As the calendar inches closer to the dog days of summer, minicamp season rolls around in the NFL.
Teams have held voluntary workouts as coaches and players work to acclimate and re-acclimate themselves to each other and the playbooks they will use in the coming season. Between now and the middle of June, though, squads will devote a two- to three-day window to practice sessions and meetings, their most in-depth and extensive work before training camps in late July. Attendance is mandatory, with unexcused absences warranting fines of roughly $100,000 for all three days.
The Pittsburgh Steelers and Miami Dolphins will hold their minicamps this week, with another 17 teams holding theirs next week and 13 more doing so the week after next.
Here are some of the top storylines to follow in Pittsburgh and Miami.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The McCarthy Way
New Steelers coach Mike McCarthy remains in the introductory stages after his hiring this winter to replace the departed Mike Tomlin. A voluntary minicamp in late April and six OTA sessions have taken place since, so the 19-year head coach is working to learn his new team while also setting the tone for how he wants his players and assistants to operate. This represents McCarthy’s third head-coaching stint after 13 seasons with the Green Bay Packers and five with the Dallas Cowboys. After winning the Super Bowl (against Pittsburgh) to cap the 2010 season, McCarthy seeks to snap a 16-year personal drought and hopes to guide his hometown team to its first Lombardi Trophy in 18 seasons.
Aaron Rodgers’ last ride
When he addressed the media shortly after signing on for a second season in Pittsburgh and the 22nd of his illustrious career, Aaron Rodgers announced, “This is it.” The 42-year-old plans to hang ’em up after the 2026-27 campaign. Minicamp will represent a refresher for Rodgers, who played for McCarthy for 12-plus seasons in Green Bay. McCarthy intends to call his own plays, but he’ll lean heavily on offensive coordinator Brian Angelichio, who served as the Packers’ tight ends coach from 2016 to 2018. So, there should be a lot of carryover for Rodgers.
QB depth chart
McCarthy and his assistants have some sorting out to do when it comes to the quarterback picture behind Rodgers. The roster also features Mason Rudolph, a seventh-year veteran, who backed up Rodgers last season, second-year pro Will Howard (sixth-rounder in 2025) and rookie Drew Allar, whom they drafted in the third round in April. The position battle will not begin in earnest until training camp, but every rep counts and the passers can help their cases with strong showings this week and in the four remaining OTA sessions from June 8 to 12.
Offensive line retooling
Upgrading the pass protection ranked among the Steelers’ biggest areas of need following the 2025 campaign. The team spent a first-round pick on Arizona State’s tackle Max Iheanachor and plans to develop him at right tackle while moving 2024 first-rounder Troy Fautanu to left tackle. When OTAs kicked off, last year’s right guard, Mason McCormick, had moved to left guard, and fourth-year backup Spencer Anderson worked at right guard. Tinkering could continue as McCarthy and his staff look for the best combination up front.
Miami Dolphins
Jeff Hafley learning on the fly
The Dolphins also hit the reset button this offseason, firing Mike McDaniel and replacing him with former Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley. The 47-year-old Hafley and his players have taken the field for six voluntary workout sessions leading up to this week’s minicamp. This marks Hafley’s first NFL head-coaching job, though he was head coach at Boston College from 2020 to 2023 and has nine years of NFL assistant coaching experience. With most first-time head coaches, there will be some trial and error involved as Hafley maps things out, assesses practices and determines what he likes and what he and his staff need to tweak between now and training camp.
Malik Willis’ opportunity
The Dolphins also made a change at quarterback, parting with Tua Tagovailoa and signing former Green Bay Packers’ backup Malik Willis to a three-year, $67.5 million deal. The Liberty University product and 2022 third-round pick never caught on in two seasons with the Tennessee Titans, but a fresh start with the Packers provided the tutelage and growth Willis needed. After shining in relief duty for an injured Jordan Love at various points in the 2024 and 2025 campaigns, he now gets his next crack at a starting job in the NFL. Willis remains an unfinished product; however, the Dolphins like his potential and believe the similarities between Green Bay’s offense and the system run by Mike Shanahan disciple Bobby Slowik will help Willis continue his ascent.
Offensive rebuild
The Dolphins know that Willis’ best chance for success hinges on their ability to support him, so they worked hard to bolster the offensive line. The 6-foot-7, 352-pound Kadyn Proctor, their first-round pick, ranks among the key offseason additions. Hafley and his staff also need to figure out what weapons Willis will have at his disposal. Gone is Jaylen Waddle (traded to the Denver Broncos), and Tyreek Hill is still rehabbing from injury and is a free agent after being released. De’Von Achane anchors the backfield, and Willis’ scrambling ability could help add another dimension to the offense. But plenty of questions loom over the pass-catching units.
Defensive difference-makers
The Dolphins also find themselves in the middle of a rebuild on defense. They don’t return a single proven veteran edge rusher. A cast of veterans best suited as rotational contributors (Josh Uche, Chop Robinson, David Ojabo) lead the way, and Hafley and general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan hope rookies Trey Moore (fourth-rounder) and Max Llewellyn (seventh-rounder) can make an impact. But it could take some time for this unit to jell.