*** DOLPHINS NEWS ***
Jun 01, 1998: -- Second QB Camp Opens Today --
** Second 1998 Quarterback Camp Start Today
The Dolphins' second quarterback camp of the 1998 season opens
today at their training camp in Davie, Florida. The primary focus of
camp for the next 4 days will be the Dolphins' new offensive system
and players will spend most of their time working to get the new
system down.
According to NFL rules, the team can not have players
participate in any serious hitting prior to the opening of regular
training camp in July, so the players getting the most scrutiny over
the next 4 days will be the skill positions - the wide receivers,
running backs, defensive backs and quarterbacks, in particular.
The camp will last 4 days through Thursday and will include
most of the veterans and rookies. However, 5 of the rookies will not
be attending camp because their colleges are still in session.
According to NFL rules, rookies may not miss any college sessions to
attend any training camps. The Dolphins' rookies that fall into this
category are draftee LB Brad Jackson, and rookie free agents Derrick
Steagall, Derrick Shepard, Ken Celaj and Landon Smith.
Of the veteran attendees, several are injured and will not
participate in some or all of the drills this week. LB Mike Crawford
(hip fracture), OL Brent Smith (abdominal tear) and CB Jerry Wilson
(knee) will probably not participate in any of the drills. TE Troy
Drayton (knee) and DT Shane Burton (rotator cuff) will probably
participate in some of the less physical drills.
LB Larry Izzo (Achilles), WR Yatil Green (knee) and RB
Lawrence Phillips (hamstring) should be able to participate in all of
the drills, although they may not be able to work at full speed.
On a related note, it appears that running back turned wide
receiver Jerris McPhail may have to have surgery on his foot.
According to a report in this morning's Herald, McPhail injured his
foot in a drill a couple of weeks ago and will be examined by the
Dolphins' team doctor today to determine if surgery is necessary.
** June 1st Deadline for Cutting Veterans Arrives
The salary cap friendly date of June 1st for cutting veterans
has come accompanied with assorted rumors about players that the
Dolphins might like to sign if they are cut and can be gotten for a
bargain price.
While JJ has not named any specific players to be looked at,
he has stated that the Dolphins will be looking for whatever talent
may become available in the next few weeks.
Rumors about possible Dolphin acquisitions (assuming that they
are cut by their respective teams) include Dallas defensive end Tony
Tolbert, Steeler linebacker Greg Lloyd, Steeler cornerback Donnel
Woolford and Jacksonville linebacker Eddie Robinson.
And rumors about who the Dolphins might cut are also being
circulated, with the most prominent names being mentioned are
defensive end Trace Armstrong, defensive end Daniel Stubbs and
cornerback Corey Harris.
My Comments:
Hopefully, the second quarterback camp of the new season will
pass quietly and without any "interesting" events. With the purpose
of the camp being to learn the new offense, it seems to me that "no
news is good news" is the philosophy to take this week.
After all, what major events could come out of the camp that
would prove positive? You've got to figure that no major changes in
the depth chart will occur until the pads go on and the only other
real events that might happen would be (*gulp*) injuries.
So let's all hope for a relatively quiet, injury-free week,
shall we?
Of course, the other event taking place today is that today is
the day that veterans can be cut without adversely affecting the 1998
salary cap. The Dolphins, of course, are pretty well set under the
cap, but there are a few names that have been attracting rumors as
there always will be when an important signing (or un-signing) day
arrives.
Personally, I doubt that the Dolphins will cut anyone
initially. With the Dolphins having plenty of money to sign all their
draftees and still have a little cash left over, they don't need to
cut anyone. And while I think that Trace Armstrong is probably facing
the end of his Dolphins' career this year, there are too many
uncertainties at defensive end to risk cutting him at this point.
Unless...
Unless JJ brings in a replacement, such as Tony Tolbert.
Tolbert is scheduled to make about $3.3 million this year for Dallas,
but his knees are in such bad shape that he's only expected to be able
to play about 25 plays per game and Dallas is certainly going to ask
him to at least take a pay cut, if they don't cut him outright.
If he's cut and if he's willing to play for a reduced salary
in Miami, JJ might very well pick him up as a situational player. If
that were to happen, Trace Armstrong might be asked to take a pay cut
or leave.
However, that's a lot of if's.
And frankly, I think that that's the most likely scenario for
the Dolphins to pick up someone. With the big money being available
under the increased cap this year, most teams don't have to cut anyone
for salary cap reasons at this point in the year and so there probably
won't be a huge glut of players on the market at this time tomorrow.
Related Info:
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Curt Fennell,
curt@phins.com, DOLFAN in New Rochelle (almost)
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