Former Miami Dolphins safety Yeremiah Bell, the longest tenured Dolphin before being released this offseason, apparently won’t be out of work for long.

Bell, who led the Dolphins in tackles for four straight years, has worked out for the New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, Kansas City Chiefs and Tennessee Titans, and will sign with one of those teams.

On Thursday morning Bell’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, told WQAM that he’s on his way to finalize a contract with the a club, which he wouldn’t disclose, and vowed that Bell will be signed “within 24 hours.”

“I’m on my way to a mystery team, and I don’t want to give away the negotiations. … It is good for Yeremiah,” Rosenhaus said. “They’re all great situations because they need help at the safety position. He’s certainly looking to continue as a starter, go to a good football team. Each of those scenarios is very promising for him.”

This week Bell, an in-the-box safety who has produced over 100 tackles in each of the past four seasons, worked out for the Titans and Chiefs.

Last year, the 34-year-old Bell had 107 tackles (81 solo) to go with two sacks and an interception.

Bell has started 67 straight games for the Dolphins, and hopes to remain a starter. But it’s likely he’s being signed to add depth to some team’s secondary.

Bell, who was also a team captain for the Dolphins, has contributed 560 tackles, 11 sacks and six interceptions in his eight years with the Dolphins, whom selected him in the sixth-round of the 2003 draft.

The Dolphins released Bell to avoid paying him his lofty $6.2 million salary, creating $4.3 million in cap space.

Miami ruled out re-signing Bell back in April after signing former Minnesota safety Tyrell Johnson.

Defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle hopes to find more versatile safeties as his starters, allowing the two back end spots in his secondary to become interchangeable.

Johnson and incumbents Reshad Jones, Chris Clemons, Tyrone Culver and converted cornerback Jimmy Wilson will compete for the Dolphins’ two vacant safety spots during training camp.

Johnson, Jones, Clemons and Culver all have starting experience.

“I know Yeremiah will really be missed in Miami,” Rosenhaus said. “The Dolphins are really banking on some of the young safeties to step up this year.”

See photos of Yeremiah Bell’s hard-hitting career with the Miami Dolphins by clicking here.

That’s all the news for today.

Former Miami Dolphins safety Yeremiah Bell, the longest tenured Dolphin before being released this offseason, apparently won’t be out of work for long.

Bell, who led the Dolphins in tackles for four straight years, has worked out for the New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, Kansas City Chiefs and Tennessee Titans, and will sign with one of those teams.

On Thursday morning Bell’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, told WQAM that he’s on his way to finalize a contract with the a club, which he wouldn’t disclose, and vowed that Bell will be signed “within 24 hours.”

“I’m on my way to a mystery team, and I don’t want to give away the negotiations. … It is good for Yeremiah,” Rosenhaus said. “They’re all great situations because they need help at the safety position. He’s certainly looking to continue as a starter, go to a good football team. Each of those scenarios is very promising for him.”

This week Bell, an in-the-box safety who has produced over 100 tackles in each of the past four seasons, worked out for the Titans and Chiefs.

Last year, the 34-year-old Bell had 107 tackles (81 solo) to go with two sacks and an interception.

Bell has started 67 straight games for the Dolphins, and hopes to remain a starter. But it’s likely he’s being signed to add depth to some team’s secondary.

Bell, who was also a team captain for the Dolphins, has contributed 560 tackles, 11 sacks and six interceptions in his eight years with the Dolphins, whom selected him in the sixth-round of the 2003 draft.

The Dolphins released Bell to avoid paying him his lofty $6.2 million salary, creating $4.3 million in cap space.

Miami ruled out re-signing Bell back in April after signing former Minnesota safety Tyrell Johnson.

Defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle hopes to find more versatile safeties as his starters, allowing the two back end spots in his secondary to become interchangeable.

Johnson and incumbents Reshad Jones, Chris Clemons, Tyrone Culver and converted cornerback Jimmy Wilson will compete for the Dolphins’ two vacant safety spots during training camp.

Johnson, Jones, Clemons and Culver all have starting experience.

“I know Yeremiah will really be missed in Miami,” Rosenhaus said. “The Dolphins are really banking on some of the young safeties to step up this year.”

See photos of Yeremiah Bell’s hard-hitting career with the Miami Dolphins by clicking here.

Comment Below!.

Feel free to leave your comments below.

There are 118 days until the Miami Dolphins begin the 2012 regular season.

NFL free agency and the draft have come and gone. Organized training activities and minicamps will continue, but for the most part it’s simply a waiting game for training camp to begin.

So as we sit and ponder the possibilities for the Dolphins, we begin a periodic blog series forecasting the 2012 season game-by-game. Here we go with the season opener:

Sept. 9
Opponent: Houston Texans
Where: Reliant Stadium (Houston, Texas)
Time: 1 p.m.

Dolphins: The Dolphins open the 2012 season with a new head coach, a new look and a quarterback battle that consumed most of the offseason. At this point, it would appear Matt Moore would likely earn the first snaps of ‘12 based on his performance at the end of 2011, which included a 6-3 finish. That’s conventional wisdom. But consider the Dolphins have a new offensive coordinator in Mike Sherman, who was picked by first-year head coach Joe Philbin. Of course, they drafted former Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill, whom Sherman worked with as the Aggies’ head coach. Tannehill will be expected to push quickly for the starting job. Whether or not he’s ready to be the starter from the beginning is unclear at this point. And clearly David Garrard, who played in the 2010 Pro Bowl, will also try to reclaim a starting quarterback position in Miami. There are plenty of other stories, but nothing more important than the Dolphins pulling a road victory out of Houston in the opener. The Dolphins had just two road wins in ‘11.

Texans: The Texans are coming off a 10-6 regular-season campaign, which included winning the AFC South and advancing to the divisional round of the playoffs before a 20-13 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. The Texans are looking to replace defensive end Mario Williams, who signed a free-agent contract with the Buffalo Bills, and linebacker DeMeco Ryans – now with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Prediction: Houston 24, Miami 17

A loss could mean: Losing the season opener on the road would obviously be a bad way to begin under a new head coaching staff. It also would prompt prognosticators to begin debating any position battles, and put plenty of pressure on Miami returning to Sun Life Stadium for its home opener the following week.

A win could mean: Winning the season opener would give the Dolphins their first opening-day victory and opening-day road victory since 2010 when Miami won 15-10 at Buffalo. A victory would inject excitement into the Dolphins fan base after defeating the Texans for the first time in the sixth meeting between the two teams.

Now it’s your turn: Feel free to offer your feedback, insight, thoughts and predictions in the space below. I’ll attempt to interact with you as time permits. Thanks for reading and participating.

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Phone | 954.372.5504

That’s all for today.

Running low on time today, i’ll be back tomorrow hopefully with some more news.

The Miami Dolphins are sifting through information gathered during last weekend’s three-day rookie minicamp.

That includes clips of Dolphins’ second-round pick Jonathan Martin, who worked at right tackle for the first time since high school.

Martin, who was Stanford’s starting left tackle where he protected Andrew Luck’s blindside, is expected to compete with veteran tackle Lydon Murtha.

Friday’s rookie minicamp was a chance to see the 6-foot-5, 304-pound Martin begin the adjustment.

Philbin’s assessment of his second-round draft pick sounded promising after one practice. But he also hinted at the linemen needing to step it up in offseason conditioning.

“I like the way (Martin) looked like when he bent his knees, he bent his knees very well at the position,” Philbin said. “I like the way he did that, I thought that his initial footwork was good. We really liked the way in his pass protection he used his hands when he was coming out in the draft. He’s got very good length and he got very good timing on his punch.”

Martin started 37 of 39 games at Stanford at left tackle. Of course, the Dolphins already have one of the NFL’s top left tackles in Jake Long. Martin has been very receptive to switching to the right side while learning from Long.

“You know it’s a little strange,” Martin said of playing right tackle. “You have to train different muscles but I’m getting it. Every set I feel better, so I feel like I’m ready to go.”

Martin was asked what expectations he has of himself moving into the starting lineup?

“I haven’t given it a lot of thought,” Martin said. “It would be awesome if it worked out that way, but it’s a long road to get there. It’s just rookies right now we’re not around the veterans, so it will be a whole different beast once we get to camp.

Bailey to the Big East

The Big East announced Monday that former Miami Dolphins CEO Joe Bailey will assume the position of interim commissioner until a permanent replacement is named.

Bailey replaces John Marinatto, who resigned Monday morning.

“Joe is a proven leader who will do a terrific job guiding the conference through this time of transition,” said Judy Genshaft, President of USF and Chair of the Big East Conference. “His experience as a manager and his knowledge of the sports industry make Joe uniquely qualified to serve as interim Commissioner. He will move the Conference forward with a steady-hand as we explore new opportunities.”

Dolphins fans might best remember Bailey during his time here from 2005 until 2009.

Bailey might best be remembered for his failure to secure a stadium naming deal.

He also has been credited with pushing Cam Cameron as his choice to replace Nick Saban. Cameron interviewed with the Arizona Cardinals and the Atlanta Falcons, but the Dolphins were the only team to offer him a head coaching position. Cameron lasted one season, a dreadful 1-15 campaign before then-newly hire general manager Jeff Ireland replaced him.

What do you guys think about this.

Not much else going on in the NFL world today.

Lamar Miller has highlight clips littered with quick runs during his two seasons at the University of Miami.

The Miami Dolphins, who picked Miller in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL draft, see endless possibilities for the rookie running back.

Such as kick returning. His explosive speed, and ability to squirt through tackles and race away making him an appealing prospect. With the Hurricanes, he had 15 kick returns for 376 yards and a touchdown.

“I think he has a chance,” Dolphins coach Joe Philbin said of kick returns. “I think he has a chance, there is a possibility. We will have to see, give him some opportunities and see how well he does.”

In 23 games, Miller had 335 carries for 1,918 yards and 15 touchdowns as a running back. He made some catches, too. One memorable one was a touchdown catch last season against Virginia Tech. Lined up in the backfield, Miller ran right as Jacory Harris lateraled left to Phillip Dorsett, who threw a deep pass. Miller was wide open, and made a diving catch in the end zone for the 16-yard score.

Philbin, who has employed offensive coordinator Mike Sherman to implement a new West Coast offense, sees possible uses for Miller beyond the backfield. Philbin got an up-close look at Miller last week during a rookie minicamp at the Dolphins’ training complex.

Miller had previously worked out for the Dolphins leading up to the draft.

“Well we liked it when he came over here, you know that we had the Miami Day, and we liked the way he caught the football,” Philbin said. “There’s a couple pictures of him being spread out and I think there’s a chance that down the road, once he gets acclimated, he might be able to spread himself out and play as a receiver, to a certain degree. I’m not saying he’s going to make a full position change, but I think that there is some flexibility with what you can do with the guy. I think he has some skills that we can utilize.”

Twitter | @IzzyGould
Email | igould@sunsentinel.com
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Phone | 954.372.5504

That’s all for today guys, i’ll be back to blog you tomorrow.

How do you make people feel more comfortable in a foreign environment?

Shower them with sunshine. Plant some palm trees. Give them helicopter rides. Oh, and surround them with familiar faces.

I’m not big on conspiracy, but there is a growing laundry list of coincidental reunions for Miami Dolphins first-round draft pick Ryan Tannehill.

First, Tannehill was reunited with Dolphins offensive coordinator Mike Sherman, his former head coach at Texas A&M. Next is was Dolphins assistant quarterbacks coach Zac Taylor.

Then it was Tannehill’s No. 2 wide receiver with the Aggies, Jeff Fuller, who was one of 16 undrafted free agents signed by the Dolphins last week.

The latest connection? Dolphins third-round draft pick Michael Egnew, a tight end from Missouri.

How do they know each other?

“I ran track against him, played him in football,” Egnew said Friday after a rookie minicamp. “We were in the same district so we competed against each other.”

Track?

Yeah, the triple jump.

“I mean, I won,” Egnew said. “I did pretty well in triple jump, but he’s a heck of an athlete. He’s really good.”

To be fair, I came across an article from 2006 that shows Tannehill defeated Egnew in a Class 4A, District 4 meet.

No, there’s no hard feelings regardless of who owned the rivalry. Tannehill and Egnew are rooming together this weekend in a Plantation hotel, and they seem to be getting along – good for a potential red zone combination.

Egnew received other questions, but being that this was the first day Tannehill was in uniform about half of those were about the Dolphins’ first-round draft choice picked eighth overall.

So how’s Tannehill in the locker room?

“Ryan is a heck of a leader,” Egnew said. “He broke up us down in the huddle earlier. I first got here and he immediately started trying to teach me plays and stuff. Before I even came here, he was texting me like pictures of the playbook. Just trying to get me acclimated to their offense, which was quite different than what he had in Missouri.”

Is Egnew excited to play with Tannehill?

“Anytime you get a good quarterback like him throwing to you, you’re like, ‘Wow, this is amazing,’” Egnew said. “Passes are accurate. They’re on point. Good guy, great guy. I can’t give him enough praises, he’s excellent.”

Twitter | @IzzyGould
Email | igould@sunsentinel.com
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Phone | 954.372.5504

Comment Below!.

It feels different now. That dread of knowing that everything the Dolphins tried or were planning was headed toward unmitigated failure has recently faded into the background, hasn’t it? The full-throated assertions that South Florida’s most established professional team was becoming its least relevant team seem kind of silly now, don’t they?

The Dolphins are doing fine again.

Look around and you won’t see any protests, you don’t hear ex-players ripping the organization, and even the phones at the ticket office are ringing again. According to club chief executive officer Mike Dee, sales are now ahead of last year’s pace at this time.

“Last week was our strongest renewal week since February,” Dee said. “New sales are trending ahead of last year in both general seats and club seats.”

How did this happen?

Well, they still haven’t signed Peyton Manning. But they drafted Ryan Tannehill. They haven’t silenced the critics. But they broke their own silence and put out their own message.

They haven’t won a game. But they are winning some of you over.

“The people in this building aren’t deaf or blind; they know what’s out there and what people are saying about us,” a club executive told me over the weekend. “We monitor this stuff, and we’ve seen a change in how people are reacting, how fans are reacting, how people around the league are viewing us.”

Dee agrees with that assessment. He says the change “started when Joe Philbin walked in the building. … On that day, there was a different feeling about the place,” he said.

I’m not so sure that’s it. Hiring a new coach and putting him out into the community to connect and show off his underrated but undeniable sense of humor hasn’t hurt.

But there’s more to the change than Philbin’s hiring. Remember, Philbin was on board when the protesters were picketing outside team headquarters. He was there when Ryan Clark and Warren Sapp said no players want to play for Miami.

Public relations

I say Philbin has helped but the club’s paradigm shift in public relations has accelerated its rise from the muck much more. For years, since the Nick Saban administration, the Dolphins have been living behind an Iron Curtain.

They said only enough to get themselves in trouble and when that trouble was confirmed by years of losing records, an organization that Don Shula built on integrity and bold statements rusted into one trying to hide bad news.

Owner Stephen Ross is changing that. Despite past mistakes over the years, Ross has gotten it right in deciding it’s not wise to live in a medieval dungeon.

“We’re going to be engaging with you,” he has told the media and fans. “I think you’re going to see a different organization.”

Everyone knows Ross called at least two fans who protested outside the facility and were demanding general manager Jeff Ireland be fired. What people haven’t been told is that after the call from Ross, the leader of that protest changed his mind.

“I do feel positive about the Fins since the call,” Jason Lawrence told me in an email. “It could be a false encouragement but it’s a hope.”

And at that center of that newfound hope is Tannehill. Dolphins fans who would have been upset if the club had drafted a future Hall of Fame offensive lineman in the first round are feeling optimistic because the team drafted Tannehill, an unknown quality at quarterback.

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The Miami Dolphins continue their three-day rookie minicamp today.

Unfortunately, it’s closed to reporters and the public. Fortunately, they let us in Friday to watch one practice.

The most compelling story on Day 1 was that of Ryan Tannehill and his first day in a Dolphins uniform.

There were plenty of other good nuggets.

Dolphins rookie tackle Jonathan Martin

One key position battle that will continue through fall camp is at right tackle between Lydon Murtha and rookie tackle Jonathan Martin. We told you that story entering Friday’s camp.

The first day of rookie minicamp was a chance to see Martin in the flesh. At 6-foot-5, 304 pounds, that’s a lot of flesh.

Philbin’s assessment of his second-round draft pick sounded promising. But he also hinted at the linemen needing to step it up in offseason conditioning.

Just for background, Friday’s practice conditions were sunny and the temperature was in the high 80’s. It was beautiful in the shade with virtually no noticeable humidity.

“I like the way (Martin) looked like when he bent his knees, he bent his knees very well at the position,” Philbin said. “I like the way he did that, I thought that his initial footwork was good. We really liked the way in his pass protection he used his hands when he was coming out in the draft. He’s got very good length and he got very good timing on his punch.

“I think again, Jimmy (Turner) worked those offensive linemen pretty hard. I think some of them were a little bit gassed. So what happens then is your technique goes a little bit and gets a little bit shaky. But I was encouraged with what I saw from him.”

Martin said he was in pretty good shape, but felt a little gassed as he continued to adjust to the Dolphins’ offense and the other side of the offensive line at right tackle. Martin started 37 of 39 games at Stanford at left tackle where he blocked for Indianapolis Colts rookie quarterback Andrew Luck.

Of course, the Dolphins already have one of the NFL’s top left tackles in Jake Long. Martin has been very receptive to switching sides, and learning from Long.

“You know it’s a little strange,” Martin said of playing right tackle for the first time since high school. “You have to train different muscles but I’m getting it. Every set I feel better, so I feel like I’m ready to go.”

Like Tannehill, Martin was asked what expectations he has of himself moving into the starting lineup?

And like Tannehill, Martin attempted to deflate expectations.

“I haven’t given it a lot of thought,” Martin said. “It would be awesome if it worked out that way, but it’s a long road to get there. It’s just rookies right now we’re not around the veterans, so it will be a whole different beast once we get to camp.”

Twitter | @IzzyGould
Email | igould@sunsentinel.com
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Phone | 954.372.5504

Not much else going on in the NFL world today.

The first day of a three-day Miami Dolphins rookie minicamp is over.

There was noticeably more interest in this minicamp compared with the voluntary veteran minicamp that was held last week.

Of course, the media flooded the Dolphins’ training complex to get their first glimpse at Ryan Tannehill & Co.

Some quick thoughts:

1) Tannehill was calm, cool confident and in control. After throwing an interception on his first pass of 11-on-11, he rebounded with some confident throws. The interception hit the hands of former Michigan State wide receiver B.J. Cunningham as he streaked across the middle. The ball was snatched out of the air by cornerback Vincent Agnew, who had another noticeable pass breakup later in the day.

2) Tannehill can throw the deep ball. Perhaps a sign of things to come in the passing game, Tannehill launched a beautiful deep ball to former Nevada wide receiver Rishard Matthews, who shook his defender on a hook-and-go route. The timing was seamless, and the play captured the approval of the assembled media, and coach Joe Philbin. Tannehill later found former UCF wide receiver A.J. Guyton on a deep pass to the left side as well.

3) Dolphins second-round draft pick Jonathan Martin looks very much the part of a player contending for a starting job at offensive right tackle. Philbin talked about how he liked the way Martin bends his knees. Martin, who is wearing No. 71, is listed at 6-foot-5, 304 pounds.

4) The University of Miami contingent of Olivier Vernon, Lamar Miller and Jacory Harris was very much in demand after practice for on-field interviews.

5) We told you the story of Nick Mandich, son of the late Jim “Mad Dog” Mandich, who received an invitation to tryout during this weekend’s rookie minicamp. Mandich, who wore his father’s No. 88 as he did during a recent Dolphins’ pro day workout, caught a pass from Pat Devlin during an 11-on-11 drill.

Extra credit: The Dolphins announced prior to practice they signed 16 undrafted free agents. You can read about them here.

Leave your comments on the news below.

The first day of a three-day Miami Dolphins rookie minicamp is over.

There was noticeably more interest in this minicamp compared with the voluntary veteran minicamp that was held last week.

Ryan Tannehill talks to the press. (Photo | Izzy Gould)

Of course, the media flooded the Dolphins’ training complex to get their first glimpse at Ryan Tannehill & Co.

Some quick thoughts:

1) Tannehill was calm, cool confident and in control. After throwing an interception on his first pass of 11-on-11, he rebounded with some confident throws. The interception hit the hands of former Michigan State wide receiver B.J. Cunningham as he streaked across the middle. The ball was snatched out of the air by cornerback Vincent Agnew, who had another noticeable pass breakup later in the day.

2) Tannehill can throw the deep ball. Perhaps a sign of things to come in the passing game, Tannehill launched a beautiful deep ball to former Nevada wide receiver Rishard Matthews, who shook his defender on a hook-and-go route. The timing was seamless, and the play captured the approval of the assembled media, and coach Joe Philbin. Tannehill later found former UCF wide receiver A.J. Guyton on a deep pass to the left side as well.

3) Dolphins second-round draft pick Jonathan Martin, who protected quarterback Andrew Luck at Stanford, looks very much the part of a player contending for a starting job at offensive right tackle. Philbin talked about how he liked the way Martin bends his knees. Martin, who is wearing No. 71, is listed at 6-foot-5, 304 pounds.

4) The University of Miami contingent of Olivier Vernon, Lamar Miller and Jacory Harris was very much in demand after practice for on-field interviews.

5) We told you the story of Nick Mandich, son of the late Jim “Mad Dog” Mandich, who received an invitation to tryout during this weekend’s rookie minicamp. Mandich, who wore his father’s No. 88 as he did during a recent Dolphins’ pro day workout, caught a pass from Pat Devlin during an 11-on-11 drill.

Extra credit: The Dolphins announced prior to practice they signed 16 undrafted free agents. You can read about them here.

Twitter | @IzzyGould
Email | igould@sunsentinel.com
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Phone | 954.372.5504

There is the quick update of the day.

The role of protecting a two-time Heisman Trophy finalist weighed on him through every snap.

Stanford entrusted Jonathan Martin not only to block for quarterback Andrew Luck, but placed him at left tackle to defend Luck’s back.

Martin’s blend of intelligence, athleticism and loyalty were important ingredients in shaping the man who would protect the man that became the NFL’s No. 1 overall draft pick last month by the Indianapolis Colts.

Martin was picked in the second round by the Miami Dolphins, and now is employed to help safeguard the franchise’s most significant investment in years — rookie quarterback Ryan Tannehill.

First, Martin must win the job. He will compete at right tackle against Lydon Murtha, who enters his fourth season and participated in last week’s voluntary veteran minicamp after missing the 2011 season with a foot injury.

Martin’s first step begins today at a Dolphins’ three-day rookie minicamp. First-year coach Joe Philbin has tempered overall expectations.

“Hopefully, if the play’s going to the right, [we'll] get everyone to step to the right and not run into one another,” Philbin quipped. “That’s honestly one of the primary goals. It’s going to be more of an orientation. It’s not going to be, let’s do a hundred up-downs and see whom we can run out of here.”

Martin (6 feet 5, 312 pounds) starts his first day in a Dolphins’ uniform already familiar for the thick playbooks that accompany a pro-style offense, which he hopes helps his transition to the NFL. He started three years at Stanford, including 37 of 39 games at left tackle.

Martin’s biggest challenge will be shifting to the right side. He hasn’t played right tackle since his days at Harvard-Westlake (Calif.) School.

“There’s not a lot of things not to like about the kid,” Dolphins General Manager Jeff Ireland said. “The only thing is that he is a little bit of a projection from left tackle to right tackle. He has played an unbalanced line on the right-hand side.”

Martin said he looks forward to playing opposite starting left tackle Jake Long, whom he called a future Hall of Famer. And switching to the right side is not a concern.

“I’m excited to play,” Martin said. “I’ll play left. I’ll play right, wherever the team needs me.”

Murtha sounds equally hungry, having recovered from surgery to repair a torn tendon and three torn ligaments connected to a toe in his left foot.

After last week’s minicamp, Murtha (6-7, 315 pounds) made it clear what he wants to accomplish.

“My goal is to be the starting right tackle for the Miami Dolphins, but I’m a full believer in every position on the front line is earned and isn’t given to me,” Murtha said last week. “I still have a lot of work to do.”

Murtha started three consecutive games at the end of 2010 at right tackle, replacing then-injured Vernon Carey. He appeared on track to win the starting job before his injury, a role filled by former Dolphin Marc Colombo.

“I believe I had a good shot, but it didn’t happen,” Murtha said. “Coulda shoulda.”

Murtha said he felt lonely being detached from the team during his recovery. He missed sitting in meetings, and the general camaraderie tied into being part of a team. He watched games with friends and family and spent a lot of time in the training room working on his rehabilitation. It wasn’t the same as being in the locker room.

Murtha said he’s healthy and just needs to get his “football legs” back. After one minicamp last week, Murtha said he was encouraged with knowledge absorbed in limited time with the new West Coast offense.

In some ways, a new playbook should help level the competition between Martin and Murtha.

“The coaches have done an amazing job of simplifying it for us and made football fun again,” Murtha said. “That’s a huge deal for us. I’m gonna go out there, give it all I’ve got and at the end of the preseason, hopefully I’m the starting right tackle.”

What are your opinions.

It is Sept. 13, 1986, and Tim Tannehill, a wide receiver from a tiny town in west Texas, wakes up at the Fontainebleau Hotel on Miami Beach and marvels at the turquoise ocean and fine, white sand. He has never seen anything quite so beautiful.

A few hours later, he and his Texas Tech University teammates are riding a bus through Little Havana, heading to the Orange Bowl to play the No. 2-ranked University of Miami, a team loaded with future NFL stars Vinny Testaverde, Michael Irvin and Bennie Blades.

The Hurricanes trounce the Red Raiders 61-11 that day, the most points ever allowed by Texas Tech. Tannehill catches three passes for 22 yards and never returns to Miami.

Twenty-six years later, Tannehill’s oldest of three sons, Ryan, arrives in South Florida facing an even more intimidating challenge: He is expected to be the savior of the Miami Dolphins, a team that has made the playoffs just once in the past decade.

Tannehill, a quarterback from Texas A&M, was the No. 8 pick in last week’s NFL Draft. He is the first quarterback selected by the Dolphins in the first round since Dan Marino in 1983 and Dolfans have high hopes heading into rookie camp, which opens Friday. Tannehill certainly is athletic enough, having been a high-school triple jumper, hurdler, center fielder, golfer, and basketball star in addition to quarterback.

“I took Ryan for a ride in my pickup his senior year, and said, ‘You’re special. You may wind up playing Sundays some day, and I want to be your agent,’ ’’ said his high-school coach Tim Holt. “I have never said that to anyone else. There is no reason he can’t be as good as any great NFL quarterback out there. He has the Clark Kent effect: looks like an unassuming tall, stiff white guy until he starts moving and running. He is incredibly quick and explosive.

“Dolphin fans, there is light at the end of the tunnel. This is a T-Rex you got. Just give him time.’’

He has the smarts, too. Tannehill graduated a semester early from high school with a 4.0 average and was ranked No. 3 in a class of 220. He graduated college last May with a biology degree and a 3.6 grade point average. If football doesn’t work out, he’ll happily go to medical school and become an orthopedic surgeon.

He and his new wife, Lauren — a blond, aspiring model who gained many-a-Twitter-follower on draft night — have become instant local celebrities.

Their lives have been a whirlwind for the past week and a half, beginning with three days in New York City leading up the draft. The newlyweds visited designers Van Heusen and Elevee for Ryan to be fitted for custom suits, ate dinner with former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman at trendy Philippe Chow, then jetted to Miami last Friday, where Tannehill met Dolphin coaches, received the playbook and was introduced to the media.

“The whole thing has been dreamy,’’ said Lauren Tannehill, resting in a Sun Life Stadium suite last weekend while her husband signed autographs at the team’s FanFest. “I get more giddy than him, but he is having just as much fun. We feel so blessed. We keep looking at each other and asking, ‘Is this real? Is anyone in the world as happy as we are right now?’ ’’

Asked if he realizes how much Dolphin fans have longed for a franchise quarterback, and how much pressure rests on his young shoulders, Tannehill said: “I try to stay out of the media circus, so I don’t. I’m just excited to get down here and start working, and get to know the guys.’’

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