Monday, an official national holiday for most of the United States, was the last official work day for the 2011 Dolphins players.

Interim coach Todd Bowles spoke to the team before players packed up their lockers and headed for a few weeks of rest.

Quarterback Chad Henne said Bowles told the team, “Take care of yourself. The most important thing that you can do is take care of yourself in the offseason and make sure you’re ready as a person to come back and be ready to play.”

Henne said he would finish rehabilitating his season-ending shoulder injury in South Florida, then he might train in Southern California, home of his agent, Justin Schulman.

“This is my first year I’ve ever been knocked out the whole season,” Henne said. “But I just feel I’ll bounce back, I’ll grow stronger from this, I’ll evaluate myself again and hopefully end up somewhere, play again and be out there starting again.”

As to whether any talks had started between his agent and the Dolphins, Henne said, “I’m sure there will be. I hope so and, if not, then I’ll move on. But I love this team, I love being down here and, hopefully, I get another opportunity. But if not, I’ll try my luck elsewhere.”

Talks could begin in the next two weeks between the Dolphins and representatives for defensive lineman Kendall Langford, another player whose contract is up. Although Langford didn’t record a sack this season, his play, especially against the run, is well respected by teammates.

• Running back Reggie Bush said the knee injury that kept him out of the regular-season finale on Sunday against the New York Jets won’t require surgery.

• Wide receiver Davone Bess walked gingerly on leaning crutches, his left knee heavily stabilized. An NFL source said Bess sustained a sprained medial collateral ligament when Jets linebacker Bart Scott upended him with a hit to the left knee as Bess caught a pass off a short crossing route.

“It comes with the territory, playing the game,” Bess said. “It happens.”

2012 schedule

The NFL officially announced the Dolphins’ 2012 home games.

The 16-game schedule includes the usual AFC East opponents (Buffalo, New England, New York Jets); Jacksonville; Tennessee; Oakland; St. Louis; and Seattle.

Road games will be the AFC East teams; Houston; Indianapolis; Cincinnati; Arizona; and San Francisco.

The Dolphins will pick either eighth or ninth in April’s NFL Draft, pending the result of a coin flip with the Carolina Panthers at the NFL Scouting Combine in February.