MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The Miami Dolphins opened training camp Wednesday, going by means of a brisk exercise beneath the management of first-time head coach Mike McDaniel. Listed below are the most important information, quotes, observations, and takeaways from Day 1 of the summer season.
All eyes on Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa
Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s morning on the follow subject was transient — and comparatively uneventful.
Over the course of simply 80 sizzling minutes right here Wednesday, Tagovailoa was requested to throw the ball only a handful of instances in group drills — and never as soon as downfield.
He unofficially accomplished three of 5 makes an attempt for roughly 30 yards and had two designed throws blown up by pass-rush strain. He almost had a move intercepted by ascending cornerback Noah Igbinoghene.
It was a run-heavy set up day for the Dolphins’ offense, and by our tough estimation, Tagovailoa obtained fewer passing probabilities than his backup, Teddy Bridgewater.
However with Tua, the analysis is rarely simply what he does. It’s additionally what he says.
Earlier within the morning, McDaniel acknowledged that “Tua is tremendous onerous on himself, which is an effective factor. However something in extra isn’t a superb factor, both. He holds himself to a excessive normal. I don’t need that to impede when issues don’t go the way in which he desires; I don’t need that to impede the subsequent play.”
Tagovailoa didn’t dispute the premise that he can dwell a bit on the unfavorable. And Wednesday, the perfectionist discovered loads of nits to choose.
“I’m all the time onerous on myself,” Tagovailoa mentioned. “I’ll by no means say I had the perfect follow or it was an important follow. I believe general, it was a superb first day of follow. Clearly, there are issues we will work on. It’s the perfect once you get to come back again, you get to get again on the sphere, throw to the blokes, see protection once more, get again into the groove of issues. When you get into your rhythm, that’s the place issues begin to as we click on on each side.”
Tagovailoa later added that criticism from the skin is irrelevant to him and that he solely values suggestions from individuals in his interior circle.
Our take: The extra Tua sees and reacts, and the much less he thinks, the higher the Dolphins will probably be in 2022.
Dolphins thrilled that Tyreek Hill is Tua’s hype man
If Tua — who’s coming into a probably career-defining season — ever will get too down on himself, he merely must go over to new receiver Tyreek Hill, who gained’t hesitate to choose him up.
Hill and Tagovailoa didn’t join in group drills however had a beautiful deep sideline completion in 7-on-7, with Hill beating backups Sheldrick Redwine and D’Angelo Ross in protection.
It was the type of pinpoint move that led Hill this week to declare that Tua is the NFL’s most correct participant. He’s not, as we explained, however we applaud the help Hill exhibits his QB.
Tua and McDaniel approve too.
“You actually admire when individuals consider in one another,” McDaniel mentioned. “[Hill is] up there with probably the most aggressive gamers I’ve ever been round in my life. He’s brash, extraordinarily convicted, and aggressive, and that’s his driving power. If Tyreek is saying it, it’s as a result of he believes it. They’re creating an important relationship and rapport. Tyreek believes in his quarterback, and that’s a superb factor.”
Added Tua on Hill: “Tyreek is somebody that has established himself on this league. To have the help from him means quite a bit. I’m glad to have him as my teammate.”
Mike McDaniel retains it transient
Not each follow goes to clock in at beneath an hour and a half. However many will — which is by design. McDaniel sees extra draw back than upside in having lengthy practices and plans to do extra with much less.
“Your job is to maximise the athlete at his craft,” McDaniel mentioned. “The philosophy, and the one we’re using right here, is full-speed depth each follow. We gained’t have as many reps. Follow gained’t be so long as beforehand. There’s no such factor as going by means of the motions.
“After we follow, we need to follow with depth, function, pace that separates itself from the remainder of the league. That’s onerous to do … My expectation is their normal is to follow onerous, they usually’re trusting me that I don’t overload them however problem them. I’m not within the enterprise of creating gamers worse.”
Extra Dolphins coaching camp observations
- Cornerback Byron Jones started coaching camp on the bodily unable to carry out checklist however “is totally anticipating” to be prepared for Week 1, per McDaniel. He had surgical procedure in March to restore an undisclosed ankle/Achilles harm.
- Jones’ absence has created what McDaniel known as “an incredible alternative” for former first-round choose Noah Igbinoghene. And on Wednesday, he took benefit of it. “I really feel like he’s locked in proper now,” Howard mentioned. “It’s the primary day. It’s a protracted camp. We’ve to get higher every day. He made a play on the ball, I mentioned, ‘You’ve obtained to try this on a regular basis.’”
- Left sort out Terron Armstead made his Dolphins follow debut after sitting out the spring rehabbing a knee challenge. When requested how a lot he must do in coaching camp to be prepared for the beginning of the season, the oft-injured Armstead replied, “It varies. Been doing it for a short time now. This will probably be my tenth coaching camp. At all times simply get to the spot the place I really feel like I’m prepared. That may come a few weeks, three weeks, no matter. It simply is dependent upon the work, the reps. I’m getting used to a brand new system, new guys subsequent to me, so it’d take a bit longer.”
- Defensive sort out Adam Butler didn’t follow Wednesday. Operating again Sony Michel did little after warmups. Hill, Jaylen Waddle (who regarded actually quick Wednesday), Preston Williams, and DeVonte Dedmon are among the many Dolphins gamers getting an opportunity to win the returner job. Connor Williams and Tagovailoa had a botched heart/quarterback trade in group drills. Veteran move rusher Melvin Ingram practiced for the primary time since signing with the group within the spring.
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