Dolphins Camp Officially Opens

Jun 11, 2013; Davie, FL, USA; Miami Dolphins quarterback Pat Devlin (7) throws a pass during practice drills at the Doctors Hospital Training Facility at Nova Southeastern University. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

The Miami Dolphins have opened training camp and with it brings the official start to the Dolphins season.  Players checked into a local hotel which likely was not the same one from last years Hard Knocks opening episode.  The Renaissance.  Players were given a lights out and this morning team busses arrived to take them the couple of miles to the training facility in Davie at Nova Southeastern University.

Upon entering the team was greeted with a placard on the door advising them that they needed to weight in before the first round of meetings.  After meetings, practices will begin.  On day one it’s not likely to see full pads but more likely helmets only.  Under the new CBA rules teams are limited as to how many full contact practices they can have so look for the Dolphins to mix them in over the next several days when two-a-day practices get under way with one session being full contact.

Today the team will conduct it’s physicals, weight-ins, and of course the conditioning test and then the media should start to hammer out the information on who failed the test, who came into camp in shape and ready to work and who showed up fat and out of shape.  The Dolphins have yet to sign their first round pick Dion Jordan but today is not an important practice day and the team has actually seen their last two first rounders miss the opening day of camp with a mini-holdout.  Jordan told media on Thursday that he fully expects to be in camp this weekend.

The hang-up?  Off-set language in the contract that will pay him should he be cut and sign elsewhere as a free agent.  His contract will almost certainly be fully guaranteed as a top three pick.

The Dolphins will get all their “i’s” dotted and “t’s” crossed today while hitting the meeting rooms with class work heavy.  Film breakdown and team procedures as well as new NFL rule changes will be discussed.  The teams philosophy and coaches expectations as well as the teams goals and what is expected on the practice field.  Speeches will be given and fists will pound, rookie will be hazed, and coaches will shake their heads, and over the next two weeks, a team who has been preaching unity the entire off-season will take the first step in proving that they were not simply blowing smoke.

Everything the Dolphins hope to accomplish in 2013 is being laid out here.  They are starting a full week ahead of 30 other teams in advance of their August 4th date with the Dallas Cowboys in Canton, Ohio for the Hall of Fame Game.