Mike McDaniel nails why the next six weeks before training camp are crucial for the Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins wrapped up the final phase of their offseason training activities with the conclusion of their mandatory minicamp on Thursday. With the players heading out on their own over the next six weeks, they will largely be on their own to train and stay in shape before training camp begins in late July. […]
The Miami Dolphins wrapped up the final phase of their offseason training activities with the conclusion of their mandatory minicamp on Thursday.
With the players heading out on their own over the next six weeks, they will largely be on their own to train and stay in shape before training camp begins in late July.
However, as Mike McDaniel noted on Thursday, that's a crucial period for players that can ultimately have a ripple effect on how the preseason plays out.
“You just try to have them understand – since you’re not with them every day, you try to have them understand what the six weeks and their decisions, how it relates to the overall football team. There’s so often that – the work we put in is long and strenuous, and people do need life balance. But in that, there is a huge commonality that I think with the orchestration of what is currently orchestrated that when you get to the preseason, how much – or just you get to the season in general – how much is dependent upon those six weeks and you doing right by the team.
"What’s doing that, what’s doing right by the team? That’s showing up in shape for training camp, because if you show up in shape for training camp, check the box, we can work. All the things that you aspire for that season individually and as a team, those are on the table. If you don’t show up in shape and use training camp to get in shape, well one – that’s the No. 1 variable for soft tissue injuries. You get a soft tissue injury, then now you’re out two weeks and you haven’t even started getting back in shape until three weeks in, and how is your game going to develop. Or if you don’t get injured, trying to get Week 1 ready is very difficult because of the unique hurdles that preseason schedules provide where you have the bye week, there’s like three days off transition before the first game. And then you have different nuances the weekend before all of which make the ability to sustain the shape you’re in plausible – not getting in shape, there’s not enough reps.
"So, illustrating how everything that you are working for on the table, how nothing – you can’t even venture to that journey if those six weeks aren’t appropriately attacked. That’s what I’m really getting at them, because that’s the one thing that everyone is depending on.”
It goes without saying that avoiding injuries is something that has to be a priority this year. Indeed, injuries of all kinds can happen, and most are freak injuries that can't be avoided. The knee injuries to Bradley Chubb and Jalen Ramsey and the Achilles tear by Jaelan Phillips are prime examples of that.
However, McDaniel is correct that reducing the risk of soft tissue injuries and having your body in the best shape to stay healthy and be productive clearly are in the players' control. There didn't seem to be any major issues with that at OTAs and minicamp.
We'll find out if the Dolphins can have any better luck with the injury bug this season when the preseason is in full swing, and players are getting closer to game speed. Hopefully for the Dolphins, year three of the McDaniel era is the first healthy one.
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