Birk is gone. I’m like, ‘Wait a minute …’”

Yes, McKinnie is the oldest player on the Ravens roster at 33 years old. Born on Sept. 29, 1979, McKinnie is two days older than Ravens cornerback Chris Johnson.

Last year, Lewis (38), Reed (34), Birk (36), defensive lineman Ma’ake Kemoeatu (34) and linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo (36) were all older than McKinnie.

The roster has undergone a youth movement this offseason, however. McKinnie’s not worried about it though.

“I’m alright because I feel young,” he said.

“I hang with young people and just stay active. People start feeling old when they sit down and get in that cycle of doing the same thing. That’s why I had to pick up tennis. It gives me something else to do to stay active and stay young.”

The Ravens’ offensive line is particularly youthful. The next closest in age to McKinnie is Marshal Yanda at 28, and Michael Oher and center A.Q. Shipley are both 27.

McKinnie said some rookies have come to him and said they liked watching McKinnie – when they were in middle school.

“I was like, ‘Whaaaat!?!?!’” McKinnie said. “That’s kinda scary.

“That’s probably why [Run Game Coordinator] Juan [Castillo] keeps using me as an example in the meeting rooms. I didn’t really get it. He’ll say, ‘Bryant, isn’t this right?’ I’ll be like, ‘I don’t know why you’re asking me, Coach.’”


(baltimoreravens.com)

A year has made a big difference for Ravens offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie, dramatically improving his standing with the Super Bowl champions.

Last year, McKinnie was taking up residency in coach John Harbaugh's doghouse. The former Pro Bowl blocker wasn't in good enough shape to participate in a series of offseason practices and was instructed to focus on his conditioning.

When McKinnie reported late to training camp after informing the team that he had injured his back during a slip-and-fall at his South Florida home, he didn't initially pass the conditioning test.

After the Ravens restructured his contract before the regular season, McKinnie was replaced at left tackle by Michael Oher before regaining his starting job in the playoffs.

Now it's a much different story for McKinnie after the Ravens re-signed him to a two-year contract worth up to $7 million that includes a $2 million signing bonus, annual $200,000 workout bonuses, a $200,000 reporting bonus each year and a $500,000 roster bonus next year.

The Ravens are happy with how McKinnie has worked this offseason to maintain the conditioning that he improved throughout last year.

“Bryant did a really good job," Harbaugh said. "He moved really well in this camp, as well as he moved at the end of the year last year when he started practicing so well and playing so well.

"He looks healthy, and he will continue to work on his conditioning. He seems to be very committed. Love the way he’s playing and his effort.”

The reporting bonus and workout bonuses should provide motivation for  McKinnie, but the 33-year-old seems geared toward proving himself again this season.

The 6-foot-8, 354-pounder has been a regular at offseason practices since rejoining the team.

“Physically, I feel like I’m 26, so that’s a good thing," McKinnie said. "I feel really good this year. I’m moving around pretty well, so I’m pretty happy with that. ... This time last year, I didn’t even participate, so yeah, I definitely feel a lot better in minicamp.

"Right now, I’m more focused so I can have a good year and be the best left tackle in the league. That’s my goal.”

How will McKinnie gauge his success?

"When people turn on film, they’ll just see that I’m dominating, and I just feel that I’m going to do better than everybody else this year," he said.

McKinnie started every game at left tackle during the playoffs as the Ravens' offensive line allowed just six sacks in four games while the offense averaged  410.3 yards of total offense during their Super Bowl run.

After the NFL draft, McKinnie visited the Miami Dolphins and San Diego Chargers prior to reaching a deal to return to Baltimore.

There were times that he wasn't sure if he was going to be back.

“Yes, after the draft, and I started taking a couple of trips to other teams, maybe I’d be somewhere else," McKinnie said. "But luckily I ended up coming back. I always wanted to give the Ravens an option to match whatever other teams offered. So, I would tell my agent to check back to see what the Ravens have going on and we’ll decide from there.”


(baltimoresun.com)

Ravens offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie hasn’t exactly been known for showing up to training camp in great shape. He’s generally been known for eating too much and working out too little.

But McKinnie says things are different now.

McKinnie, who was held out of the start of training camp last year because he wasn’t in good enough shape to practice, has been more involved in offseason work this year and told the team’s website that he’s in his best shape in years. (Not that that’s saying much.)

“I feel like I’m in pretty good shape and I’m doing a lot better,” McKinnie said. “I’m far ahead than I have been the past two years.”

McKinnie said he’s lighter now than he was last year and plans to lose a little more weight before training camp starts. With better conditioning, he believes he’s poised to have a Pro Bowl season.

“I still need to drop a little lower,” he said. “But it’s definitely better than it has the past two years. I’ll continue working on cardio and stretching, but I’m just focused on getting better.”

For McKinnie, getting slimmer is a good step toward getting better.


(profootballtalk.com)

Athlon Sports recently released the Top 50 Offensive Linemen of the BCS Era.  Sitting atop the list is former University of Miami tackle Bryant McKinnie.

When comprising their list, Athlon took the following into consideration: statistical production, individual awards, team success, longevity, supporting cast, level of competition, raw talent and athletic ability.

During his tenure at the U, McKinnie was a force to be reckoned with.  As part of the infamous 2000-01 Miami Hurricanes team – arguably the best college football team ever to be assembled – McKinnie helped lead the Hurricanes to a 2001 BCS National Championship win and a 23-1 record.

The 6’9″, 335-pound behemoth arrived at UM from junior college (Lackawanna JC) and although he only played two years in Coral Gables, McKinnie made his name be known.

In his senior season (2001), McKinnie was considered by many as the most dominating player in college football.
2001 Accolades:

Outland Trophy Winner
Consensus First-Team All-American
Two-Time Unanimous First-Team All-Big East (Coaches)
National Player of the Year (CNNSI.com)
National Offensive Player of the Year Finalist (Football News)
8th in Heisman Trophy Voting (26 first-place votes)

McKinnie never allowed a sack during his career at UM, junior college or high school.  A consensus 4-star JUCO prospect, the big man chose Miami over Arkansas, Penn State, Iowa, South Carolina, West Virginia, Clemson and Syracuse.

Taken in the first-round of the 2002 NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings selected McKinnie with the seventh overall pick.

Also making the list is former Hurricanes center Brett Romberg at No. 15.

From Athlon:

With Romberg at center, the Hurricanes went 35-2, won three Big East championships, played in two national championship games and won the 2001 BCS national title.  He won the Rimington Trophy as the nation’s top center and was a consensus All-American in 2002.”

Romberg never really made his mark in the NFL and bounced around from team to team.  Last playing for the Atlanta Falcons in 2011, Romberg is currently listed as a free agent.


(canesswarning.com)

So far, all is good as far as left offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie and the Ravens.

The word from The Castle is that the often-troubled McKinnie has been attending conditioning sessions and working hard. His weight is down and reasonable, and the expectations are high that he will be ready when the team opens training camp in late July.

That would be perfect for the Ravens because they wouldn't have to move other players around, like guard Kelechi Osemele or right tackle Michael Oher, to fill in for McKinnie.

The Ravens need to work on timing issues, especially in the middle of the offensive line with new center Gino Gradkowski and guards Marshal Yanda and Osemele.

If Gradkowski performs well, the Ravens' offensive line could be one of the strong in the conference -- providing McKinnie keeps working hard.


(baltimoresun.com)

Ravens left tackle Bryant McKinnie's two-year contract has a base value of $6.3 million that includes a $2 million bonus, according to a source with knowledge of the deal, with a maximum value of nearly $7 million.

The contract includes a $1 million base salary this year, a $2 million base salary in 2014 and corresponding salary-cap figures of $2.5 million and $4 milllion.
The contract has annual workout bonuses of $200,000.

There are also incentive clauses that can boost the total value of the deal. There's a $200,000 reporting bonus each year as well as a $500,000 roster bonus is due next year.

The reporting bonus and workout bonuses should provide motivation for McKinnie.

The former Pro Bowl blocker has had weight and conditioning issues in the past and reported late to training camp last year after saying he slipped at his South Florida home and hurt his back.

The 6-foot-8, 354-pounder said he plans to be around the Ravens more during the offseason.

He started every game at left tackle during the playoffs as the Ravens' offensive line allowed just six sacks in four games while the offense averaged 410.3 yards of total offense during their Super Bowl run.


(baltimoresun.com)

Ravens offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie has officially signed his two-year contract worth up to $7 million.

McKinnie flew into town from South Florida to finalize the paperwork on his deal after agreeing to terms last week.

McKinnie remained with the Ravens after working out for the Miami Dolphins and visiting the San Diego Chargers, garnering offers from both teams.

The Ravens' contract was his best financial offer. The deal includes an undisclosed signing bonus, weight clauses and workout bonuses, according to a source.

“Having Bryant back is a big plus for us," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said Sunday. "We were hoping that would be the case. I’m looking forward to seeing him next week and getting him in here and going to work. We want our line to be as strong as it can possibly be, and that makes us stronger.”

Last week, McKinnie told The Baltimore Sun that he was happy he was able to remain with the Ravens after his foray into free agency.

"I'm excited to be back," McKinnie said. "I didn't really want to leave anyway. I like being in Baltimore."

McKinnie's plan is to reprise his play from the Ravens' Super Bowl run.

With McKinnie at left tackle, Michael Oher at right tackle and Kelechi Osemele playing left guard, the Ravens allowed just six sacks in four playoff victories capped by defeating the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII. The Ravens averaged 410.3 yards of total offense, as quarterback Joe Flacco had plenty of time to throw 11 touchdown passes and no interceptions during the postseason.

"Yep, that's what I want to do," McKinnie said. "I want to pick up from there. I feel like we have a chance for a great year with me and K.O. on the left side."


(baltimoresun.com)

The return of left offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie via a two-year contract worth up to $7 million is expected to bolster the Ravens' offensive line.

Now that McKinnie has been retained after a brief foray into free agency where he drew offers from the Miami Dolphins and San Diego Chargers, the Ravens have four of their five starting offensive linemen back from their Super Bowl run.

“Having Bryant back is a big plus for us," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said today. "We were hoping that would be the case. I’m looking forward to seeing him next week and getting him in here and going to work. We want our line to be as strong as it can possibly be, and that makes us stronger.”

When asked to relate what McKinnie has told the team about his conditioning activities, Harbaugh didn't address that specifically.

"Yes, I’m always pleased with conversations with Bryant McKinnie," Harbaugh said with a laugh. "I enjoy talking to Bryant. He’s one of my favorite guys. He’s a sterling conversationalist. We talk a lot about stuff – a lot of different things, broad range of topics. I always enjoy that. I think he does as well.”

McKinnie's contract includes an undisclosed signing bonus, incentive clauses, weight clauses and workout bonuses, according to a source. The Ravens' contract was the best financial offer.

"I'm excited to be back," McKinnie told The Baltimore Sun on Friday morning. "I didn't really want to leave anyway. I like being in Baltimore."

McKinnie's plan is to pick up where he left off during the Ravens' Super Bowl run.

With McKinnie at left tackle, Michael Oher at right tackle and Kelechi Osemele playing left guard, the Ravens allowed just six sacks in four playoff victories capped by defeating the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII. The Ravens averaged 410.3 yards of total offense per game as quarterback Joe Flacco had plenty of time to throw 11 touchdown passes and zero interceptions during the postseason.

"Yep, that's what I want to do," McKinnie said. "I want to pick up from there. I feel like we have a chance for a great year with me and K.O. on the left side."


(baltimoresun.com)

The Baltimore Ravens announced that they agreed to terms on a two-year contract with free agent offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie.

McKinnie earned $2.7 million during the 2012 season.

The deal, which carries a maximum value of $7 million, also includes a signing bonus, incentive clauses and workout bonuses, according to the Baltimore Sun.

McKinnie, 33, spent the last two seasons with the Ravens after spending the first nine seasons of his career with the Minnesota Vikings. After starting 16 games in 2011, McKinnie was a reserve throughout the 2012 season, playing just 128 (11.73 percent) of the Ravens' 1,091 snaps.

The Ravens inserted McKinnie into the starting lineup at the start of the post-season and the unit would come together to run for 125 yards per game and allow just six sacks in four games as the Ravens beat the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII.

Despite McKinnie's success in the post-season, he remained a free agent throughout March and April, but interest in the 33-year-old picked up after the 2013 NFL draft. McKinnie dined with the San Diego Chargers on Tuesday night as part of a two-day visit and had drawn interest from the tackle-needy Miami Dolphins and Dallas Cowboys.

By re-signing McKinnie, the Ravens have greatly improved their depth and created several options at the tackle position. Michael Oher will start at one of the two spots, while McKinnie, Jah Reid and 2013 fifth-round pick Ricky Wagner compete for the starting and "swing" tackle roles. In recent weeks, reports have 2012 second-round pick Kelechi Osomele, a 16-game starter at guard as a rookie, as a possibility at left tackle, as well.


(espn.com)

Bryant McKinnie had seemed to be enjoying this.

On Tuesday, he was all over Twitter, sending updates to 80,000-plus followers that he was flying out of Miami, that he was at his Dallas layover, that he landed in San Diego. There were posts about finished meetings with the Chargers, about going to dinner with them, about getting back from dinner.

On Wednesday, at 8:32 a.m., he snapped a photo of the entrance to Chargers Park. “In the building early,” he wrote.

Then, it turned silent from the left tackle. Totally silent.

The rest of McKinnie’s Wednesday was, however, busy, as he took a physical and weighed a contract offer from the Chargers, a source said about 3 p.m. The source described negotiations as “ongoing” and speculated McKinnie could be arriving at the airport at anytime, heading back home to Miami.

Whether or not negotiations progressed enough to diffuse those plans is unclear.

But the Dolphins and Ravens are among those also believed to have interest in McKinnie. Earlier this week, the 33-year-old visited and took a physical with Miami.

If he signs in San Diego, he’d figure to be a stop-gap starting left tackle — and an exception to a youth movement. McKinnie turns 34 in November. Tight end Antonio Gates and punter Mike Scifres are the oldest players on the roster at 32.

Last year, McKinnie started all four postseason games for the champion Ravens. The 6-foot-8. 354-pound lineman was a reserve in the regular season.


(utsandiego.com)

They wined him. They dined him.

All that's left now is to sign him.

The Chargers hosted veteran left tackle Bryant McKinnie in what a source characterized as a “very good” Tuesday visit. The evening was capped off by a dinner, and as of about 7 p.m., the two sides had not yet discussed contract numbers, the source added.

If McKinnie wants to go to a city he feels wanted, he's still here.

San Diego could certainly use the 33-year-old, likely as its starting left tackle. He was a reserve last season before helping stabilize the Ravens' line during its Super Bowl run.

The 6-foot-8, 348-pounder allowed two sacks in four playoff games.

Chargers General Manager Tom Telesco is overseeing changes to an offensive line expected to carry a different starter at four different spots.

Center Nick Hardwick is the lone veteran returning to his original position.

Last month, left tackle Jared Gaither was released. and left guard Tyronne Green and right guard Louis Vasquez became unrestricted free agents. Right tackle Jeromey Clary is beginning a transition to guard after the Chargers selected right tackle D.J. Fluker in last week's first round.

“I'm excited about the opportunity to play a new position, and we'll go from there,” Clary said in a Tuesday statement.

As things stand, King Dunlap, a March free agency signing, tops the depth chart at left tackle. The 6-foot-9 veteran's versatility to play on either tackle side and also slide to guard makes him well suited for a reserve role.

Quarterback Philip Rivers was sacked 49 times in 2012, second most in the NFL. The team also rushed for 3.6 yards per carry, tied for second lowest.


(utsandiego.com)

Bryant McKinnie visited the Dolphins on Monday, remains in contact with the Ravens and has a visit with the Chargers scheduled, according to sources.

The veteran left tackle, who emerged from the doghouse to help lead Baltimore's charge to the playoffs and then a Super Bowl title, did not get much interest in the early stages of free agency. But with several teams now still in need of tackles with the draft completed, and few options available, McKinnie is getting interest.

His relationship with the Ravens' staff and brass has always been rocky. And despite weight and attitude concerns, he has been a vital pass protector for Joe Flacco at critical times. Baltimore has remained in contact with him and, at the right price, he could still be back there. The Miami native made the short trip to the Dolphins' facility on Monday and will visit the Chargers soon.

Miami is considering moving Jonathan Martin to left tackle and signing a right tackle like free-agent Eric Winston but are at least exploring McKinnie as well. And the Chargers signed tackle King Dunlap, who held up well with the Eagles last season under trying circumstances, but are also open to exploring options for depth at tackle.


(cbssports.com)

The Ravens' talks with free agent LT Bryant McKinnie remain "ongoing."

The sides aren't having a negotiation as much as a standoff. The Ravens are clearly only going to sign McKinnie at their price, while McKinnie is holding out hope for a better offer. With the Ravens picking 32nd, the draft shouldn't have a major effect on talks. If McKinnie re-signs, he'd man the blindside with Michael Oher sticking at right tackle, and Kelechi Osemele at left guard.


(rotoworld.com)

Despite being a well regarded veteran at a very desirable position (left tackle), no team has picked up Bryant McKinnie as of yet, with the Baltimore Ravens still trying to break through the wall of suitors, consisting of the San Diego Chargers and the New Orleans Saints, and bring him back to the fold.

McKinnie, a 13 year veteran, spent most of his career with the Minnesota Vikings, playing there until 2010, making the Pro Bowl a season earlier. With the Baltimore Ravens, McKinnie has been playing for a couple of years, which include two AFC Championship games and the Super Bowl win over the San Francisco 49ers, playing in all 32 games in 2011-2012 for Baltimore.

But heading into what might be his final NFL contract, or at least the last one meant for a starting role, McKinnie is quite patient with his selection, hoping that more money will be thrown on the table, or another team joins the mix that is currently made up of three teams, one of them his former one.

For the San Diego Chargers, the interest is still there although they’re already entertaining other players at the position, trying to fix the mess of a situation they have with their offensive line. While McKinnie isn’t at his best, anything seems to be an improvement to what they currently have.

For the New Orleans Saints, it’ll simply be replacing their most important offensive lineman for the last four seasons, protecting the blindside of Drew Brees into a Super Bowl win in 2009. He left to sign with the Chicago Bears, leaving an opening the Saints are still hoping McKinnie is interested in filling.


(sportige.com)

Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome hasn't closed the door on re-signing free agent LT Bryant McKinnie.

"Could he be our left tackle? He potentially could be," Newsome said Tuesday. "I have a good relationship with (McKinnie's agent). It's a process." McKinnie has been insisting he could return to the Ravens, but this is the first time they've acknowledged as much. Newsome doesn't appear ready to hand the blindside keys over to Michael Oher or Kelechi Osemele. McKinnie has also drawn cursory interest from the Saints and Chargers.


(rotoworld.com)

The Miami Herald reports the Dolphins haven't shown any interest in free agent LT Bryant McKinnie.
The Dolphins have a glaring need at left tackle, but won't be making any signings until after the draft. Multiple reports have Miami targeting Lane Johnson in the first-round, and packaging the No. 12 pick and one of their two second rounders to move up. GM Jeff Ireland is also reportedly open to trading down if the Dolphins don't land one of the top three tackles.


(rotoworld.com)

The Chargers have a glaring need at left tackle, and it appears they’re making a contingency plan if they can’t draft one.

According to Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego, the Chargers have reached out to the agent for Ravens free agent Bryant McKinnie, in what have been termed a “couple general discussions.”

He hasn’t visited the Chargers, and no deal appears imminent.

McKinnie has battled weight problems in recent years, but his play in the postseason was such that he should find work somewhere.

He’d easily be a better option than what the Chargers have on hand. Other than signing former Eagles tackle King Dunlap, there’s not an apparent answer on the roster, and he might not be anything more than a stop-gap solution.


(profootballtalk.com)

The San Diego Chargers made a preliminary inquiry to free agent offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie, according to a league source with knowledge of the situation.

McKinnie, 33, is an unrestricted free agent who started every game in the playoffs after being replaced at left tackle during the regular season by Michael Oher.
No signing or visit is imminent and it's unlikely that McKinnie will strike a deal with any team until after the NFL draft.

Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome has remained in touch with McKinnie, and the door isn't closed on his potential return with the Super Bowl champions.

What transpires in the draft for the Ravens and other teams that need a left tackle like the Chargers will probably determine what's next for McKinnie, a former Pro Bowl blocker with the Minnesota Vikings who attended the University of Miami.

The 6-foot-8, 354-pound New Jersey native has been working out regularly in South Florida, according to his agent, Michael George. McKinnie has battled conditioning and weight issues in the past.

McKinnie hasn't taken any visits during a slow free agency signing period for himself and other unemployed offensive tackles, including Eric Winston and Andre Smith.

McKinnie was contacted by the Chicago Bears when free agency started, but they quickly reached a deal with former New Orleans Saints and Towson offensive tackle Jermon Bushrod as their new left tackle.

During the playoffs, McKinnie excelled and drew praise from Ravens coach John Harbaugh for stonewalling several top pass rushers during victories over the Indianapolis Colts, Denver Broncos, New England Patriots and the San Francisco 49ers to win the Vince Lombardi trophy.


(batimoresun.com)

Hours before getting sized for his Super Bowl ring on Wednesday, Baltimore Ravens left tackle Bryant McKinnie admitted it could still be several weeks until it is determined whether he will return to the Super Bowl XLVII champions for the upcoming season.

In an interview with WNST in Baltimore, the veteran offensive lineman indicated that talks with the Ravens on a new contract could be tabled until after the NFL Draft. McKinnie, who will turn 34 in September, is entering his 12th NFL season.

"I definitely want a starting job," McKinnie said. "I want it to be fair for somebody to beat me out of my position instead of saying you want to try something new. Give me the opportunity to actually be fair and let somebody beat me out for the position."

McKinnie (6-feet-8, 354 pounds) is coming off a stellar postseason when he earned rave reviews from Ravens coach John Harbaugh. With a slimmed-down McKinnie in the starting lineup, the Ravens were able to move Michael Oher to right tackle and Kelechi Osemele to right guard. At times during McKinnie's two seasons in Baltimore he has been trapped in Harbaugh's doghouse for a poor work ethic and an inability to keep his weight down.

After starting all 16 games with the Ravens in 2011, McKinnie reported late and out of shape to training camp last summer. McKinnie, the No. 7 overall pick in the 2002 draft by the Vikings, was nearly released by the Ravens, but unexpectedly accepted a pay cut of $1 million to remain with the team. Still, he didn't receive his first start in 2012 until the postseason.

McKinnie, Bengals right tackle Andre Smith and former Chiefs offensive tackle Eric Winston remain on the open market.


(cbssports.com)

The Baltimore Ravens never wanted to keep Ed Reed. That was obvious from the outside when we saw the contract proposals which were offered to the veteran safety. Now someone closer to the situation writes that the Ravens only "made it appear" they were bidding to keep him.

"Ravens coach John Harbaugh wanted Reed back as much as he wants a root canal," Mike Preston of The Baltimore Sun wrote in a column published Monday.

The Ravens didn't completely back out of the mix for Reed out of respect, but their offers showed that they truly didn't value him. The Houston Texans were willing to pay more money, and they got him easily.

Reed, of course, wasn't the Ravens' only veteran to leave this offseason. Preston notes that offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie remains a free agent, but it appears his chances of returning to the Ravens are slim. There doesn't look to be a lot of interest from the Ravens in bringing back McKinnie.

It's been an offseason of change in Baltimore, but most of the players the Ravens lost either were part-time starters like Paul Kruger and Dannell Ellerbe or veterans that the Ravens simply didn't want to keep, like Reed and McKinnie.


(nfl.com)

The Saints could be preparing to add a couple of former Pro Bowlers — albeit former Pro Bowlers who haven’t played at a Pro Bowl level recently.

Both left tackle Bryant McKinnie and cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha are on the Saints’ radar, according to the New Orleans Times-Picayune.

McKinnie hadn’t previously been linked to the Saints, but he said in an interview on WNST in Baltimore that the Saints have shown interest in him. A source told the Times-Picayune that there were “general” talks between McKinnie and the Saints, but nothing more than that. After losing Jermon Bushrod in free agency, the Saints would like to add a left tackle. McKinnie started all four postseason games for the Ravens and is now an unrestricted free agent.

Asomugha has met with the Saints, and the Times-Picayune reports that the Saints view the choice of whether to come to New Orleans as Asomugha’s to make.


(profootballtalk.com)

The Ravens don't expect a new deal with left tackle Bryant McKinnie before the start of free agency, according to league sources.

McKinnie, who has had a rocky tenure with the team but who has also excelled at key times, is a free agent. Baltimore's offense soared, and quarterback Joe Flacco played the best football of his career after McKinnie was put back at left tackle late in the season, with Michael Oher moving to the right side.

McKinnie's weight and dedication have been issues for him, as well as his practice habits, and he was AWOL more or less for the start of last summer camp before agreeing to a scaled-back contract. He was a spare part until injuries forced him back in the lineup, and he became one of the vital players in Baltimore's Super Bowl run.

Left tackle is a big question for the Ravens, though the draft is deep there, and it remains to be seen what the market for McKinnie will look like. If it's soft a return to Baltimore at a modest rate could be possible.

Baltimore's efforts are focused on continued negotiations with Flacco, trying to get a deal done by the March 4 franchising deadline, and the team also expects to have renewed talks with linebacker Dannell Ellerbe, who is a priority, team sources said.

Future Hall of Fame safety Ed Reed has not talked to the team about a new contract and is another free agent. Those sides could speak soon, and Reed is in the process of discussing signing with an agent after representing himself for the past few years.


(cbssports.com)

Raven's left tackle Bryant McKinnie’s performance during the playoffs has the Ravens interested in trying to retain the veteran offensive lineman and impending free agent, Matt Zenitz of the Carroll County Times reports.

McKinnie didn’t start a single game during the regular season, but his insertion at left tackle for the playoffs – and the subsequent shuffling that went along with it – helped transform the Ravens’ offensive line from a unit that had struggled in pass protection during the regular season into a group that quarterback Joe Flacco said earlier this week was “unbelievable” in pass protection during the playoffs.

Baltimore’s expected to have only limited money to spend under the salary cap, but McKinnie said Ravens coach John Harbaugh twice approached him during the postseason expressing his interest in having McKinnie return to Baltimore even after the conclusion of the season.

“It was two different times [Harbaugh] mentioned it,” McKinnie said in a phone interview Friday. “One was after like the New England game. He was like, ‘After we play in the Super Bowl, we need to talk about you for next year.’ … And then when we were out at the Super Bowl, he came up to the table with me for lunch or something and he kind of mentioned again, ‘You know, we want to see what’s going on with you after the Super Bowl."

Baltimore’s not expected to have much money to spend under the salary cap and Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome hinted Thursday that McKinnie’s play during the postseason could earn the left tackle a bigger payday elsewhere than what Baltimore’s willing to spend.


(theredzone.com)

A Super Bowl victory can serve as a sort of career redemption for a lot of players.

If the Baltimore Ravens prevail on Sunday, it certainly will be that for left tackle Bryant McKinnie, the longtime Minnesota Viking who was released in August 2011 when he was terribly out of shape.

McKinnie is now the starting left tackle for the Ravens and back to being the kind of player he was for a number of seasons with the Vikings, where he wasn’t a stranger to off-field trouble on occasion. McKinnie was a main figure in the Love Boat scandal and he was booted off the NFC Pro Bowl team in 2010 when he didn’t go to practice but used social media to brag about all the time he was spending in a strip club.

McKinnie says he is in a “new chapter” in his life now, according to Mark Craig of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, and he certainly is in his career too. Once the party animal, McKinnie says he’s trying to set an example now.

"We'll have our meetings this week and we'll bring up the importance of guys (staying out of trouble)," McKinnie said. "Everybody has to realize what's at stake here. You don't know if you'll ever get back to this point ever again.

"Is it tempting being in New Orleans? I've been here before, but I've never been to the Super Bowl. So it's not tempting. What's more tempting is getting that Super Bowl ring."


(nationalfootballpost.com)

Bryant McKinnie posted this photo of himself and fellow proCanes Ray Lewis and Ed Reed at their last practice before Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans. Reed and Lewis are not wearing their usual number 20 and number 52 respectively because the Ravens on their Friday practices usually have defensive players exchange jerseys.

NEW ORLEANS – Six-foot-eight-inch Bryant McKinnie, towering above everyone else in the Superdome, smiled and shared a joke about his old college team.

"We used to say if one of us didn't get to the Super Bowl," the former Miami Hurricane and current Baltimore Ravens offensive lineman said Tuesday, "we'd all take a pay cut and play for the Dolphins."

No need for that plan now. McKinnie and his Ravens teammate Ed Reed, another former 'Cane, will both play in Super Bowl XLVII on Sunday. So will Frank Gore, for the San Francisco 49ers. They were all on the same 2001 Miami Hurricanes roster that many consider the best collection of college talent of all time. And they are all stars.

In a league where the average career lasts four years, these three former college teammates continue to dominate more than a decade later.

And they're hardly alone.

That '01 Hurricanes team, which went undefeated and routed Nebraska in the BCS Championship Game, produced NFL players at just about every position. That Miami roster produced 17 first-round draft picks and 38 players were drafted into the NFL. Andre Johnson was on that roster. So was Vince Wilfork. So was D.J. Williams. So was Jonathan Vilma. So was Antrelle Rolle. So were Willis McGahee and Clinton Portis, who were both ahead of Gore on the depth chart. So was Sean Taylor, who was Reed's backup and made the Pro Bowl twice before being tragically killed in a home invasion. And so was 2012 Pro Bowler Chris Myers, who didn't start at Miami but logged significant playing time as a backup because, in his matter-of-fact words, "We were blowing teams out by 40 points." (That team's average margin of victory was actually 32.9 points.)

"Every now and then you get to coach a great one," says Tampa Bay Bucs head coach Greg Schiano, who helped recruit that Miami team and coached Reed before leaving for Rutgers in 2000. "That team was littered with great ones. I don't know that there will ever be a team assembled with all that talent again."

The heft of the credit for the millennium Hurricanes' success goes to Butch Davis, the head coach who assembled all that talent in one place before bolting to the NFL. "Butch Davis was an incredible, incredible evaluator of talent," says then-assistant Curtis Johnson, who is now at Tulane. Davis' legacy is mixed because of a two-pronged NCAA investigation at North Carolina that resulted in his firing, but in 10 years as a college head coach, he recruited dozens of future NFL players and more than 30 first-round draft picks. Most came at Miami.

"We were looking for athletic, speed guys who loved football," explains Schiano. That was a directive from Davis, who got his start coaching multiple sports and always looked for players who could excel at basketball, track, wrestling, whatever. "When you coach a lot of different sports," Davis says, "you start to appreciate a lot of skills and how they work together." He would assemble his staff in a film room, look at high school games, and wait for preps to "jump off the screen."

The recruiting ground in South Florida was fertile, but a lot of the stars on that 2001 roster came from elsewhere. Reed arrived from Louisiana. McKinnie came from New Jersey. Jeremy Shockey grew up in Oklahoma. Davis didn't much care for five-star guys as much as he wanted those three ingredients: athleticism, speed and love of football. For every Andre Johnson, who probably could have played in the NFL as a college freshman, there was an undersized talent nobody else saw. "Roscoe Parrish was a midget," says Curtis Johnson. (For the record, Parrish is 5-9.)

The "loved football" part was perhaps most important. Gore was a great example, as he came to Miami despite having to wait behind Portis and McGahee. Asked at Super Bowl media day Tuesday why he didn't shy away from that, Gore said, "Competition. If you want to be the best, you have to play with the best. I wasn't scared of competition."

Gore carried a football around campus in those days, held high and tight, because he knew his day would come. "He could care less about anything but school and football," says Mike Rumph, one of those 17 first-round picks. "Most guys are chasing girls, thinking about stuff at home. Not him. First day out to practice, most guys have special sleeves or new shoes. He's out there with no gloves. Just a jersey, shorts, and helmet. He was like Mike Tyson."

There were several players on the team with that mentality. "We had tackling going on in walk-throughs," says Curtis Johnson, and that was on purpose. Davis wanted practices to be more difficult than games, even if it meant grueling workouts and ferocious drills.

"The toughest battle was Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday," says Schiano. "That's the thing I remember – the competition." Asked if it was as intense as the NFL, Schiano said: "In some ways even more so. At the U of Miami, we were trying to bring the program back. There was such a hunger there. That's one of the reasons they practiced so hard against each other."

Schiano remembers being disturbed in his office one spring by "a loud noise" and looking out the window to see a rowdy 7-on-7 game that included Michael Irvin, who had retired from football, and Sinorice Moss (Santana's younger brother), who was 15 at the time. Irvin, Ray Lewis and Warren Sapp had long since left campus, yet there was an unspoken expectation that the bar needed to be raised every single year. There's even a book written about the building and sustaining of the Miami program: Cane Mutiny.

"The level of work ethic was established," says Myers. "We wanted to keep that going. You wanted to prove to yourself you could keep doing what was done before."

Former players credit not only the strength coaches, but also the fact that the facilities weren't all that great. Today, major schools have professional-grade equipment. At that time, Miami had something resembling a boxing gym. That only seemed to motivate players more.

"It was the work ethic," Reed said Tuesday. "With the people we had, we tended to get the best guys."

It all culminated with a one-loss season in 2000, an undefeated season in 2001 and another one-loss season in 2002. But the 2001 team was especially dominant. The final score for that entire year, with point totals from all games added up, was Miami 512, Opponents 117.

"I really felt like we could have beaten the Cincinnati Bengals that year," says Rumph, who played five seasons in the NFL and now coaches at American Heritage High in Boca Raton. "It wouldn't be a blowout game!"

The most remarkable aspect of that team is only now coming into view. Nearly 12 years later, Gore is maybe the most dangerous player on the 49ers roster. The same could be said about Johnson in Houston, and Wilfork is a rare stalwart on a constantly rotating Patriots defense.

Yet when forced to pick a player or two from that '01 squad, two names come up: McKinnie and Reed.

Former 'Canes love to talk about the much-hyped matchup that season between "Mt. McKinnie" and defensive end Dwight Freeney, who starred at Syracuse and is building himself a Hall of Fame career with Indianapolis.

"Bryant is the best lazy player I've ever seen in my life," Rumph says. "He don't like to work out, his back is bothering him, that kind of thing. But even on his laziest day, he would not give up a sack. Dwight Freeney came to town, and Bryant literally rolled him down the field."

Miami beat No. 14 Syracuse that November day, 59-0.

While McKinnie is revered for his strength, Reed is awed for his smarts. The signature play from that championship season came when Miami struggled with Boston College into the fourth quarter and defensive lineman Matt Walters intercepted a pass deep in Miami territory. Reed raced up on his 270-pound teammate, ripped the ball out of his hands and ran 80 yards to the end zone. He was such a ball hawk that he forced his own teammate to fumble. "He had ball skills like an elite receiver and footwork like a top DB," Rumph says. "He was a coach on the field."

Davis, the architect of all this, admits he looks back at his Miami days wistfully. "In retrospect, obviously I would have loved to stay for eight, 10, 12, 15 years and maybe still be there," Davis says. "It was ridiculous how much success we had."

And it wasn't just on the field. Chuck Pagano was a secondary coach who left in 2000. Rob Chudzinski was an offensive coordinator. Schiano was defensive coordinator until the 2000 season. All three are now NFL head coaches.

In the college ranks, head coach Larry Coker is now the top guy at Texas San-Antonio. Mario Cristobal became a head coach at Florida International. Randy Shannon was in charge at Miami for a time. Curtis Johnson is now head coach at Tulane. Mark Stoops is head coach at Kentucky.

And Ken Dorsey, the quarterback on that unbeaten team, is now the quarterbacks coach for the Carolina Panthers.

Ironically, Davis has never reached that level of success again as a head coach. He struggled with the Cleveland Browns before leaving for North Carolina, which is now mired in scandal. Davis never won a national title as a head coach, but hopes to get one more shot. He's now an assistant with Schiano's Bucs.

Other lingering aspects of the Miami juggernaut are more subtle. Every time Myers gets ready to take the field for the Texans, he listens to the same song before he runs out into the din of the stadium: "In The Air Tonight," by Phil Collins. That was the song hand-picked by Davis to signal the entrance of the Hurricanes onto the field at the old Orange Bowl. He picked it to set a tempo and tone, but also to time a pregame stretch.

"The drum roll signified time to break down and go to the next phase of pregame," Davis says. "The tempo and mindset was now in place." Myers is not alone in his ritual. "Everybody still listens to that song before games," Myers says. "It brings me back to a little bit of Miami."

There is a little bit of Miami all over the NFL. In fact, there is a lot. And some of it will be on display in New Orleans on Sunday.

In fact, it's hard not to wonder how good those Hurricanes would have been if they could have experienced McKinnie's joke about playing together in the NFL: Gore, Portis and McGahee in the backfield, Johnson at wideout, Shockey at tight end, McKinnie blocking, Wilfork rushing, Williams at linebacker, Reed, Rolle and the late Taylor in the defensive backfield. And all those coaches.

Asked how good that team would have been in the NFL, Tulane's Johnson lets out a howling laugh before giving a one-word answer:

"Dynasty."


(sports.yahoo.com)

NEW ORLEANS -- Bryant McKinnie stood in the middle of the Superdome on Tuesday, Jan. 29, and marveled at the spectacle that surrounded him.

Behind the Baltimore Ravens' giant left tackle, several of the team's most notable stars were seated individually at raised tables. Each space featured huge nameplates and was surrounded by a blockade designed to keep the throng of interviewers at a reasonable distance. It was, after all, media day at the Super Bowl.

McKinnie looked over his shoulder in amusement. His assignment was to simply to stand among the masses and field questions from people who crowded in with microphones held high to catch a few words from the 6-foot-8, 354-pound former Vikings mainstay.

Those who kept their arms raised long enough to hear McKinnie tell the story of his season were rewarded with quite a tale, one that began with a pay cut and ended with a starting role in his first NFL championship game.

"It's been a long, strange journey, but I like the way it's ending so far," McKinnie said. "One step farther, I can complete it with a ring."

Before starting his 11th training camp in the NFL, McKinnie was asked to accept less money because the Ravens needed to clear salary-cap space. After a good bit of grumbling, he was OK with an incentive-laden contract.

But McKinnie's run of 60 straight starts ended in the opener, when coach John Harbaugh opted to start Michael Oher at left tackle and use McKinnie as a backup.

In his unaccustomed role off the bench, McKinnie hurt his hip in a game against Dallas on Oct. 14. When right tackle Kelechi Osemele got hurt the following week in Houston, McKinnie got the chance to steal a starting spot. But he aggravated his hip injury and ended up back on the bench. One week after another went by without the opportunity to start.

Finally, before the season finale against Cincinnati, McKinnie was told by Harbaugh to prove he was healthy.

"The coach was like, 'Show me that you're healed. Show me that you can move,'" McKinnie recalled. "In the Cincinnati game, he said, 'I'm going to let you play, show me you're back healthy.' "

McKinnie, 33, came off the bench and played well. In that game, left guard Jah Reid hurt his toe and was subsequently placed on injured reserve. So in the playoff opener against Indianapolis, the Ravens put McKinnie back at his old left tackle spot, moved Oher to right tackle and plugged Osemele into Reid's spot.
It proved to be a winning combination. Now 3-0 with McKinnie as a starter, the Ravens look to complete their run Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers.
"This is a great reward," McKinnie said. "I waited for my time and was able to step in there and help the team go to where it wants to be."

Funny how things work in the NFL.

"What Bryant been through can't be overstated," Ravens center Matt Birk said. "All year, to sit and wait and wait. To his credit, he kept himself ready, kept himself in shape. He kept himself mentally ready to go. He didn't play all year, and here's (Indianapolis end) Dwight Freeney. The next week, here's (Denver's) Elvis Dumervil and Von Miller. The man's done a great job. It's a tribute to his attitude and work ethic."

Maybe it's because of Reid's toe, or perhaps it was just McKinnie's time. Whatever the reason, Baltimore's offensive front is better than it's been all season.

"McKinnie has played well for them, and it had a domino effect," San Francisco defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said. "They put Oher at right tackle, who's playing right tackle better than the guy they had in there. They moved (Osemele) to left guard and he's playing that position better than the guy they had in there."

McKinnie, meanwhile, is feeling the benefit of limited playing time from September through December.

"I'm fresher than anybody else," he said.

His task in the Super Bowl will be to help neutralize 49ers right tackle Justin Smith, a 12-year veteran playing with a partially torn left triceps.

"McKinnie has been a good player in this league for a long time," Smith said. "I think the run they've been on, he's out there playing real good football. The mix of their offensive line right now is really working for them. They're playing the best football when they need it."


(twincities.com)

Matt Birk said that Bryant McKinnie, Birk's fellow offensive lineman with both the Vikings and Baltimore, worked hard all year to get and stay in shape this season. While the big left tackle didn't play much in the regular season, he got his shot in the playoffs. An injury gave McKinnie a chance to start, and Birk said McKinnie was prepared and has played great.

"He started last year for us and didn't start this year," Birk said, "but got his chance when we had an injury the last game of the season. He's making the most of it."

Birk talked about the unique situation of having two brothers coaching against each other in the Super Bowl.

"Obviously you look at [San Francisco coach] Jim and [Baltimore coach] John Harbaugh and what they've been able to do in such a short time as head coaches in this league, it's not a fluke," he said. "They're great football coaches, both of them in their own right. I'm sure there's a lot of similarities between them, but obviously there's also differences.

"They each have their own personalities and kind of put their own stamp on their teams.

"We played [San Francisco] last year, and it was a great game. Their defense is great, probably as good as I've ever seen. Offensively, they're playing well. It'll be a great challenge for us."

Finally, I asked Birk, 36, if there was any talk of retiring after this year. "We'll see, we'll see," he said. "I'm just going to enjoy the present and then I'll make a decision about my future when I have to."


(startribune.com)

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- When historians look back on the Baltimore Ravens' 2012 season, they will remember offensive coordinator Cam Cameron being fired and replaced by Jim Caldwell.

They will talk about quarterback Joe Flacco's clutch performances in the postseason and how star linebacker Ray Lewis's decision to retire inspired this team.

But the best move came two weeks ago when Ravens coach John Harbaugh inserted former Minnesota Viking Bryant McKinnie at left offensive tackle and moved Michael Oher to right tackle and rookie Kelechi Osemele to left guard.

That's when the Ravens became championship caliber.

There are always new schemes and philosophies in football, but there is one constant: If your front five can beat the other team's defensive front seven, you win games.

On Sunday night, Jan. 20, the Ravens' starting group of McKinnie, Oher, guard Marshal Yanda, Osemele and former Vikings center Matt Birk were outstanding.
The Ravens had 356 yards of total offense and held a three-minute advantage in time of possession. They were hurt by poor field position in the first half, but once they opened it up in the second, they were nearly unstoppable.

Flacco was 11 of 18 in the third quarter. He finished the game with 240 yards and three touchdown passes. Receiver Anquan Boldin and tight end Dennis Pitta kept coming up with clutch catches as the Ravens took control of the tempo and the game.

"We just executed better," Birk said. "In the first half, we had a hard time on offense sustaining anything and getting our rhythm, other than the one drive. We changed things up a little bit in the second half. We got a little up-tempo and got some rhythm and guys started making plays. We just tried to block guys and (game) our playmakers a chance to make plays."

But they wouldn't have been productive without this offensive line. For most of the night, Flacco had time to eat a doughnut, drink a cup of coffee and then go through his progressions.

In three postseason games, Flacco has been sacked four times, which is remarkable because he got banged around so much during the regular season.
It's somewhat ironic that this unit has carried the team because Harbaugh was reluctant to change. Going into training camp, the offensive line was the biggest question mark, and there was even more doubt when McKinnie reported late, out of shape and overweight.

And then the Ravens cut his salary.

It was enough to make a big, old man cry, or at least sulk enough when he practiced poorly, according to Harbaugh (wink, wink). The Ravens tried several different combinations, including Oher at left tackle and Ramon Harewood and Jah Reid at left guard.

Nothing worked.

Neither Osemele at right tackle nor Oher on the left side could handle speed rushers. Privately, certain veteran players wanted McKinnie back as the starter, and there was even speculation that general manager Ozzie Newsome strongly lobbied for McKinnie with Harbaugh.

Finally, the move was made for the wild-card playoff game against Indianapolis, and the Ravens have been a different team.

They've always had weapons, but now they have time to find and use them. Because of their physical style, the Ravens can play smashmouth football with running backs Ray Rice and Bernard Pierce and control the time of possession to keep their defense off the field.

Flacco has an assortment of weapons in Smith, Pitta, Boldin and Jacoby Jones. If the protection is good, few defenses have the skill or speed to compete with this group.

The Patriots had just five quarterback hurries Sunday night. They had two sacks, and one of those came late in the game after the outcome had already been decided.

Vince Wilfork, New England's giant defensive tackle who has been one major problem for the Ravens the past two years, had only one tackle. He got bounced around by the middle of the Ravens' offensive line.

McKinnie won't remind anyone of former Ravens great Jonathan Ogden, but he still can swallow up most good pass rushers. Birk's best days are behind him, but he still can make blocks into the second level especially against a four-man front and has been a steady presence for Osemele.

Oher was never going to be a quality left tackle, but seems to have found a home on the right side. Osemele is going to be a great player and is versatile and strong enough to play any of the positions on the offense line.

As for Yanda, he is the best of the group, a throwback to the old days when linemen didn't say much, but you were always glad they were on your team.
It's an offensive line that seemed to lose its way at the beginning of the season, but has rediscovered itself just in time to lead the Ravens to the Super Bowl in New Orleans.


(twincities.com)

In all, as many as 212 players will participate in the AFC and NFC championship games on Sunday – four teams, 53 players per team. When including players not on the active rosters of the four teams playing for a shot at the Super Bowl, however, the total jumps to more than 250.

The schools represented on the Atlanta Falcons, San Francisco 49ers, New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens range from college football's elite (Alabama, Ohio State, Texas and Florida) to those situated far outside the national picture (Hillsdale, Bellhaven, Lane and Indiana).

Here are the eight schools most represented by the four teams playing Sunday for a trip to the Super Bowl:

1. Miami (Fla.): 12. P Matt Bosher, OL Harland Gunn, DL Micanor Regis (Atlanta); LB Tavares Gooden, RB Frank Gore (San Francisco); DL Vince Wilfork, DL Marcus Forston (New England); LB Ray Lewis, OL Bryant McKinnie, RB Damien Berry, WR Tommy Streeter, S Ed Reed (Baltimore).

2. (tie) Oregon: 7. WR Drew Davis (Atlanta); RB LaMichael James, FB Will Tukuafu (San Francisco); TE Ed Dickson, DL Haloti Ngata, QB Dennis Dixon (Baltimore).

2. (tie) Florida: 7. LB Mike Peterson (Atlanta); DL Ray McDonald (San Francisco); DL Jermaine Cunningham, RB Jeff Demps, TE Aaron Hernandez, LB Brandon Spikes (New England); WR Deonte Thompson (Baltimore).

4. (tie) Alabama: 6. OL Mike Johnson, WR Julio Jones (Atlanta); DL Brandon Deaderick, LB Dont'a Hightower (New England); DL Terrence Cody, LB Courtney Upshaw (Baltimore).

4. (tie) Iowa: 6. DL Jonathan Babineaux (Atlanta); LB Jeff Tarpinian, TE Brad Herman, OL Markus Zusevics (New England); S Sean Considine, OL Marshal Yanda (Baltimore).

4. (tie) Texas: 6. OL Justin Blalock (Atlanta); CB Tarell Brown, OL Leonard Davis (San Francisco); OL Kyle Hix (New England); CB Chykie Brown, K Justin Tucker (Baltimore).

4. (tie) South Carolina: 6. DL John Abraham, DL Cliff Matthews, DL Travian Robertson, CB Dunta Robinson (Atlanta); S Emanuel Cook, CB Chris Culliver (Baltimore).

4. (tie) Ohio State: 6. OL Alex Boone, WR Ted Ginn Jr., LB Larry Grant, S Donte Whitner (San Francisco); TE Jake Ballard, S Nate Ebner (New England).
Another eight schools have five players on the rosters: Arizona State, Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia, UCF, Rutgers, Syracuse and Illinois.

Teams with four players: Oklahoma State, Marshall, Michigan, Fresno State, Utah, Mississippi, Mississippi State, Missouri, Louisville, LSU and Georgia Tech.

Three players: Auburn, Wisconsin, Maryland, California, Wake Forest, Florida State, Penn State, Kansas, Purdue, Northwestern, Texas Tech and Arkansas.

Two players: Baylor, Michigan State, Stanford, Boston College, Clemson, Connecticut, ECU, Oregon State, Richmond, San Jose State, Kentucky, Montana, North Carolina, Northern Illinois, TCU, UCLA, Notre Dame, Central Michigan, Delaware, Iowa State, Colorado, Tennessee State, Nebraska, Buffalo, Arizona and Washburn.

Luck of the draw plays a role, of course, but it's a bit surprising to see that schools like Virginia Tech, USC, Oklahoma and Texas A&M only have one player each on the four rosters. Not surprising? That one player represents schools like Prairie View A&M, Lane, Harvard, Weber State, Chadron State (Danny Woodhead), Hillsdale and Hofstra (which no longer has a football program).


(usatoday.com)