As expected, newly-extended Tua Tagovailoa is one of the Miami Dolphins’ eight captains for their upcoming season, which begins next Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Here are coach Mike McDaniel’s thoughts on the picks:
“Really good players. I think off the top of my head, 28 Pro Bowls – boom. How about that? That’s fast facts. I think you have guys that have not only the respect and the regard of their teammates, but they’ve earned their stripes, so to speak, from the league. I think the National Football League, your peer – really the opinions of your peers, there’s nothing that I think you can have a stronger attachment towards if you’re a player. It’s as important as the name on the back of your jersey, and I think with our particular unit, I think it was cool to see the amount of conviction the team had for the individuals across the board. I saw a lot of – there was a lot of worthy people on this team, a lot of captain worthy leaders, and I could tell by the way the award was received by each individual that it meant a great deal, because it was a very high honor, particularly on this team.”
https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/TUA2-e1630437508886.jpeg9991209Five Reasonshttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgFive Reasons2024-09-02 16:16:342024-09-02 16:16:34Miami Dolphins name their eight captains; yes, Tua is there
Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross has seen enough from Mike McDaniel, in the best way possible. On Friday morning, the third-year head coach received a contract extension all the way through 2028, per ESPN’s Jeff Darlington. The details of the contract have yet to be revealed.
In the past, Dolphins head coaches receiving extensions were preludes to them being fired. In 2011, Tony Sparano received a 2-year contract extension, only to be fired later that same year when the team underperformed. Similarly, head coach Joe Philbin received an additional year on his contract back in 2015, only to be fired after a 1-3 start to the season.
But unlike his predecessors, Mike McDaniel has led the Miami Dolphins to two straight winning seasons and two consecutive playoff appearances. The only other two coaches in Dolphins history to achieve that were Dave Wannstedt and the legendary Don Shula.
When the Miami Dolphins hired Mike McDaniel, it was after being the only team to even grant him an interview. The reward for that gamble is a top-10 offense in the past two years, and a franchise quarterback that has been rebuilt from the ground up.
During a recent interview with Dan Le Batard on his YouTube channel, Tagovailoa finally opened up about how beat down he had felt when Brian Flores was the head coach. His confidence had been destroyed, his desire to play the game had been all but eliminated. But Mike McDaniel stepped in, and on day one he made sure Tagovailoa knew he was going to get the support he was missing.
The result has been astounding. McDaniel tailored the offense around Tagovailoa’s best traits, and Tagovailoa responded by being one of the statistically best quarterbacks in the NFL the past two years. It also led to the Miami Dolphins deciding to reward Tagovailoa with a massive 4-year, $212.4 million contract extension with $167.1 million guaranteed.
The only thing that Mike McDaniel has yet to do – and it needs to be addressed to silence the doubters – is win a playoff game. Miami has made it to the playoffs the past two years, but they were eliminated immediately both times. The Dolphins are hoping that the team’s health will endure into the late months of the season this time around, rather than having to limp towards the finish line with a decimated roster.
Mike McDaniel’s story is one of growth, innovation, and a very real change of culture and atmosphere. The Miami Dolphins are no longer the league’s pushover or punching bag. They are a real contender, they are a destination spot for free agents seeking a championship, and that is largely due to McDaniel’s influence.
If he continues to evolve as a head coach, then Dolphins fans everywhere can expect to enjoy a very long tenure of success and excitement. The window to victory has never been more open.
https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/1414692931.0.jpg8001200Josh Houtzhttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgJosh Houtz2024-08-30 13:03:362024-08-30 13:03:36BREAKING: Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel receives extension through 2028
Mike McDaniel, coach of the Miami Dolphins, spoke today about the elevation of third-year quarterback Skyler Thompson to the second quarterback spot, which coincided with the release of Mike White.
Of course, first McDaniel joked that Thompson found out by asking Jeeves.
And then this:
“It’s a cool process with Skylar (Thompson) because I think it’s a lot easier to – well Tua’s development is put on display because he’s out there all the time and you can tangibly see how he improves. Much as the life of a No. 2 or a No. 3 quarterback is, Skylar has also progressed in that same fashion. It was a situation where he was able to get a little bit more reps this camp and all of the things that are mechanical, as well as he’s a very smart dude that sometimes as a young quarterback just in the system as a rookie, his mental speed is really fast and we were trying to catch his body up to it and I think that’s something he’s been working on diligently. And I think the proof is in the pudding, he came in day-in, day-out at practice and ultimately was able to win the job. So I think the same types of things in terms of growing at your position and growing in your game that Tua has experienced, there’s multiple things within Skylar’s game that he’s progressed that I see a better quarterback now than I did at the beginning of camp or last year or the year before.”
Will there be an addition to the position?
“Yeah, I would imagine Chris Grier and the boys are – there’s a lot of things that go on in the next 24 hours in particular, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a third quarterback, whether what type of roster spot that is, that’s another TBD.”
What is McDaniel looking for?
“I think for – ironically, that’s a question that I haven’t really answered, but I do have an answer for that. I think one thing that for quarterbacks that’s important to the way we play is their accuracy and ball placement, for sure. There’s a command of a huddle that your teammates have to believe that you’re the guy that can facilitate the offense and orchestrate it and make the decisions necessary for the team to be successful. And then one finer layer that I’m looking for is mechanically, is the quarterback able to do it? There’s a specific ability to be able to throw with a base and be able to throw in a phonebooth that is a skill that not everybody has, and you have to be adept to that in the National Football League because of the pass rush, as well as really hone in on quarterbacks that there’s a skill to throw a ball to someone. And then how accurate can you be? And then another level is can you look at defenders and see defenders and still throw to moving targets? Do you have to see only your offensive player to make a throw, or can you see the defense for reasons of throwing into windows, anticipation, as well as zone manipulation.”
No practice today, as they changed the schedule for a walk-through not open to media. Instead, we have Mike McDaniel do his press conference, where he revealed that WR River Cracraft will miss “some time” with an upper body injury.
Others nursing injuries include Cam Smith who is “week to week” and RB Chris Brooks who is in the concussion protocol. David Long jr. was available to return in the game so he is fine. On Odell Beckham Jr., Coach McDaniel revealed that Beckham will not participate this week, but is “progressing” as expected. The Dolphins signed RB Anthony McFarland and LB Dequan Jackson to fill out the roster for the final week of training camp.
3YPC Player of the Practice: N/A *walk-through*
August 20, 2024
No orange today as yesterday was a walk-through. I will also not witness practice as a short practice is planned with a trip to Tampa this afternoon. I will also take advantage of this to get a head start on the road. This morning we were met with an assistant coach availability featuring Special teams Coordinator Danny Crossman, Offensive Coordinator Frank Smith, and Defensive Coordinator Anthony Weaver.
Danny Crossman hypothesized that it will take at least 4 games into the regular season to “settle” strategy around the NFL for the new kickoff. Crossman also revealed that the Kickoff duty battle is ongoing between punter Jake Bailey and place kicker Jason Sanders.
Frank Smith expanded on what fullback Alec Ingold said last week about “testing the limits of the offense”. Smith said that sometimes it’s about small variations and additions to what you did before. That’s a fancy way of saying that they will augment the disguise of their offense.
Last up was Anthony Weaver who had a very positive and sunny disposition on everything from his interior defensive line, to Channing Tindall, to the UDFA corner backs, Isaiah Johnson, Storm Duck, and Jason Maitre. The money quote came when he said: “I would not rule out one of those guys helping us out before the season is over.”
The Dolphins placed WR Willie Snead, OG Sean Harlow on IR, and released RB Savon Ahmed. They added RB Zander Horvath who is 6′-3″, 230 lbs and WR Jadon Janke, who is 6′-3″, 210 lbs to help them with snaps in preseason game versus the Tampa Bay Bucs.
3YPC Player of the Practice: N/A *walk-through*
August 21, 2024 (Joint Practice with the Tampa Bay Bucs)
Mike McDaniel kicks off practice with a pre-practice press conference, and he reveals that “some” starters will play in the game versus the Tampa Bay Bucs. Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle will be suite dup and “can” practice, but won’t so as to not aggravate any lingering injuries. He also made note of some ongoing camp battles that are yet to be settled.
Practice begins with Jevon Holland, and Anthony Walker out. Benito Jones returns after a long absence, and just in time to be faced with real competition for his job from Brandon Pili. If Pili does not play in the game against the Bucs, I would worry if I were Benito Jones. The 1v1 turkey shoot features a Jonnu Smith mossing of a defender, and another deep throw completed for a TD to Jody Fortson.
After an extended install period, we get to 11v11 and we are treated to very short series work by both 1st teams. The Dolphins defense stands tall in one series allowing only one plus play of 12 yards on a screen, after registering three QB sacks. Two by Zach Sieler, and one by Calais Campbell. The Dolphins offense seemed to concentrate on rolling out their new diversified run game, and had one eye catching 25 yard TD run by Raheem Mostert.
Practice concludes with a 2 minute offense session that saw both offenses go nowhere and then ended with a situational red zone period. The ball was placed on the 8 yard line, and Tua and company complete a screen for a TD. Baker Mayfield and his group, stall a bit and then we have a situational series. In this series, the Dolphins force a 4th down play, where Calais Campbell batted down a Baker Mayfield pass to “win” the session. The Dolphins then stormed the field to celebrate. Practice ends. It was a tough call between Sieler and Campbell for the practice player of the game, but I went with Calais Campbell who was a tough guy to block all day.
https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/20b1c15d-c296-4c99-b6c4-1b194525e9c0.jpg20001500Alfredo Arteagahttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgAlfredo Arteaga2024-08-21 19:16:382024-08-21 19:17:41Miami Dolphins Training Camp Week 5 Review: Three Yards Per Carry
Nobody in orange as they were coming off a game. A very light practice coming off the Friday night game versus the Atlanta Falcons, finds the Dolphins giving Tua Tagovailoa nearly every single rep in practice. Tua later revealed to Kay Adams on her show, that he had not gotten any reps for 3 days, so he wanted a larger work load to get back in the swing of things. Ethan Bonner was not seen at practice and Jalen Ramsey had what seems to be a veteran rest day. The early part of the 11v11 is punctuated by a spectacular throw by Tua Tagovailoa on a deep corner to Jonnu Smith, who caught it for a touchdown and promptly celebrated.
The second half of practice was entirely made up of walk through stuff, and quite frankly, things that cannot be reported on here. Patrick McMorris after practice, met with the media, and I asked him if his success was due to coach prep, film study, or gameplan driven, and his answer was rather revealing as he just chalked it up to a vanilla Atlanta Falcon attack that was easy to diagnose. I gave the player of the practice to Jonnu Smith for his early work in the live portion of practice, and his several conversions, and his one eye popping touchdown.
3YPC Player of the Practice: Jonnu Smith
August 13, 2024
Robert Jones was in the orange jersey and it’s well deserved. Jones has been a consistent performer, all camp long, and my hot take is that he will be the next interior Miami Dolphins lineman to leave via free agency on a decent contract. No Jalen Ramsey again, as he is seen jogging from 20 to 20 with Jaylen Waddle, who is taped up but not participating. Mo Kamara is also not participating and is dealing with an undisclosed injury. Ethan Bonner is now confirmed to be in the concussion protocol, and is not in uniform today. Tyreek Hill does his usual late arrival, to participate in every 11v11 session as he begins practice with his usual warmup inside.
After an interesting Defensive install, and a OL v. DL 1v1 session, we get going on 11v11. The Tua led Dolphins at one point ran the same RPO 6 times in a row with varying success, although the early portion featured a well placed in cut from Tua to Braylon Sanders that went off his hands and got intercepted by Marcus Maye. The play of the day was an end around to Jonnu Smith that scored from the 11 yard line. This offense will involve the TE in many ways. That is evident now. Practice was then moved inside for an install session that can’t be reported on. The post practice availabilities included Tua Tagovailoa who revealed the use of heavier personnel sets, and Jordyn Brooks who revealed that he is playing at 230 lbs. I gave the practice player of the day to Kendall Fuller, who was sharp in his drops/leverage and had one noticeable play where he drove on a ball in the flat and nearly came up with a highlight interception.
3YPC Player of the Practice: Kendall Fuller
August 14, 2024
A light practice begins with Julian Hill in Orange. Jalen Ramsey, Jaylen Waddle and Jevon Holland are non-participants, with Tyreek Hill having a day off. Ramsey and Waddle are seen sprinting and working on the side. Mo Kamara, after a short absence, returns as a full go to practice, while Jody Fortson works with trainers on the side. A short special teams install kicks off practice before we are told that the team will go inside for nearly half of the practice periods. Before we go in, we witness Jaylen Wright with a series of runs, including one in particular that was as impressive a run as you can have with a team not tackling and in shells.
When we move inside, we witnessed an install period that did not feature anything of note, as they seemed to go through the previous day’s offensive and defensive installs in a light walk thru. The Washington Commanders come in for a joint practice and a game, so today was obviously preparation for that. Today was one of the more uneventful practices of the last few weeks, but Jaylen Wright gets my player fop the practice award, for some eye popping cuts off some inside runs.
3YPC Player of the Practice: Jaylen Wright
August 15, 2024 (Joint Practice with Washington Commanders)
Practice begins with Kendall Fuller in orange on this joint practice day. Bradley Chubb and Cam Goode working on the side, with Jaelen Phillips and Mo Kamara mas full go’s today. Jalen Ramsey and Jaylen Waddle are not participating, as Tyreek Hill shows up fashionably late. The start with kickoff sims, and there is evidently a kickoff battle between Jason Sanders and Jake Bailey, but Sanders got the larger number of reps today. By my estimation, the count today was Sanders 3 for 4 on kicks landing in the drop zone with Bailey at 2 for 2. In my opinion, Bailey has been more consistent, but I don’t know what their thinking is going forward. We do know that Sanders is getting reps at a 2 to 1 ratio. But that’s all we know.
Red Zone portion begins and the Commanders 1st round pick at QB, Jayden Daniels has a time with it. Daniels looked in perfect command as he found plenty of success against tight coverage to throw 5 TD passes. On the other end (also in Red Zone from the 15 yard line), it was a mixed bag, but Tua did find Cracraft for one TD and they ran for two others. Then they moved to the full field 11v11 portion and Tua uncorked a deep ball overthrowing Tyreek Hill (he was open), and Mike White punctuated the session with a deep ball connection to Malik Washington for a gain of 41, where Washington was wrestled to the ground, fumbled out of bounds, but the ball was spotted for a 41 yard gain. Overall, the Miami Interior OL struggled mightily against the two all-pro DT’s from Washington, Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen. On the opposite field, Jaden Daniels found no success as he was sacked 5 times and intercepted once by Marcus Maye.
They closed practice with a simulated game inside the practice facility. The ball was placed on the 30 yard line, and Tua quickly moved the team with completions to Berrios for 15 and Cracraft for a dozen. They stall, and setup for a 52 yard field goal. The FG is good by Jason Sanders, and Miami leads 3-0. Jayden Daniels can now win with a TD or Tie with a FG. He gets an incompletion, a run for 2 yards and he is now faced with 3rd and about 8. Jayden Daniels throws a slant to Terry McLaurin that Kendall Fuller jumps and picks off. Sim over. Fuller then poses in front of the Commanders bench as the Dolphins come off the sideline to celebrate. Practice over. In my opinion, the Offense was average as the Defense was pretty good on this day, with a poor showing by the Dolphins interior OL against the two all pro DT’s for Washington. Zach Sieler proved to be too difficult to block, so he got my player of the practice.
After finishing their first preseason game with a sloppy victory over the Atlanta Falcons (20-13), the Miami Dolphins are still making adjustments to their roster while suffering injuries during that game and in practice, and having notable players – like Jaelan Phillips – return from injury. Positional battles still remain, and star players who didn’t play a week ago, could be in play for a number of reps against the Washington Commanders this Saturday at Hard Rock Stadium.
Here are 5 things fan should look forward to seeing in Preseason Game 2:
1. Is it Tua Time? Starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa didn’t play in the first game, but there is a good chance he may show his face in the second game. Based on his history with Mike McDaniel, Tagovailoa has played in the second preseason game each of the last two years. And after signing a significant extension to become one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the league and the face of the Miami Dolphins franchise, fans will be eager to see their quarterback step on the field.
Tagovailoa has lost weight by cutting out sugar from his diet in the hopes that this will make him more mobile to extend plays, avoid sacks, and scramble for positive yardage. Saturday will be Dolphins final home game of the preseason, and their last chance to show off their franchise quarterback to the home crowd before the regular season begins.
Battle of the Backups – QB’s
Neither Mike White nor Skylar Thompson have looked particularly impressive throughout camp, and that showed in the Fins preseason opener last Friday.
Reports are that the two passers who are battling for the number two quarterback spot are “neck and neck” in the competition. Each of them have had their moments in camp, but not enough to flash or demonstrate any consistency. Thompson appears that he has grown since last year’s camp, while White is still seen as the wise veteran, but hasn’t established any dominant footing to claim the job.
Last Friday, Thompson through a bad interception while under pressure, but rebounded and ended the half strongly by engineering some scoring drives and a touchdown pass. White nearly had a bad interception himself, and could only muster one drive for a field goal.
Thompson started in the opener; lets see if McDaniel puts White in ahead of Thompson in this one.
Who will emerge as team’s 3rd receiver?
This is one of the closest battles in camp. If I had to pick who the Dolphins 3rd best wide receiver in camp—I’d probably pick River Cracraft. He’s experienced, been on the team since McDaniel took over, good run blocker and route runner, comes through when his name is called upon…
But there are too many other receivers in the mix. Braxton Berrios described the competition as “neck and neck”.
Odell Beckham Jr. is still on the PUP and McDaniel says he’s not even day to day, he’s “week to week”. So don’t expect OBJ to be suited up for Saturday. But if he’s healthy, most expect he would be the Number 3.
Berrios is a scrappy player that the Dolphins like, but it seems they are looking for something more.
Malik Washington is a rookie, coming along, versatile, having his moments in practice, but not flashing enough to overtake either Cracraft or Berrios.
Erik Ezukanma who was struggling to learn the playbook his rookie year in 2022, then suffered a neck injury in 2023, returned to practice this week. He’s an intriguing prospect, but Dolphins need to see if he can put it all together.
Willie Snead is a name, but not one that inspires hope due to his last few years of limited production in the league. He’s had a lot of drops since coming to Miami.
Other players in the mix are Braylon Sanders, Anthony Schwartz, Je’Quan Burton, Kyric McGowan, and Mike Harley Jr.
What will the offensive line look like?
With so many injuries lately to the offensive line, one wonders what it will look like on Saturday.
We know who the projected starters are for 2024: Terron Armstead, Isaiah Wynn, Aaron Brewer, Robert Jones, and Austin Jackson.
But the Dolphins would be hesitant to play Terron Armstead given his injury history, the fact that retirement is coming down the road, and that he is the staple left tackle until rookie Patrick Paul succeeds him.
Isaiah Wynn is still on the PUP, Aaron Brewer has a hand issue and could miss Week 1, and Kion Smith went on IR after tearing his ACL in last Friday’s matchup against the Falcons. The Dolphins pretty much know what they have in Austin Jackson and Robert Jones. So the Dolphins may avoid Jackson and Jones in order to avoid risking injury that seems to be befalling the line, as it always does. The Fins may add Liam Eichenberg to that list, seeing as they like his versatility, and Fins played him as backup center to Brewer following Brewer’s injury.
This leaves 2nd-round rookie Patrick Paul to suit up and provide another strong showing at Hard Rock stadium. Other notable linemen to watch and evaluate for depth are Lester Cotton, Jack Driscoll, Ryan Hayes, Kendall Lamm, and Sean Harlow amongst others.
The Dolphins Backfield
The run game was the most effective offensive weapon for the Dolphins last week. The Dolphins racked up 144 yards on the ground compared to the Falcons 81. The Dolphins backfield is in line for more work on Saturday versus the Commanders.
Rookie 4th round selection Jaylen Wright put on a show versus the Falcons and demonstrated burst, power, and speed. After bobbling a pass, he took a broken play in the backfield, scrambled to the opposite side, and took off for a first down. In total, he had 10 carries for 55 yards, and a touchdown. Brooks had 12 carries for 40 yards, and Wilson didn’t do much on the ground but was tied for the receiver with the most catches that day with 3, one of them being a touchdown.
I doubt fans will see Raheem Mostert due to his age and him being the leader of this backfield or De’Von Achane. But Saturday will provide more glimpses of what Wright’s talent, and the depth the Dolphins have in their backfield.
https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/9e78f2f0-01c5-4cef-94a5-0ec9b881e2f6.jpg16081500Mike Hernandezhttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgMike Hernandez2024-08-13 21:50:522024-08-13 21:56:265 things to watch the Miami Dolphins Preseason Game 2
A light practice begins with Quinton Bell in orange. Bell has had a very good camp so far, and is well positioned to get a snap count going forward on the edge. Jaylen Waddle and Jalen Ramsey are here, but are not participants today. Jordyn Brooks, and Anthony Walker Jr. are also dealing with “something”, and are not practicing as well. Tua Tagovailoa misfires on a deep ball to Tyreek Hill with Ethan Bonner in coverage. Tua then hits Tyreek with a dime over Storm Duck and Jevon Holland. That was pretty much it for the 11v11 highlights.
Later on in practice, a fascinating situation came up, where Quinton Bell was isolated in the flat with Alec Ingold, and Ingold turned his flat route up, created separation and caught a pass from Tua for a big gainer. The situation (I can’t reveal the coverage) showed some of the rules the defense will operate under based on the coverage /which hash the play was run from, and I can tell you, that the execution was good, but the result was not. Bell was clearly fooled by the Ingold improvisation, or the play design. David Long Jr. had a PBU on the goal line on a Tua to Malik Washington zone beater. His activity against the run was noticeable, and his play in the short zone area was very good. He gets the nod on this day. The Atlanta Falcons come into town for Tuesday and Wednesday joint practices.
3YPC Player of the Practice: David Long Jr.
August 6, 2024 (Atlanta Falcons Joint Practice)
Duke Riley shows up in the orange, and it is well deserved. I had given the practice MVP to David Long Jr., but it makes perfect sense that a team that excelled in short zone coverage, would have one of it’s LB’s get the nod. Jaylen Waddle, Jordyn Brooks, and Anthony Walker among those not practicing. The joint practice moves on to 1v1’s and the turkey shoot begins, and I zone out a bit, as I find them to be pretty useless. So I move on to 1v1’s that are a bit more interesting. OL v. DL. I saw three reps from Patrick Paul that were very good, including one rep where he rode Lorenzo Carter completely out of the play. The rookie is beginning to stack good practices.
That Paul is coming on a bit, is a good development since this day saw poor play from Kendall Lamm, Kion Smith, and Ryan Hayes. All on the left side. As 11v11 begins, a brawl starts after Ethan Bonner and Drake London get entangled. Several players move toward the scrum, look like they are going to do something, but nothing happens. We move on. The Dolphins defense dominates to start and at one point, the Falcons offense led by Kirk Cousins gains 8 yards on 8 snaps (Michael Penix was not very good early on, but finished up strong in the redzone). Tua Tagovailoa’s offense gained 68 on their 8 snaps. The play of the day came when Tua on play action, finds Tyreek Hill on a 49 yard deep ball TD, that beat Falcons corner Mike Hughes. Hughes later picked off Tua with a fiving interception, as Tua tried to hit Cracraft on a glance route when the Falcons sent a blitz. Great idea, poor execution. Intercepted. The Dolphins OL had problems picking up blitzes, but you can chalk up the win on this day for the Miami Dolphins overall. River Cracraft converted three third downs, scored a TD, and was open on the glance route that got intercepted (poor pass) so he could have had a monster day. The defense was very good, but the wealth was spread out. Tyreek Hill cannot be covered, but we expect that. Cracraft continued his good camp, and earns my “player of the practice.” Both offenses drove for FG’s on their situational to end practice. Both started at their own 35 yard line, and the Dolphins kicked a 50 yarder, as the Falcons kicked a 47 yarder.
3YPC Player of the Practice: River Cracraft
August 7, 2024 (Atlanta Falcons Joint Practice)
This was as uneventful a joint practice as you can have since it was stopped several times for skirmishes/pushing matches that stopped play for several minutes at a time. Then, a serious injury for Atlanta Falcons WR Rondale Moore cut practice short. The Miami Dolphins in the end did not get any benefit of a simulated portion of practice, which is what they run in the last half hour. The Falcons however did get one simulated drive that started at their own 40, and ended at the Dolphins 19 yard line with a fumbled shotgun snap by Kirk Cousins that Edge rusher Chop Robinson recovered.
As for he play otherwise, TE Kyle Pitts made some plays against Dolphin safeties Marcus Maye and Elijah Campbell. Skylar Thompson had some success running the goal line portion of practice, and Mike White found success throwing it deep, along with one absolute dime to Malik Washington. Tua Tagovailoa and his 1st team offense did not find too much success, and neither did Kirk Cousins or Michael Penix for that matter. Miami’s offense with Tua in, had a nearly 5 to 1 Run/Pass ratio, and the emphasis seemed to be on squaring away the run game install for this practice. The issues with the pass protection continued, but were mitigated by crafty pocket work by Tua Tagovailoa as he found open receivers by maneuvering in the pocket. Aaron Brewer left the field with an apparent right hand injury. Not ideal. Also not ideal is that Liam Eichenberg is now pressed into duty at two positions, center and guard. Later on, we learned through Jordan Poyer’s wife Rachel Bush that Poyer’s absence as of late is due to a thumb injury and it is not believed to be serious. Odell Beckham seems closer to a return as he has ramped up work as of late. Malik Washington gets the nod today due to his execution of the playbook, and the splash plays that seem to be a regular occurrence lately.
Friday’s game will be one of the most interesting 1st preseason games to watch in recent memory. Rookie’s Malik Washington, Patrick Paul, Chop Robinson, Mo Kamara, and Jaylen Wright all figure to play prominent roles, and get plenty of playing time.
2024 is the year of the Wide Receiver for the NFL. All around the league, teams are rewarding their quarterback’s best friends with massive contracts that blow the numbers of years past away. The Minnesota Vikings gave their star WR Justin Jefferson a 4-year, $140 million dollar extension that makes him the highest annually paid WR in the league.
Amon-Ra St. Brown signed a 4-year, $120 million dollar deal with the Detroit Lions, A.J. Brown signed a 3-year, $96 million dollar extension to stay with the Philadelphia Eagles. And of course, right in South Florida, the Miami Dolphins rewarded their homegrown talent Jaylen Waddle with a 3-year, $84.75 million dollar extension which begins in 2025 after Waddle’s 5th-year option plays out.
But even with all these contracts, there are still more players seeking their massive paydays, and they’re all watching these negotiations play out with keen interest. Dallas Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb is going to be looking at Jefferson’s detail as the basis for his new contract, as is Cincinnati Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase.
And now, during an interview with WSVN Sports Anchor Josh Moser, renowned sports agent Drew Rosenhaus revealed that his client Tyreek Hill is looking at all of these new contracts and using them as a means to express his desire for more money as well.
Now that the Justin Jefferson deal is done, I spoke to Drew Rosenhaus about getting his client, Tyreek Hill, more money to put him back in line with the top-5 highest paid at his position. @DrewJRosenhaus saying, “ I have a fluid line of communication with Chris Grier and Brandon… pic.twitter.com/Gx53yj69Qv
Miami Dolphins fans will recall a back in 2019, when cornerback Xavien Howard originally signed a 5-year, $76.5 million dollar contract, which at the time made him the highest paid cornerback in the league. Then, as the market usually does, prices went up as other players signed their deals based on Howard’s deal in 2020.
Then in July 2021, Howard requested a trade from the team because he felt underpaid in spite of the fact he had just signed a brand new deal that was higher than anyone else at the time of signing. Ultimately, Miami decided to give in to Howard’s demands and gave him a reworked contract that made him the highest paid cornerback in the league, again. Fast forward three seasons later, and the 30-year old Howard is a free agent looking for a new team, and the Dolphins have an additional $18.5 million in cap space.
Giving Howard a new deal instead of trading him in his prime had pros and cons for Miami. However, in the case of Tyreek Hill, the Dolphins would benefit from keeping him on the roster for as long as they can afford him. Mike McDaniel’s offense is heavily-based on utilizing Hill’s speed and agility in ways that defenses struggle to adapt to.
One can make the argument that Tyreek Hill isn’t necessarily the best overall WR in the league, but it’s hard to think of someone who’s a deadlier weapon. On the boundary, Hill beats any one-on-one coverage going deep. In the slot, Hill finds openings that wouldn’t be there for any slower receivers, making Tua Tagovailoa’s job much easier.
There are some different factors to consider this time around. Unlike Howard, Hill isn’t going public with any sort of displeasure about his current deal. During an interview with the media at the start of mini-camp, Hill expressed that in spite of wanting a reworked deal, he isn’t looking to cause a controversy over it, and being greedy won’t help the team.
“I’m gonna let my agent do his job. That’s his job … We’re gonna make sure it benefits both sides, I wanna be able to help the team as much as I can, and that’s as much as I can say about it.”
This season, Tyreek Hill counts for a little over 12% of the team’s salary cap, with a cap hit of over $30 million. In 2025, financially speaking, the Dolphins would benefit from releasing Hill in the same way they did Xavien Howard. Designating him a post-June 1st cut would save Miami nearly $23 million, while only costing $11 million in dead cap space.
Once again, there are things Tyreek Hill can do that no other receivers in the league can. Not only that, he and Tua Tagovailoa have established a rapport that is difficult to replicate even in today’s pass-centric NFL. Since coming to Miami, Tyreek Hill has had two consecutive career years, and a lot of that has to do with Mike McDaniel’s offense.
“Tyreek Hill has been unbelievably valuable to my coaching career, this franchise, we set out to do some ambitious things from the onset.” McDaniel said on Tuesday. “On top of the fact he wanted to take his game to another level but also be a leader, he’s tremendously important, we’ve always prioritized him that way. For him and I, we stay in our lane with our relationship, and the organization will always do right by players.”
There is a lot to consider with the Tyreek Hill situation. He’s entering the 2024 season having just turned 30, he has lingering off-the-field concerns due to his past mistakes, and the Miami Dolphins will be looking to find money to use in the coming seasons with Tua Tagovailoa’s impending extension, as well as those of Jaelen Phillips and Jevon Holland.
But there can be no question how heavily Miami’s offense leans on Tyreek Hill for its explosive capability. On the day he does lose a step, he’ll still be one of the faster wide receivers in the league, which speaks to how wide the gap is.
Hill has already stated that he wants to retire in Miami. Clearly, Mike McDaniel would love to see that wish granted for both their sakes.
“He’s a big part of everything that we’re doing.” McDaniel said. “I think Tyreek wants that, he’s made that explicit. I think me, as a competitor, I want to make that happen. In terms of the Miami Dolphins embracing Tyreek Hill, I think that is an understatement. We look forward to continuing to grow in our relationship for sure.”
Luis Sung has been covering the Miami Dolphins for over nine years and is the host of Pulse of Fins Nation for the Five Reasons Sports Network. Follow him on Twitter @LuisDSung
https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/mcdaniel-hill.png597972Luis Sunghttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgLuis Sung2024-06-04 13:58:052024-06-04 13:58:05Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel wants to ‘do right’ by Tyreek Hill
With the 21st pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Miami Dolphins select Xavier Worthy, wide receiver, Texas.
This pick is made with the idea that the Miami Dolphins will, at some point, need to move on from Tyreek Hill. It may not happen within the next couple of years, but a succession plan is a good idea. In the meantime, Worthy is – pun intended – more than worthy to be the team’s 3rd wide receiver in a scheme that values speed and separation ability above all else.
With that said, Miami’s selection of a WR in round one means that it is absolutely imperative that the Dolphins select a guard in the second round, whether they make a trade in the process or not. If I had my choice, Christian Mahogany out of Boston College would be the selection for that slot.
*****
From @OLCoachSmith63
In the first round, the Dolphins take Laiatu Latu, edge, UCLA.
Miami’s roster today needs help getting to the QB. Latu is my #2 edge player and provides help now as well as a runway to move on from Chubb when Phillips gets his big deal. Coleman is my top receiver after the big 3 and was a no-brainer at pick 55. I used future picks to come back into the 3rd round for a versatile, aggressive safety in Bishop to pair with Holland and allow Poyer to be a situational player. After a long break in picks, Bortolini and Jackson are players who line up athletically with Chris Grier’s past picks and provide depth/competition to positions where it’s needed. I wrapped up the draft with a speed receiver in Tulu Griffin who could spell Hill/Waddle while maintaining the timing of the offense. He could also challenge Berrios for the return role.
*****
From @HussamPatel
Dolphins trade down with Arizona to get the #27 pick and receive pick #71 and #162
With the 27th pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Miami Dolphins select Duke OL Graham Barton. Barton a versatile OL has played Tackle, Guard, and Center. GM Chris Grier stared he loves versatility and Barton can do just that. Barton projects as a Guard at the next levels and fills in a need. If called upon Barton can fill in as a Tackle and Center spots if Armstead/Brewer do get injured. Protecting Tua Tagovailoa is important considering how the OL was decimated by injuries at the end of the season which directly affected the offense later in the season.
*****
From @MikeHernandezDD
OT Tyler Guyton, Oklahoma:
I’ve seen some mock drafts listing the Miami Dolphins taking a passrusher at No. 21 overall, but I’m not buying it.
The Fins need help on the edge with Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips both expected to miss the start of the season with their major injuries. However, Chubb is on a big-money contract with a major dead money cap hit that doesn’t come down for a couple years, so he’s expected to remain in Miami for the foreseeable future unless a trade happens. And based on general manager Chris Grier’s comments and enthusiasm regarding Phillips recently, the Dolphins are going to exercise the 5th-year option on their 2021 1st-round selection.
And with Shaq Barrett signed, Cameron Goode returning, and perhaps the disappointing Channing Tindall getting a look at edge duties, Miami should have enough to create a degree of pressure on teams until Chubb and Phillips return to the lineup.
With all that being said, I’m predicting that Grier and head coach Mike McDaniel select an offensive tackle in the first round. One that still has the ability to play on the left side before the dropoff happens and only right tackles remain.
Enter Oklahoma’s Tyler Guyton – 6’8, 322lbs, and 34 inch arms.
Guyton is young at 21 years old, but has coveted tools and athleticism that many project can get better with time and more experience. He is a good pass protector (Zero sacks allowed on 335 pass-block snaps in 2023), and can move in space as a lead blocker – two things that McDaniel would cherish in his offense.
Current left tackle Terron Armstead is on the verge of retiring, and has never played a full season. Guard’s Robert Jones and Isaiah Wynn are penciled in as starters for now but are being paid spot-starter/backup money. Combine that with Grier’s April comments about Armstead and “having a two-year look into the future”. Is it possible the Dolphins could play Guyton at left guard (something Miami did with OT Laremy Tunsil during his rookie season in 2016), until he is ready to become Armstead’s eventual successor? Or at least have Guyton waiting in the wings in case of the likely Armstead injury?
The Dolphins and star quarterback Tua Tagovailoa are looking to get a longterm contract done this offseason, but we all know Tua isn’t likely to keep up the statistical success if he doesn’t have adequate protection. Protecting your franchise quarterback should be the next item on the list after locking him up. Guyton could be the future solution.
Mel Kiper links Guyton to the Cowboys in his Mock Draft, and if there is anything we know about the Cowboys, it’s that they know how to find offensive lineman. Ravens writers also have their eye on him. The Dolphins can snatch Guyton before the Cowboys or Ravens have a chance to grab him.
If you are worried about Guyton being too raw or inexperienced, that’s a valid concern. But remember that Miami’s Austin Jackson was once drafted as a raw OT prospect in 2020, and he developed into a solid right tackle and signed a 3-year extension with the team. So there is hope in that area.
Here are some evaluations on Tyler Guyton: “Ascending tackle prospect with the traits and tape to project a bright future as a high-level pass protector in the league. Guyton has battled injuries and had limited reps coming over from TCU after the 2021 season, but his flashes have been complemented by increasing consistency. He plays with a high center of gravity and needs to get stronger, but leveraged hand strikes can help overcome those concerns. He should continue to get better as a run blocker but might never shine in that department. Guyton’s value comes with his pass protection, as he has the length, feet and body control to become a human roadblock. He should become a talented starter at either tackle position.” – Lance Zierlein, NFL Analyst.
“Overall, Guyton is a higher-level athlete with the elite physical tools you look for, showing snapshots of dominance with his technique and easy, fluid movement in the run game and pass protection. Guyton glided out of his two-point stance in pass protection with an efficient and comfortable kick slide. He has the balance, body control and range to close down the edge, yet he also has the firm base to anchor and control the speed-to-power pass rush. Guyton is a strong prospect, but you must understand his lack of experience position will likely mean that he needs coaching and development before he can become a full-time starter. Given that Guyton has only one year of starting experience and given his size, length and movement, it would not surprise me if NFL teams saw him as a LT.” – Greg Cosell, the 33rdTeam
https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/grier-mug-2.jpg15742200Five Reasonshttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgFive Reasons2024-04-25 10:08:392024-04-25 10:11:16Who will the Miami Dolphins pick in the first round?
In the wake of Monday night’s devastating collapse against the Titans during prime time, the Miami Dolphins faced a critical crossroads heading into their next matchup against the Jets: succumb to a potential repeat of last year’s December meltdown by continuing to lose, or regroup, rebound, and return to the dominating Dolphins football seen throughout the season with a bounce back win.
In an impressive display of resilience, the Dolphins chose the latter path, securing a resounding 30-0 shutout victory at home against the Jets despite a significant absence of key players, including WR Tyreek Hill, CB Xavien Howard, S Jevon Holland, S Deshon Elliot, G Robert Hunt, C Connor Williams, T Isaiah Wynn, OLB Jaelan Phillips, and LB Jerome Baker.
Describing this performance as merely resilient would be an understatement. It was a testament to the team’s fortitude amidst a blend of crucial injuries, numerous prevailing narratives circulating throughout the NFL media, and the broader context of rebounding from their most disheartening loss of the season thus far.
Amidst numerous narratives, the spotlight landed on Tua Tagovailoa, Mike McDaniel, and the offense grappling with the challenge of functioning without the league-deserving MVP, Tyreek Hill.
Fans were banking on the Jaylen Waddle show after the hope for the Cheetah’s appearance against the Jets faded abruptly as the inactive list revealed Hill’s unexpected absence – the first game he would miss in his short Dolphins tenure.
8 receptions for 142 yards and a touchdown against a solid Jets secondary is what Jaylen Waddle racked up in the absence of Hill. Putting to sleep all doubts of whether he could be a reliable WR1 for the Fins, Jaylen Waddle emerged as a standout force. Simultaneously, his performance effectively buried any uncertainties surrounding the potency of this Dolphins offense without Tyreek Hill.
However, it would take a fool not to notice the inevitable adjustment in McDaniel’s game plan sans the Cheetah. Coach McDaniel was tasked with devising a strategy considering Hill’s potential absence. The resultant offensive game plan was notably more conservative, lacking, to an extent, the usual arial prowess, explosiveness, and chunk plays—expected when the most explosive wide receiver in football is sidelined.
Coach McDaniel and his staff opted to play to their strengths, adapting to the circumstances by leveraging the available resources. Despite injuries, they still possessed a Pro Bowl-caliber quarterback and a decent arsenal of weapons, albeit an ailing offensive line. They crafted a game plan that was relatively conservative yet remained effective.
How effective was it? Well, Tua Tagovailoa’s first incompletion didn’t occur until 2:50 left in the first half, a testament to the precision and efficiency of the adapted game plan.
Where do the Dolphins stand with 3 games remaining?
The bad news? The Buffalo Bills seem to have found their groove, securing a solid two-game win streak by triumphing over the Chiefs and Cowboys. Their path ahead seems relatively smooth, facing a far less challenging schedule until their pivotal clash with the Dolphins in the regular seasons finale, potentially dictating the divisional outcome.
But for the Dolphins, it’s tough. —an uphill battle against one of the toughest remaining schedules in the league. The objective remains crystal clear: winning is non-negotiable. Sweeping the table against the Cowboys, Ravens, and Bills secures Miami the coveted top seed in the AFC. Yet, a stumble or two could place the AFC East crown within Buffalo’s reach.
In the final three weeks of the regular season, much will be learned about this team. The Dolphins are still nursing injuries to key players while facing formidable opponents. To challenge the narrative and stand tall against top-tier teams, they’ll need to operate within their strengths, fortify the formidable defense, and ride Sunday’s momentum without allowing the magnitude of the moment to overwhelm them.
https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/IMG_7528.jpg11211709Jacob Meshelhttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgJacob Meshel2023-12-18 14:39:002023-12-18 14:39:00State of the Fins: Where Miami Dolphins stand with just 3 games left.
