Final Dolphins training camp practice of 2023: News, highlights and notes
News, notes and highlights from the Miami Dolphins’ final practice of training camp on Thursday at Miami Gardens:
▪ Tua Tagovailoa had another sharp day, completing an 8-yard pass to Braxton Berrios for a borderline touchdown and then picking up a blitz and lofting a beautiful four-yard back shoulder pass to Robbie Chosen for a touchdown.
In a subsequent two-minute drill, Tagovailoa drove the Dolphins quickly down the field, delivering on-target passes to Tyreek Hill for about 10 yards and Julian Hill for about 9 yards and then Hill again for an 8-yard TD, a play which showed great timing between the QB and his star receiver.
The Dolphins then ran another two-minute drill with Tagovailoa, and he completed a pass to Tyreek Hill to get Miami down to the 11-yard line. Tagovailoa then threw two incompletions, including one over the head of Julian Hill.
Tagovailoa then delivered three completions in a row to Robbie Chosen during yet another two-minute drill, two of them for at least 15 yards. Tagovailoa then threw incomplete to Raheem Mostert and was slightly off on a throw to Tanner Conner. Then he hit Erik Ezukanma for a first down.
Then Tagovailoa hit Braxton Berrios for a 14-yard gain. That drive ended with a Tagovailoa 2-yard strike to Cedrick Wilson Jr. in the back of the end zone for a touchdown on the final play of training camp. Wilson then dunked the ball over the goal post.
Also, Tagovailoa hit Erik Ezukanma and Salvon Ahmed for touchdowns in 7-on-7 red zone drills. Both were precise passes. But Tyreek Hill dropped what should have been an easy TD pass from Tagovailoa. Tyreek made up for that later with a handful of receptions.
Coach Mike McDaniel said Thursday that he leans toward playing Tagovailoa for more than a series but less than a half against the Jaguars on Saturday.
▪ Mike White, in the late stages of concussion protocol, briefly appeared in 11-on-11 action. He’s not playing the preseason finale on Saturday in Jacksonville (7 p.m., CBS 4).
▪ Skylar Thompson had two nice red zone completions to Berrios, one of which went for a TD. A well-thrown 30 yard pass to River Cracraft was dropped.
Thompson hit Alec Ingold for a 10-yard TD during 7-on-7 red zone drills.
▪ The Dolphins practiced without tight end Eric Saubert (leg), defensive lineman Zach Sieler (leg/not serious/rode a bicycle Thursday), cornerback Jalen Ramsey (knee surgery), cornerback Justin Bethel (leg in a brace), De’Von Achane (shoulder), De’Shawn Hand (has wrapping around his leg) and Braylon Sanders (knee bruise).
Running back Jeff Wilson Jr. wasn’t spotted.
Jaylen Waddle, who has missed two weeks with a midsection injury, was at practice in a jersey but no helmet.
▪ Cornerback Eli Apple made a great play, stopping Tyreek Hill at the line of scrimmage on a screen pass from Thompson.
▪ Andrew Van Ginkel forced a Tagovailoa dump-off with good pressure up the middle. Van Ginkel has had a very good camp, including multiple sacks on Wednesday.
▪ David Long Jr. stuffed a Raheem Mostert run for a short gain.
▪ A snap from rookie center Alama Ulauave bounced off James Blackman’s knee. They had another bad exchange again later.
▪ Verone McKinley III, facing an uphill climb to stick on the 53-man roster, made two very good plays, including breaking up a Tagovailoaa pass to Cracraft in the end zone. He also stopped Ingold short of the end zone on a short Tagovailoa completion.
▪ Tanner Conner, off PUP, was heavily involved for the second day in a row. He caught a 15-yard pass from Thompson.
▪ Jevon Holland knocked away a pass to Julian Hill.
▪ Raekwon Davis had a sack; his pass rush seems to have improved during this training camp. He had the one big sack year at Alabama with 8.5, but hasn’t been much of a factor with the pass rush in the NFL.
▪ Safety DeShon Elliot tumbled to the ground after a collision with Durham Smythe but got up quickly. Smythe was fine and caught a pass later in the day.
▪ In early practice quarterback/defensive back/wide receiver drills, White made a nifty 30-yard throw to Berrios for a TD, beating Kader Kohou in coverage. Also in those drills, Blackman hit Julian Hill for a 6-yard touchdown.
This story was originally published August 24, 2023 at 12:16 PM.
