DAVIE, Fla. Jonathan Bender Jersey . -- Bryant McKinnie came out of his stance and lowered his shoulder into a practice squad player, causing a crisp thud to reverberate in the Miami Dolphins practice bubble. "Thats right," offensive line coach Jim Turner hollered. "Nice short first step." The Dolphins hope McKinnies arrival Tuesday marks a big step in the right direction for a team reeling from pass-protection problems. They acquired the 12th-year pro Monday from the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for a conditional late-round draft pick. "Hes a heck of a player," said tackle Jonathan Martin, whose role likely will be affected by the trade. "Anytime you bring in a guy like that, its going to make you better." McKinnie might not be ready for Sundays game at New England, or even the Halloween game against Cincinnati. But barring sudden, dramatic improvement by right tackle Tyson Clabo, McKinnie is expected to move into the starting lineup eventually. He likely would assume his customary spot at left tackle, with Martin moving from the left side to right tackle as Clabos replacement. McKinnie practiced only on the left side Tuesday, and while Clabo and Martin remained with the first team, Martin worked some on the right. "Its a decision the GM and the coaching staff thought they had to make," Martin said. "You can approach this two different ways. You can go in the tank and be one of those guys that moans and is a cancer in the locker room, or you can be a professional and play as hard as you can. My mindset is Im going to go out there and do whatever I can to help the team win." The 34-year-old McKinnie, who played for the Miami Hurricanes and spends offseasons in South Florida, said he looked forward to helping the Dolphins. "It feels good to be back here and get a chance to play in front of people who saw me play in college -- and to be in my own bed," he said. McKinnie has had off-the-field issues in South Florida in the past, and was involved in the "Love Boat" scandal in 2005 while with the Minnesota Vikings. He acknowledged his reputation for partying. "Thats when Im off," he said. "See, thats Big Mac during the off-season. Bryant McKinnie is the person who comes to work and handles his business. Thats who youll get right now." Coach Joe Philbin, who stresses the need for his players to have good character, said McKinnie will be judged on what he does at the Dolphins complex. "Im concerned about what he does in this building," Philbin said. "I dont mandate what people do outside the building. I expect him to be a professional, just like all the other guys." The trade means McKinnie now works for his former girlfriend, tennis champion Venus Williams. She and her sister Serena own a small share of the Dolphins. "Venus texted me and said she had a lot to do with the trade," McKinnie said with a laugh. "And then Serena hit me up and said to refer to her as boss now." McKinnie, a Pro Bowl tackle in 2009, lost his starting job after five games this season and was inactive for the first time in his career the past two weeks. He recently had his right knee drained and said its fine now. The 6-foot-8 McKinnie, one of the largest players in the NFL, weighed in at 364 pounds and said he hopes to play at about 355. His newly issued No. 78 practice jersey was too small to cover his midsection. The Dolphins (3-3) are desperate for better pass protection. During their current three-game losing streak, theyve given up 12 sacks, and Ryan Tannehill leads the NFL with 26. McKinnie declined to predict how soon he might play, as did Philbin. But guard Richie Incognito, who was traded by the St. Louis Rams during the 2009 season, predicted McKinnie would be ready for the Patriots on Sunday. "No question I think he can do that," Incognito said. "I showed up on a Thursday in Buffalo and started Sunday, so it has been done before." Reggie Miller Jersey . -- Josh Smith made a 3-pointer as time expired and finished with 20 points to lift the Detroit Pistons to a 99-98 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday night in both teams exhibition finale. Indiana Pacers Store . -- Jerry Rice Jr. https://www.cheappacers.com/1083k-terence-stansbury-jersey-pacers.html . At quarterback, all agree that Andy Dalton has been a wonderful surprise, but to truly progress he has to play his best in the playoffs. The two losses in the wildcard rounds keep the evaluation on Dalton open -- just like it did for Peyton Manning many years ago and Matt Ryan until last year.NEW YORK -- Canadian Milos Raonic almost made it to his first-ever Grand Slam quarter-final but fatigue got the best of him. Frances Richard Gasquet out-lasted Raonic 6-7 (4), 7-6 (4), 2-6, 7-6 (9), 7-5 on Monday in the fourth round of the U.S. Open. Raonic, from Thornhill, Ont., hammered 39 aces and struck 102 winners, but it was not enough to hold off Gasquet during the closing stages of the four hour 40 minute marathon. "He played better down the stretch than I did. I think that was pretty clear," said Raonic. "He created a lot more opportunities. I struggled a lot more on my service games. "I think thats pretty much what it came down to. Playing that way in the end, it only matters who wins that last point." The loss is only the fourth five-set match of Raonics career. Montreals Mike Belkin is the last Canadian to reach the final eight of a Grand Slam. He did it in the Australian Open in 1968. Raonic matched his previous best at a Grand Slam. Hed made the fourth round in the Australian Open (2011, 2013) and the U.S. Open (2012). Raonic missed on a match point chance in the fourth set on an error as Gasquet fought on to win an eventual tiebreaker and take the match into a deciding fifth set. The U.S. Open is the only Grand Slam tournament that does not play out the final set. Raonics legs were gone in the fifth set as he struggled to recover a break for 2-2 but losing his edge in the 11th game as he was broken from a weak forehand into the net on the first of three Gasquet chances to trail 5-6. Brad Miller Jersey. "I played a little bit too defensive," said Raonic. "Thats really the only thing. You just need to convert on one of those chances, thats it." Gasquet reached his second Grand Slam quarter-final a game later as Raonic returned long. Hell face Spains David Ferrer in the next round of the U.S. Open. The loss leaves Raonic at 32-16 on the season and 21-12 at Grand Slams. Raonic had a battle in the opening set against Gasquet, whom he beat in their only previous match on Cincinnati hardcourt in 2012. He went down a break in the second game but got it back in the third. Raonic pushed over two consecutive double-faults to lose serve after holding a set point in the tenth game, with Gasquet levelling at five apiece. In the tiebreaker, Raonic finally prevailed to end the one-hour set on his second chance with a forehand winner to the corner. A frustrated Gasquet threw his socks onto the court at the changeover but retrieved them before the second set began. Raonic dropped the tight second set in a tiebreaker but broke open his big game in the third set to sweep with the loss of just two games. Gasquet profited from his opponents ninth double-fault of the evening to earn a fourth set point that took it into a fifth set on a Raonic forehand to the net after more than three hours of play. ' ' '