DAVIE, Fla. -- The basic role that Jonathan Martin and Richie Incognito shared as offensive linemen for the Miami Dolphins was protecting quarterback Ryan Tannehill. The roles are now reversed. Tannehill is defending both Martin and Incognito, the central characters in a bullying saga that has taken both offensive linemen off the field and continued to evolve Wednesday when the NFL appointed a lawyer to investigate possible misconduct within the team workplace. Shortly afterward, many Dolphins spoke out about the matter for the first time -- and with at least one questioning Martins motives. "I dont know why hes doing this," offensive lineman Tyson Clabo said. "And the only person who knows why, his name is Jonathan Martin." Two people familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on Wednesday that Martin considered quitting football in the past, with one of those people saying it was because of how other offensive linemen treated him. The people spoke on condition of anonymity because the organization has not given specific reasons about his departure from the team. Incognito is suspended. Martin left the Dolphins last week after a lunchroom prank, and remains excused. "If you had asked Jon Martin a week before who his best friend on the team was, he would have said Richie Incognito," Tannehill said, on another day when dozens of reporters descended on the team complex. "The first guy to stand up for Jonathan when anything went down on the field, any kind of tussle, Richie was the first guy there. When they wanted to hang out outside of football, who was together? Richie and Jonathan." The prank was a silly one -- when Martin sat down to eat, everyone else at the table stood up and walked away. Its apparently a go-to comedic ploy for the Dolphins; Tannehill and offensive lineman John Jerry both said theyve been targets of that very act in the past, and that its typically just laughed off. Not this time. Martin left the team on Oct. 28 after it happened. The story has continued spiraling ever since, with questions about not only whether bullying was tolerated, but if Incognito used racially charged terms against his teammate in phone and text messages. Incognito is white. Martin is biracial. "Whats perceived is that he was a racist, psychopath maniac," Clabo said, defending Incognito. "The reality is Richie was a good teammate, and that Richie and Jonathan Martin were friends, or appeared to be." Added Jerry, who is black, speaking about Incognitos alleged use of a racial slur: "I know the type of person he is and I know he dont mean it that way." How everything inside the Dolphins locker room is meant will now be probed by New York attorney Ted Wells, the NFLs choice to dig into the matter. Wells has experience with high-profile sports matters, having been involved with special investigations into the Syracuse basketball sexual harassment case and the NBA players union leadership dispute. Dolphins owner Stephen Ross said the team will co-operate fully with Wells investigation. "The type of culture that Ive championed since the day Ive walked through these doors has been one of honesty, respect and accountability to one another," Miami coach Joe Philbin said. "I consider those to be hallmarks of this program, and I believe our locker room reflects those beliefs. I believe in the men in our locker room, and I believe in our coaching staff." Inside that locker room, players defended both themselves and Philbin. "Whats been bothering me is kind of things that you hear from outside this locker room about things that maybe undermine the integrity or the leadership or the type of players and the class of guys that we have here and the class of this organization," defensive end Cameron Wake said. "Ive been here five years and coach Philbin has done nothing but turn this organization in a positive direction from top to bottom." Wide receiver Brian Hartline said seeing the franchise take hits over the saga was difficult to bear. "Now were able to say our opinion and protect ourselves from being bullied by you guys because we werent talking," Hartline said. "We werent fighting back. We never said a word. We had to sit back and listen for a couple of days. Were kind of tired of it." Clabo said theres a way the offensive linemen treat one another, that no one is exempt from the ribbing and that its done to keep the mood light in the room. "You have to earn the trust of your teammates in this league," Clabo said. "No one is going to walk in the door and just automatically be somebody that you want to go into a game with and believe and trust and know that that persons going to be there when hes supposed to be there. Those things have to be earned." At this point, its unknown if Martin will have that trust -- or even if hell return to the Dolphins, period. Tannehill said that if either Martin or Incognito returned, he would be inclined to try to move on from this saga. "All I know about Richie is hes a great teammate to me," Tannehill said. "I saw him being a great teammate all the time. Does he like to give guys a hard time? Yes. Does he like to pester guys and have fun? Yes. But he brought a lot of laughter to this locker room, he brought a lot of cohesiveness to this locker room and he was the best teammate that I could ask for." ------ Jordan Crawford Jersey . 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Solomon Hill Jersey .Y. - Geno Smith shouted a couple of mighty expensive expletives.ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- The MRI determined the hit caused no further damage to Peyton Mannings tender right ankle. Now, Manning and the Broncos are curious what the NFL thinks of that hit. Interim coach Jack Del Rio said the Broncos have sent replays to the league offices of Corey Liugets dive at Mannings ankles in the closing minutes of Denvers 28-20 win over San Diego. "In the rules, there are certain areas you can hit and certain areas that are supposed to be protected," Del Rio said Monday. "And we thought that got into an area that was supposed to be protected." Manning, whose ankles have been hurting since games against Jacksonville and Indianapolis last month, stayed down after Liuget dove at him following a completed pass that iced the game with 1:44 left. Manning limped through the rest of the game and in the locker room afterward. An MRI on Monday showed no further damage to the ankle, which was heavily taped throughout the Chargers game. Del Rio said Manning would play next Sunday in Denvers AFC West showdown against Kansas City. The quarterbacks practice schedule will be determined later in the week. "But hell definitely play this week," Del Rio said. "Hes ready to roll and thats good news." Though it only lasted a brief moment, the sight of Manning wincing in pain on the ground served as a chilling reminder of how fragile Denvers season could be. Manning added four more touchdowns against the Chargers to bring his total to 33 on the season -- tied with Tom Brady for most through nine games in NFL history. But theres still validity to the point Broncos executive John Elways made when he signed Manning two offseasons ago: "I dont have a Plan B. Were going with Plan A." On Monday, Del Rio was asked about Mannings backup, Brock Osweiler: "A good young player that is better in his seconnd year than he was as a rookie.dddddddddddd Continuing to develop. The arrow is up on him." Manning got sacked two times against the Chargers and hit five more. Hes been sacked a total of 12 times and hit 27 in the seven games since Chris Clark replaced the injured Ryan Clady at left tackle. In three straight games, Clark has allowed Manning to be sacked and stripped from the blind side. And next up come the Chiefs, who lead the league with 36 sacks, including 11 by Justin Houston and 9 by Tamba Hali. "Were definitely on high alert, wanting to protect our quarterback," Del Rio said. "We didnt do as well as we can and we needed to yesterday and weve got a big challenge going against a team thats sacked quarterbacks more than any team in the league." Manning, who did not speak to reporters Monday, acknowledged after the game that hed been having some trouble with the ankles the last few weeks. "Im pretty sore," he said. "They got me twice and I was hoping to make some progress after the bye week, but Im pretty sore." Notes: Del Rio said there was no structural damage to LB Nate Irvings shoulder and said the team was hopeful Irving could return to practice this week. ... The coach reported "no rust" in his first game serving as a head coach since November 2011, when he was let go by the Jaguars. He said coach John Fox was watching from his home in North Carolina. "I told him we were trying to make it a little bit easier finish for him. I was sorry we couldnt extend the lead and make it where he could rest comfortably at home," Del Rio said. ... CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie sacrificed his starting spot Sunday to Quentin Jammer, a first-round pick of the Chargers in 2002 who was playing his first game in San Diego as a visitor. 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