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Multiple Dolphins Named to Top Players List

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Multiple Dolphins Named to Top Players List


The Miami Dolphins finished last season with an 11-6 record and a playoff berth, while owning the league’s top-ranked offense in 2023. That kind of success can’t be achieved without laying claim to some of the best players the NFL has to offer.

In his annual recent list of the Top 100 players in the league, CBS Sports’ Pete Prisco ranked players based on his evaluations “as well as some conversations with some league personnel.”

Five players still in South Florida made the list, as well as three former Dolphins players. So, where do they all fall?

In what should not come as a surprise to anyone who has watched football in the last few seasons, wide receiver Tyreek Hill was the highest-ranked player at his position, slotting in at No. 4 on the list. The only players ahead of him were Patrick Mahomes, Myles Garrett and Trent Williams.

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Hill was nothing short of dominant in 2023, finishing with 1,799 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns on 119 receptions. He averaged 15.1 yards per reception. Hill was named an Associated Press first-team All-Pro for the fifth time in his career, and he finished sixth in NFL MVP voting.

Without Hill, the Dolphins likely do not have the No. 1 offense in the league last season. The 30-year-old is still a cut above the rest in a league full of young stars at the position, like Minnesota’s Justin Jefferson, Cincinnati’s Jamarr Chase, and Detroit’s Amon-Ra St. Brown, to name a few.

Hill’s mere presence forces opposing defenses to play two safeties high, opening up the field for the rest of his offense.

Wide receiver Jaylen Waddle is the next Dolphins player on the list, at No. 42. Waddle climbed 20 spots from his ranking in last year’s list.

“Waddle caught 72 passes for a 14.1 average and four touchdowns last season, all numbers that were down form some previous years,” Prisco wrote. “But coach Mike McDaniel said he was better last season. He did battle through some injuries that kept him out of three games.”

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Waddle had 1,014 yards last season in 14 games, averaging 72.4 yards per game. That’s still higher than his rookie season in 2021, and just 7.4 yards short of his average in 2022. Waddle only had three fewer receptions than he did 2022, despite playing three less games.

Below Waddle at No. 43 is his teammate, cornerback Jalen Ramsey. Ramsey missed seven games to start the season because of a knee injury, and Prisco writes that “he wasn’t happy with the way he was used in Vic Fangio’s scheme.” That is not an unfounded take.

Per Pro Football Focus, Ramsey still allowed just a 53 passer rating to opposing quarterbacks. His reception percentage allowed was his lowest in three seasons, at 55.6.

The next Dolphins player on the list after Ramsey comes in 20 spots later. Safety Jevon Holland was ranked No. 63, ahead of former Dolphins safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and New Orleans’ Tyrann Mathieu.

Again, Fangio’s departure helps Holland’s case the eyes of Prisco.

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“He battled through some injuries last season and never looked comfortable in the Vic Fangio scheme,” Prisco wrote. “But this is a talented player who will play a feature role under new defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver.”

Last season, Holland started in all 12 games he played, registering 74 tackles and an interception he took 99 yards for a score. Holland also had a forced fumble and four pass break-ups.

Two spots below Holland was quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Tagovailoa led the league with 4,624 passing yards and 29 passing touchdowns. He owned a 101.1 passer rating, finishing fifth in the league.

The question with Tagovailoa is his big-game ability, and he could not escape that criticism from Prisco.

“He has to be better in the big games going forward to ease some of the questions about him,” Prisco wrote.

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Tagovailoa was the 1th QB on the list behind Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson, Aaron Rodgers, C.J. Stroud, Justin Herbert, Dak Prescott, Jalen Hurts and Trevor Lawrence, and ahead of Jared Goff, Brock Purdy, Jordan Love and Kirk Cousins.

Notably, there were three players on the list with Dolphins lineage. The highest-ranked was offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil at No. 57. Tunsil was the Dolphins’ 13th overall pick in 2016. He started in 44 games across three seasons in South Florida before being dealt to Houston before the start of the 2019 season. Since the trade, Tunsil has been named to four Pro Bowls.

Former Dolphins safety Minkah Fitzpatrick fell 30 spots from the previous year to No. 71.

Fitzpatrick was the Dolphins’ 11th overall pick in 2018. Fitzpatrick was with the team for just one full season before he was dealt to Pittsburgh early on in Year 2. There, he was named to the first of four consecutive first-team selections as an All-Pro. Fitzpatrick was named to a fifth All-Pro team in 2022.

The trade gave the Dolphins the 18th overall pick in 2020, which was used to select offensive lineman Austin Jackson. Jackson’s first three seasons had plenty of struggles, but last season he was solid, earning a 68.4 player grade from Pro Football Focus.

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The most recent big-name Dolphins departure, defensive tackle Christian Wilkins, was No. 78 on the list. Wilkins was the 13th overall pick in 2019, and had nine sacks in his last season with the Dolphins. This offseason, Wilkins signed a four-year deal with the Las Vegas Raiders that was worth $110 million, with just over $84 million guaranteed.



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Miami residents sue over land for Trump presidential library

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Miami residents sue over land for Trump presidential library


A group of Miami residents has filed a lawsuit against Donald Trump and the state of Florida over a land giveaway for his proposed presidential library.

Almost three acres of prime waterfront land that once belonged to Miami Dade College (MDC) was illegally gifted to the US president by Florida’s Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, the lawsuit states.

It cites the domestic emoluments clause of the US constitution that prohibits a sitting president from receiving any personal gain, profit or advantage from their position.

The action was brought in US district court for the southern district of Florida by the Washington DC-based Constitutional Accountability Center (CAC) on behalf of plaintiffs including an MDC student, a Miami non-profit, and residents, who state the land “is no longer available to serve MDC’s student community and downtown Miami”.

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Instead, the filing states, “the land will house a Trump hotel that brings riches to the President”.

Plans for the “gaudy” project were unveiled in March, to be built next to Miami’s iconic Freedom Tower, the historical landmark and community art museum. A giant golden statue of the president will stand before a 50-story tower block that will feature the controversial $400m Boeing “flying palace” jumbo jet gifted to him by Qatar, but not yet in service, in its cavernous lobby.

At the time, Trump said the building was “most likely going to be a hotel”.

The land on which it will sit, the lawsuit said, is worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

“Rather than prevent President Trump from using the gifted land for personal gain, Florida … required that the conveyed land include only ‘components of a Presidential library, museum, and/or center’, leaving the door open for the President to develop the property in any way he sees fit,” the CAC said in a statement.

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The library has already been the subject of one lawsuit that claimed MDC trustees, most of them handpicked by DeSantis, erred by originally handing the land to the state in September during an unadvertised meeting with no public discussion.

The board held a do-over in December, and voted unanimously to proceed with the transfer.

The Guardian has contacted the Trump Presidential Library Foundation and DeSantis’s office for comment.



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Inter Miami CF scores three late goals to defeat FC Cincinnati, 5-3

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Inter Miami CF scores three late goals to defeat FC Cincinnati, 5-3


To no one’s surprise, FC Cincinnati and Inter Miami CF engaged in a scorefest May 13 at TQL Stadium.

A hat trick by one of the best goalscorers in the history of the game, Lionel Messi, sparked Miami to a 5-3 win. Miami scored three times from the 79th minute on to come from behind.

A sellout crowd of 25,513 witnessed the showdown, the club’s sixth home sellout of the season.

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FC Cincinnati falls to 4-5-4, staying at 16 points, taking its first loss since April 4 at Red Bull New York. Miami improves to 7-2-4 for 25 points, improving to 7-1-1 on the road this season. Miami moved into second place in the Eastern Conference behind Nashville. Cincinnati started the night tied for fifth but could drop depending on games later on.

Second half highlights as FC Cincinnati squandered a late lead

Cincinnati took a 3-2 lead in the 64th minute.

Evander fired a rocket from the top of the 18 into the top left corner. Deneky passed ahead to him, then he maneuvered around two defenders, and no one stepped up to him. It is Evander’s seventh goal of the season.

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Miami tied it in the 80th minute, 3-3.

After a Cincy turnover, Rodrigo De Paul quickly found Messi in transition, who delivered to Mateo Silvetti. Silvetti, playing his first game in a month, maneuvered in space and scored from the top of the box for his fourth of the season.

Miami took a 4-3 lead in the 83rd. A Messi free kick from 35 yds was saved by Cincy keeper Roman Celentano. He collided with Andrei Chirila, which knocked the ball out of his hands. Miami’s German Berterame pounced on the rebound to give Miami the lead, his fourth goal of the season.

Chirila landed hard after the collision and was taken out of the game.

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Miami took a 5-3 lead when Messi made a sliding shot after a cross from Silvetti. The ball went off the post, then off Roman Celentano, who was on his stomach trying to get the ball, then in. Messi was credited with the goal and a hat trick.

FC Cincinnati took a 2-1 lead in the 49th minute.

Pavel Bucha scored from close range. He took a crossing pass from Bryan Ramirez after Denkey found him on the left side in transition.

It was Bucha’s second goal of the MLS season and the second assist for Ramirez. Bucha was hit in the head late in the first half and examined by trainers, but stayed in the game.

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Moments later, Messi had a free kick from 30 yards saved by Celentano.

Messi scored again in the 56th minute to tie it, 2-2. He had a nice give-and-go with Rodrigo De Paul, who dribbled near the end line and crossed to him from the right side. Messi was unmarked and scored easily from near the penalty spot.

In the 62nd minute, Luis Suarez missed an open shot that Celentano saved, set up by a quick transition by Miami.

Miami ended with 17 shots to 10 for Cincinnati, six on target. After an even first half, Miami controlled the expected-goals mark, with 4 to 1.6 for the home team.

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First half highlights

Messi scored from close range in the 24th off a turnover by Matt Miazga. Miazga tried to pass to a teammate on the side but the pass went straight to Messi.

He had a goal in the fifth minute waved off by offsides.

In the 32nd minute, Cincinnati won a corner kick, which Evander placed right in front of the goal line but the ball was cleared away.

In the 42nd minute, a Kevin Denkey penalty kick tied it up. Denkey drew the PK after collecting a good pass into the box by Pavel Bucha and being grabbed by Gonzalo Lujan. Denkey converted for his team-high eighth goal of the season.

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The first half was tied 1-1 and virtually even on statistics. Both sides had seven shots, one on goal, and 1.1 expected goals. Neither keeper made a save.

What’s next for FC Cincinnati?

Cincinnati heads to the West Coast to play San Diego FC 9:30 p.m. Saturday, May 16. It is the first meeting between the teams. San Diego, 3-5-4 for 13 points, was set to play Austin later May 13. Cincinnati will leave for California on May 14.



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This $9.5M Miami home has a man cave bigger than most apartments

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This .5M Miami home has a man cave bigger than most apartments


This $9.5 million mansion in Pinecrest was designed around luxury family living with resort-style spaces in every direction. The home features seven bedrooms, eight bathrooms, a Dolby Atmos cinema, massive entertainment lounge, triple garage, and a tropical backyard centered around a huge swimming pool. Brazilian-inspired interiors bring warm textures, natural stone, and custom wood detailing throughout the property. It feels more like a boutique resort than a traditional Miami home.



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