DOLPHINS NOTEBOOK

Dyer is sent to Texans for draft pick

Trade means Ayanbadejo, Irvin are left to battle for backup fullback spot

BY JASON COLE

jcole@herald.com

 

A change in offensive philosophy led to a change of scenery for fullback Deon Dyer.

 

The Dolphins dealt Dyer to Houston on Tuesday for a conditional seventh-round draft pick in 2004. Dyer must be on the active roster for at least one game this season for the Dolphins to receive the pick.

 

''We just felt the timing of this was best to give Deon an opportunity to catch on with another team,'' coach Dave Wannstedt said.

 

The Texans accepted Dyer despite the fact that he has a pulled groin muscle that might keep him out until their season opener at Miami on Sept. 7.

 

Dyer has been nursing the injury for two weeks and has not played in either of the first two exhibition games or in the scrimmage at Tennessee. Agent Brian Levy said he didn't think Dyer would be able to play until the opener.

 

The Texans took the deal because they are in a bit of pinch after starting fullback Jarrod Baxter was lost for the season with a severely sprained foot.

 

The trade leaves the Dolphins with Obafemi Ayanbadejo and Sedrick Irvin as the primary players competing for the fullback job behind starter Rob Konrad.

 

SPEAKING OF FULLBACK

 

Ayanbadejo said he stopped counting roster spots long before he reached Dolphins training camp this year.

 

That was something a younger Ayanbadejo did when he first came to the NFL in 1997 as an undrafted rookie free agent out of San Diego State.

 

'I used to sit back and think, `Well, they're going to keep this number here and do this and do that,' '' Ayanbadejo said.

 

Seven seasons and two teams later, Ayanbadejo has learned to stay focused on the game and not the roster. Let the front office figure out how many running backs the team will keep, he said.

 

All he thinks about are the tasks in front of him, one at a time: where he needs to line up. What he needs to do for this play.

 

''It makes it a lot easier,'' Ayanbadejo said. ``I learned a long time ago that you can't worry about all that stuff. You have to go out there and play your best and leave it out there on the field.''

 

WILLIAMS' SCHEDULE

 

Running back Ricky Williams has touched the ball only nine times for 20 yards this preseason as Miami's coaching staff has limited his work.

 

Williams ran for an NFL-high 1,853 yards this season and is being rested for the regular season.

 

''I wouldn't say I need them, but I think they definitely help,'' Williams said of his preseason carries.

 

``In the big picture I guess it really doesn't matter if it takes game one or game two, as long as I'm healthy. I think that's the main focus of keeping my carries limited in the preseason.''

 

MCGARRAHAN INTEREST

 

The Dolphins might have to bite the bullet and make a trade within their division if they hope to get anything for special-teams ace Scott McGarrahan. The New York Jets and Buffalo have expressed the strongest interest in the backup safety who earlier this week asked to be dealt or released.

 

McGarrahan, a safety who is running sixth in the battle for five spots at safety on the roster, has been held out of practice and will not play Friday night against Atlanta.

 

He is expected to be released Saturday if a deal can't be worked out, agent Brett Tessler said.

 

The only way the Dolphins would keep him is if another safety were to be injured significantly, Tessler said. He added that the Jets and Buffalo called to express interest after the Dolphins gave him permission to work out a trade.

 

The Dolphins would prefer to have McGarrahan play for a team outside the AFC East if they deal him but might not have a choice if no team is willing to give up what would likely be a seventh-round pick.

I like Ayanbadejo...

 

Very quick for a big man...