Free Agent Signings

Parcells and Company were busy after the draft signing undrafted free agents. Story below is from Sun Sentinel

written by Harvey Fialkov
WR Davone Bess (Hawaii)
LB Kelly Poppinga (BYU)
OT Mike Byrne (Delaware)
OT Dan Gore (Boise State)
WR/QB Jayson Foster (Georgia Southern)
K Dan Carpenter (Montana)
TE Matt Mulligan (UMaine)

After not drafting a receiver with any of their nine picks, Dolphins General Manager Jeff Ireland said he expected to add 8-10 college free agents Sunday night, including a couple of receivers.

He wasted no time in signing junior receiver Davone Bess of Hawaii and Georgia Southern quarterback Jayson Foster, who will be converted to a receiver.

They also added Portland State tackle Daren Heerspink, Delaware tackle Mike Byrne, Boise State tackle Dan Gore and Montana kicker Dan Carpenter.

According to The Associated Press, the Dolphins also signed Maine senior tight end Matt Mulligan to a two-year deal.

Mulligan, who is 6-5, 251-pounds, had 13 catches for 157 yards with two touchdowns in 11 games this season. He helped block for a rushing attack that compiled 2,177 yards at 4.2 yards per carry.

Bess, a former teammate of Dolphins center Samson Satele and fullback Reagan Mauia, had 106 catches for 1,266 yards and 12 touchdowns last season with Colt Brennan as his quarterback.
The Dolphins also signed BYU linebacker Kelly Poppinga (6-foot-2, 240 pounds), a former teammate of Dolphins quarterback John Beck, who had a team-leading 113 tackles last season.
His brother, Brady Poppinga, is an outside linebacker for the Packers.

"It was a tough decision,'' Poppinga told KSL.com. "They both had identical offers and I was really leaning towards Seattle, but at the last second, and I mean literally at the last second, I decided to sign with Miami.''

Foster told the Savannah Morning News that Dolphins vice president of football operations Bill Parcells called him about 20 minutes after the draft. He said the Dolphins will try to convert him into a receiver.

"I'm back to playing football," said Foster who gained 1,844 yards with 24 touchdowns his senior season while earning the Walter Payton Award.

The 6-5, 310-pound Heerspink told the Bellingham Herald that he had a deal with the Dolphins before the draft was completed.

Byrne, a Division I-AA All-American who blocked for Delaware quarterback Joe Flacco (taken by the Ravens with the 18th pick Saturday), will be converted to center. Obviously, the Dolphins watched plenty of film on Byrne, because they were also interested in Flacco.

"Mike knew the Dolphins had shown the most interest, and their offensive line coach [Mike Maser] was in daily contact with me," Jim Ulrich, Byrne's agent, told The News Journal (Dela.). "He's in a great position to make the team. He's so versatile.''

Gore, who started at right tackle last season, told the Idaho Statesman that, "Miami had the best opportunity and best offer.''

Carpenter, a teammate of Dolphins sixth-round pick, running back Lex Hilliard, told the Helena (Mont.) Independent Record that Dolphins assistant special teams coach Steve Hoffman worked him out last week. He will compete with Dave Rayner and incumbent kicker Jay Feely.