*** DOLPHINS NEWS ***
Apr 25, 1997: -- Mini-Camp Starts --
** First Mini-Camp Starts
The Dolphins started their first mini-camp of the 1997 season
today at their training facility in Davie Florida. Mini-camp will be
closed to the public this year because of construction at the
facility.
Joining the Dolphins for the 3 day camp will be all the new
draftees and rookie free agents that the Dolphins have acquired in the
last week. Also, new quarterback Damon Huard is expected to be
present to show what he can do.
Following the mini-camp this weekend, the Dolphins will hold a
week long "quarterback school". This is not exactly a school for
quarterbacks Dan Marino and Craig Erickson, but is really an extension
of mini-camp to allow the new players to get used to catching passes
from Dan Marino.
** Dolphins agree to terms with QB Damon Huard
The Dolphins announced on Wednesday that they have agreed to
contract terms with quarterback Damon Huard. Huard was the all-time
passing leader with the University of Washington Huskies and, at 6'3"
and 220 pounds, is a big, strong player.
He graduated in 1996 and in last years draft, went undrafted
and signed with the Cincinnati Bengals as a free agent. However, he
didn't make it through training camp with Cinci and spent the 1996
season out of football.
** Dolphins Sign Tim Jacobs
Right after the draft ended, the Dolphins re-signed free agent
cornerback Tim Jacobs to a one year deal for a league minimum salary
of $275,000. Last season, Jacobs was primarily a special teams
player, and recorded 15 tackles, 2 forced fumbles and 1 pass defensed.
** Dolphins Offer Emtman A Contract
According to a report in the Miami Herald this morning, the
Dolphins have offered former Dolphin Steve Emtman a contract for a
minimum salary plus numerous incentives for playing time and
performance. Emtman was cut right before the free agent period began
to be allowed to pursue other potential offers, but he has said that
he expects to be re-signed by Miami in the near future.
My Comments:
Well, the real work begins today as JJ begins to put the new
kids through their paces in South Florida. JJ has said that he plans
to have 3 players competing for each 2 starting positions. This is
particularly true of wide receiver, where draftee Yatil Green, OJ
McDuffie and Fred Barnett will compete for 2 starting spots.
Some other interesting battles will be the contest for the
starting right cornerback spot, with the overweight Calvin Jackson
competing with Sam Madison and Clayton Holmes for a starting position
and the competition between George Teague, Corey Harris and Shawn
Wooden for the two starting safety spots.
The signing of Huard may be a real effort to find a third
quarterback or it may just be an attempt to put a third passer on the
field during mini-camp, since the Dolphins' other quarterback Spence
Fischer is currently unavailable because he's playing in the WLAF
right now.
Signing Jacobs is a no-brainer, because according to Mike
Westhoff, he's a special teams standout and a 1 year deal for a
minimum salary doesn't cost the team much of anything except a little
time.
As for Steve Emtman, I don't really have much preference,
either for or against. He'll never be the force that he was supposed
to be coming out of college, but he's a good, steady player and if he
signs a minimum salary contract, it doesn't do the team any harm.
For those interested in Mike Crawford, who is the linebacker
out of Nevada that JJ compared to Zach Thomas on draft day, check out
today's Miami Herald article on him. It's pretty neat.
I will be posting as much information on the mini-camp and the
quarterback school next week as I can, but I'm obviously somewhat
limited up here in New England, so I'd be grateful for any information
that any of you folks out there here, especially any reports on who is
looking good and who's not.
Related Info:
[Return to Dolphins News]
Curt Fennell,
curt@phins.com, DOLFAN in New England
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