Updating three issues from Wednesday (the Wednesday buzz column can be found below that):

### The Dolphins hope to strike a deal with an offensive tackle very soon after working out right tackles Eric Winston, Tyson Clabo and Winston Justice on Wednesday and left tackle Bryant McKinnie earlier in the week.

The Dolphins prefer to do a short term deal (one or two years) at modest money. Financial parameters were discussed with agents for some, but not all, of the four players.

The Dolphins are considering not only what player would be the best fit on the field, but also what would make the most sense financially. The Dolphins want to leave their options open to be able to acquire a long-term answer at tackle next offseason, but they also have not ruled out trading for a longterm tackle this offseason.

Even while the three right tackles were visiting Wednesday, the Dolphins continued discussions with the representative for McKinnie, who also is considering San Diego, Baltimore and recent overtures from Dallas. Serious negotiations are underway with the Chargers.

McKinnie's appeal to the Dolphins is that he can play left tackle well, unlike the others. But they might be reluctant to pay what he can get elsewhere, including San Diego; that remains fluid. And the right tackles remain under consideration, too.

Clabo started every game for the Falcons the past five seasons and was rated 14th among 80 tackles by Pro Football Focus for 2012. Winston started 15 games for the Chiefs and was ranked 26th by PFF.

Justice started 12 games for the Colts and was rated 45th. McKinnie started for the Ravens during their playoff run last season after not starting a game during the regular season.

### Point guard Angel Rodriguez, who is transferring from Kansas State, has signed with UM, according to his Miami Tropics coach, Art Alvarez. Rodriguez, who was second-team All Big 12 last season, wanted to attend school closer to his family in Puerto Rico. He will apply for a family hardship in an attempt to become eligible this season, but it's questionable if that will be granted. Rodriguez visited UM Wednesday, Alvarez said.

### After receiving permission from UM to talk to other schools - and having conversations with several of those schools this week - quarterback Preston Dewey has decided to stay at UM, his father told me today. That's a surprise to UM people. UM was prepared to grant him his release.

Several UM people expected he would leave after he asked for permission to contact other schools about transferring. Dewey received that permission Monday and spoke to several schools this week. UM specified some schools with whom he could not speak.

Dewey's father declined to explain why Preston asked for permission to speak to other schools, or why the conversations with other schools didn't materialize into a transfer.

His father said he was comfortable saying only this: "Preston loves the U, is making good grades and has no plans to transfer. And yes, he would be willing to stay at Miami even in the event he is not a starter."

Asked if Preston would be comfortable here even if he doesn't play, his father said "yes" but then said he didn't want to answer that question.

It's unclear how Preston feels about everything, because he was not available for comment. He likes attending UM and likes the players and coaches but has been frustrated at times about his situation, according to a very close associate.

UM's Al Golden does not pull scholarships from players unless they've committed a violation, so it's unlikely Dewey's scholarship would be yanked now that he has declined the opportunity to transfer.

Recruited by former coordinator Jedd Fisch, Dewey is unlikely to play at UM anytime soon, if at all. He's fourth on the depth chart (behind Stephen Morris, Ryan Williams and Gray Crow) and could fall further when David Thompson moves over from baseball and top prospect Kevin Olsen joins the team this summer. Dewey was an All-American in high school in Austin, Tx., and is considered a highly intelligent quarterback. But arm strength has been a question.

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WEDNESDAY BUZZ COLUMN

If medical tests at the NFL Combine hadn’t turned up a worrisome red flag, the player that the Dolphins hope will become a long-term starting cornerback might still be on the road toward a transplant. And that health scare contributed to Jamar Taylor sliding into the Dolphins’ lap at No. 54 in the draft.

According to a source, here’s the behind-the-scenes story that played out with Miami’s second-round pick: Taylor has had high blood pressure since high school. He was placed on medication that has serious side effects for some, especially black males.

The medication damaged his kidneys. Anti-inflammatories made matters worse. When he was tested at the Combine in February, his kidneys were functioning at 42 percent efficiency, alarming both Taylor and NFL teams.

When Taylor had a biopsy, it was determined the blood pressure medication was causing the problem, and there was no pre-existing kidney condition. So he was placed on new blood pressure medication and told not to take anti-inflammatories.

His kidneys were left with scar tissue, but doctors expect their operating efficiency to improve. He’ll have another test in a few months.

This was explained to teams, but several picking between 25 and 45 nevertheless voiced concern about his kidneys in deciding to pass on a player many considered a first-round talent.

So at 54, the Dolphins came away with “good value” and a likely starter, as Mel Kiper said. And more importantly, as a friend of Taylor said, “the Combine helped him from needing a kidney transplant in 10 years.”

CHATTER

### Kiper gave the Dolphins’ draft a B-, asserting that though Dion Jordan “is a gifted athlete that can help their pass rush, I can’t totally disagree with Jon Gruden, who was critical of the move. I’m not sure you can cast him in a 4-3 defensive end role, because he could be a physical liability against the run. But I don’t think Miami will.”

### A longtime NFC scout who we trust said “Mike Gillislee could play 8 to 10 years as a backup. He’s similar to [UM’s] Mike James, but more explosive. Neither is special. I see Jelani Jenkins as a cover guy who will play a lot against a Tom Brady, not nearly as much against power teams.

“We thought at most Dallas Thomas would be a starting guard and backup tackle, not a starting tackle. We considered Dion Sims but had concerns about his speed.”

### Please see our last post for news on three more free agents visiting the Dolphins.

### Remember how former Canes Ray Ray Armstrong and Vaughn Telemaque talked about being one of the great safety tandems in college football? Telemaque still hasn’t found a team willing to invite him to rookie minicamp; Armstrong went undrafted and signed with the Rams… Here the final list of where the undrafted Canes ended up: Ramon Buchanon (Seattle contract), Jeremy Lewis (Tampa tryout), Kendal Thompkins (Kansas City tryout), Dalton Botts (Saints and Buccaneers tryouts). Jake Wieclaw has found nothing, his agent said.

### The Heat went from last in the league in rebounding during the regular season to outrebounding Milwaukee by 35 in the first round. But Chris Bosh said he saw this coming because “we’re a different team in the playoffs. It’s different when you know you have to get the rebound.”

### Celtics coach Doc Rivers doesn’t agree with the notion that a team with a good post presence is better equipped to beat Miami. “It’s going to be team toughness and mental toughness,” Rivers said. “You can have great size, but if you are not mentally tough, you are going to get smacked by them.”

### Predictably, Heat players insisted Tuesday they don't have a preference for their next opponent, though Miami was 3-0 against the Nets and 2-2 against the Bulls. The Heat will play the winner of the Bulls-Nets series, with Game 1 set for Monday in Miami. The rest of the schedule hasn't been announced.

### Marlins advisor Jack McKeon said outfield prospect Marcell Ozuna – promoted to the Marlins Tuesday – reminds me [of two-time American League home run champ] Tony Armas, with his power and speed.”

One NL scout said he believes Ozuna has more upside than Christian Yelich, the Marlins’ top position prospect. Ozuna hit 22, 23 and 24 home runs the past three seasons. “Ozuna can do it all – can run, can hit, can throw,” manager Mike Redmond said.

Ozuna was promoted ahead of Yelich for three reasons: Yelich recently returned from injury; he wasn't hitting as well as Ozuna, who was hitting .333 with five homers and 15 RBI; and unlike Ozuna, Yelich isn't yet required to be on the 40-man roster, so the Marlins would have needed to make room for him by purging a player.

### Miami Tropics coach Art Alvarez said point guard Angel Rodriguez, who is leaving Kansas State after being named second-team Big 12 to be closer to family in Puerto Rico, plans to commit to UM during his visit this week and then apply for a family hardship exception to try to become eligible this season.

### Former NBA All-Star Kenny Anderson, arrested for DUI in Pembroke Pines this past weekend -- he was more than twice the legal limit -- will not be retained as coach at Jewish Day School in Davie. He was the most famous high school basketball coach in Florida.

### I'm on Twitter now: @flasportsbuzz