Forty days.
That's all, folks. Six more Sunday's to go. SIX!
August is finally upon us, and so begins the most hectic, intriguing, vastly entertaining six months of the year. Storylines are everywhere for the Miami Dolphins.
Who gets the nod at Quarterback week one in Houstan? Is it the rook or the vets? How will Chad Johnson do between the lines? Will he even make it that far? Will new head coach Joe Philbin's pass first, west coast style offense be a smooth transition? Will Justin Beiber become the next celebrity part-owner of the Miami Dolphins?
None of these are questions we can answer today, no, not even the last one. Some won't get answered for weeks. Some will take months before we can get a true answer. But the one and only thing we know as of today is this: Football is back, and the 2012 season is right around the corner.
Now to the weekend training camp recap.
- All three QB's looked relatively sharp in Joe Philbins new offense. Matt Moore and David Garrard split first teams snaps, and each received pretty good marks from Philbin. However, I would give the edge to Garrard right now for what it's worth, which isn't much seeing as it's been four days.
- Didn't think I'd forget Ryan Tannehill, did you? The kid signed his rookie contract on Saturday and has since particpated in two days of camp. When asked how he feels about the QB race, Tannehill didn't back down, saying "I feel like i'm in it."
- Rookie running back Lamar Miller seems poised for a big season from what i've seen and read. He's fast, explosive, and is already making pro-style cuts. Look out.
- Second year receiver Julius Pruitt has earned praise from several teammates over the weekend for his performance as he fights for a roster spot.
- Speaking of receivers, Brian Hartline has not yet recovered from an offseason calf injury as he's not yet at full speed. Along the same lines is second year speedster Clyde Gates, who continues to work through a hamstring issue.
- A bit of a scary scene yesterday at practice when rookie defensive lineman Olivier Vernon hobbled off the field after hurting his ankle during an 11-11 drill. Vernon did, however, return later.
- Wide Receiver Braylon Edwards, who spent most of last season injured while with the 49ers, has reportedly worked out for the Dolphins, who are "seriously interested," according to the Miami Herald.
- The offensive line is still a work in progress behind Jake Long and Mike Pouncey. The weekend signing of Eric Steinbeck will help, but this could be a weakness going forward for the Dolphins and must garner a lot of attention.
- The new West Coast style of play has the offense playing at a tempo that would run circles around former coach Tony Sparano. Offensive Coordinator Mike Sherman has said they could take up to 160 snaps per practice.
Click on this link to see a full report from Monday's practice, courtesy of miamidolphins.com.
http://www.miamidolphins.com/media/videos/Finsiders-TV-7-30-12/acb29584-5782-4868-a3af-432fa607040d#content-tools-link
The Dolphins have Tuesday off after four days straight of camp. Players will report back Wednesday morning for an 8:40 practice in Davie.
Boy, it feels good to say that again.
[Update: Braylon Edwards has agreed to a deal with the Seattle Seahawks. Source said two teams were in it- Dolphins, and Seahawks.]
