Twelve positive developments - and six areas of concerns - through nine Dolphins practices
A look at 12 positive developments and six concerning ones after nine days of Miami Dolphins training camp:
A DOZEN POSITIVES
▪The deep passing game.
You would never know that the Dolphins were among the league’s worst in this area in 2020.
Tua Tagovailoa and Jacoby Brissett have completed a high percentage of deep throws, with Albert Wilson, Isaiah Ford, Jaylen Waddle and Jakeem Grant among the most frequent recipients.
The Dolphins haven’t finished in the top 10 in the NFL in offense (meaning yards) since 1995, the longest drought in the NFL, and 12 - 12! - years more than the team with the second longest drought (Cleveland). If the Dolphins continue hitting bombs, they could at least challenge for the top 10.
▪ Albert Wilson’s fabulous camp.
He looks very much like the guy who delivered several explosive plays for the Dolphins in 2018, not the one who struggled after hip and hamstring injuries in 2019.
At least six plays by Wilson in this training camp have exceeded 25 yards, including three deep touchdowns.
▪ The quarterback room.
Tua Tagovailoa, in 11 on 11 work, has more than five times as many touchdown passes as interceptions (three), though many of the TDs have come in red zone drills. His velocity and accuracy - both on intermediate and deep routes - is clearly better than a year ago. He was sharp again on Saturday, making quick decisions in the pocket and unleashing sharp throws, especially down the middle.
Backup QB Jacoby Brissett has been very quick getting the ball out and generally on target, especially with his deep ball.
▪ Robert Hunt’s adjustment to guard and Michael Deiter’s good work at center.
Hunt’s move from right tackle to right guard has come off seamlessly; he has the potential to be a fixture at that position for years unless the Dolphins eventually move him back to tackle.
Deiter has positioned himself to the starter at center unless he struggles in preseason games. Both Hunt and Deiter have been starters all nine days of practice.
▪ Linebacker Brennan Scarlett’s disruptiveness.
The former Houston Texans player has only 5.5 sacks in 5 NFL seasons, but he has been a beast in practice, collecting at least four sacks and setting the edge in the run game.
If injured Jaelan Phillips isn’t healthy enough to become an immediate starter, Scarlett could start opposite Andrew Van Ginkel, who’s also now injured.
▪ Linebacker Benardick McKinney’s work against the run.
Fully recovered from a significant shoulder injury last October, McKinney has displayed flashes of the run-stuffing dynamo who made the Pro Bowl for the Texans in 2018. But he’s vulnerable in pass coverage, so the Dolphins must avoid having him matched up with tight ends or shifty running backs on pass patterns.
Honorable mention to another defensive newcomer - former Patriot Adam Butler - who has been forceful in the run game and generated a decent pass rush.
▪ Jevon Holland is showing signs of being what the Dolphins expected.
The rookie safety worked with the first team for the second consecutive practice on Saturday and has held his own. He had an interception of Tagovailoa last week and said his brother is helping quiz him on the playbook, since the Dolphins’ free safety must call out signals before the snap.
▪ Jason Sanders’ excellence.
Fresh off a five-year, $22 million extension, Sanders rarely misses. He hits 55-yarders with ease and was 7 for 7 on Saturday.
▪ Waddle’s versatility.
Everyone knows Waddle can catch the deep ball and take screens for long gains. But at least three times in this camp, Waddle has contorted his body to make very difficult catches, including one crossing pattern and two others where he had to elevate.
That suggests he’s not a one-trick pony. His battle with Grant for the returns jobs is ongoing.
▪ The tight end room.
Mike Gesicki - before going on the COVID list for the past week - made the type of juggling catch we’ve seen a handful of times in games. Durham Smythe has been his usual reliable self and had a TD catch on Saturday. Hunter Long has begun to make an impact after fumbling twice early in camp.
▪ This group of running backs - average on paper - has run the ball hard.
Myles Gaskin has looked quick and shifty on runs and receptions out of the backfield. Salvon Ahmed was having a good camp before a lower-body bruise sidelined him briefly; he was back Saturday.
Rookie seventh-rounder Gerrid Doaks runs hard and has a good burst. Malcolm Brown had a nifty one-handed catch but has been out for three days with an injury.
▪ A couple of roster long-shot receivers keep showing up at wide receiver.
Ford, who seemingly has nine lives with the Dolphins, has made the second-most plays in camp among the Dolphins’ 14 receivers, behind only Wilson. And they’re very close. Ford made another deep catch from Brissett on Saturday, rising above double coverage.
Kirk Merritt has made a handful of intermediate to deep catches.
It’s difficult to see a path for either to make the 53, but Merritt could end up on the practice squad, and Ford has made the strongest possible case he could for the 53.
And Robert Foster - battling Mack Hollins for a receiver job and gunner job on special teams - made several big plays early in camp. But Hollins was very good Saturday (including a long TD catch) and remains the favorite over Foster for a roster spot; Hollins has been getting a lot of first-team snaps.
A HALF DOZEN CONCERNS
▪ Will Fuller’s injury and Preston Williams’ status.
Fuller left the first practice and hasn’t done anything on the field since except for working on an exercise bicycle. Brian Flores has declined to say how long he will be out.
Fuller has missed 22 games due to injury in five NFL seasons; that doesn’t count his five games on NFL suspension last year. So durability remains a question after signing a one-year, $11 million deal. He will miss the opener due to an NFL suspension.
Originally, the Dolphins expected Williams to be ready for the start of the season after last November’s Lis Franc foot procedure. Now, it’s not so clear.
▪ Jaelan Phillips’ lower-body injury.
Phillips flashed throughout the first week of camp and seemed on his way toward claiming the starting outside linebacker job opposite Van Ginkel.
But then he sustained an undisclosed lower-body injury and hasn’t practiced in more than a week, though he has been spotted doing conditioning.
Van Ginkel has had a slight limp and been sidelined for the past three days.
▪ The secondary has often been shredded.
The caveat is that Xavien Howard has sat out every drill since the first day - until returning Saturday - because of an ankle injury.
But Noah Igbinoghene, the 30th overall pick, has been beaten several times is now with the third team.
Jamal Perry, playing safety now, has struggled. The safety help hasn’t been good enough. Eric Rowe and Byron Jones haven’t always been at their best; Jones was beaten by Hollins for a long TD on Saturday.
▪ The Howard situation remains an unnecessary issue.
Unless the Dolphins either trade him (they say they do not wish to) or give him more money, this issue will hover over the franchise. At least he was practicing Saturday, which likely helps his chances of convincing the Dolphins to alter his contract.
The only positive is that the Dolphins have had more snaps to give their young cornerbacks - and the results haven’t been particularly good.
▪ Lynn Bowden Jr.’s development has stalled.
Bowden showed promise late last season, closing with 28 catches for 211 yards. But he has had little impact in camp, dropping at least two passes and making far fewer plays than Wilson and Ford and Robert Foster.
He’s seemingly too talented to give up on after one season. But if others continue to outplay the 2020 Raiders’ third-round pick, the Dolphins face a conundrum.
▪ Christian Wilkins’ pseudo demotion.
Wilkins hasn’t played with the starters four of the past five days, with (usually) Zach Sieler or John Jenkins playing ahead of him in certain packages.
Wilkins instead has become a second-team defensive end - not ideal for a first-round pick entering his third season.
Ideally, a first-round pick should be impactful enough for coaches to consistently use him in most first-down packages.
Here’s my and Armando Salguero’s recap of Saturday’s eventful practice, which was essentially a scrimmage.
This story was originally published August 7, 2021 at 1:50 PM.
