Dolphins starting 2018 offseason training program

The Miami Dolphins report back to work on Monday, officially kicking off their offseason training program. The program is a voluntary workout session, spread over nine weeks, but most of the players are expected to attend. The program runs through phases from Monday through the middle of June.

The phases build upon each other, starting with conditioning and strength work and film reviews through to actual on-field training. The program also includes the “Organized Team Activities,” or OTAs, and the only mandatory offseason event, a three-day minicamp.

Phase one, which begins today, features conditioning and strength workouts, with no positional work allowed. Players who need rehab work can receive treatment. This phase lasts for two weeks.

Week three of the offseason program begins the second phase of the period. This three-week section allows for on-field workouts, with individual player instruction and drills. Teams can also hold “separates” practices - basically, no live contact and no team offense versus defense drills.

Week six through nine of the offseason program will feature 7-on-7, 9-on-7, and 11-on-11 team practices, but without live contact. This period will include the ten days of OTAs as well as the veteran minicamp. The Dolphins will hold their first OTA from May 22-24, their second from May 29-31, and their final one from June 11-14. The mandatory minicamp will be June 5-7.

Miami will also hold a rookie minicamp, either on May 4-6 or May 11-13, though that event has not been finalized yet.