Beck begins workouts for Dolphins

DAVIE, Fla. — The Miami Dolphins' plan was to roll out the passing tandem of the future Tuesday with John Beck throwing to Ted Ginn Jr.

The result: incomplete.

The newly signed Beck took part in both workouts as the rookies began training camp, but first-round draft pick Ginn was absent — the only Miami player yet to sign among the 87 on the roster.

Coach Cam Cameron reported progress in negotiations.

"I know they're getting close," he said.

Owner Wayne Huizenga, displeased that the Dolphins' top picks held out in 2005 and 2006, warned in March he had no patience for a repeat.

"If you don't report, you're sitting out, baby. We're not playing you," Huizenga said.

The following month, Miami took Ohio State receiver-returner Ginn with the ninth pick in the draft.

The Dolphins stand by Huizenga's comment, Cameron said, but consider Ginn's deadline to be Friday, the day the full squad reports.

Ginn's agent didn't respond to requests for comment.

Miami's top draft picks in 2005-06, running back Ronnie Brown and defensive back Jason Allen, missed the start of camp as rookies and later conceded the holdouts hurt their development.

Among the more than 30 players taking part in Tuesday's workouts were a handful of veterans, including new quarterback Trent Green. The NFL allows veteran quarterbacks to take part in the sessions, and Green was eager to go after spending much of the offseason in limbo before Kansas City traded him June 6.

"This has been real beneficial for me — to get in and get the terminology down and get to know some of my teammates and the coaches," Green said.

He shared snaps and advice with Beck, the first quarterback selected by the Dolphins in the first two rounds since Dan Marino in 1983. Beck signed a four-year contract Monday.

"It was important for me to get that done, where I felt comfortable and I could come in here and focus on football," the 25-year-old said.

Even with the first game nearly seven weeks away, Cameron was glad to have the rookie from Brigham Young in camp from the start.

With the release of Daunte Culpepper, the 37-year-old Green is expected to start, and Beck said he's eager to make the most of his time as an understudy.

"Today there was a play where I thought one thing was going on in the secondary," Beck said. "I made a decision and went back and could ask Trent, 'Hey, in that situation, what would you have done?' Because his eyes see things differently than mine. He has those veteran eyes. It's great to have someone I can go ask, 'What are your eyes seeing?' "

Veteran backup quarterback Cleo Lemon also practiced. The first full-squad workout is Saturday.