MIAMI GARDENS (CBS12 NEWS) —
Dolphins Mandatory Minicamp kicked off on Tuesday in Miami Gardens. But two of the Dolphins most talented players on both sides of the ball, tight end Jonnu Smith and corner back Jalen Ramsey, were missing. Smith is holding out of camp in hopes of structuring a new contract, while the Dolphins are actively seeking a trade for Ramsey, who has an ‘excused absence’ according to head coach Mike McDaniel.
There seems to be a sense of urgency right now for the Dolphins coming off of an injury riddled 8-9 season where they missed the playoffs. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa the mindset he needs to have to avoid injury after missing a large chunk of last season after suffering a concussion early on.
“Doing everything I can to stay available for the guys,” explains Tagovailoa. “Like I’ve said before in the past, nothing changes with that. It’s knowing when is the time to give up on a play. I would say the longevity for me to be on the field with my guys is more important than whatever that one play is. You have more quarters than there would be within just that one play I’m trying to show the guys I’m competitive and whatnot. I know they know that, but it’s a nature thing. It just comes natural to me to compete in that sense, and that’s just the thing I fight with every time.”
Dolphins fullback Alec Ingold also spoke on the intensity level being established by Tagovailoa, and the rest of the team leaders. The veteran feels the team is working on setting a new tone in comparison to the energy that contributed to the Dolphins missing out on the playoffs last year.
“I think every time you talk to Tua (Tagovailoa) you get a sense of that,” says Ingold. “What’s understood doesn’t need to be talked about. We all understand it.”
“I think we have the right guys within the room,” says Tagovailoa. “Within the locker room, within the offense, and I know those guys on the defense feel like they have their guys as well. For me, I think what’s most important is I’ve been here for five years going on six. Are you not tired of what we’ve done these past five years? If you are, then why aren’t we doing anything about it? What do we have to change? What do we have to do to correct the navigation of where we want to go? I would say that’s what it is. You create that standard in the locker room, the guys follow and you’ve got to uphold it. So you come into work knowing that they are looking to you to uphold that standard and if you don’t, you’ve got to have brought enough guys to hold you to that standard as well.”
Mandatory Minicamp is scheduled through Thursday in Miami Gardens.