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Dolphins News: Second QB Camp Opens Today
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Dolphins News: Second QB Camp Opens Today
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*** 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.

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Curt Fennell, curt@phins.com, DOLFAN in New Rochelle (almost)
     
   

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DOLFAN in New England