Five Things To Watch During Miami Dolphins Training Camp

We’re still more than a month away from Dolphins training camp starting up—the team hasn’t announced dates for training camp yet—but it’s never too early to start looking forward to minicamp now that the NBA and NHL Championship trophies have been awarded.

Here are five things to look for when Miami opens its preseason with training camp.

Greg Camarillo

Greg Camarillo caught the only pass that really mattered for the Dolphins in 2007 when he scored a 64-yard overtime touchdown against the Ravens for Miami’s only win.

In 2008, he was the team’s leading receiver until his anterior cruciate ligament was torn in Week 12. Still, despite playing in just 11 games, he finished second on the team with 613 receiving yards.

The Dolphins could have used more of him last season, and wide receiver might again be one of their weakest positions. That’s why it’s going to be important to see how Camarillo has recovered.

On the first day of minicamp last week, Camarillo was playing with the first-team offense and is on pace to be fully healed up for the regular season.

With Ted Ginn Jr. coming into his own last season and Davone Bess looking for a breakout year, a healthy Camarillo could solidify the position for Miami.

If Camarillo is still limping around and not at 100 percent, the Fish are going to need some more help for Chad Pennington at the receiver spot. The Palm Beach Post has described Camarillo’s recovery as being well ahead of schedule, and he looks to be ready to go at training camp.

Jason Taylor

Yes, he’s back in aqua and orange.

After a one-year hiatus from the team, the Pro Bowl defensive end returns to Miami.

But is he the same player he was in 2007 when he lead the team with 11 sacks, or is he the man who floundered with the Redskins? Will he return to form because he is returning to South Florida? Will he justify the $1.1 million the Dolphins are spending on him this season?

His presence alone will be good for the team, as he adds some more pressure to opposing offensive linemen and quarterbacks.

His presence will also be felt off the field, as an excited fan base is thrilled to have a former favorite son back.

Taylor was revered during the 11 seasons he spent in Miami, so fans will definitely be cheering when his name is called on Sept. 21 against the Colts in what could be a great Monday night game.

But will they be calling his name in the starting lineup, or just in the team roster? Reports had him possibly not starting back in May, but if he’s not on the starting defense, Tony Sparano is crazy.

But we’ll find out at training camp if he’s in good enough physical shape to duplicate his solid 2006 and 2007 seasons. If he’s anything like the disappointment he was to fans in the Beltway last season, he might show signs in training game.

The Backup Quarterback Battle

Chad Pennington won’t be around forever. He knows it, and Dolphins fans know it.

So Pennington’s absence from Saturday’s minicamp for a wedding gave the backups a chance to show the coaching staff what they’ve got.

Chad Henne, the heir apparent to the Dolphins’ starting role, is now two years removed from his time at Michigan and seems more likely to step into the role.

Pat White, freshly drafted out of West Virginia, has been struggling with accuracy but is the better running option at quarterback.

Neither one has amazed coaches in minicamps, but training camp is where the real depth chart forms. Even if White lands as the third-string quarterback, he still might get some snaps out of Miami’s now famous Wildcat formation.

Neither of them has a great chance to take over for Pennington this season, but if a Week One injury forces Pennington out like what Tom Brady went through last season, it will be important to know Miami’s pecking order.

White was taken with the 1,455th pick in the MLB Draft by the Yankees this past week, but his real future lies in football. Expect him to get plenty of snaps in training camp to show coaches what they got when they took him in the second round.

Figuring Out the Secondary

For a winning season, the Dolphins’ focus on the secondary must be primary.

Will Allen, Yeremiah Bell, and Eric Green isn’t exactly a Pro Bowl list of defensive backs and safeties. But if this team plans on succeeding, the secondary cannot give up huge passing plays like it did in 2008.

The Dolphins recently signed Gibril Wilson to a five-year, $27.5-million deal that shows how much this front office is emphasizing the secondary in 2009. Wilson, a safety, has been forming a solid tandem with Bell, and the two have earned the praise of Sparano.

“There's excellent communication with him and Yeremiah getting people lined up,” Sparano told The Palm Beach Post. “He's not surprised by anything thrown at him."

That’s good news for Dolfans, as is the presence of first-rounder Vontae Davis. A newcomer from Illinois, Davis is going to be battling all of spring training for a starting spot at cornerback. That position battle will be fun for fans to follow and important for the team’s success in 2009.

Channing Crowder's Mouth

His much talked-about war of words with Jets coach Rex Ryan was overblown a little bit, but you have to love Crowder for adding some fun to press conferences and interviews.

Crowder is famous for his London-related jokes from back in 2007 when Miami traveled to England for a regular-season game against the Giants, and his verbal back-and-forth with Ryan a few weeks back added another line to his comedy resume.

Reporters will be lining up in front of his locker during training camp for that little sound byte that adds a clinching sentence to all their stories.

Don’t expect Crowder to disappoint.

Oh, and he’s a pretty good linebacker, too.