clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Miami Dolphins Training Camp 2018: What Makes This Camp Different From The Others?

In addition to Joe Schad of the Palm Beach Post, we brought our buddy Antwan Staley from USA Today’s Dolphins Wire on Phinsider Radio. I asked him to cut through the BS for us.

By SUTTON
NFL: Miami Dolphins-Training Camp Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

LISTEN TO OUR INTERVIEW WITH JOE SCHAD AND ANTWAN STALEY RIGHT HERE

NFL fans around the world hear the same kind of storylines during training camp:

  • Player A feels better than they have in a long time.
  • Player B is in the best shape of their life.
  • Player C wants to come in and compete and will do whatever the coaches ask them.
  • Rookie D has serious potential.
  • The defense is ahead of the offense.

The point? We hear the same s*** every year. This is the time for optimism, and I’m all on board with that: new beginnings are effervescent times. Hope springs eternal and a couple other boring clichés. Blah blah blah.

So when I had the opportunity to ask someone who’s been covering the Miami Dolphins for a minute, I asked Antwan Staley of the Dolphins Wire (USA Today) the only question that really mattered to me in the moment: “Cut through the BS for us Antwan, is there anything in this training camp that you feel you can really sink your teeth into?”

Antwan: “I feel like the way players are rallying around Ryan (Tannehill).”

You remember me saying how I’m down with the optimism? I loved that Twan’s most salient story was the response to Ryan Tannehill’s return. It’s obvious in some ways, though - what kind of monster are you if you just avoid your teammate and act all stoic when the starting QB misses an entire year and he returns to the field?

But I asked him for something that separates this camp from others, and knowing Twan like I do, there’s something to the way players are responding to Ryan Tannehill.

Instead of lecturing you on how you should feel, or what I think you should know, let me just ask you 3 questions and I’d love for you to answer these 3 questions down below in the Comments Section:

  1. Does the “emotional resurgence” actually mean anything or is it window dressing?
  2. We lost several players to season-ending injury early last year. What do you think it’s like for the players to have key contributors return healthy with the regular season on the horizon, both returning and new Dolphins players?
  3. How long, if any, does the “high”/motivation of welcoming back key contributors last season help performance going forward?

Next Up In Miami Dolphins News