The time that fans have been waiting all year for is finally right around the corner. The Miami Dolphins have released the dates that the team's training camps are open to the public to watch and begin getting their football fix. Unfortunately, the corner itself is still a ways away.

Camp officially opens on Thursday, July 30th, at 8:00 A.M. at Doctors Hospital Training Facility at Nova Southeastern University in Davie, Florida. It's going to be hot, it's going to be early in the morning, and I am absolutely sure the stands will be packed in order to finally watch the new-look Dolphins in action.

During training camp, practice will begin inside the practice bubble, which will not be visible to the fans attending, however the team will begin drills on the two outside fields approximately 30 minutes after the announced scheduled start time. Fans planning to attend any open training camp practices can reserve their free tickets and 2015 training camp information here at www.dolphins.com/trainingcamp.

The team will host a special training camp practice for Finatics Season Ticket Members at 1:15 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 15 and the final scheduled open practice will take place at 8 a.m., Monday, Aug. 17. Seating at the team’s facility will be limited to the first 2,000 fans in the bleachers, located on the west side of the practice facility. 

Parking is available at the Nova Southeastern University LRITC garage, located near the intersection of University Drive and S.W. 30th Street, between Griffin Road and I-595. Access to this garage is off University Drive and S.W. 30th Street.

In 2015, the Miami Dolphins will continue to implement the NFL Bag Policy at all training camp practices. Fans may carry only the following style and size bag, package or container at training facility gates, or when approaching queue lines of fans awaiting entry into the facility:

• Vendor bags that are clear plastic, vinyl or PVC and do not exceed 12” x 6” x 12.” The bags may be hand-carried or have a shoulder strap.
• One-gallon clear plastic freezer bag (Ziploc bag or similar).
• Small clutch bag approximately the size of a hand, with or without a handle or strap. This can be carried separately or within a plastic bag. An exception will be made for medically necessary items after proper inspection prior to entry.
• Prohibited bags include, but are not limited to, the following: all purses, bags or containers larger than a small clutch bag, coolers, briefcases, backpacks, fanny packs, cinch bags, luggage of any kind, computer bags and camera bags.
  

The schedule for training camp is as follows:

           TIME                     DATE                                                  LOCATION

• 8 a.m.                   Thursday, July 30                             Doctors Hospital Training Facility – Davie, FL
  
• 8 a.m.                   Friday, July 31                                   Doctors Hospital Training Facility – Davie, FL
  
• 8 a.m.                   Saturday, Aug. 1                              Doctors Hospital Training Facility – Davie, FL
  
• 8 a.m.                   Sunday, Aug. 2                                 Doctors Hospital Training Facility – Davie, FL
  
• 8 a.m.                   Tuesday, Aug. 4                               Doctors Hospital Training Facility – Davie, FL
  
• 8 a.m.                   Wednesday, Aug. 5                         Doctors Hospital Training Facility – Davie, FL
  
• 8 a.m.                   Thursday, Aug. 6                              Doctors Hospital Training Facility – Davie, FL
  
• 7 p.m.                   Friday, Aug. 7                                   Ocean Bank Field at FIU Stadium – Miami, FL
  
• 3 p.m.                   Sunday, Aug. 9                                 Doctors Hospital Training Facility – Davie, FL
  
• 12:30 p.m.           Monday, Aug. 10                             Doctors Hospital Training Facility – Davie, FL
  
• 8 a.m.                   Tuesday, Aug. 11                             Doctors Hospital Training Facility – Davie, FL
  
• *1:15 p.m.           Saturday, Aug. 15                            Doctors Hospital Training Facility – Davie, FL
  
• 8 a.m.                   Sunday, Aug. 16                               Doctors Hospital Training Facility – Davie, FL
  
• 8 a.m.                   Monday, Aug. 17                             Doctors Hospital Training Facility – Davie, FL
  

 
*Finatic Only Member Day

Also, for the first time in team history, the Miami Dolphins will host an evening scrimmage at 6:30 p.m., Friday, August 7 at Ocean Bank Field at FIU Stadium. Parking lots will open at 4 p.m. for a special tailgate and fan festival, and stadium gates will at 6 p.m. The “Back to Football Powered by South Florida Ford” practice is scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m. and will feature an intrasquad scrimmage, current player and alumni autographs followed by a fireworks show. 

Tickets for the scrimmage can be purchased for the low price of $5 at dolphins.com with free parking. Seating will be limited to the first 15,000 fans that reserve tickets. As an added benefit, Dolphins Season Ticket Members will be able to purchase tickets in special reserved sections via their online Account Manager.

Training camp is almost here Dolphins fans, and make sure to stay tuned to PhinManiacs.com for daily camp reports on how the new-look Miami Dolphins are doing. With the steady growth of Ryan Tannehill and Jarvis Landry, and the additions of Ndamukong Suh, Jordan Cameron and Greg Jennings, it's sure to be an exciting camp.

Click here to get your tickets for camp now!

This story was written by Luis Sung. Follow him on Twitter: @FLSportDebater

Many Miami Dolphins fans know about linebacker Chris McCain. As an undrafted linebacker from the University of California, he made an immediate impact in the first game last season, a 33-20 season opening win over the New England Patriots, when he blocked a punt and had a critical sack.

And who can forget McCain playing the intimidator role in the game against the Chicago Bears, when he (literally) flung former Bears (current Jets) wide receiver Brandon Marshall away from a scrum, immediately endearing himself to Dolphins fans everywhere.

But the rest of McCain’s season was relatively quiet. Although he was one of the top players in training camp and made the 53-man roster early in the preseason, there were several reasons for his lack of involvement throughout the season.

"I was really struggling with the playbook coming from the Pac 12, where there are a lot of spread schemes. We were running a 3-4, I didn't have too (many) responsibilities, so I thought it was going to be easy like it was in college," McCain admitted. Add to that the fact that defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle's scheme is highly complex, often switching from a 3-4 to a 4-3 alignment, and the numerous audibles and adjustments can be intimidating for a first year player.

"I just didn't prepare myself the way I should have. I'm switching that up this year, and it's becoming a lot more simple. Last year I was kind of quiet. I was probably thinking a little bit too much. My preparation and my understanding of the defense is my biggest improvement. I believe I (now) have the physical aspects of the game (figured out)."

It also helps that head coach Joe Philbin has told Coyle to simplify the defense, making it easier for young players like McCain to be more impactful. McCain admits that this change alone is allowing him to play more freely.

“It's not too much on us this year, we're not thinking a lot and don't have too (many) responsibilities," he said. "It's going to impact the defense very well because we have a lot of ballers this year. And the less you think, the more you can become great."

In 2014, a death in McCain’s family impacted him early, and he then fought an ankle injury midway through the season. When he was finally healthy, Dion Jordan had returned from his six-game suspension, and the Dolphins gave the edge linebacker role to Jordan, the team's 2013 first-round pick.

Jordan is suspended again, this time for the entire season, and McCain has been penciled in as Jordan's replacement. He's also learning the strong side linebacker spot, which became open after Philip Wheeler was released this offseason. In addition to the linebacker duties, McCain is also lining up as a defensive end in some situations. And he’s learning them all well.

"I had to develop a little bit,” said McCain. “I'm understanding it now, so I'm ready to rock and roll. I really am that guy who goes and gets it when I see it. I have to slow down because if it's a play action, I might bite too much. The balance has to come in with my eyes. I have to be patient.”

McCain also praises the current linebacker corps, which includes four undrafted rookies.

“A lot of people out there second guess us, but they don't know what we've got in that (linebacker) room," McCain said. "I just have to keep grinding and keep showing them I deserve that starting spot."

At 6’5” and 250 pounds, McCain admits his challenge this month is to put on some weight without losing some of his quickness.

"I can't get too big because I don't want to lose my speed," said McCain, who is now 15 pounds lighter than his college playing weight. "I want to add a little bit of girth to take on more impact. I want to be an unstoppable linebacker. I want to be able to cover anybody that I have to guard or line up against. If I blitz, I want to be able to beat any tackle that tries to touch me, or guard if I have to go underneath."

McCain is quickly establishing himself as a fan favorite in Miami, and those fans will be happy to see him build on his rookie experiences and continue to have an impact this season. If he does, and the linebacking corps is as strong as McCain suggests, the Dolphins could very well have one of the strongest defenses in the NFL.

This story was written by Eldon Jenson. Follow him on Twitter @EJFootball.

Miami Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin is well aware of the pitfalls of the off-field conduct of his players, having been through the BullyGate scandal of 2013. As a coach who highly values accountability among his players, he’s made sure to let them know his expectations.

"I think one of the things that we always talk about, multiple times maybe even during the course of a week, that every action, every word that we speak impacts one another." Philbin said. "What I do impacts our players, impacts the organization. And certainly what they do, both on the field, off the field, their actions, their words, their tweets, all of those things, social media, it all adds up and we all represent a great organization. We have to realize that."

BullyGate in particular is a perfect example of off-the-field happenings coming back to bite the organization in the behind, as well as the players involved whenever something like this goes down. During the hit HBO show "Hard Knocks" in Philbin's first year as the Dolphins head coach, the team had cameras following them around pretty much everywhere, recording everything they did both on and off the field.

"We got used to that real quick." Philbin said. "Again, I think I said back then, it's football, this is coaching football. Dealing with players is something that I've done for a long time. I thought it was a very professional staff, much like the media that we have here. I thought it was good."

Of course, another example of off-the-field issues came about during the Hard Knocks show. Former star wide receiver Chad Johnson, or Chad Ochocinco if you prefer, found himself being cut from the team because of behavior he exhibited off of the football field rather than on it, as he was arrested for domestic violence. The former Cincinnati Bengals superstar hasn't played in the NFL since.

A lot of people roll their eyes when former NFL coach Herm Edwards goes off on his tangents and rants on ESPN or wherever he gets asked to speak, but regardless of anyone's personal feelings on the matter, his advice is often quite valid and can ensure that there's never a cause for someone to remove you for being a bad influence. His biggest piece of advice? "Don't press send!"

So many players have gotten into trouble with their teams because of things they've tweeted or texted to their teammates. Richie Incognito is probably the biggest modern-day era example of this. Loss of self-control in public can lead to being cut and arrested, as Chad Johnson, and more recently former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice, are well aware of.

And this is exactly why Philbin puts so much emphasis on watching what you do and what you say when you're a member of a football team. Not only does the actions of players affect the players themselves, but it can lead to the team as a whole becoming dysfunctional, and weaker overall, and the same rules apply to the coaches as well.

"It's something we talk about an awful lot, mostly in the context of 'we're all in this thing together fellas.' What I do, I have to be careful about what I do, where I do it, who I do it with, and that's no different for them."

This story was written by Eldon Jenson. Follow him on Twitter @EJFootball.

With Jeff Ireland making the decisions, the Dolphins changed their draft position to select Koa Misi who was drafted as an edge rusher from a now PAC 12 school who hasn’t found a true position. I guess Ireland has a type.

Before the 2015 NFL draft there was a lot of speculation that the Miami Dolphins were going to go after a Middle linebacker in the first two rounds. I would not been upset if we drafted one either. I then did a film breakdown of Koa Misi and had a slight change of heart. I still would have been fine with taking a middle linebacker in the 2nd round but I did see a lot to like from Misi, at least enough to give Misi enough year to master the middle linebacker position.

I would describe Koa Misi as being a strong big bodied middle linebacker, but his size doesn’t necessarily mean that he is slow. He has the body type of a 2 down linebacker or a run-down linebacker but Misi is more than that, he is capable on passing downs. The only drawback I have seen due to his size is he may lose a second when he has to move in a second direction. What I mean by that is let’s say Misi is going left then the play flows to the right. His size makes him have to adjust to the weight transfer. It doesn’t cause him to not make plays but a lighter middle linebacker may get to the spot quicker. 

Not every superstar in the NFL met instant success upon entering the league. Former players like Kurt Warner had to make a stint in the Arena Football League before he had an opportunity to really show what he could do in the NFL. Another notable name is former wide receiver Joe Horn, who has since become a member of the New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame after making a name for himself in the Canadian Football League.

The Miami Dolphins have their own former CFL representative, and that's Pro Bowl defensive end Cameron Wake, who is well aware that the journey to the NFL is not an easy one.

The 33-year old Wake had to take a long and hard journey to get where he is today. He went undrafted in 2005 after playing linebacker for Penn State, and had a very brief stint with the New York Giants. Wake was then released by the Giants and ended up spending the 2005 and 2006 seasons out of football. In 2007, he latched on with the CFL team, the British Columbia Lions, where he made the position switch to defensive end. 

It was then that Wake really started making waves in the world of football. He won the CFL’s Defensive Player of the Year award in 2007 and 2008 as a member of the British Columbia Lions, which led to then Vice President of Football Operations Bill Parcells and his chosen GM Jeff Ireland to sign him onto the Miami Dolphins in 2009. 

Since becoming a member of the Dolphins, Wake has been named an All-Pro three times and has been selected to four Pro Bowls. Wake is essentially the perfect example of a rags to riches story, and none of that would have happened if he hadn't had that stint in Canada.

“I think it’s a good move for anybody if you get an opportunity. I loved it in my time there,” Wake said this offseason. “It was an opportunity to get out there and play. If you have the desire to get back [to the NFL], teams kind of grab those guys. To get out there and play the game just for the love of the game was a great opportunity for me."

The star defensive end learned a lot from his time in the CFL, and he explained that despite the different rules the league uses, it didn't really affect how he played when he made the transition to the NFL.

“There are so many things in football that are just football. I don’t care if it’s CFL, NFL, XFL, Arena, whatever,” Wake said. “Rushing the passer is rushing the passer. Catching the ball is catching the ball. Tackling is tackling, no matter what the auxiliary rules are. If you can beat somebody and manhandle a guard, you can do that anywhere. So just getting up there and being able to show what you can do and put your resume on field, the rest will take care of itself.”

And the rest did take care of itself. Cameron Wake went from a nobody who couldn't make the Giants roster to one of the greatest pass-rushers in the National Football League, and it's something that Wake will cherish and take with him for the rest of his life.

“My path, I wouldn’t change it for the world." Wake said. "You have first-round picks and all that. But my path is my path and that made me what I am today.”

This story was written by Luis Sung. Follow him on Twitter: @FLSportDebater

During the offseason, it seemed like the Miami Dolphins were signing cornerbacks left and right. However, none of them were the top prizes in free agency. Instead, they are players who are valuable in the slot and perhaps push Jamar Taylor for the second cornerback position opposite Brent Grimes. One player who's looking to do that is Zack Bowman.

“I met with the staff, I met with the organization. They said I would have an opportunity to be a starter and I’m looking forward to the opportunity, I’m looking forward to the challenge. I’m looking forward to competing with my teammates.”

When Bowman was introduced to the South Florida media, general manager Dennis Hickey didn't hide his excitement when talking about just how good of a person he is both on and off the field.

“I’m excited to welcome Zack Bowman to the Miami Dolphins family. He’s a guy we’ve been tracking quite a bit here over the last several months in unrestricted free agency. What he brings to the table is an experienced player that brings length and ball skills, and the ability to b e a good special teams players. He has started in this league. We’re excited to add him. He’s a quality person. We know him quite well going back to college and several people in the organization. We’re excited to have a player of his caliber and a person of his caliber to our team."

In 2009, Bowman burst onto the scene with six interceptions in 12 starts. However, since then, he hasn't had much of an opportunity to become an every down player each week of the season. However, he said he understands the business and realizes that whenever he has the opportunity to start, he'll make the most of it. 

Bowman was on the market for over a month since the beginning of free agency but wasn't too surprised that he hadn't yet signed with a team.

"It’s a process and it takes time. I knew I was going to have an opportunity, so I wasn’t worried about it. Obviously, yesterday I was in Miami and I met with the coaches and the staff. It felt like it was a good fit for me, it felt like it was a great opportunity. I’m glad to be a Dolphin," he said. “I didn’t visit any other teams. We talked to a few teams and stuff, just kind of laid out my options. Then I visited with Miami and liked everything I saw, like the direction that they’re going in. I felt like it’s a great fit for me and for what I can bring to the team. So I signed with the Dolphins and I’m happy to be a Dolphin.”

With the Dolphins, Bowman will compete for the starting job but will also likely have a big role on special teams. For him, that won't be a problem as that is something he loves.

“I love special teams. It’s exciting, I enjoy it. I’ve played gunner, jammer. I’ve played ‘R1, R2, R3’ on kickoff. I’ve been the left tackle on kickoff return. I bring a lot of versatility to special teams because I can play a lot of different positions.”

We'll see just how much he can bring to the table when training camp and the 2015 season begins but he is someone who is determined and ready to make an impact with Miami.

This story was written by Matthew Cannata. Follow him on Twitter: @FinsInsiders

When the Miami Dolphins decided to shift Koa Misi to the middle of the field instead of contuining on with now departed linebcker Dannell Ellerbe, there was a lot of skepticism as to whether it would work out or not. The results were nothing special, but they were good enough.

Now, going into his second year at the middle linebacker position, Misi is feeling much more comfortable where he's at and he's aiming to improve upon an injury-riddled 2014 season.

“I feel good,” Misi said on the last day of minicamp. “Last year was kind of a bust because I was hurt all the time. I feel good coming back healthy this year. Since we started, compared to last year I feel 110 percent better already. I’m just trying to make things different than what I did last year and trying to get better at things that I wasn’t as good at."


As a former outside linebacker and defensive end, Misi's strength is his ability to rush the passer as opposed to stopping the run and covering tight ends and running backs. Moving over to the middle has forced Misi to focus on his coverage skills, and he feels that the dedication he's made towards learning the position has paid its dividends.

“Right now my reads are real good." Misi said. "I can blitz and my coverage is getting better. All around, I’ve improved a lot more in things that I did last year.”

Misi has a little help in his mission to become a good middle linebacker this year though, and it's coming from a couple different factors. First and foremost is the addition of defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, whose presence instantly makes the entire defense better, and makes his job much easier.

"Suh's an animal." Misi said. "I mean hands down, one of the best in the league, the way that he gets off the ball, disrupts the offensive line's blocking schemes, he takes up another guy, so basically it allows us to move around a little bit better, get through blocking schemes different, be able to read things faster, I think it'll help us out a lot."

The other factor working in Misi's favor is the fact that defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle has decided to simplify his defense so that it's easier for young players to make the necessary adjustments to the scheme. It also helps the veteran Misi at the unfamiliar position.

“It just makes it a lot easier to know what we’re doing,” Misi said. “We have our plan. We have our calls. Everybody doesn’t have to think, oh, is another call going in? We have what we have right now, and that’s all it’s going to be.”



I recently wrote that with all factors taken into consideration, the Miami Dolphins were set with Koa Misi at middle linebacker, and with the comments made by Misi himself regarding his own comfort levels and health, fans should rest easy knowing that the linebacker corps are good to go with Misi as the man in the middle.

“I feel good, a lot better than I did last year,” he said. “Just being out here playing the same position I did last year is that much of a difference. I’m able to learn from things I did last year. I know the defense now, so I don’t really have to study anymore. I know all the plays and all the calls. I don’t have to second-guess myself during practice and it’s helped me a little bit more.”



This story was written by Luis Sung. Follow him on Twitter: @FLSportDebater

If you ask a Miami Dolphins fan - preferably one who's of the younger variety - the definition of a draft bust, they would likely show you a picture of defensive end Dion Jordan. However, per the Miami Herald's Barry Jackson, a team source has stated that the organization is not yet willing to give up on the former 3rd overall pick.

The team is giving thought to hanging on to their 2013 first-round pick despite his apparent inability to significantly contribute as he was originally projected, and his propensity towards getting himself suspended makes the news that the Dolphins aren't actively looking to remove him even more shocking.

The Dolphins are also not trying to collect signing bonus money from Jordan despite the fact that he's been suspended for the entire 2015 season by the NFL after violating the league’s drug policy because of a diluted test, and this is one season after he was suspended for the first four games of 2014 for usage of PED's.

Jordan is a very talented player out of Oregon with a lot of versatility, and the only thing holding him back from being a superstar in the league is himself. So far, the only thing that's come into question about Jordan is his dedication to football, as he continues to find himself in situations where he loses opportunities to play.

It also doesn't help that players like Olivier Vernon and even Derrick Shelby have proven to be better players at defensive end, which hurts Jordan's chances of rising on the depth chart. 

Speculation has existed for quite some time now that a move to outside linebacker would in essence rejuvenate Jordan's already checkered career in the NFL, as it would allow his ability to cover tight ends to be on full display along with his ability to rush the passer standing up as he was known for doing at Oregon.

Jordan would have been a $5.3 million dollar hit against the salary cap this year, but his suspension for the season ensures that his salary and roster bonus will be voided, freeing up $2.3 million. However, the Dolphins are still on the hook for a $3 million cap hit for the pro-rated portion of Jordan's signing bonus.

Per Jackson's same report, the reason that Jordan has been absent from any offseason activities is because - according to an NFL spokesman - league rules say players who already have been suspended for the following season cannot participate in any offseason activities, including OTAs and minicamp. Jordan instead is forced to remain connected to the team via the Dolphins' director of player engagement Kaleb Thornhill.

There's still time for Jordan to get his act together and possibly live up to his potential, but he will have to make a strong and sincere effort to avoid taking the same route as Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon, who is also a superstar talent, and is currently suspended indefinitely. 

If Jordan wants to avoid ending up like Gordon, he will have to straighten up and fly right, and hopefully this will be the wake-up call he needs to not only get his life together, but to become the superstar everyone expected him to become.

This story was written by Luis Sung. Follow him on Twitter: @FLSportDebater

During this offseason's spring meetings, all 32 NFL owners got together and voted to change the classic extra point rules to make things a little more interesting from here on out. The new rule states that the ball will be snapped at the 15-yard line for a 33-yard field goal for those teams wishing to kick for the extra point.

“It’s going to be interesting." head coach Joe Philbin said. "I think it’s going to take us all a little bit of time to get used to. There are going to be different scenarios." 

For the Dolphins in particular, this situation will require more attention than one might feel is necessary, as the kicker situation in Miami is not a good one. Primary kicker Caleb Sturgis pulled his quadriceps during a team-organized kickball game, and undrafted free agent Andrew Franks has struggled during mini-camp according to numerous reports.

While this will do wonders for the overall excitement and suspense of the game of football, this now presents a unique situation for Joe Philbin, who will have to decide when it's appropriate to trust in whoever will be kicking for the Dolphins when the season begins, and when it's time to risk going for two points.

"You’d think that the incident rate of two point conversions will go up a little bit." Philbin said. "There will be a variety of factors that go into it, time in the game, score in the game, wind situations, all of those types of things. I think it’s a good element and it will be interesting.”

Obviously the point of making the rule was to lessen the amount of appearances made by kickers and try to force teams to go for two points instead. You can be sure that with the Dolphins having issues with their kickers, there will be some serious consideration towards making a two-point conversion rather than trusting Sturgis, Franks or whomever is kicking for the team at the start of the 2015 season.

This story was written by Luis Sung. Follow him on Twitter: @FLSportDebater

It's time once again to bring up my absolute favorite topic when it comes to football: context. It may seem like I harp on this all too often, but for me, it really can't be stressed enough. So often context gets misinterpreted and misused to make things seem more interesting than they are.

What prompted me to write this column was when a story was made out of former Dolphins linebacker and current Saints linebacker Dannell Ellerbe's comments regarding his new team. Ellerbe stated that the Saints were a franchise that knew how to win, which is true. The Saints have been a top team in the NFL for quite some time, although last season they took a severe step back.

But where the issue comes in is that - despite not making any comments directly saying so - the story became how the Miami Dolphins did not know how to win, rather than him stating how excited he was to be playing for a new team. 

Ellerbe was just as excited when he signed in Miami, and no comments were made about how the Baltimore Ravens - his team before Miami - had issues that prompted his decision. In fact, Ellerbe himself later came out and said how his words had been taken out of context.

Context. That's what it's all about Dolphins fans. It's what makes the difference between a former player taking a shot at his former team, or merely being thankful that he has the opportunity to play elsewhere. Contrary to popular belief, not everyone is conspiring against the Dolphins, and it often takes some coaxing before people realize that.

Quotes aren't the only things taken out of context though. Even play on the field gets misinterpreted based on personal biases (can you see where this is going yet folks?).

Since I've already talked about this many times before, I won't spend too much time focusing on it, but it's another perfect example of exactly what I'm talking about here: Ryan Tannehill and his deep ball throwing.

Everybody looks at Tannehill's deep ball struggles and cites that he can't throw it, and as a result is unworthy of his title as the franchise quarterback. They also tack on the fact that the Dolphins haven't made it to the playoffs since 2008 when Chad Pennington was the starter. But what context are we looking at this in?

It's recently been reported that the young QB going into his fourth year in the NFL has been getting praised effusively by his teammates regarding how much he's improved this offseason. His deep ball has looked much better and he's taken on more of a leadership role. But is this the proper story?

The Dolphins front office went out of their way to bring in weapons that were more fitting to the skillset that Tannehill brings to the table, ones with greater potential for yards after the catch, better route-running...a higher catch radius. It seems all too coincidental that suddenly Tannehill's deep ball improves just as wide receiver Mike Wallace makes his exit.

Wallace is notorious for his ability to get behind defenses and blow away safeties with his blazing speed, and there were certainly times where he was open deep and Tannehill failed to get him the ball. I normally write these things out in favor of Tannehill, and in a way it still is here, but for the sake of proper context, I have to come out in defense of Mike Wallace for a brief moment.

Tannehill struggles with his accuracy when throwing the deep ball, that much is undeniable. So my theory as to why Tannehill's deep ball suddenly looks better is because the receivers he's throwing to now do not require him to be perfect. DeVante Parker, Greg Jennings, even Kenny Stills - these receivers do not have the pure, raw speed that Wallace consistently boasted, Stills is fast in his own right but he isn't as fast either.

So what is happening by bringing in these receivers is what the Dolphins should have been doing all along: they brought in players who have the ability to show off Tannehill's strengths, and hide his weaknesses. Until I see it for myself, I will not be convinced that Tannehill's deep ball has truly improved. Context. I believe Tannehill's weakness is being masked by players who fight for the football more effectively than Wallace ever did, negating the need for pinpoint accuracy.

Is that an issue? Absolutely not! This is the key to victory in my opinion: emphasize strengths, and hide weaknesses. The whole concept is so laughably simple that it baffles the mind as to why it took this long for it to happen. The square peg did not fit in the round hole. The round peg fits in the round hole.

Context. It's required in all aspects of football, and in life. This is why I always aim to examine all aspects of a situation rather than merely taking the easy way out. It's not always X player's fault, and it isn't always Y player's fault. Sometimes things are said that get taken out of context, and it creates a situation that never should have existed in the first place.

So my message to you all is simply this: the context is always far more important than the actual content, and we should strive to always remember that whenever we examine our favorite team. In the end you'll be smarter for it, and will be more prepared when context comes into play in real life as well.

This column was written by Luis Sung. Follow him on Twitter: @FLSportDebater

When the chips were down and the Miami Dolphins offensive line was in shambles after the first four games of the season, it was Dolphins center Mike Pouncey who answered the call coming off his injury and volunteered to move over to right guard, a position he hadn't played since his college days at the University of Florida.

But now, with a brand new 5-year, $52.15 million contract and a brand new appreciation for his fellow offensive linemen, Pouncey is extremely happy to be back at center where he's made a name for himself as one of the best in the National Football League.

“It’s a position I feel comfortable at,” Pouncey said about playing center, “I like to be the guy going up and getting the front set. I like to be kind of like the quarterback of the offensive line.”

Although he's best at center, Pouncey showed last season that he could hold his own at guard if it was necessary. He also admitted that playing guard wasn't nearly as easy as he expected it to be, and as such he gained a new respect for guards overall.

“I learned to appreciate my offensive guards,” Pouncey said, “That’s a tough position. I took it all in last year. I got better and better each week. I didn’t appreciate my guards until I played the position. You’re playing in a lot more space. You’ve got to block a lot of guys one-on-one in pass protection. That’s the biggest thing. In the run game, it was easier because I didn’t have to snap the ball then run off on guys.”

The former Florida Gator will be 26 years old next month, and during his time in the NFL, he's gone through a lot of difficulties. His talent was never in question, but his fate with his only team thus far was up for grabs thanks to the multiple off-the-field debacles he'd put himself through - such as the "Free Hernandez" hats he and his brother Maurkice wore in support of their former teammate.

It was an emotional Mike Pouncey who vowed to become a better leader for the Miami Dolphins when he signed his new contract, and the goals he's set for himself this upcoming reflect that transformation.

“I just want to help this team get to the playoffs." Pouncey said. "I feel like with team success comes individual success, so I just want to help this team get to the playoffs.”

Of course, that isn't the only motivation that Pouncey has to get his team into the playoffs. There is also apparently quite a bit of brotherly rivalry driving Pouncey to make the Miami Dolphins a playoff contender after all this time.

“He always gives me a hard time." Mike Pouncey said. "Any time we talk about football, he always brags how his team is a better football team. It gets under my skin a lot. Something I’ve dreamed about since I came into the NFL is to make a playoff game. Just to get the experience. I’ve watched him go through it, seen him go to a Super Bowl. It’s something I’ve been looking forward to.”

With all the moves the Dolphins have made this season, the former Gator has a real chance of finally making the playoffs and getting his brother off his back, and he'll be a huge part of that team mission as he and left tackle Branden Albert are the linchpins of the offensive line, charged with protecting quarterback Ryan Tannehill and keeping him on his feet so the Dolphins can finally show how good they can be.

This story was written by Luis Sung. Follow him on Twitter: @FLSportDebater

The Miami Dolphins had a myriad of problems in 2014 but none more bigger than the fact that they had trouble scoring touchdowns in the red zone and that they couldn't finish games when it mattered the most. Now, with a clean slate and a whole offseason to look at everything, the coaching staff and players are determined not to let history repeat itself in 2015.

"I  think one of the things I feel best about the offseason program has been the situational work that we have done," head coach Joe Philbin said, "And we all know, I think I talked about it the first day, we did the red zone; how important it’s going to be for our success as a football team. Two minute – we got some of that work in. So those situational things are going to be real critical as we move forward as a football team. That’s probably the thing I’m – aside from the energy that the guys have brought, I think the vibe has been good on the practice field.”

Philbin went on to further emphasize that finishing the drive with a touchdown in the red zone is going to play a huge part as to whether the team is successful this season.

"I think you probably noticed we spent a lot of time in the red zone. It's an area that we, as we watched our cut ups from 2014 it's an area we've really got to improve upon. You know offensively we got down there a bunch but we've got to score more touchdowns and defensively we kind of finished in the middle of the pack in terms of efficiency down there. So that's one area that we did just a third down red zone period, all third down plays. Probably something we haven't done the first couple of years so just want to make an emphasis of it and a point of so I thought we had a lot of good work."

Quarterback Ryan Tannehill said that the entire organization has changed things in the way they prepare and analyze things. This new way of thinking, according to him, will allow the team to be more successful from top to bottom.

“I think the organization as a whole has kind of taken a step back and looked at how we prepare - is there anything we are doing throughout the season, throughout offseason training that is creating a wear down during the season. I think that is something that we have looked at as a whole organization-wise and team-wise. We have talked about once that time comes, put the foot on the accelerator and go. Honestly you can’t do anything about that now, but as far as training-wise and knowing what we want to accomplish I feel like the fire is as big as ever.”

If the Dolphins have really looked at their issues from 2014 and have changed the way they are preparing for the 2015 season, then they could easily add a few more wins onto their record and make a push into the playoffs.

This story was written by Matthew Cannata. Follow him on Twitter: @PhinManiacs

Earlier this offseason, the Miami Dolphins signed offensive lineman Jeff Linkenbach. The signing has been looked at as someone who can provide depth all across the offensive line but for Linkenbach, his goal is of course to win a starting job. While his name hasn’t been mentioned in the mix for one of the two guard positions, he says that the Dolphins have told him otherwise.

“You know, that’s all you can ask for. Everyone always sells that, so yeah, absolutely. You compete, you compete to try and put the best five out there, the best seven or eight out there on game day that give you the best chance to win, to win every week in order to win a championship and that’s the ultimate goal. So you compete with yourself, you compete with your teammates, you compete with the other 31 teams. It’s a constant competition, whether it’s an official competition or if it’s with yourself. But as far as that, yeah, the coaches talk about competition, and that’s at all positions. That’s what I’m coming to do. That’s what I’m expecting, to get better every day.”

There are 31 other organizations in the NFL besides the Dolphins and Linkenbach had numerous teams vying for his services. However, he chose the Dolphins because of the positive environment they exhibited on his visit and because of the perception of the team around the league.

“It’s an organization that I feel is on the upswing. It’s a great organization. I’m excited to get to work, great coaching, great front office. It gives you an opportunity to compete and earn a job and provide. It seems like a good fit, the versatility I can bring I feel helps me in this quest to earn a job with the Dolphins. I think it’s a good fit personally and I feel like the organization is a tremendous organization.”

Linkenbach has played every position on the line with the exception of center. This includes several games at left tackle with the Indianapolis Colts and over 20 games at right tackle with both the Colts and Kansas City Chiefs. He also played close to ten games at left guard with both teams and another eight at right guard with the Colts. Having so much experience has made him a better player, which is allowing him to enter the situation in Miami with the ability to easily transition into the zone blocking scheme.

“A lot of people have a lot of opinions on what schemes are better and the bottom line is I’m an offensive lineman. Every scheme has the same plays in it, you just tend the favor the call a little more in one place than another. Every team has zones, every team has power schemes. I’ve played in a mixture of both, a more power oriented and a more zone oriented. The bottom line is you’re an offensive linemen, you go after the guy in front of you. So yeah, I’ve played in zone schemes and I’m excited to get to work with one of the best coaching it.”

Linkebach said he doesn’t have any personal relationships with the other guys on the line but said Branden Albert and Mike Pouncey have a great reputation around the league. In addition, he also mentioned Ja’Wuan James as someone players have been talking about since his rookie debut in 2014.  

Despite not knowing them, he said that hearing the stories makes you feel like you know them and he’s looking forward to competing next to them on the line. With the guard situation in Miami unsettled, Linkenbach will have plenty of opportunity to do just that.

This story was written by Matthew Cannata. Follow him on Twitter: @PhinManiacs

Miami Dolphins rookie Cedric Thompson attended the NFL Rookie Symposium this week, and in a well-written article, he shared his story of determination and his gratefulness to the Miami Dolphins for drafting him. In his own words he admits, "I don’t think the Dolphins would have drafted me if they hadn’t met me." Here is his first-person account.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 

To be honest, I don’t think the Dolphins would have drafted me if they hadn’t met me. My tape speaks for itself, but you have to really know me to understand what my mission is and what I want to accomplish in the NFL and in life. When they watched my film, they saw that I was a great tackler. But I put the cherry on top when they met me and found out how hard I will work to be a great player, on and off the field. And of course I know that there are a lot of things that I need to work on.

I’ve overcome a lot of challenges – from childhood to my teenage years to the man I’ve become now – by working with the cards that were dealt to me and by never looking back and regretting it. I always fought through it and knew that I had a purpose, a dream and a goal that I wanted to reach…and I was going to do whatever it took to get there. And that’s why I’m able to adapt to any environment or situation that I’m in because I’ll do whatever it takes to reach my goals.

I grew up seeing violence in my house. I watched my mom and dad get divorced. People around me were using drugs. I saw my friends and cousins get shot, get killed. Before I went to college, I thought that was the norm, that’s how the world was. And then I went to Minnesota for college, which was a complete culture shock. For the first time, I could walk down the street without looking behind my back.

Sometimes I think about how much I’ve been through…and I really can’t believe it. Today, at one of our NFL Rookie Symposium sessions, we had a speaker talk to us about drunk driving. I have a scar on my face because my dad was drunk driving and we got into a car accident. I kind of forgot about that, and I see the scar every single day! Growing up where I come from, you learn how to dump those emotions and forget about them. And that’s part of a lot of young males’ problems; we push our emotions to the side and try to be hard all the time. I’m really trying to find myself by looking at who I was as a child, a teenager and the man that I am becoming now…that will give me a strong foundation to find out who I really am.

I believe that the challenges I’ve faced are going to help me become the man I want to be. My biggest life goal was to graduate from high school. Nobody in my family ever did that, let alone go to college. During my recruiting process, I was happy when any schools were calling because I just wanted to go. And I was blessed to be able to go to a big Division 1 college and play football. Coming into the league…that was a dream come true.

Rookie Symposium is helping me a lot because I never had a strong mentor to look up to. And here, I am listening to many great mentors share their knowledge with us. Some of the things they are saying are so simple, but I’ve never heard it. I’m really listening and learning because these are messages that I can hold onto for the rest of my life. Aeneas Williams explained to us what a mentor is, basically describing it as someone you look up to who has succeeded at what you want to do. When he said that, I was like, wow, I’ve never really had that. I’ve always known what I wanted to do, but never had anybody to mentor me. After hearing him speak, I want to do exactly what he did, and I’m not afraid to say that. If someone can teach me how to do it, I can do it. If I can accomplish and overcome what I have without a mentor, I can only imagine what I can achieve with one.

I want the Dolphins organization, the fans and my teammates to know that I am going to do everything I can to help the team win games. And I will do everything I can for this team, for this family. I believe that relationships are something that will last a lifetime. I’ll always have the backs of those guys in the locker room, today and 20 years down the line. I’m a rookie, I’m observing and I have some great vets to learn from. And I’m going to work my butt off, on and off the field, no matter what. I’m going to give this team all that I have.

Written by Cedric Thompson. Follow him on Twitter @cedjunior2
(Edited by Eldon Jenson @EJFootball)

The Miami Dolphins are on vacation. Well, maybe not a true vacation, as there really isn’t any downtime in the NFL offseason these days. But for the next five weeks, players will not be around the training facility at Nova Southeastern University. They’ll have that time to themselves, but getting ready for the start of training camp remains a major focus.

And there was a familiar theme when players were asked last week during minicamp about their “vacation” plans. Many have some minor travel plans, mostly involving going back home to visit family and friends. But working out and staying in shape is on the minds of everyone.

“I’m going to go out, I’m going to train day in and day out, just take a week at home for the Fourth of July with my family and then I’ll be back up here just training,” said rookie fifth-round pick Bobby McCain. “Just getting adjusted to the heat, making sure you stay in shape, that’s the biggest thing coming into training camp. Don’t go home and get out of shape and come back on the bubble. Just making sure you train hard, do the things you’re supposed to do.”

McCain said he plans to do, “Just a lot of running, a LOT of running, because that’s what DBs have to be able to do, run all day. But making sure that you still stay in the playbook, you still do techniques, you still work on your techniques.. ..at home or when you go back to your colleges and with your friends, making sure you stay on top of things.”

McCain and the other members of the 2015 Dolphins draft class actually will have a later start to their vacation because they’re currently in Ohio taking part in the annual NFL Rookie Symposium. Veteran players won’t be resting much either.

“It’s so close to the season, I’m just going to be working out the whole time just to get ready for this upcoming season,” center Mike Pouncey said. “Probably take one trip to Jamaica with the family, other than that, it’ll be just training for me.”

Defensive end Olivier Vernon will travel to London in a few weeks to promote the Dolphins’ regular season game against the New York Jets at Wembley Stadium. Fellow defensive end Cameron Wake handled that assignment last year in advance of the regular season game against the Oakland Raiders.

Family time is important to many players during this down time. It’ll be particularly significant for linebacker Kelvin Sheppard, who became a father to a baby girl last Tuesday. And linebacker Chris McCain will continue to prepare for the arrival of his own daughter, whose due date is on Halloween.

Four other players, safety Michael Thomas, tackle Jason Fox, punter Brandon Fields and long-snapper John Denney will be spending two weeks (10 hours a day) at the University of Miami in the school’s MBA program for Professional Artists and Athletes, studying a different kind of playbook – how to make the transition from football to the real world once their playing careers are over.

“It’s a great deal,” Thomas said. “We’re learning the basic skills. That’s why we all want to do it, just trying to make that transition. Obviously not thinking about it, but don’t want it to be that initial shock you hear guys talk about so much when they’re done playing. So I just want to learn some basic skills of business.”

Head Coach Joe Philbin spoke to the players before they dispersed.

“There’s a lot of time for them,” Philbin said. “I mentioned it to them briefly, there’s a lot of time for us to improve and develop by the time July 28 rolls around. So when you’re a professional football player, it’s 24/7/365. And it’s not that you can’t have time for family or a little vacation, but everything they do impacts each and every one of us. Just like everything I do does. So we just remind them of those key things, if there’s a lot of time, there’s time for development. Take a look at themselves, study themselves on tape and try to learn and improve.”

This story was written by Eldon Jenson. Follow him on Twitter @EJFootball.

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Greg Jennings, who played for the Green Bay Packers before spending the past two seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, says that a conversation with Mike Tannenbaum, the Miami Dolphins vice president of football operations, was the key in his decision to sign with the Dolphins in March.

"There were just a few things I had that I wanted to share with him personally, because everybody has a pitch. Everybody has an angle," Jennings said Monday. "Shoot straight, because I'm going to shoot straight. Every visit, I shared my heart. This is what I'm looking for. I'm looking to be a leader in the locker room. I'm looking to be respected as a man of God, as a football player. Those are the things that are really important to me, and more so who I am, not what I can provide. Those were some of the things we cleared up."

Prior to signing with the Dolphins, Jennings had visited the Jacksonville Jaguars, Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints, and he left Miami after his initial visit with some concerns about how he'd fit in there.  But that follow-up phone call from Tannenbaum calmed those concerns.

Jennings, who signed a two-year, $8 million deal with the Dolphins, is reunited with head coach Joe Philbin, his former offensive coordinator with the Green Bay Packers. The Dolphins offense is familiar to him, more so than Minnesota offensive coordinator Norv Turner's downfield passing attack. The Dolphins revamped their receiving corps this offseason, and Jennings will be playing alongside first-round pick DeVante Parker, whom the Dolphins selected with the 14th pick in the draft, as well as Kenny Still and Jarvis Landry.

Jennings, 31, will live in Miami while his family stays back in Minnesota. "That's the nature of our business, but home is home," he said. "The Dolphins were very open. It was great."

This story was written by Eldon Jenson. Follow him on Twitter @EJFootball.

For the Miami Dolphins players, they have become well acquainted with the heart break that comes with being close to making a playoff appearance and then having it ripped away by a failure to execute or having their fate in the hands of other teams.

As a result, there have been several criticisms aimed at the team - most notably quarterback Ryan Tannehill and head coach Joe Philbin - about their inability to make it to the playoffs. While it's easy to blame the quarterback and coach, and that's often what's done in these situations, sometimes the truth is that the other factors on the team are more to blame than them.

So this offseason, the Miami Dolphins went out of their way to overhaul the wide receiver and defensive line units, which was the source of the most of the Miami Dolphins late season woes. Now, with new players who fit the style of the offense and defense, the team has gotten through their workouts and started showing their overall improvements.

“I am excited. I feel great about our progress that we made this spring." quarterback Ryan Tannehill said. "I feel that every day we got better and learned something. I like the guys and players that we have. I am excited for training camp so that we can continue to hone our craft and continue to build our chemistry.”

Chemistry is definitely a big aspect of this season, as the Dolphins removed a lot of players who were not only expensive, but also seemed to cause a lot of trouble in the locker room vocalizing their negativity. Now, the team seems united and are actually enjoying working together.

"We definitely have fun. Our chemistry is great at this point for only being together for six weeks, eight weeks or whatever it is." Tannehill said. "I feel like we are in a great spot right now and it is only going to continue to get better the more time we are together.”

But it isn't just chemistry that the Dolphins are after, what they're looking for is a playoff run and ultimately a championship. Being on the edge of the playoffs for three years will do that to a team, and the Dolphins are no exception. They want to win, and they have no problems saying so.

“I think this team is hungry. I think we are hungry to win a championship. I know those things aren’t done overnight, but the way we have finished the last three years kind of has a lot of guys fire inside and that is exciting for me to see everyone just excited to get to camp, get to games and win games." Tannehill said. "The pieces we have added, veteran guys – (Ndamukong) Suh, Greg Jennings and some other guys, along with the young guys we have added, we have a plethora of different options to attack people.”

The Dolphins have done just about everything they can to create a top-five defense, and they've surrounded Ryan Tannehill with weapons that are well-suited to his skill set. Now the last step is to make it all come together and get to the playoffs, and the team is determined to not let what's happened the last three years happen again.

This story was written by Luis Sung. Follow him on Twitter: @FLSportDebater

There have been quite a few instances over the past few years when the quality of the leadership for the Miami Dolphins has come into question. Whether it was the lack of vocal leadership shown by head coach Joe Philbin, the lack of proper veteran leadership in the locker room, or a combination of both, leadership has been an issue in Miami for some time.

Some have come to the conclusion that the Dolphins jettisoned the majority of their leaders this past offseason, by letting go of players like defensive tackle Randy Starks or wide receiver Mike Wallace, but there's also the mentality that Wallace was not a leader because of his locker room splitting attitude.

So this season, the Dolphins seem to have gone into the offseason with the intention to create a brand new core of leadership, built around players who lead more by example than by giving rousing speeches when the chips are down. Head coach Joe Philbin recently discussed whether he felt they now had a good core of leaders.

“Yeah, I do. I think there’s always room for improvement." Philbin said. "I think we do have a good core group and I think the way that they’ve gone about the offseason has demonstrated we’ve given them some opportunities to kind of take the lead a little bit and just the way they’ve come out here and worked, and the way they’ve conducted their business professionally inside the building, be it meetings, weight room, training room responsibilities, all of that stuff – I’m happy with the level of professionalism. It’s never exactly where you want it to be yet, but I see good things.”

Young players expected to step up and become leaders for the time are the likes of wide receiver Jarvis Landry, center Mike Pouncey and quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who recently signed a 6-year, $96 million dollar contract to become the team's franchise quarterback.

“I don’t think getting paid or anything like that makes me more of a leader. I think I’m a leader as it is,” Tannehill said shortly after signing his new deal. “I’ve continued to become more of a leader as I move forward, but I feel great about my leadership at this point. I’m excited about the future.”

Returning veteran leaders like safety Louis Delmas and left tackle Branden Albert have done excellent jobs stepping up and putting younger players under their wings, and now defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh can be added to that equation, as he's gone out of his way to help young D-linemen improve in what they do during mini-camp.

While the leadership core is certainly more clearly defined, that doesn't mean there isn't still room for improvement, and Joe Philbin has taken steps to try and improve the overall leadership of the team.

“We’ve had some educational things. Number one where we’ve provided some forums for them and we’ve provided some information, we provide opportunities." Philbin said. "We’ve given them some time in the schedule with some meeting times and so forth for some of the older guys to do a little bit of mentoring and those type of things. So I think it’s a start and we have good potential there.”

Leadership is not just about being loud and talking a big game, it's also about leading by example and making a strong effort to keep team unity, something the Dolphins have lacked over the past two seasons for one reason or another. This year though, that seems poised to change, as the motto "Stronger Together" finally seems to be coming true with key returning leaders and newcomer leaders like Suh going out of their way to create a true team environment.

This story was written by Luis Sung. Follow him on Twitter: @FLSportDebater

NFL agent Drew Rosenhaus, who represents free agent guard Evan Mathis, dropped an interesting nugget of news this past weekend. In an interview Friday on Miami’s Channel 7 Sports Xtra, Rosenhaus said that he heard that Miami quarterback Ryan Tannehill is exerting more influence on the team, that the front office is very much open to his ideas, and that Tannehill is actively lobbying the team to sign Evan Mathis.

Caution must be taken when considering these comments, as an agent’s job is to lobby on behalf of their clients. Earlier this month, Rosenhaus said that as many as ten teams have reportedly shown interest in Mathis. 

Mathis, set to be paid $5.5 million in 2015, was cut earlier this month by the Eagles, partly as a cost-saving move, and partly because he didn’t get along well with head coach Chip Kelly. Rosenhaus reported last week that he had received interest in Mathis from “at least a half a dozen” teams since being waived, but declined to name any of those teams.

"I can tell you that this deal will happen at any time, or it may still take between now and training camp to get it done," Rosenhaus said. "There are several teams that are in the mix right now, and we don't want to discourage anybody from pursuing it." Again, these are typical comments from a player agent trying to drum up interest in his client. Mathis is one of the top guards in the league, but teams, including Miami, are likely hesitant to give a 33-year-old guard the kind of long-term money Mathis is seeking.

Miami is currently experimenting with a combination of third-year player Dallas Thomas, second-year player Billy Turner, and rookie Jamil Douglas at the guard positions on the offensive line. "I like the guys that we have," said head coach Joe Philbin. "There's no question in my mind that they'll be capable of doing the job. I think they just need experience, they need repetition, they need exposure, they need to work with (Mike) Pouncey and the guy next to them and get it figured out. It may not be as pretty as we want it day one of training camp, but I think they are great guys, football is important to them. These guys have been working extremely hard."

While Mathis would certainly be a strong addition to the team, the Dolphins don’t appear to be in a rush to overpay for his services, and their public comments have sent the message that they have confidence in the young players currently on the roster. This is in marked contrast to Rosenhaus' comments. While Miami is still considered to be very much in the Mathis sweepstakes, and the Dolphins will certainly continue to evaluate the position, Mathis’ contract demands may price him out of Miami’s market and you can be sure that Tannehill is well aware of that.

As the leader and face of the franchise, Tannehill certainly has considerable input with the team and coaches. We don't know everything that goes on behind closed doors. While it is certainly possible that Tannehill is lobbying for Mathis, it's also quite possible that this is a power move by Rosenhaus to get a deal done quickly - whether it's with the Dolphins or someone else. Stay tuned, as there surely will be more to come!

This story was written by Eldon Jenson. Follow him on Twitter @EJFootball.

The Miami Dolphins signed defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh this offseason to the richest contract in NFL history for a defensive player. When the news first broke that the Detroit Lions were not using the franchise tag on Suh, speculation began immediately of where he may end up. When everyone learned that he had touched down in Fort Lauderdale that same evening, rumors began to fly all over the place throughout the week until the deal was leaked during the legal negotiating period that the NFL allows before free agency officially opens.

Now, with Suh at the facility and taking part in practices and meetings, head coach Joe Philbin is pleased with what he has seen so far and is excited for what he brings to the table.

“I think he’s acclimated well. I think any time it’s new, he was on one team for five years, he’s coming to a different team, so maybe techniques – the game, football is football, but what we call something might not be exactly what he calls it, the technique might be a shade different. Terrell (Williams) might want him to step a hair flatter than his prior coach. There’s always an adjustment phase with any player. But I think he’s handled it very well. I think he’s picked up on schematically, I think one of the things that was most exciting about adding him was I thought, from a scheme standpoint, he was a really, really good fit for what we like to do.”

A big part of being a part of a team and having a cohesive unit is the ability for teammates to get along with one another. Philbin said that the process between Suh and his new teammates is taking shape and the foundation is being built.

“Yeah, I think that’s coming along. I definitely think that’s coming along, especially obviously with the first group is his guys and then the defensive line. I think that’s off to a good start, defensively. I think it’s off to a good start overall.”

One player who is ecstatic about having Suh on his team is quarterback Ryan Tannehill. After playing lights out several games last year on offense, Tannehill would often sit on the sideline while his defense struggled to stop the opposing offense. While he never has and never will throw his defense under the bus, he had trouble discounting what a big addition Suh is to the team and just how much he will be able to help.

“I always have confidence in our defense. I think he brings a lot to the table both in the run game, taking up two guys, and getting to the quarterback. He is a heck of a player and an impact player. Teams are going to have to account for him in both the run game and the pass game, so you add that with the other lineman we have (Olivier Vernon) OV, Cam (Wake), Earl Thomas – we have a stout front. I think that front is going to take lot of pressure off of our secondary and make some big plays for us.”

Of course, Tannehill got his first taste of Suh during the 2014 season when they traveled to Detroit. Suh met Tannehill in the backfield quite often that game. At the time, Suh had great praise for Tannehill, calling him one of the toughest quarterbacks he has ever went against. Now, they'll face off against each other every day in practice and each of them are ready for the challenge, especially Tannehill.

“He’s got one of the quickest first steps I have seen. I think that is something he shows on tape consistently. We saw it from day one out here. His jump off the ball is exceptional. His timing of the snap count, we have had to put in a few hard counts to try to keep him honest, so it has been fun and I am looking forward to seeing that first step off the ball," he said. “It is going to be great. This time of year it is tough because no pads, you can’t really rush, they can’t really work on their punch or the defense can’t really work on their rush moves. Once we get into camp and we are grinding away full pads then it is going to be a true test. It is only going to improve our offensive line facing that quality of talent every day.”

There is no question that both Tannehill and Suh are the two faces of the Dolphins' franchise for the next several years. Together, with their respective units, they'll lead this team into the future and look to bring a Super Bowl to Miami.

This story was written by Matthew Cannata. Follow him on Twitter: @PhinManiacs

A major need in the eyes of many fans going into this year's offseason was the middle linebacker position, as the team hasn't had a truly good linebacker in the middle since Karlos Dansby in 2012. Dansby was shipped out of Miami by the front office when the organization decided to go forward with a youth movement, replacing Dansby with current  New Orleans Saints linebacker Dannell Ellerbe.

After Ellerbe failed to truly make an impact, putting up an overall ProFootballFocus rating of -13.5 during his 16 games starting at middle linebacker in 2013, he was moved to the outside and versatile linebacker Koa Misi took the reins.

For Misi, this was completely uncharted territory, as coming out of college he was used as an outside linebacker/defensive end hybrid, who had skills in pass-rushing rather than running the defense from the middle of the field. However, he took on the challenge with everything he is, using his spare time to study the nuances of playing in the middle, and for the most part, it produced results.

Misi did well for the most part, putting together a PFF rating of +8.9 in the games he played, and made 64 tackles, 1 sack and 1 pass defended. He was never spectacular, but he was good enough that he was a clear and obvious upgrade over Ellerbe. His biggest issue was not his play while he was healthy, it was just staying healthy to begin with.

The 28-year old Misi battled ankle, knee and hamstring injuries all throughout the season, limiting his time on the field as well as his efficiency, and that led fans to feel that Misi was unreliable moving forward as the middle linebacker for 2015.

There were candidates to replace the six-year veteran in the draft this year, like Eric Kendricks, Paul Dawson and Denzel Perryman. Perryman in particular actually expected to be drafted by the Dolphins, but the team decided instead to draft defensive tackle Jordan Phillips out of Oklahoma, which led Perryman to make comments about the idea of playing his hometown team after they decided to pass him over.

Perryman's appeal came from his ability to stop the run and be a heavy-hitter, similar to former Dolphins legend Zach Thomas, but the Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin has never been shy about stating how he felt about Misi, and recently stated that he felt that his injuries hindered what he could really do.

But was passing over Perryman and sticking with Misi the right move? If you look at it in a vacuum, then it's definitely debatable, but there's a serious factor that can't be ignored when making this decision. That's the addition of defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.

“Suh’s an animal,” Misi recently said. “He’s hands down one of the best in the league. He takes up another guy, so basically it allows us to move around a little bit better.”

The addition of Suh is projected to make the entire defense better, as his impact will force opposing teams to use at least two blockers on him at all times, which will open up the door for players like Cameron Wake and Olivier Vernon to get to the quarterback easier, set the edge more efficiently, and elevate the play of the secondary.

Oh, and it will help Misi and the other linebackers with their play as well.

The Dolphins (and the fans) should feel confident about their linebackers, not just because of the fact that Misi did well when he was healthy, but because Suh, and now Mosley, who teamed up to form the NFL's greatest run defense last season, will be able to elevate the play of everyone else around them.

Suh in the middle means that running backs will have a much more difficult finding a hole to run through, receivers and tight ends will have to work much harder to make catches since their QBs will be under a lot more pressure, and as a result, the Dolphins linebacker corps will have a much lighter workload.

For Misi, that means running the defense will be easier, his ability to cover and stop the run will be elevated, and the true kicker to all this: Misi will hopefully be able to stay healthy thanks to the fact that he won't have to do as much with Suh taking up more space.

But what happens if Misi gets hurt? Not to worry. While clearly not as talented as Misi, veteran linebacker Kelvin Sheppard has experience starting at middle linebacker, and the team has three talented undrafted free agents in Zach Vigil, Jeff Luc and Mike Hull who are battling for a spot on the roster. Vigil in particular has pulled ahead early, and there's no telling what he'll do once training camp starts.

The Dolphins should be more than set at middle linebacker thanks to all the investment that's been put in the defensive line, and the entire linebacker corps as a whole will be better as well. Jenkins has the WLB spot locked down, and second-year linebacker Chris McCain is making a strong showing at SLB so far. With Misi - although Philbin hasn't publicly stated Misi will get the job, per his usual approach - the defense seems set. Bottom line: Yes, the Dolphins are set at middle linebacker.

This story was written by Luis Sung. Follow him on Twitter: @FLSportDebater

The Miami Dolphins concluded their mini-camp on Thursday by participating in a Navy Seal training experience. The Dolphins had practiced two days prior to that on Tuesday and Wednesday. With head coach Joe Philbin and the rest of the staff pleased with the results of the offseason workouts, they canceled practice and instead put this activity together.

From the sound of it though, players may have preferred running through football drills in the high humidity and heat rather than go through what they what they did for several hours before heading home for five weeks. That's because according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, they participated in drills in the Atlantic Ocean such as players having to hold their hands behind their heads and kick heavy logs. Another drill saw them lifting logs. For a total of three hours, they did both physical and mental drills that no doubt brought them closer together as a team.

Wide Receiver coach Phil McGeoghan posted on Twitter following the activities that it was an unreal experience and Seals are the real deal. Defensive Back Walt Aikens said that it was no joke and that it was a great team bonding/building experience. Defensive Tackle A.J. Francis said that it was the hardest thing that he's ever done. Other players such as Jordan Cameron and Rishard Matthews took to Twitter to describe just how grueling it was.

The event was organized by Philbin. A few weeks ago, he received some criticism for allowing the team to play kickball at the end of one of their practices because kicker Caleb Sturgis got injured during it and will be sidelined for several weeks. However, it doesn't sound like anyone suffered any injuries during this activity. In the end though, it was done to promote team bonding and chemistry and it appears the job was done.

This story was written by Matthew Cannata. Follow him on Twitter: @PhinManiacs

Working in the NFL - whether as a player, coach or even staff member - is a year-round job that doesn't have much downtime, except for a few weeks here and a few weeks there. For the Miami Dolphins, this is certainly no different and over the past few years, we have seen head coach Joe Philbin tweak with the schedule in various ways in an effort to get the most out of his players when it comes time for training camp and the regular season. This year in 2015, Philbin changed a few more things and is quite pleased with the results, especially in terms of team chemistry. 

“It just seems like in the NFL there’s always things that pop up. It’s a busy schedule, there’s not a lot of time to … you got to stay after it, continually. Our personnel department did a great job. I thought our coaching staff worked well with them and worked hard in the evaluation process and all those things. So it’s definitely a 12-month-a-year job," he said. “I just think the teamwork was exhibited throughout the organization. I think everybody contributed, everybody played a role, everybody had a voice. So I thought it was good.”

The players will now have roughly five weeks off to do whatever they would like before returning for camp on July 28. While it's their time and their choice to do what they would like, Philbin and the rest of their coaching staff hope they devote the vast majority of it to football and becoming a better player on and off the field.

“Well we got five weeks. There’s a lot of time for them. I mentioned it to them briefly today, there’s a lot of time for us to improve and develop by the time July 28 rolls around. So when you’re a professional football player it’s 24/7/365. And it’s not that you can’t have time for family or a little vacation. But everything they do impacts each and every one of us. Just like everything I do does. So we just remind them of those key things, if there’s a lot of time there’s time for development. Take a look at themselves, study themselves on tape and try to learn and improve.” 

The offseason is a scary time for all NFL front offices as their primary hope is that none of their players get arrested and/or none of their players suffer an injury in a freak accident. The Dolphins are no different and it's their hope that everyone will come in and be ready to go when July 28 rolls around on the calendar.

This story was written by Matthew Cannata. Follow him on Twitter: @PhinManicacs