They’re back! Miami Dolphins return to contact training camp

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - DECEMBER 22: Byron Jones #31 of the Dallas Cowboys reacts during the first half against the Philadelphia Eagles in the game at Lincoln Financial Field on December 22, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - DECEMBER 22: Byron Jones #31 of the Dallas Cowboys reacts during the first half against the Philadelphia Eagles in the game at Lincoln Financial Field on December 22, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

The Miami Dolphins are done with the weeks-long conditioning programs and return to contact today.

After weeks of NFL mandated “conditioning” and acclimation sessions, the Miami Dolphins are now back on the field in pads, but don’t expect a lot of news.

Welcome to the 1980’s way of conducting the camp. There are no fans in the stands to watch the practices, limited media are in attendance, and we are not going to hear about what is going on until those media members are back home or in a media room.

There is no tweeting from practice this year so there will be no information handed out to the masses after each completed Tua Tagovailoa pass or missed tackle/block. This is stripped-down media availability at it’s best.

Regardless, the pads are indeed on and contact is starting.

More from Phin Phanatic

The biggest camp battles will be along the offensive line and in the Dolphins secondary. Three rookies on the offensive line will compete against players that are either new to the team or have only been here a year, or in the case of Jesse Davis, two full seasons. While Davis is not the oldest Dolphins offensive lineman, he is the only offensive lineman that has been on the roster since 2018.

That is not something the Dolphins should be proud of.

In the secondary, we know that Byron Jones will start on one side but Xavien Howard is still nursing his injury and as a result, he isn’t going to be available. That is going to leave a bunch of young players trying to step up and win that spot in the event Howard doesn’t return.

Brandon Jones will start his competition for safety and first-round pick Noah Igbinoghene will make his case for as much playing time as he can get but we won’t know his actual defined role until maybe the start of the season.

There are battles to be won and lost in the coming three weeks but at least football, for what it is, is back. Today. And that is a good thing.