Miami Dolphins

Why Dolphins rookies won't step foot on the field during minicamp

Published May. 2, 2016 10:55 a.m. ET

Cameron DaSilva

The 2016 NFL Draft is officially in the books as more than 250 rookies have now found a home with their new teams in the league. They won't have much time to relax, however, as rookie minicamps get underway later this week. For the Miami Dolphins, though, first-year players shouldn't expect to see the field any time soon.

In his first year as an NFL head coach, Adam Gase is implementing a new approach to rookie minicamp: no practices. According to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald, rookies won't be on the field when camp opens on Friday and will instead be in the classroom learning about what it takes to be a professional football player.

The lessons will not only pertain to the game -- schemes, assignments, on-field reads -- but they'll also involve guidance off the field with their finances, health and media obligations.

It might seem like this is a direct result of the Dolphins drafting Laremy Tunsil after his leaked video and text messages, but that's not the case. This alternative style of minicamp is something Gase has been planning for months. It will certainly help players like Tunsil, however. That's not up for debate.

It will be interesting to see how this turns out for the Dolphins with the team clearly putting a big focus in off-field issues before the on-field ones.