Miami Dolphins Tickets - New Faces Join To Fill Gaps

The Miami Dolphins have officially kicked off training camp

, and the imminence of the 2010 season is a poignant point for the team. After all, the team has lost two names from its roster recently, both of which left gaps. The Dolphins moved quickly to shore up the positions before training camp, and now they are poised to move on to the start of the season.

The first veteran who won't be returning is defensive tackle Jason Ferguson. Ferguson announced in mid-July that he would be retiring after 13 seasons in the league. His last two seasons have been with the Dolphins. Last season, he played in nine games and tallied 13 tackles and one pass defended. In his long career, Ferguson was also with the New York Jets from 1997 to 2004 and the Dallas Cowboys from 2005 to 2007. Perhaps the catalyst to his announcement was a quadriceps injury that ended his 2009 season early, which required surgery. Also, the league suspended Ferguson in March for eight games because he violated the league's policy on performance-enhancing substances.

The Dolphins will also be without defensive end Phillip Merling, at least for part of the season. Various NFL sources are reporting that Merling's Achilles' injury is a tear that will keep him out for the entire season. The injury is the latest woe for Merling, who also had trouble with the law this offseason. He was charged with felony aggravated battery for an altercation with girlfriend in May. The Dolphins picked up Merling in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft. Since then, he has tallied 59 tackles, 2.5 sacks, five passes defended and one interception.

The team didn't wait to add new talent and signed defensive tackle Montavious Stanley. He isn't expected to be a starter, but he will add depth at the position. Last season, he played in 15 games and had 20 tackles, one sack and three passes defended. He has been in the league since 2006, and in that time he has played for the Dallas Cowboys, Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints and Jacksonville Jaguars.

To replace Merling, the Dolphins signed defensive end Marques Douglas to a reported two-year deal worth $2.5 million. Douglas has been in the league since 1999 and has been a starter for much of his career. Last season he played for the New York Jets, where he tallied 64 tackles, 1.5 sacks and one forced fumble. He has also played for the Baltimore Ravens, New Orleans Saints and San Francisco 49ers.

The Dolphins kicked of training camp on Friday, July 30, and fans with Miami Dolphins tickets can enjoy training camp as a preview to the real thing. The preseason begins for the Dolphins on Saturday, Aug. 14 with a home game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The rest of their preseason will feature games against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Atlanta Falcons and Dallas Cowboys. The regular season starts on Sept. 12 in Buffalo against the Bills. The Dolphins' first regular-season home game will be September when they host the New York Jets.

by: Pat Smith

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