Live blog: What’s happening at Dolphins-Lions practice Thursday. Fins bounce back
Observations from the Dolphins’ Thursday joint practice with the Lions in suburban Detroit: (and please keep checking back for updates, which will be added to the top).
▪ On the Lions’ final possession, quarterback Jared Goff hit tight end Shane Zylatra for a 6-yard gain, and cornerback Storm Duck broke up a deep ball to receiver Kalif Raymond. Goff ran 4 yards for a first down, but safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and defensive tackle Matthew Butler sacked Goff on the next play.
After Goff spiked the ball to stop the clock, he completed a 21-yard pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown on a third-and-16, then hit Jameson Williams for 7 yards. After Dolphins (and former Lions) safety Ifeatu Melifonwu broke up a Goff throw to the end zone, practice ended.
▪ Tua Tagovailoa, who was very sharp early in the day, threw an incomplete pass to begin one late-practice possession, then threw behind Dee Eskridge on a third-and-7. Tagovailoa then threw incomplete on fourth down to Tarik Black, though the Lions easily could have been called for pass interference on the play.
▪ Dolphins cornerback Mike Hilton committed pass interference against St. Brown, and Brown caught the ball anyway.
▪ Here’s how the Dolphins did in a late-practice Zach Wilson-led possession: Wilson hit Andrew Armstrong, who used his strong hands to grab the ball over a Lions defender. Wilson hit receiver Theo Wease Jr. for a 20-yard gain. Wease (who has had a strong camp) and Armstrong both need to be very good in the next 12 days to make a case to stick on the 53-man roster....
The Dolphins’ new running backs then entered. Alex Shampklin had a 2-yard run and Mike Boone took a screen from Wilson and ran 2 yards for a touchdown. Also in that sequence, offensive lineman Kion Smith aided Shampklin on a 5-yard TD run.
▪ Here’s how the Dolphins did in red-zone drills with the starters: Tagovailoa hit tight end Tanner Conner for 7 yards... Lions defensive back Brian Branch then stopped Jaylen Wright for no gain on a running play... Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone pulled out before tackling Tagovailoa, who threw the ball to Malik Washington, who broke a tackle and ran 10 yards into the end zone. That was followed by a false start by the Dolphins offense...
Tagovailoa then hit Malik Washington, who was hit hard by Branch.
▪ From 11-on-11 drills involving Detroit’s offense: Williams caught a deep pass on Dolphins cornerback Kendall Sheffield... Lions running back David Montgomery lowered his head into Fitzpatrick on a running play, but both players escaped unharmed....
Lions running back Sione Vaki ran up the gut for a 5-yard TD run... The Dolphins got lucky on one sequence, where backup Miami defenders left tight Zach Horton wide open, but quarterback Hendon Hooker missed him in the back of the end zone.
▪ Here’s what the Dolphins did in a second set of 11-on-11 drills with Tagovailoa under center: Wright ran for a short gain; Tagovailoa hit Eskridge for a 20-yard post on Lions cornerback D.J. Reed; Wright had a 4-yard run and Tagovailoa hit Malik Washington for a 7-yard completion....
Tagovailoa narrowly missed Jaylen Waddle for what would have been a 55-yard touchdown. The pass was overthrown but catchable; it hit Waddle in the hands.. Wright then ran for a short gain, and Tagovailoa overthrew Erik Ezukanma on a go-route...
Wright showed burst on a 10-yard run, aided by a block from tight end Pharoah Brown... Anzalone sacked Tagovailoa, who then threw an incomplete pass on the subsequent play. Ezukanma then dropped a short pass from a scrambling Tagovailoa.
▪ Here’s what the Dolphins did in a second set of 11-on-11 drills with Wilson under center: Black drew a pass interference penalty from Lions cornerback Tyson Russell on a deep route... Ollie Gordon II rushed for a short gain... Black drew another pass interference... Receiver Malik Washington was tackled behind the line of scrimmage on a running play... Wilson hit Black on a screen for a 20-plus yard gain.
▪ Lions cornerback Rock Ya-Sin punched Dolphins left tackle Patrick Paul in the helmet, Wright stepped in to intervene and Paul then walked away. Paul has done a very good job blocking. He helped free up Wright for a sizable gain on one run.
▪ Tagovailoa hit Dee Eskridge for 30 yards down the middle..
LIONS GO DEEP
▪ But on the other side, Detroit had success against Miami’s defense in red-zone drills. St. Brown had a TD catch against Dolphins cornerback Cornell Armstrong.. Williams then beat Duck for a touchdown.
▪ Dolphins defenders Jordan Phillips and Willie Gay Jr. combined on a tackle for loss. Phillips has had a very good two-week stretch.
▪ Dolphins linebacker Jordyn Brooks had a nifty tackle for loss. Brooks and Gay have been Miami’s defensive MVPs of training camp.
▪ The Dolphins offense began 11-on-11 drills with a Tagovailoa completion to Waddle for 8 yards, on a bubble screen. Anzalone batted down Tagovailoa’s pass on the next play, and Pro Bowl defensive end Aiden Hutchinson sacked Tagovailoa to end that possession.
ROBINSON RETURNS
▪ A day after being carted off from practice field, Dolphins linebacker Chop Robinson is on the field to start 11-on-11 drills. Brooks, who has had an excellent camp, stopped Jahmyr Gibbs for a loss on third-and-1.
▪ Undrafted rookie safety John Saunders Jr., who forced an SEC-leading four fumbles at Mississippi last season, forced a fumble during early red-zone drills, as the Dolphins’ Travis Wingfield noted. Saunders has had the most flash plays among Dolphins undrafted rookies on defense.
STRONG START FOR TAGOVAILOA
▪ Tagovailoa was sharp in the early stages of 7-on-7 drills. Tagovailoa hit Waddle in the back of the end zone for a touchdown, then connected with Ezukanma on a touchdown.
▪ Wilson took over and hit Black and Tahj Washington for touchdowns. Tagovailoa returned and picked up where he left off, hitting Waddle and Malik Washington for touchdowns. Wright dropped a Tagovailoa pass, and the Lions were called for pass interference on Ezukanma.
▪ Also in 1-on-1 drills, Dolphins safety Melifonwu then had tight coverage on Williams, forcing an incomplete pass. Ethan Bonner also had a nice play in coverage.
▪ Defensive lineman Zach Sieler appears to be getting the practice off. He’s wearing a baseball cap and not dressed in pads. Running back De’Von Achane wasn’t spotted at practice.
HILL STILL OUT
▪ Receiver Tyreek Hill (oblique), linebacker Jaelan Phillips (undisclosed), right tackle Austin Jackson (lower body), offensive lineman Andrew Meyer, fullback Alec Ingold (concussion protocol), edge rusher Mo Kamara (concussion protocol) and safety Ashtyn Davis (leg) remain out. Defensive tackle Zach Sieler also sat out for undisclosed reasons.
Also still out: offensive lineman Bayron Matos, who wants to play again, as we explained here.
Linebacker Chop Robinson returned to practice after being carted off on Wednesday.
Here’s the latest on Tyreek Hill and trade speculation.
Meanwhile, the Dolphins lost offensive lineman Germaine Ifedi for the season just a week after signing him.
C. Isaiah Smalls II reported from Detroit. Barry Jackson reported from an office.
This story was originally published August 14, 2025 at 11:03 AM.
