Jones allowed to leave; draft scouting continues

The Dolphins decided not to match the offer sheet given to P Donnie Jones by the St. Louis Rams. In return, the team will receive the Rams' seventh-round draft pick (#225 overall). I previously wrote that I was hesitant to let Jones walk for only a mid-seventh-round pick, but the contract he signed probably proved to be just a bit too large. There's no doubt that he has a booming leg and plenty of potential, but the question that remains to be answered is whether his normal production in the future will look more like the 2005 season where he played extremely well or the 2006 season where he saw a significant drop-off in his level of play and looked very average. Unfortunately for Miami, at this point even a very average punter is probably better than the only punter currently on the roster - Ryan Flinn.

The team brought in LSU punter/kicker Chris Jackson for a private workout on Tuesday. He could be a late round draft option or a potential undrafted free agent. Former Dolphins P Matt Turk is a veteran free-agent possibility.

Miami now has the following ten selections in the upcoming NFL draft:

DAY ONE
Round 1 (9 overall)
Round 2 (40)
Round 2 (60, from New England)
Round 3 (71)

DAY TWO
Round 4 (108)
Round 6 (181)
Round 6 (199, from New Orleans)
Round 7 (219)
Round 7 (225, from St. Louis)
Round 7 (238, from New England)

----------

* RB Ricky Williams will be eligible for reinstatement on April 25, although the Commissioner has 60 days to review the request.

* In addition to P/K Chris Jackson, the team has recently scouted the following players:

• BYU QB John Beck (met with the team earlier this month)
• Ohio State WR Ted Ginn Jr. (visited Miami today)
• Penn State LT Levi Brown (visited Miami today)