The Miami Dolphins are one of 24 NFL teams that began their mandatory minicamp on Tuesday.
All-Pro corner Jalen Ramsey was absent as the team continues to shop the cornerback. This comes after general manager Chris Grier [**said in April**](https://www.wptv.com/sports/football/dolphins/dolphins-pursuing-trade-options-for-all-pro-cornerback-jalen-ramsey) that both sides agreed it would be best to potentially part ways.
"(Ramsey) is not here. We are focused on building the Dolphins today, and anything outside of that, any sort of distractions, I'm not focused on," head coach Mike McDaniel said.
Ramsey's absence is excused, according to McDaniel.
With the likely departure of Ramsey, that brings a new opportunity for third-year cornerback Cam Smith.
After battling injuries last season, what's it going to take for Smith to see more time on the field?
"We're at a good spot where we're developing this year for him to perform and for his teammates can count on him," McDaniel said. "But it's not only his job to get to his point, but to follow through without any sort of step backs," McDaniel said.
When asked about his previous two seasons in the NFL, the 2023 second-round draft pick said he wouldn't change a thing.
"Really nothing, I feel like I came in, did what I was supposed to do in my rookie year. Things didn't go my way," Smith said. "Last year I got hit with injuries. ... It's just staying on the field at this point," Smith said.
Naturally, everyone's wondering how starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is doing after missing six games last season. The last time Tagovailoa spoke to the media was in January.
"It's been a while, nothing much (new) fellas," Tagovailoa said. "Just been out of OTAs, we got minicamp now and that's what we're doing, just working," Tagovailoa said.
During practice, Tagovailoa looked sharp, confidently leading the offense down the field. As he enters his sixth NFL season, Tagovailoa said he's gone through a shift in mindset when it comes to giving up on plays to protect himself.
"I would say the longevity for me to be on the field with my guys is more important than whatever that one play is," he said.
Also absent from Tuesday's practice was Pro Bowl tight end Jonnu Smith, who is seeking a new contract after setting a team tight end record with 884 receiving yards on 88 catches with eight touchdowns.
Offseason minicamp usually wraps up after three days, but in recent years, McDaniel has canceled the final day if he's satisfied with the team's performance over the first two.