Posted on Sat, Jul. 28, 2012

Dolphins first-round draft pick Ryan Tannehill missed Friday’s opening practice of training camp in a contract dispute, but general manager Jeff Ireland insisted, “Progress is being made.”

The sides have been unable to reconcile the Dolphins’ preference to include offset language in the contract that would reduce the guaranteed money that Tannehill would make if he is released during the length of his deal.

Per the NFL’s new labor agreement, Tannehill is expected to sign a four-year contract worth $12.6 million, with a team option for the fifth year.

“Communication is ongoing on both sides,” Ireland said. “It’s disappointing when you don’t have all your players in. We are going to keep communicating until we get this thing done.”

Did Ireland envision this happening in April? “No,” he said. “But things happen.”

Owner Stephen Ross said Tannehill’s absence was “disappointing.”

David Garrard and Matt Moore offered different impressions of how much Tannehill was hurt by missing the first day.

“If it was any other rookie that didn’t know the offense, it would be tough on him,” Garrard said. “But he knows the offense. He’ll be fine.”

But Moore said, “He’ll definitely be a step behind missing a day.”

He said the information the quarterbacks received Friday was “a huge piece.”

According to ESPN, Tannehill is working with former FSU quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Chris Weinke at the IMG Academy in Brandenton.

This and that

• Asked if Ireland will be in trouble if the Dolphins don’t win this year, Ross said: “You take one year at a time. I think we have a great team, and that’s what I’m looking for. … I’m committed to him. If I had any doubts, he wouldn’t be here.”

• Philbin said guard Eric Steinbach, who signed Thursday, hasn’t been “promised anything.” Steinbach was the backup left guard on Friday but might be given a chance to compete at right guard, where Artis Hicks is running with the starters.

Steinbach “has been a productive player,” Philbin said. “Athletic guy, schematically a pretty good fit for what we’re doing. Good locker-room guy.”

• Philbin said all players passed their conditioning test Friday. Paul Soliai, who weighed 378 pounds a few years ago, said he reported at his lightest weight in years (340). Sean Smith said he lost 24 pounds this offseason but declined to give his weight.

• The back-and-forth dialogue between Smith and Chad Johnson should be an amusing sideshow during camp. Smith stood over Johnson and yapped after tackling him. “You don’t want to run through me,” Smith said good-naturedly of that play. “I’m angry. He lowered a shoulder. He tried to run me over.” Smith called Johnson “Chad Sean-sons” because Smith jokes he “owns” him in practice. “That’s my son,” Smith said. “He knows this.”

• The practice tempo is considerably faster than past years, but Garrard said: “As fast as we’re going, coaches say we’ve got to go even faster. We’ve got to be leading the league with the most snaps in practice.”

Philbin said the Dolphins are “filming the 40-second clock and seeing if we’re really playing the way we say we want to play. I’m not sure we’re there yet.”

• Asked if the team will change its logo, Ross said not this year but didn’t rule out 2013.

• Running back Jonas Gray, recovering from a torn ACL at Notre Dame, sat out practice and was placed on the non-football injury list. … Chris Clemons appeared to be limping at times in practice and Tyrone Culver took some first-team snaps instead of Clemons during the afternoon walk-through.

• There was a heavy presence of HBO cameras at practice, as the network begins work on its Hard Knocks reality series, which debuts Aug. 7.

“Some guys are all up in the camera, but I think we’re practicing the same, if not better,” Jared Odrick said.

Philbin said the cameras “weren’t a big deal. We told our coaches and players we’ve got to be ourselves. We’ve got a job to do. These [HBO/NFL Films] guys are extremely professional.”