Dolphins Day 5 training camp report: News, highlights, observations
News, notes and observations from Monday’s fifth practice of Dolphins training camp:
▪ It’s just the Dolphins’ luck that they’ve sustained a slew of injuries at the position that was most compromised entering training camp. Four cornerbacks were sidelined Monday: Storm Duck (reasons undisclosed), Kader Kohou (leg injury; still being evaluated); BJ Adams (concussion protocol) and Artie Burns (on injured reserve with a torn ACL).
That meant more opportunities for Ethan Bonner and Isaiah Johnson at outside corner. Johnson, in particular, had a good day.
And Mike Hilton, one of the league’s better slot corners in recent years, stepped right into Kohou’s nickel role after agreeing to terms with the Dolphins on Saturday. The other new veteran cornerback, Jack Jones, got work in 11-on-11 drills and had stout coverage on at least one play. This was Jones’ second practice after signing Saturday.
Besides the corners, four other players were not spotted: tight end Jalin Conyers (reasons unknown), offensive linemen Bayron Matos (recovery from an upper-body injury last week), center Aaron Brewer (soft tissue issue) and rookie safety Dante Trader Jr. (coach Mike McDaniel suggested he should be back in time for joint preseason practices in a couple of weeks).
▪ Tempers flared late in practice, with center Andrew Meyer and defensive lineman Kenneth Grant exchanging pushes and shoves before being separated.
▪ Tua Tagovailoa was wearing the orange jersey bestowed on the standout in the previous day’s practice. He followed that up by his fifth consecutive practice without an interception — a day that included multiple completions to Tyreek Hill (including a 3-yard TD), multiple throws to Jaylen Waddle (including a 17-yarder) and a 10-yard touchdown pass to Tanner Conner in red zone drills.
Tagovailoa also completed a long TD pass to Hill, beating Jason Marshall Jr., but the play was negated because Chop Robinson was credited with a sack.
▪ Here’s how the first 11-on-11 drills unfolded: Austin Jackson committed a false start and De’Von Achane was limited to 2 yards on a run. But Achane then broke off an 8-yard run... Linebacker Willie Gay Jr. seemed to be credited with a sack, nullifying a Tagovailoa sideline throw to Hill... Mo Kamara had a run stop...
Zach Wilson failed to connect with Malik Washington on a pass over the middle... Grayson Murphy had an excellent stop in the backfield on a run by Ollie Gordon II, but Gordon showed shiftiness on a 4-yard run... Alexander Mattison then had a nice run for about 6... Ben Stille applied pressure on Quinn Ewers; it could easily have been ruled a sack... Jaylen Wright followed that with a short gain...
Tagovailoa then hit Hill, who beat Isaiah Johnson on a slant for about 20 yards.... Gay had great coverage on Mattison in the corner of the end zone, forcing an incomplete pass from Tagovailoa in red zone drills.... Gordon then had two short runs inside the five; neither crossed the goal line... Matt Dickerson and Channing Tindall had a sack on Zach Wilson on the next goal-line play.... Jordyn Brooks then blew up a running play, stopping Wright at the line of scrimmage...
Tagovailoa then hit Wright for a short gain... Jaylen Waddle gained about 8 yards on an end around, but Zach Sieler stopped him short of the goal line... Isaiah Johnson had good coverage on an incomplete goal-line throw from Tagovailoa to Malik Washington.
Tagovailoa then hit Hill for a 3-yard touchdown, beating Kendall Sheffield.
▪ Red zone drills continued with Quinn Ewers hitting Conner for a 10-yard gain, and then hitting rookie AJ Henning for a short touchdown. In between, two plays were foiled by bad snaps by undrafted rookie Addison West.
▪ With Craig Auckerman replacing Danny Crossman as special teams coach, Hill has been returning more punts in practice. That might be a coincidence. Regardless, it would be surprising if Hill gets much work as a returner.
▪ Jason Sanders hit all six field-goal attempts, with a long of 45.
▪ During the second set of 11-on-11 plays, the rookie Marshall was beaten on a 17-yard catch by Waddle. Conner caught a short pass from Tagovailoa, and Jaelan Phillips stopped Achane for no gain on a running play.... Robinson’s sack nullified the 60-yard Tagovailoa-to-Hill TD play... Wilson nearly threw an interception to Gay, who dropped it. Gay is everywhere, all at once...
Wilson then had two completions for decent gains, including one to Tarik Black, then hit Nick Westbrook-Ikhine for a 40-yard catch-and-run touchdown.... Ewers, who has had a very solid camp, then hit Andrew Armstrong on a 15-yard comeback... D
Dee Eskridge dropped an Ewers pass, perhaps sensing Cam Smith’s presence nearby... Jordan Colbert then intercepted a Ewers pass that was deflected by Armstrong.... Zeek Biggers and Dequan Jackson then stood up Gordon for no gain.
▪ In the second set of red zone drills, Tagovailoa threw the TD to Conner; Benito Jones limited Gordon to a short gain; and Phillips had a coverage sack on Tagovailoa. ... Matt Dickerson had a sack, negating a Wilson TD pass... Black showed nice hands on an 8-yard TD pass from Wilson....
Ewers hit a wide-open Theo Wease Jr. for an 8-yard TD. There was clearly busted coverage on the play. Ewers then hit Wease again in the back of the end zone for another red zone TD. And Ewers then hit Armstrong for a 4-yard TD to end red zone drills. (Naturally, practices with red zone drills typically have a lot more touchdown passes).
▪ Guard/center Liam Eichenberg, who is on the physically unable to perform list for an undisclosed injury, was spotted on a stationary bicycle.
This story was originally published July 28, 2025 at 10:28 AM.
