Yes, it's been a while. But, until this past week, the biggest news coming out of Dolphins camp was Mike Wallace comparing the locker room to a college locker room..
Yeah, it's been slow.
But that's just the unfortunate reality of the NFL in May and June. It's depressing, disheartening, and mind numbingly boring.
BUT, the wait is almost over. In just 96 days the Miami Dolphins and Cleveland Browns will kick things off from Paul Brown Stadium!
In just 67 days the Fins and Cowboys will kickoff the 2013 preseason from Canton, Ohio in the Hall of Fame game!
And, in just over six weeks, the Miami Dolphins will officially begin their march to the post season with the opening of training camp in Davie, Florida.
We're almost there, folks. Just hold on a little bit longer. Just. A. Little. Bit. Longer.
Need something to hold you over, though?
Of course you do!
Here are the notes from today's OTA's, provided by Omar Kelly of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. Enjoy.
-- Lamar Miller began yet another OTA session as the starting tailback. Daniel Thomas was next in line.
-- Brent Grimes and Richard Marshall were the starting cornerbacks.
-- Dolphins second-round pick Jamar Taylor continues to be sidelined by a hernia injury. He might participate in minicamp on a limited basis.
-- New Dolphins WR Courtney Gardner is wearing No. 88.
-- Dolphins OG Lance Louis, a free agent addition, continues his rehab work. He's recovering from a torn ACL. Expects to be cleared for camp.
-- Dolphins rookie OT Dallas Thomas (shoulder) continues his rehab assignment.
-- Chad Pennington is here to work with the quarterbacks. "Share my experiences a little bit," Pennington said.
-- Dolphins first-round pick Dion Jordan continues to miss OTAs because of Oregon's class schedule. Likely won't be here till training camp.
-- Dolphins are playing Jam pony express today. Old school.
-- Dolphins DT Paul Soliai, who had elbow surgery this offseason, is not wearing his elbow brace today.
-- Coaches from Florida Atlantic University are at today's Dolphins OTA.
-- Dolphins DT Randy Starks is again absent from the OTA. He said he plans to attend the mandatory minicamp.
-- De'Andre Pressley just stepped in front of Aaron Corp's pass during JV 7-on-7 and pick-sixed it.
-- Brian Hartline with another TD during 7-on-7s.
-- Just watched Marcus Thigpen run away from Phillip Wheeler during 7-on-7.
-- RJ Stanford with a breakup of a Pat Devlin pass to Jeff Fuller during 7-on-7.
-- Armon Binns just scored 2 straight touchdowns during goal line work. I'm sensing he's a big target in tight zone.
-- Brian Hartline scored a TD for Matt Moore during redzone work.
-- Kelcie McCray just broke up a would-be TD pass to Armon Binns. Great diving play, gave up his body. Almost got hurt.
-- Koa Misi just pick-sixed Ryan Tannehill during red zone work. Next play Tannehill gets a would-be sack.
-- Olivier Vernon just produced a would-be sack on Ryan Tannehill.
-- Phillip Wheeler almost intercepted a Ryan Tannehill pass tipped at the line of scrimmage.
-- Matt Moore just threw a pretty impressive pass to Courtney Gardner during 7-on-7 half field work. Gardner fought the ball on the catch.
-- Brian Tyms' release off the line just made me curse. He's explosive.
-- Nice breakup by Chris Clemons during 7-on-7 half field work.
-- Michael Egnew continues to work as the second-team TE and Charles Clay is behind him.
-- Jonathan Freeny deflected a pass to Marcus Thigpen during red zone work.
-- Nate Garner is working just about everywhere on the offensive line, just like usual.
-- Daniel Thomas scored a TD in red zone during 11-on-11. He's having a solid day.
-- The Dolphins have four fullbacks in camp now. Last year there might have been two. Is this a change in approach?
-- Armon Binns worked as the starting receiver paired with Brian Hartline during the one team sessions the Phins held so far.
-- Dolphins receiver Mike Wallace is not here at the team's OTA session.
-- Rishard Matthews caught a touchdown pass from Tannehill during 11-on-11s.
-- Marcus Thigpen dropped a pass when he heard Nolan Carroll's footsteps. Thigpen had plenty of drops.
-- Will Davis deflected a pass during JV's 11-on-11s. He jumped the route.
-- Chandler Burden was working as the JV center and clearly needs work. He had a ridiculously high snap. Looked like a field goal.
-- Aaron Corp got sacked by rookie defensive tackle Chris Burnette.
-- Caleb Strugis missed a 47 yard field goal then made a 32-yarder, 48-yarder, and 49-yarder. No work during team session for Dan Carpenter.
-- Austin Spitler forced Matt Moore to throw the ball away during his second snap of 11-on-11.
-- Kelcie McCray intercepted a Matt Moore pass. Great safety play. He's clearly a sleeper.
-- Ryan Tannehill threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to Dustin Keller, who was wide open. Tannehill said the play got called back. I didn't see the penalty.
-- On the next play H-back Charles Clay roasted Reshad Jones down the seam for a touchdown pass Tannehill ripped throw the secondary. Bold throw!
-- Rishard Matthews scored three touchdowns today. One on a deep ball and two in the red zone.
-- Kyle Miller caught two red zone passes that set up Cameron Marshall's touchdown run for the JV squad.
-- Armons Binns caught a jump ball touchdown on a QB scramble from Pat Devlin.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING
-- "We thought he was decisive in the way he plays the game," Philbin said of Dannell Ellerbe.
-- "He's a big guy. Catches the ball with his hands well. He's an intriguing prospect," Philbin said of new WR Courtney Gardner.
-- Because the defense got the best of the offense today Joe Philbin joked that "I'm a defensive coach today."
-- "He moves around like a football player," Philbin said of Kelcie McCray. "His play speed has been increasing. Some rust needs to come off."
-- "He's a real pro," Philbin said of Dustin Keller. "That's one thing that really was a pleasant surprise for the coaching staff."
-- Philbin said blitz pickup and route running will be the way the tailbacks are evaluating other than running the ball.
-- Philbin said he expects the RB competition to be fierce, but team hasn't gotten to the point they are rotating.
-- "Clearly we would like to practice a little faster," Philbin said of the practice pace.
-- "He's a good ball catcher. He catches the ball in his hands well and he went after the ball," Philbin said of Brandon Gibson.
-- "I like the way he plays. I always have," Joe Philbin said of Brent Grimes game.
-- Philbin said Brent Grimes "had excellent instincts and competitiveness....he plays bigger than his size."
-- Joe Philbin said today was the red zone day. They were teaching them the new scoring plays.
-- "At the end of the day depending on how you did you'll be where you need to be as far as the depth chart," Will Davis said.
-- "No doubt about that. I definitely would have been a first rounder," Courtney Gardner said. He claims he runs a 4.51 at 225 pounds.
-- "Most cornerbacks are 5-11. I'm not 5-6. I'm short, but I make plays," Brent Grimes said.
-- "Football is football, especially for the cornerback position. You've got to cover the guy in front of you," Brent Grimes said.
-- "You've just got to make the plays when they come to you," Brent Grimes said.
-- "Its different. The first day I got here it was like a fire drill," Brent Grimes on the team's fast pace.
-- Nice score by Rishard Matthews on a diving catch on a pass from Ryan Tannehill.
(The full story can be found at www.sun-sentinel.com)
[UPDATE: Mike Wallace was not there today because of a family emergency]
Until next time, and I say that loosely because, let's be honest, it's June, adios!
