Not only were the stands at the team's Nova training facility packed, there were people watching from the parking garage on several different levels.The crowd cheered throughout the practice session whenever there was a big play, such as when Chad Henne connected with rookie free agent Chris Williams on a long bomb after cornerback Will Billingsley slipped.
The official crowd at practice was estimated by Dolphins officials at 3,152.
Here are some news and notes from the first practice:
-- Outside linebacker Matt Roth didn't practice and was placed on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list after failing the team's conditioning test. Coach Tony Sparano said after practice that Roth was "under the weather" and might sit out a few days. He can be activated off PUP at any time.
-- Guard Donald Thomas was at practice, although he worked on a limited basis. Thomas, of course, sustained a pectoral injury in the offseason.
-- Because of Thomas' absence, second-year player Shawn Murphy lined up with the first team at right guard. Sparano said it was Murphy's job to lose.
-- Tight end David Martin was back at practice after missing all of the offseason work because of a sports hernia.
-- Sparano said not one player failed to make his assigned weight. Nose tackle Paul Soliai said he had lost 12 pounds over the past six weeks to make his assigned weight.
-- WR Brandon London made a spectacular juggling one-handed catch while being closely covered by CB Nathan Jones.