MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The Miami Dolphins‘ defense struck back at Monday’s training camp practice after getting the worst of the action the day before.
Certainly, Anthony Weaver’s group made some plays. But more so, they didn’t make the egregious errors that plagued the offense for much of the steamy morning.
Why the Miami Dolphins’ Offense Out of Sync Today
Quarterback Report
Humidity and snapping issues — traditions like no other at Dolphins training camp.
Monday was rough for new center Aaron Brewer and Tua Tagovailoa, who had two botched exchanges Monday. Jack Driscoll, who has also gotten work at center this summer, had his own issues. Twice on Monday, his snaps to Skylar Thompson didn’t get to the QB.
Fumbled exchanges are embarrassing — and costly in games — for those involved. But in practice, they impact the entire team. They rob both the offense and defense of the planned rep.
“I’ve become more wise in my coaching years,” Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said Sunday. “Snap issues used to just trigger me to all end. Now the process, I still get triggered, but it’s really fast because it is a part of the process that you have to understand when you have quarterbacks and centers and guards playing with different people at the beginning of the camp and you’re using multiple snap counts and you’re going against multiple looks, it is something that I’m used to.
“You wish it didn’t happen, but the main thing is you want to see some improvement and development as the time goes on.”
Truth is, however, the offense’s issues on Monday weren’t limited to the center and quarterback.
There were interceptions by Thompson and Mike White (to Jalen Ramsey and Jason Maitre). There were overthrows and underthrows. Tagovailoa and Jaylen Waddle had a miscommunication on one pass. Overall, the timing just seemed … off.
Better is needed on Tuesday.
Injury Report
Cam Smith has apparently gotten hurt at a time when he can least afford it. Smith’s quest to win the Dolphins’ CB3 job suffered a setback on Sunday when he left the practice field under the supervision of a Dolphins medical staffer.
It’s unclear at this time what exactly happened to Smith, but it was serious enough to keep him out of Monday’s session.
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Other Dolphins players who did not practice on Monday for various reasons: OT Terron Armstead (who told NFL Network Monday that he will practice Tuesday for the first time this camp), CB Kendall Fuller, LB Anthony Walker, DT Calais Campbell, RB Salvon Ahmed, and WR Erik Ezukanma.
Tyreek Hill was back at practice after getting a veterans’ rest day on Sunday and caught a 61-touchdown pass from Thompson, beating Siran Neal and Elijah Campbell.
Stock Up
- Julian Hill is making a strong case for the Dolphins TE3 job — literally. Hill, whom position-mate Durham Smythe called perhaps “the most physical tight end in the NFL,” stuffed Chop Robinson in a pass pro rep. He also had a nifty catch on the sideline on Monday.
- The Dolphins signed a small army of defensive tackles this offseason, but definitely don’t discount the possibility of returning contributor Da’Shawn Hand making the 53 again this year. With Campbell out Monday, Hand had an impactful role in the run game, and also beat rookie Patrick Paul for a would-be sack.
Stock Down
- With Smythe, Hill, and Jonnu Smith all seemingly ahead of him on the depth chart, Jody Fortson cannot have drops like the bad one he had on Monday on a good ball from Thompson.
