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The Miami Dolphins will hold their one mandatory minicamp starting tomorrow. The three day camp will be open to the media, but closed to the public, with one on-field practice being held each day.
Article 22 of the NFL/NFLPA Collective Bargaining Agreement describes the minicamp, with what is permitted and what is not. Here's a look at the exact wording covering the mandatory camp:
Section 2. Mandatory Veteran Minicamp: No mandatory veteran minicamp may exceed three days in length, plus one day for physical examinations. The minicamp must be conducted during the week (Monday through Friday), with physicals taking place on Monday but no practice or workouts on that day, practices on Tuesday through Thursday and a day off on Friday. The minicamp must be conducted during week three or week four of Phase Three of the Club's offseason workout program. The Phase Three rules set forth in Article 21, Section 2(b) (iii) of this Agreement shall apply to all minicamp activities. Two-a-day practices shall be permitted at two of the three practice days of the Club's one mandatory minicamp, subject to the following rules: (i) players may be on the field for a total of no more than three and one-half hours per day; (ii) players may participate in one practice for no more than two and one-half hours of on-field activities under Phase Three rules; (iii) the second practice may only be for the remaining portion of the players' daily three and one-half hour on-field activities and shall be limited to walk-through instruction only; (iv) no organized team activities (including treatment and taping) may begin prior to 7:00am local time or end after 8:30pm local time, and players shall be given at least one hour for lunch and dinner each; (v) players may only be asked to participate in Club activities for a maximum of ten hours per day including taping and treatment but excluding meal time. The on-field time limits described above shall begin as soon as position coaches begin to coach players on the field.
There are also restrictions with the kind of practices that can be run during the minicamp:
Section 5. Contact: There will be no contact work (e.g., "live" blocking, tackling, pass rushing, bump-and-run) or use of pads (helmets permitted) at minicamps.
One interesting rule in the CBA mandates the team record the entire practice, for review if an allegation of excessive contact or extending practice too long:
Section 8. Films: Clubs shall film all on-field activities from any minicamp, and shall maintain a copy of such films until thirty days after the start of the regular season. The NFLPA may view such films (after signing a confidentiality agreement satisfactory to the NFL at the start of each League Year)' only upon the filing of a complaint alleging a violation of this Article.
The minicamp is a mandatory event, the first one of the year for the Dolphins. During the team's offseason workouts and Organized Team Activities, nearly every player participated, except Pro Bowl defensive tackle Randy Starks. Starks skipped the workouts as a sign of his displeasure at receiving the franchise tag, rather than a long term contract, this offseason. He is expected to attend the minicamp.
The first practice will begin tomorrow morning at 10:45am. We will keep you updated here on the Phinsider.