Below proCanes.com analyzes the NFL U free agent market and tries to give you, the fans, a better idea of where these free agents may end up for the 2009 season. First off, here are the different types of free agents defined in case you don't now the difference:

Unrestricted Free Agents
Unrestricted Free Agents (UFA) are players who have completed four or more accrued seasons of service and whose contracts have expired. They are free to sign with any club.

Restricted Free Agents
Restricted Free Agents (RFA) are players who have completed three accrued seasons of service and whose contracts have expired. They have received qualifying offers from their old clubs and are free to negotiate with any club until April 21, at which time their rights revert to their original club. If a player accepts an offer from a new club, the old club will have the right to match the offer and retain the player. If the old club elects not to match the offer, it may receive draft-choice compensation depending on the level of the qualifying offer made to the player.

Exclusive-Rights Free Agents
Exclusive-Rights Free Agents (ERFAs) are players who have completed between 0-2 accrued seasons of service whose contracts have expired. If tendered, they have no negotiating rights with other clubs and must sign their tender with their old club or sit out the season.

2009 UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS

Phillip Buchanon CB 5-11 186 7th Season Buccaneers:
According to members of the Buccaneers organization, many from within believe Phillip Buchanon was their most consistent cornerback last year. At the beginning of the offseason many people thought the Bucs would let Buchanon go because of the coaching changes and and change in defensive philosophy. That looks to not be the case though. The Bucs will be talking to Buchanon's agent Drew Rosenhaus this week and hope to sign before he hits the open market. After a rough beginning to his career, Buchanon seems to have settled and become a vital part of the Tampa Bay defense. Look for him to remain a Buccaneer.

Vernon Carey OT 6-5 350 5th Season Dolphins:
Vernon Carey actually never hit the free agency market despite not being franchised by the Miami Dolphins. Once the Dolphins elected not to franchise him most people began to speculate that they no longer wanted Carey and both the Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings would go after him. One day later though, the Dolphins did sign Carey to a 6-year $42 million contract making him the highest paid right tackle in the league. Congrats to Vernon!

Bubba Franks TE 6-6 265 9th Season NY Jets:
Bubba Franks had a disappointing 2008 season despite being teamed up with Brett Favre again. Bubba's best seasons as a Green Bay Packer were with Favre, but they never seemed to to find that magic last year as Jets. Bubba fought through injuries during the season but missed 8 games. He finished the season with only six reception for 47 yards and no TDs. The Jets did released TE Chris Baker, which would create an opening for Bubba, but they do have Dustin Keller who they are pretty high on. If Bubba stays looks for him to be Keller's backup which is a possibility as long as he can show that he can stay healthy.

William Joseph DT 6-5 308 6th Season Raiders:
Joseph was signed last offseason by the Raiders to give them help along the defensive line with the loss of Warren Sapp. Joseph was cut right before the beginning of season, but was then signed in week 8 and played the last 7 weeks of the season accumulating 8 tackles. Since being drafted by the NY Giants in the first round in 2003, Joseph has not lived up to expectations. He will probably get signed by someone in need of DL depth and it very well could be the Oakland Raiders.

Ray Lewis LB 6-1 250 13th Season Ravens:
It is rumored that the Jets are making salary cap room to possibly sign Ray Lewis. The Cowboys have been rumored to be a destination Ray would potentially prefer as well. Ray has said before that he would like to end his career as a Raven and the Ravens would really like to sign him before the free agency period begins on February 27, despite being irked by his comments at the Pro Bowl which most people think were said to get him a bigger contract. This would be the first time Ray would hit the free agent market and the Ravens are afraid that if he does he will be gone. Look for the Ravens to sign him before he hits the market.

Darrell McClover LB 6-1 226 5th Season Bears:
McClover has been important cog in the Bears' special teams for the past few years, but he missed the last 6 games due to injury this year and the Bears do not seem to be interested in resigning him. He has been a career special teams player but also has the ability to play the OLB spot. If the Bears do not re-sign him, which looks unlikely, look for him to get picked up by a team with special teams needs like the Patriots, Chiefs, or Titans.

Jerome McDougle DE 6-2 2646th Season NY Giants:
McDougle has dealt with a lot of adversity during his short career and unfortunately has never lived up to expectations despite always performing well in training camps. More than anything, he is happy to be alive considering his near-death experience of being shot in the abdomen. McDougle didn’t contribute much to the Giants, and now Osi Umenyiora is presumably coming back to join what should be a three-man end rotation with Justin Tuck and Mathias Kiwanuka. Dave Tollefson (an exclusive rights free agent) figures to be the fourth. If there’s a fifth, it’ll come out of the draft. Look for McDougle to get one more shot in someone's training camp, he has shows great resiliency throughout his tough career.

Brett Romberg C 6-2 298 5th Season Rams:
Though a little undersized Romberg has been in the thick of the starting center position for the last few years in St. Louis. He started three games in 2006, nine games in 2007 and six games in 2008. Last year he broke his hand in training camp and lost the job to Nick Leckey. Romberg did end up starting the last 6 games of the season though. The Rams seems to like Romberg more than Leckey so look for them to re-sign Romberg.

Jonathan Vilma LB 6-1230 5th Season Saints:
Re-signing MLB Jonathan Vilma is the Saints' top priority. Vilma, who was traded to the Saints a year ago, is said to be very interested in re-upping with New Orleans, but the team will not strike a deal with him until Feb. 27 — the start of free agency — at the earliest, guaranteeing that Vilma will hit the open market. Signing him before then would force the Saints to give up higher draft picks to the Giants and Jets — first- and second-rounders, respectively, instead of second- and third-rounders — per the deals for TE Jeremy Shockey and Vilma. The Saints are optimistic he will be back and so are we. Unless someone throws a lot of money in Vilma's direction look for him to sign with the Saints as soon as he hits the market.

Nate Webster LB 6-0 232 9th Season Broncos:
Webster beat out free-agent Niko Koutouvides for the starting MLB spot last fall which was a huge surprise to many considering the large contract that was given to Koutouvides. The Denver defense last year was bad. Many people blamed Webster but the problems ran much deeper than him. The DL was atrocious and injuries took their toll as well with DJ Williams missing time as well as Webster. Koutouvides was recently cut by the Broncos, which could mean that the Broncos are interested in keeping Webster. If they do, look for him to be more of an insurance policy as he can backup all three LB positions or if Williams is moved back to MLB then Webster could find a spot on the outside.

2009 RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS

Rashad Butler OT 6-4 309 3rd Season Texans:
Butler is well-respected in the Texans organization because of his ability to overcome the disease: ulcerative colitis. This was the reason for Butler's inability to keep weight on during his days in Carolina. Since then he has been able to control the disease and played in 8 games in 2007. He didn't see much action in 2008, but look for the Texans to resign him for a league minimum resulting in 3 offensive lineman from the U on the Texans (Chris Myers, Eric Winston, Rashad Butler).

2009 EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS FREE AGENTS

Orien Harris DL6-3 300 1st Season Bengals:
Harris was a standout in Saints camp in 2008 and was surprisingly released before the season started. The Bengals though, snatched him up quickly and Harris saw action in 14 games and started Week 6 against the Jets. He is an exclusive rights free agent; the team has already signed FB/TE Daniel Coats, who was the other player in that category. Look for the Bengals to re-sign him and in the off chance they don't, the Saints will be in the running for his services.

RELEASED

Ken Dorsey QB 6-4 215 6th Season Browns:
Dorsey struggled towards the end of last year when he was forced into action for four of the last five games of the season throwing zero touchdowns and 7 interceptions. Dorsey has always been limited physically but has been a great tutor for Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn. If he lands anywhere it will probably be with Rob Chudzinski and the San Diego Chargers to mentor Phillip Rivers.

Najeh Davenport RB 6-1 247 7th Season Colts:
Najeh played 4 games for the Steelers last year in the middle of the season after being released in the offseason. He was then released by the Steelers and signed by the Colts where he played in two games before being released before the start of the playoffs. Davenports has shown he can still play both as a running back and also as a kickoff return man. In week 17 he had 8 carries for 26 yards along with four receptions for 54 yards. The knock on Davenport has always been his ability to stay healthy and stay in shape. Look for him to get signed by someone in need of RB depth and also special teams player.

Breaking down elements of Miami Dolphins offensive tackle Vernon Carey’s six-year, $42 million contract signed Friday, Adam Caplan of Scout.com reveals that Carey will be paid $18.9 million during the first two years of the blockbuster deal.

Citing a league source, Caplan reports that Carey will make $15 million in 2009 through a $12 million signing bonus, an $800,000 base salary, a $2 million roster bonus and has the opportunity to make an additional $200,000 through a workout bonus.

Now, Carey is the highest paid right tackle in the league.

An additional cherry on the top of this rich sundae is the fact that there’s no state tax in Florida.

(profootballtalk.com)

Those questions surrounding the Dolphins' offensive line received at least one major answer Friday, when the team locked up right tackle Vernon
Carey for another six years.

The deal is worth $42 million for the length of the contract.

Carey, a South Florida native who played at the University of Miami before getting drafted as a first-round pick in 2004, will maintain his roots in his hometown area. He agreed to the extension Friday, two sources said.

On Thursday, the team passed on the idea of franchising Carey for another year -- instead feeling confident enough in him to keep him around for much longer. He was scheduled to hit free agency Feb. 27, when he would have been one of only a few starting-caliber tackles on the open market.

(miamiherald.com)

The Miami Dolphins will not place the franchise tag on any of their five free agents, head coach Tony Sparano said Thursday.

The Bears and Vikings are expected to be interested in free agent RT Vernon Carey after the Dolphins elected not use the franchise tag.
The Vikings have identified right tackle as one of the team's glaring weaknesses while the Bears will have to replace John Tait. The Dolphins were expected to make re-signing Carey a priority, but they don't appear willing to match his asking price.

(rotoworld.com)

With two weeks until the Dolphins either get deals done with their free agents or face the prospect of losing them, an agent offered his opinion Friday that they’ll opt to allow offensive tackle Vernon Carey to test the market.

“I just don’t think they like him that much,” the agent said of condition of anonymity. “They don’t think he’s worth the pricetag.”

There had been speculation the Dolphins could use the franchise tag on Carey, but that would be in the range of $9 million per season.

The same source said it’s unlikely Miami will use its first-rounder at that position. “There are no tackles in this draft in the Jake Long category,” he said. Having said that, draft experts feel as many as five tackles could be taken by the time the Dolphins pick at No. 25.

The offensive line is likely to undergo some shakeups before camp starts. Long and Justin Smiley are sure to return, but Samson Satele could be moved to guard and Andy Alleman to center. Center Al Johnson, another free agent, appears to be gone, and Ike Ndukwe is a longshot to return. Donald Thomas, who impressed before being lost for the year to injury, will also be back.

Remember, this was a unit that could not consistently open holes for Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams last year. Especially late in the year, a large percentage of the run production was coming off end-around plays rather than inside the tackles. Improvement was a necessity; the question is, where do Bill Parcells and Co. turn to make it?

(palmbeachpost.com)

An anonymous agent told the Palm Beach Post that he doesn't believe the Dolphins will re-sign free agent OL Vernon Carey.

It's worth noting that this comes from a player rep who doesn't represent Carey and may not be close to the situation. "I just don’t think they like him that much," the agent said. "They don’t think he’s worth the price tag." Miami could have shakeup at four offensive line positions next season, including right tackle, center, and both guard spots.

(rotoworld.com)

As the start of free agency draws closer the pressure to get a deal done with some of the Miami Dolphins' free agents is mounting.

In my opinion the most critical, and possibly the most costly of Dolphins' free agents is tackle Vernon Carey, a four-year starter. Whether to retain Carey or not is one of the Dolphins' top 10 offseason decisions, which you can read more on here.

He's a proven commodity. At 27 he's still young. He's respected for his durability. He's got a year's worth of experience playing left tackle under his belt courtesy of the 2007 season. And the former Miami Hurricane is a hometown product who does good in the community.

But Carey and his representatives aren't looking to give the Dolphins a hometown discount. This former first-round pick is looking for a lucrative, multi-year deal that will set him and his family up for the rest of his life.

Even though right tackle isn't a position NFL teams break the bank for, Carey will likely be in demand if he hits the free agent market because he can play tackle on both sides, and has the versatility to play guard, the position he finished his college career at.

I'm told his representation is seeking a deal that pays him more than $20 million, with at least half of it guaranteed.

Placing the franchise tag on Carey is an option, but not a favorable one to the Trifecta.

The franchise tag, which would pay Carey $8.4 million for one season, could buy the Dolphins some time to work out a deal, or not.
Tagging him could put Carey in an undesirable pay-for-play situation, where he'd be forced to keep his weight down and production high considering he'd be entering another contract year in 2010.

Maybe the Dolphins would prefer Carey continue to have that carrot of a big payday hanging just out of his reach. But why pay $8.4 for one season when a contract that pays him $5-6 million a year would do?

Houston re-signed right tackle Eric Winston to a five-year, $30 million deal last season. That deal paid him a $6 million signing bonus, and $10 million in guarantees.

At the end of last season the Cowboys signed Trifecta find Marc Columbo, another right tackle, to a four-year contract reportedly worth $22 million, with $11.5 of it guaranteed to prevent Columbo from hitting the fee agent market.

If you average out those two recent contracts $5.75 million appears to be the going rate for a starting right tackle approaching the free agent market. But can the Dolphins fill that spot with cheaper labor?

Allowing Carey to leave through free agency would create a huge void on the team's most troublesome unit. But there might be cheaper alternatives on the free agent market.

Scouts also say this draft is full of talented tackle prospects. However, there will be a tremendous run on them early, just like there was in last year's draft, which featured Jake Long as the No. 1 pick.

The Dolphins presently have young tackles Nate Garner and Brandon Frye on the roster, and it's possible rookie Donald Thomas (6-4, 310) or Ikechuku Ndukwe (6-4, 325) could play that position. Both guards have the ideal size and the necessary skill-set to get the job done.

But it's unlikely any of those four would play the position at Carey's level for at least the 2009 season, which means the troublesome offensive line might take a step backwards.

So, now that you know most of the factors, can the Dolphins afford to balk at Carey's asking price, potentially letting him depart as a free agent?
Deuces.

(sun-sentinel.com)ve

If the Dolphins cannot work out a multi-year deal with tackle Vernon Carey, they'll likely use the franchise tag on him, the Miami Herald reports.

Our View:Carey is a solid right tackle who creates a nice bookend with Jake Long on the opposite side. He's not extraordinary, but considering the need for tackles around the league, he would have likely gotten a hefty contract somewhere.

(rototimes.com)

10. Right tackle Vernon Carey - Four-year starter made a smooth transition back to right tackle and was steady and durable all season.




(sun-sentinel.com)

Tampa - A source told the Sun Sentinel that the Dolphins are definitely interested in re-signing free-agent tackle Vernon Carey. Free agency doesn't start until Feb. 27, so negotiations will probably heat up during the week of the NFL Scouting Combine (Feb. 24).

Carey, along with left guard Justin Smiley, were the most experienced players on a young offensive line that took a bad hit when promising rookie Donald Thomas was lost for the season in the first regular-season game.

"The Dolphins want Carey back and they will continue to bolster their offensive line," the source said.

The same probably can't be said for free-agent linebacker Channing Crowder, who was lowballed by the team's first offer.

(sun-sentinel.com)

Since the season ended, the Dolphins conveyed interest in re-signing Carey (haven't talked numbers), but haven't contacted Crowder's agent. (Crowder rejected an earlier offer.) Talks with Bell are ongoing.



(miamiherald.com)

DAVIE — Offensive tackle Vernon Carey got home around 1 a.m. Monday after the Dolphins' victory over the New York Jets gave them the AFC East title.

"(My wife) was knocked out," he said at Dolphins camp Monday morning. "She just recognized I was in the bed and she was like, 'Babe! You're in the playoffs!'

"And I was like, 'Yeah, I've been waiting five years to hear that.' It was a great moment," said Carey, a Miami native and University of Miami product who was drafted in the first round by the Dolphins in 2004.

After last season's 1-15 finish, the playoffs seemed a lifetime away. Just getting through the 2007 season was difficult, cornerback Andre Goodman said.

"We got to like Week 8 you start counting down like, 'C'mon, we've still got eight more to go,' " Goodman said. "You're just trying to get through the day. I didn't feel a lot of energy, a lot of fire.

"When it got close to Week 16, we're just saying, 'Can we get one?' so we don't go down in history as far as 0-16. And once we got that one, it was a relief. It was almost over."

That win came against the Baltimore Ravens, the Dolphins' opponent in Sunday's first-round playoff game. That lone victory in 2007 didn't make up for the misery of the season, Carey said.

"It was the worst feeling of your life," said Carey, who is scheduled to be a free agent at the end of the season. "It makes you think twice about what you're doing. Like, is this really worth it? It just took everything out of you.

"To come back this year and do what we're doing now, it recharges you and it makes you cry because you know where you came from."
Goodman said he is looking forward to a big crowd for Sunday's game, which was declared a sellout Monday, the same day that tickets went on sale.

"To be here in the playoffs with a chance to win a playoff game at home, I want to see a packed house," said Goodman, a third-year Dolphin. "I haven't seen that stadium packed since I've been here. I'm looking forward to it. I'm excited."

(palmbeachpost.com)

Right tackle Vernon Carey said the Dolphins relayed an interest in re-signing him, but won't talk money until after the season.




(miamiherald.com)

Miami Dolphins Vernon Carey and his mentoring group volunteered Tuesday, December 9, 2008 at "The Home Depot Neighborhood MVP Build" which helped rehabilitate Little River Park in Miami, FL.

Vernon and his Brownsville Middle School mentoring group took part in painting hopscotch outlines and varnishing picnic tables. They also participated in painting a fence in Dolphins aqua and orange. An autograph signing was held for the many other volunteers at the event.

Vernon used a saw to cut through a Home Depot board as part of the park’s opening ceremony. Vernon Carey was presented with a $1,000 donation from the Home Depot during the ceremony.

(miamidolphins.com)

When a black limousine rolled up under police escort to Miami Northwestern High School on Monday afternoon, hundreds of Liberty City residents started screaming.

Leroy Williams of Liberty City summed up the scene: ``This is bigger than Obama.''

Vernon Carey, the Miami Dolphins' starting right tackle and a former lineman at the University of Miami and Northwestern High, is decidedly bigger than the president-elect -- at least physically. On Monday, he was back at his old school for the fourth annual Vernon Carey Thanksgiving Turkey Drive.

He and several of his teammates, including Ronnie Brown, Ricky Williams and members of the offensive line, gave turkeys and cranberry sauce to residents where he grew up.

''Times are tough and a lot of people are struggling,'' Carey said, ``this is my way of giving back to the community.''

People waited in line for hours to get a turkey and possibly a photo with the Dolphins players who manned the tables and gave away turkeys. The players were joined by members of Northwestern's football team.

Carey, a finalist for the 2008 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award, is involved in other programs focused on helping those who are less fortunate. He and his wife, LaTavia, started a mentoring program for students at Brownsville Middle School in Liberty City, and he also sponsors Carey's Crew, which allows 20 kids from the middle school to attend every home game.

By the end of the day, more than 600 turkeys and hundreds of cans of cranberry sauce had been unloaded from the 53-foot semi-container. Carey paid for the food, and Publix underwrote the truck and delivery.

''I think it's good for the neighborhood,'' said Danielle Pounds, a senior at Northwestern. ``The economy's bad and people don't have money to buy food right now.''

Carey's offensive line coach at Northwestern, Terrance Craig, summed up the day: ``Vernon is a good guy.''

(miamiherald.com)

DAVIE - When Dolphins right tackle Vernon Carey was asked to report to the auditorium at team headquarters on his day off today, he was nervous. No, he wasn't expecting to get cut, but he was hoping that the meeting would have something to do with extending his contract, which expires at the end of the season.

It wasn't until coach Tony Sparano grabbed a microphone and introduced Carey as the Dolphins nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award that the Miami native knew what was going on.

Carey has a tough act to follow as former Dolphins defensive end Jason Taylor won the community-related award last year, and past Dolphins winners include Hall of Famers Dan Marino and Dwight Stephenson.

"It caught me off guard,'' Carey said. "I was kind of worried at first, but it's an overwhelming joy deep inside because growing up as a kid always being a Dolphins fans, loving the Dolphins, I remember watching Dan Marino play the game and guys like him being man of the year. Jason Taylor, Zach Thomas, those caliber of players on and off the field, it's high standards set that you got to uphold, and I'm willing to do that.''
Every team selects a representative, a player who gives back to the community with his charitable endeavors, as well as displaying sportsmanship on the field. Eventually, the 32 selections are pared down and one player is chosen during Super Bowl week in February.

Carey and his wife, LaTavia, have started the Carey Mentorship Program at Brownsville Middle School in Miami. The couple mentors 10 students and takes them on trips around South Florida, such as Universal Studio, and often talk to them about goal-setting. They also host 20 students at every Dolphins' home game.

Carey hosts an annual Thanksgiving giveaway at his former high school, Miami Northwestern, and participates in several Dolphins-related charities.

"After my first two years, I'm like, 'You're from here and have to do more in the community.' I was obligated to myself because I've been where they're at and want to show them that there's more out there for them, and goals for them to reach.''

Carey, who starred at University of Miami and was drafted No. 19 n the first round in 2004 by his hometown team, is an integral part of the Dolphins' eighth-ranked offense, which has amassed more than 340 yards in each of the last eight games.

The children from Carey's mentorship program gave Carey a standing ovation when he was given the award. The softspoken, often shy Carey cracked a joke at the end of his acceptance speech when he said, "I hope I can still do things for the community of Miami and I hope I'm still here.''

"I was hoping it was a new contract,'' Carey said. "That's a big honor and you got to accept that and be very happy with that. It was a couple of words [contract talks] but that's what I know. They know better than I do.''

Sparano, a fellow offensive lineman and line coach, was extremely proud of one of his own.

"It's a tremendous accomplishment with what he does in the community,'' Sparano said. "I've been out on several occasions with Vernon at groups in the theatre and seen him do these things for the kids. That's something special. What these guys do off the field really does matter and I'm glad he's getting recognized.

"You could see the kid's faces in there when they see Vernon come in. That's something pretty special. You don't see that all the time. You're a parent and you see your kid like that, he lights up, she lights up. That happened when he walked in.''

Although Sparano wasn't expected to answer football-related questions, he was asked if he heard Carey's remark about wanting to remain a Dolphin.

"So do I,'' Sparano said while walking away.

(sun-sentinel.com)

Ikechuku Ndukwe's dancing days are over.

Ndukwe, a second-year guard, can't afford to get carried away the way he did Sunday during the Dolphins' 17-10 win against San Diego.

Ndukwe joined running back Ronnie Brown and offensive tackle Vernon Carey for an end-zone dance - the Cupid Shuffle - to celebrate Brown's touchdown run.

The NFL slapped each player with a $10,000 fine for unsportsmanlike conduct. It was a stiff fine for each player, but especially for Ndukwe, who makes a base salary of $370,000.

"It hurt me badly," he said. "I think it's a lot of money for anybody, but it's a lot of money for me."

The fine is a huge cut of Ndukwe's next game check. He makes a little less than $22,000 before taxes each week of the NFL season.

When he heard the news, he said, "I was shocked by it."

Brown was, too.

"I was surprised by the amount more so than getting fined," he said. "Rules are rules and I figured there would be some kind of disciplinary action, but I didn't think $10,000 worth for a little shuffle."

But Brown and Carey are former first-round picks making millions. Ndukwe, who making his third NFL start, wasn't even drafted and is making the NFL minimum.

The players are appealing the fine, but if it sticks, Brown - who has a base salary of $3.66 million - said he would pay half of the fine for Ndukwe.

Carey, who was the instigator for the dance and makes $2.57 million, is getting off relatively easy.

"I figured Vern was going to give me some money, but nah," Ndukwe said.

Next time, Ndukwe will know what to do.

"No more dancing for me," he said. "I'm running straight for the sideline."

(palmbeachpost.com)

Vernon Carey is a proud, card carrying member of the NFL's biggest and baddest fraternity.

He's a Hurricane, one of the 44 University of Miami players presently in the NFL, continuing the school's reign as the college program that has the most pro players running with the big boys.

Florida State is a distant second with 37 members, and Ohio State, Michigan and Georgia each have 36.

That achievement, and UM's 14-year streak of consecutive first-rounders (which likely comes to an end in 2009 if DE Eric Moncur doesn't have a monster season) is something the Hurricanes and its alums take a great deal of pride in despite "the U" falling on hard times.

Despite Miami's NFL dominance, UM's struggles have hit the school's pros hard. Most rarely watch Saturday's games these days. They can no longer boast and brag when cocky alums of other programs start talking smack. That's why the first thing Carey warned me when he agreed to do this unfiltered is that he didn't want to talk about UM. Fortunately, he agreed to talk on the touchy subject when I wouldn't let him off the hook.

The lifelong Miami native was at last week's disappointing North Carolina loss with his son, and when you check out this unfiltered you'll feel his pain.

During this unfiltered - which I'm sad to announce will be one of the last of it's kind because "The Man" is clamping down on what we do on the video end - you'll hear straight from Carey where he thinks the Hurricanes, and the Dolphins are headed, and what they need to do to turn things around.

He also addresses the adjustment he made back to the right side, where he's under attack playing next to new starter Ikechuku Ndukwe, who knows he's being scrutinized and is working to handle the challenge. And Carey touches on why he and his agent aren't pushing for a new contract from the Dolphins, the team he grew up wanting to play for.

I toughed on that last topic during the recent Q&A, but it's always good to hear straight from the player or coaches mouth, which is what these unfiltered interviews are - or were - all about.

Click Here for the Video

Q: The front office is taking a "wait and see" approach on right tackle Vernon Carey, who will be a free agent after this season. Is this risk?

A: "It's a calculated risk, but I understand why the front office has this wait and see approach to the four-year starter. Carey is presently checking in around 340 pounds, and while he carries the weight well, that's a bit heavy for this regime. Before giving a player a contract extension it's wise to see how serious he is about getting in better shape. Carey needs to do that to stay healthy and extend his playing career. While this former Hurricane is a hometown guy, he's intent on winning. He wants to explore his options at season's end. His fellow Hurricane Eric Winston, the Texans' starting right tackle, just got a five-year, $30 million contract with $10 million of it guaranteed. That's the bar Carey and his agent will likely be working with, but that might be too pricey for a right tackle based on General Manager Jeff Ireland's value breakdown per position. Two rookies, Kirk Barton and Nate Garner, who were both acquired off the waiver wire in recent weeks, will likely be groomed as Carey's possible replacement. If they present some upside Carey will likely be allowed to walk."

(sun-sentinel.com)

As if the Gators weren't talking enough smack about this weekend's showdown with the Hurricanes, Florida product Channing Crowder has been baiting UM alum and Dolphins teammate Vernon Carey about putting a friendly wager on Saturday's intrastate rivalry game.

Considering his Hurricanes are so young and unproven, Carey has shied away from biting down on Crowder's bait. But it hasn't stopped Crowder, the locker room's resident comedian, from talking smack.

"Nobody is taking that bet anywhere in the world because Florida is just going to trample them," said Crowder, who for the record got spanked by the Hurricanes twice during his playing career.

"[UM freshman quarterback] Jacory Harris was in P.E. six months ago, come on now. They don't have a chance to beat the Gators, at all. I don't know why people even talk about this. It's a warm up game for the Gators," Crowder boasted.

For the record, Florida quarterback Tim Tebow never took P.E. He was too busy being home schooled because his parents were scared of public and private education. I wonder if Tebow's mom is still doing his laundry and making his bed?

If you haven't figured it out yet I'm not a Florida fan, and it has nothing to do with the fact I covered UM. That whole school is too darn arrogant.
While I'm not optimistic about UM pulling off an upset since quarterbacks rule this game - Florida has college football's best in Tebow and UM's Robert Marve will be making his first start against UF - the Hurricanes still have a punchers chance.

All it takes is for Tebow, who secretly thinks he's a fullback that happens to have an arm, to take one physical hit for the game to change.
If I'm the Hurricanes I'd encourage the refs to make sure they have a really loud whistle, if you know what I mean. The one thing UM's past two victories over Florida have proven is that the Gators are traditionally soft.

When asked if UM had absolutely no chance, Crowder said "A blind squirrel can find a nut now and then, but a blind squirrel ain't eating that good."

By my count isn't Florida the blind squirrel considering the Gators haven't beat the Hurricanes in six straight tries, going all the way back to the 1985 season?....

Let the trash talk commence....

(sun-sentinel.com)

Vernon Carey looks great in pass protection, especially his footwork. Charlie Anderson has no chance when the two go head-to-head.




(phinsreport.com)

DAVIE - Lifelong South Florida resident Vernon Carey is proud to admit he has always been a Dolphins fan. But that doesn't mean the Dolphins' starting tackle plans to end his career with his hometown team.

Unlike most NFL players entering the final year of their contacts, Carey plans to play out this season without pushing the organization for a new contract.

Even though there's plenty of salary-cap space to get a deal done, the Dolphins have not approached Carey or his agent about renegotiating his contract. And that doesn't bother the former first-round pick one bit.

In fact, the 27-year-old from the University of Miami seems intrigued about the prospects of hitting the open market in 2009.

"It doesn't matter," Carey said when asked about pursuing a new deal. "That's not important to me right now. What's important to me is winning. I want to be part of a winning team. Winning!

"Of course I'd love to stay here. I'm from Miami and love the Dolphins. I admit I think about it, but I don't like to think about [my contract] because I can't control it. That's out of my hands. It's in [managements] hands. All I want to do is win."

Carey is scheduled to make a little more than $2.5 million this season in the final year of the five-year contract he signed in 2004.

Offensive tackles are the fourth highest paid position in the NFL behind quarterbacks, defensive ends and cornerback, but most of that money goes to left tackles because they protect a quarterback's blindside. Right tackles like Carey, who did start all of last season on the left side before getting displaced by Jake Long, are paid slightly less.

The Dolphins have little depth at tackle behind Carey and Long - the first pick of the 2007 draft - after cutting second-year player Julius Wilson and rookie free agent Dan Gore because they failed their conditioning re-check last Friday.

Ikechuku Ndukwe, a guard who spent a portion of last season on the Dolphins practice squad, and Daren Heerspink, an undrafted rookie free agent, are serving as the lone backup tackles. The Dolphins front office will likely address their tackle shortage by signing a few veterans once teams trim down their training camp rosters.

(sun-sentinel.com)

6. RT Vernon Carey - Carey can play both left and right tackle at a pretty high level, and that versatility should help management sleep a little better at night. Behind him are undrafted players who can only be viewed as developmental projects. Whenever I think of his value I remember the silence that hit Dolphins stadium last exhibition season when Carey took a hit to his knee and had to be helped off the field. Luckily, that time it was only a bruise and he played the entire season without suffering any significant injuries. He's been relatively healthy throughout his entire playing career, college and pros. Is it genetics, or luck?

To see the rest click here.

(sun-sentinel.com)

DAVIE - Life has changed quite a bit for Vernon Carey since the end of last season.

He watched as the Miami Dolphins said goodbye to three starters on the offensive line. And he paid close attention as the team made University of Michigan left tackle Jake Long the No. 1 overall pick in this year's draft.

Long's arrival means that Carey is playing right tackle again.

The departures of L.J. Shelton, Chris Liwienski and Rex Hadnot mean that he is also now one of the crusty old veterans of the Dolphins offensive line.

"Yeah, it's a little strange, but ... I feel a little old," the 26-year-old Carey said. "I've been through a lot, a lot of rough times. Hopefully, we can have some good times. That's the part I'm trying to focus on now.

"We weren't winning with what we had, so it was time for a change. And that's what we did. We made the change."

Carey didn't put up much of a fuss after being told that he was moving back to right tackle.

After all, that's the position he played his first three NFL seasons after the Dolphins made him the 19th overall pick of the 2004 draft. It's the position where he feels most comfortable.

When Miami decided to move him to left tackle last season, he expressed an initial reluctance before ultimately embracing the switch and taking it as the ultimate challenge.

Now that's Long's problem.

Carey has something else to prove.

"I always told myself if I get a chance to go back to right tackle, I was going to play my best," said Carey, who is in the final year of his contract.

"That's what I want to do. I want to make it known I can play right tackle. That's my best position."

The transition wasn't completely smooth in the offseason. Carey admitted that there were a few technique issues he needed to brush up on as the team went through its workouts, but he was confident that he would get them worked out in plenty of time before the season starts.

Dolphins rookie coach Tony Sparano, a former offensive line coach with Dallas, didn't seem overly concerned either.

"I think that if you can play left tackle in our league I think that you can play right tackle in our league," Sparano said. "The other transition is the hardest. If you took a right tackle and moved him to left, now you have a little bit of a problem. You have to really see whether or not he can make that transition.

"With Vernon, he's a big, strong guy, and the right tackle is a more powerful position. I think that's a little easier transition, certainly, for him to go from the left side to the right side."

Carey, who showed signs of emerging as a leader on the offensive line last season, has also become somewhat of a mentor for Long, along with another fifth-year pro, guard Justin Smiley.

That's another transition that he's happy to make.

"I know when I first came in, I didn't have guys come and tell me, help me out and stuff like that," Carey said. "That's why ... when I see a young guy coming in, I'm going to try to help them, because I didn't have that when I came in as a rookie. I had to catch it on my own."

(news-press.com)

Q: What’s the progress of tackle Vernon Carey’s transition back to the right side?
A: It’s going OK. Vernon’s played over there before; he’s not been a foreigner over there. He played there I think the first two or three years of his career here. So he’s a kid who’s knowledgeable in that area. It’s just a matter of him learning our offense, learning what the calls are and the types of things that go with it.

Q: Is Carey a more natural fit on the right side?
A: He’s a big guy and you’d like your right tackle to be a big, thick guy like Vernon. I kind of thing he naturally fits into that mold.

Q: Has Carey emerged as a leader on the line?
A: Absolutely. He’s been in there, been involved. He’s talking all the time in the meetings and asking questions. He’s doing the stuff you’d like an older guy to do with a group of younger guys in there. He and [Justin] Smiley, with the exception of Steve McKinney, are the two older guys in the room. They have to be the pace setters for the younger guys. If they’re doing what they have to do, then the younger guys will look up to that and work at that level.

(blogs.sun-sentinel.com)

Miami Dolphins right tackle Vernon Carey returned from a cruise vacation this week only to find his Mercedes GL 550 up on blocks on his driveway at his Davie home with the tires and four Asanti rims gone.

Carey reported the theft to the Davie police on Tuesday after a friend informed him of the robbery. According to the police report, the 22-inch rims were valued at $6,000. Nothing else was taken.

Phone messages left for Carey were not returned.

Lt. William Coyne said that the case is being investigated.

(sun-sentinel.com)

DAVIE - When the Dolphins drafted an offensive tackle with the No. 1 overall pick, most fans weren't thinking about how it would affect veteran tackle Vernon Carey. They had other things on their minds, like Jake Long's behemoth build and his equally beefy $57.75 million contract, the richest ever given to an offensive lineman.

Now the spotlight is back on the former University of Miami standout, whose progress this season could have a significant impact on the line and the team's overall success in 2008.

Long's addition sends Carey, who started all 16 games at left tackle last season, back to right tackle. That's the position he primarily played at the University of Miami and the first three years of his NFL career. While Carey has previously admitted he feels more comfortable playing on the right side, that doesn't mean the transition has been easy.

"It was a little shaky at the beginning," Carey said during last weekend's minicamp. "I go out and I try to watch film every day and evaluate that. I won't say I'm [comfortable] yet, but it's going to be there."

Coach Tony Sparano, a former offensive line coach, doesn't see Carey's transition as difficult.

"If you can play left tackle in our league, you can play right tackle in our league," Sparano said. "With Vernon, he's a big, strong guy and the right tackle is a more powerful position. I think that's an easier transition, certainly, for him."

Offensive line coach Mike Maser agrees Carey, who is 6 feet 5, 335 pounds, fits better on the right side.

"He's a big guy and you'd like your right tackle to be a big, thick guy like Vernon," Maser said. "I kind of think he naturally fits into that mold."

With 10-year veteran Steve McKinney sidelined with a knee injury, free-agent signee Justin Smiley and Carey are the only veterans practicing on the line, and each says he has relished the opportunity to serve as a leader.

"If I have a question or a problem, I've gone to Vernon, I've gone to Smiley and talked to them," Long said. "They've been around the league for a while. They went through those situations."

Carey says he wasn't as lucky when he first entered the league.

"When I first came in, I didn't have guys come and tell me, help me out," said Carey, a Miami native and Dolphins fan. "That's why I always look at it like, 'OK, a young guy coming in, I'm going to try to help him.'"

Carey's goal is to help Long accelerate his growth during the training camp and the exhibition season.

According to Carey, if minicamp is any indication, training camp, which opens in late July, will be more intense this season.

"It reminds me of a couple years ago when we [were] with [Nick] Saban, when we was just hitting and going hard and competing," Carey said. "It's the words people use. Sparano and Saban, they use a lot of [similar] words like, 'competing, playing hard, playing tough.' Last year we talked about more technique, doing what it takes to win.

"[This year is] more grinding, more toughness, more football."

(sun-sentinel.com)

Talked to Vernon Carey about the switch back to RT. “I’m back home,” he said.

He didn’t see the switch back as any sort of insult. He did say it took him some time to re-adjust.

“It was shakey at the beginning but that passed,” Carey said. “I’m happy.”

(phinsreport.com)

Dolphins' Head Coach Tony Sparano admitted the team has no starting RT right now. He said the team has Vernon Carey penciled in at LT and Drew Mormino at LG.




(miamiherald.com)

Dolphins tackle Vernon Carey, ex-Dolphins fullback Rob Konrad and Marlins president David Samson were the big-name winning bidders in the annual Make-A-Wish Ultimate Sports Auction on Tuesday night at the Broward County Convention Center.

Championship at Doral.

Konrad bid $2,000 for unique access to FIU's first game in its new football stadium, Sept. 20 vs. South Florida, including standing on the sideline with headsets. Coach Mario Cristobal announced the winning bidder would get to call FIU's first play, but FIU said Wednesday that won't happen.

Samson bid $4,000 for a package that was supposed to include participating in an Ironman Triathlon workout with former Marlin Jeff Conine (who's training for this year's race) and Samson (who participated in last year's).

The annual event no longer is attended by all the coaches for the local teams, but still drew several prominent athletes, including Dolphins quarterback John Beck, ex-Olympian Bob Beamon and former Canes receiver Sinorice Moss.

The event raised $240,000 to grant wishes to children with life-threatening medical conditions. About 600 people attended the event, which was emceed by NBC and HBO sportscaster Bob Costas.

(miamiherald.com)

Carey would benefit from a move back to right tackle, where he's a potential Pro Bowler, but that doesn't mean he didn't do well at left tackle last season. Truth is, Big Vern held his own, and only on occasion had issues with pass rushers and blitzes. Unless the Dolphins sign a grizzled veteran left tackle who has been there and done that for a number of season expect Carey to remain at left tackle for at least one more season. This is the last year of his contract and left tackles get paid a lot more than right ones do. If the trifecta like what they see expect them to lock Carey up to a longterm deal, but he might be auditioning for his next team. Either way I expect a big year from Vern.

(sun-sentinel.com)

The Dolphins haven't told Vernon Carey whether he will play right or left tackle, and might not decide until minicamp.

(miamiherald.com)

Vernon Carey and his wife, Latavia, took part in a school-wide FCAT pep rally at Brownsville Middle School on Thursday, February 21. The couple encouraged the students to study hard, emphasized the importance of the test and wished them well. The school selected ten girls and ten boys to participate in the Vernon Carey Mentorship Program for the 2007-08 school year. As part of the program, these students previously participated in the Miami Dolphins Holiday Toy Event, the Breast Cancer Awareness Dolphins home game and bowling at Lucky Strike.

(miamidolphins.com)

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

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

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

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

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

(palmbeachpost.com)

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

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

(miamiherald.com)

Miami's offensive line had a scary moment early in Saturday's preseason opener against Jacksonville at Dolphin Stadium.

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

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

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

(miamiherald.com)

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

(phinaticism.blogspot.com)

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

(pfw.com)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

DAVIE - Vernon Carey is going back to the position the Miami Dolphins had in mind when they drafted him in 2004.

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

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

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

AVIE — Vernon Carey is the Dolphins' new left tackle because coach Cam Cameron has a good feeling about him.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dolphins coach Cam Cameron said one reason why the team didn't pick a left tackle Saturday is because it already has one in former right tackle Vernon Carey.

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

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

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

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

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

(finheaven.com)

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

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

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

Isn't Vernon Carey the Dolphins' best offensive lineman? Why did he have such a poor start to his Dolphins career?

A: Based solely on observation, I would say Carey is the leader of the pack with the Dolphins. Running back Ronnie Brown had most of his rushing success in last Sunday's 20-17 loss to the New York Jets with Carey leading the way.

The slow start to Carey's NFL career can be attributed to three main factors: A) Carey entered the season in the best condition of his three-year NFL career after not being as fit in his first two campaigns; B) It usually takes a rookie, even a first-round draft choice like Carey, some time to become acclimated playing at the NFL level; C) Carey has a much better rapport with offensive line coach Hudson Houck than he did with predecessor Tony Wise.



(sun-sentinel.com)

In the Dolphins' internal grading system, we're told the two starting offensive linemen earning the least -- Vernon Carey ($490,000) and Rex Hadnot ($425,000), both Rick Spielman draft picks -- have graded out 1-2 this season. That puts them ahead of L.J. Shelton ($2 million), Jeno James (2.5 million) and McIntosh ($585,000).

(herald.com)

On a disappointing offensive line, Vernon Carey has stood out, grading out as the Dolphins' most consistent lineman. But some talent evaluators expected more from Jeno James (who was victimized for two sacks Sunday), among others. . . . How shocking are Keith Traylor's team-high three sacks? Traylor, 37, had the same total in his previous 64 games. Dan Wilkinson, 33, believes sharing time with Traylor will keep them fresh in December
(herald.com)

Nick Saban while speaking at his press conference about the offensive line stated: "Vernon Carey has been our most consistent offensive lineman all year long and played outstanding in this game."
(noticias.info)