Listed here are 10 observations from the primary two weeks of Miami Dolphins coaching camp:
1. The linebackers had been probably the most attention-grabbing unit of the first Dolphins’ depth chart. Melvin Ingram is listed as an out of doors starter over Andrew Van Ginkel. That’s not an enormous deal as each will play. The purpose right here is that they like Ingram this a lot, although the bigger level is to ask if the Ingram of August would be the identical because the Ingram of December and January. He’s 33 with a historical past of accidents. He had stops at two blue-chip franchises, Pittsburgh and Kansas Metropolis, the final two seasons and didn’t stick. But when the Dolphins get something near the Melvin Ingram of the Chargers then they've discovered somebody beneficial. This might be a kind of unsure signings that turns into huge looking back. We’re nonetheless within the message-sending a part of an NFL, so we don’t know if the Dolphins’ message is that they like Ingram this a lot or wish to push Van Ginkel. Possibly each?
2. Roquan Smith is asking the Chicago Bears to commerce him, and each workforce within the league will kick the tires of a deal for the first-round draft decide in 2018. He’s 25, a flexible linebacker and second-team All-Professional final 12 months. These sort of gamers don’t come in the marketplace fairly often. They’re costly, too. The Dolphins are up towards the cap subsequent 12 months, however these sort of issues will be massaged into working. Compensation? That’s the place it will get difficult. The Dolphins despatched a number of picks for Tyreek Hill and misplaced a future first- and third-rounder because of their tampering penalty. They might use an impactful linebacker like this — who couldn’t? However assembling sufficient sources for a commerce of this magnitude can be problematic.
3. A follow-up relating to the Dolphins’ penalty for recruiting Tom Brady again to his New England days and Sean Payton from New Orleans:
A. Did New England proprietor Robert Kraft push the NFL to penalize the Dolphins, as a league supply suggests? It’s unclear how a lot sway his voice had within the proceedings, however you possibly can perceive Kraft’s anger at realizing Dolphins owner-in-waiting Bruce Beale recruiting Brady throughout his ultimate Patriots 12 months in 2019. Nonetheless, for tampering that was historic in scope, in accordance with the NFL Commissioner, being penalized a first-round decide in 2023 and a third-round decide in 2024 isn’t a staggering penalty. Why wasn’t it extra? Possibly as a result of each workforce tampers. The league needed to be involved with a flood of circumstances. After all, no workforce has achieved it as overtly because the Dolphins on this occasion. That’s the priority right here – they don’t know learn how to tank or tamper inside the accepted parameters.
B. The league supply additionally provided what he says is a “league-wide perception:” The actual fact Don Yee was the agent of each Brady and Payton says he instructed their story on the tampering on the situation they’d endure no penalties and even reproachment from the league. That’s the opposite half of this story. How do you deal with if a participant underneath contract talks with a workforce? Is that allowed? Evidently it's.
4. A month from the Sept. 11 opener at Laborious Rock Stadium, let’s look in at how the New England offense appears to be like with Matt Patricia and Joe Choose in some undefined roles of working it. Take this from long-time Patriots reporter Greg Bedard:
“Arguably worst begin of offense to camp,’’ he tweeted from Monday’s observe earlier than itemizing the performs: “False begin 77, Stuff Incomplete, Stuff at handoff, Sack Flat 1yd would have been blown up if reside, Incomplete, Sack on a waggle 1 yard move blown up by Wilson, Stuff 5 yards flat to Meyers.”
And ESPN’s Mike Reiss: “A thought after watching the Patriots offense look environment friendly in 7-on-7 however wrestle notably in a number of 11-on-11s: Is likely to be time to present (legendary Patriots offensive line coach) Dante Scarnecchia a name for an unbiased analysis.”
Right here’s the counter-read to this: The Patriots protection have to be nice?
5. If the Dolphins even get something of substance in a commerce for Preston Williams, GM Chris Grier is the early chief for govt of the 12 months. Is there actually a marketplace for a participant who went undrafted, has performed half the video games in three years because of damage and had one catch for seven yards in 2021? The Dolphins had him compete for a job for the primary time since his rookie coaching camp. The outcomes are talking. So, yeah, itemizing him as second workforce is both to bolster his (cough) commerce worth or …
6. It’s a press release of how skinny this Dolphins receiving corps is. Keep in mind when GM Jeff Eire mentioned on HBO’s Laborious Knocks he has, “fours, fives and sixes,” in his receiving group however wanted to search out some “ones, twos and threes?” It’s in regards to the reverse situation right here. Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle are No. 1 receivers. Cedric Wilson is No. 3, and it appears rookie Eric Ezukanma is No. 4 in coaching camp.. Undrafted rookie Braylon Sanders feels like a participant you need on the observe squad to develop. However then? What to consider Lynn Bowden Jr., River Cracraft and Trent Sherfield? A workforce typcially has a large receiver on particular groups and that might be Cracraft. Let’s additionally keep in mind there’s been no hitting of receivers simply but so it is a place that may be overrated in summer season exercises.
7. The highest-end expertise and good camp work of this roster is obvious and commendable. The depth of this roster is the priority — simply as it's in lots of groups by now. The healthiest workforce typically wins. It’s not simply the offensive line and receivers the place the Dolphins should search for assist. Take a look at cornerback. Xavien Howard and Byron Jones are pretty much as good a unit as any workforce. Nik Needham is a strong third cornerback. However after that? Noah Igbinoghene is listed because the fourth cornerback and he couldn’t get on the sector his first two years. Has he improved that a lot? Possibly. The saying in soccer is you possibly can by no means have sufficient offensive tackles and cornerbacks. The Dolphins have to be on the lookout for cornerbacks, simply as many groups are.
8. The three gamers the Dolphins can’t lose this season: Hill, cornerback Xavien Howard and left deal with Terron Armstead. Hill is probably the most dynamic participant on the workforce — perhaps within the league. Howard isn’t only a game-changer however frees up the protection to do many issues. Armstead is the anchor on an offensive line. It’s not simply their expertise, although. Once more, it’s depth. Take a look at the road. There are three unsure gamers are in new positions: middle Connor Williams, proper deal with Austin Jackson and left guard Liam Eichenberg. Armstead is the certain factor.
9. That mentioned, keep in mind when the Dolphins continually juggled gamers throughout the offensive line all final coaching camp? Eichenberg began at proper deal with, moved to protect, then had time at left deal with. His head needed to be spinning. This teaching workers made selections on the place to place gamers and is letting the gamers sink or swim in these positions all summer season. We’ll see the way it goes via mixed practices with Tampa Bay and the preseason. However conserving gamers at one main place offers them the most effective probability to succeed.
10. Notes:
A. Talking of the Patriots camp, DeVante Parker is listed as a second-team receiver. That may’t be why they traded for him, however Parker was among the many worst receivers getting separation the previous three years. His one huge 12 months got here when Ryan Fitzpatrick threw bounce balls to him. He can get these. The query is if you'd like a one-trick receiver like that.
B. Which workforce goes to signal former Cleveland middle JC Tretter?
C. Deal with Mekhi Becton struggling an damage to the knee that knocked him out final season is in regards to the worst information the New York Jets may have in August.
D. The enjoyable a part of the summer season is younger gamers at taking developmental steps. That’s why hope and optimism bloom throughout virtually each workforce proper now. Mike McDaniel has achieved an ideal job of fixing the texture round this workforce into one in every of that hope and optimism. However with the mixed observe in Tampa and preseason, we’ll begin to get a greater image of the steps some gamers have taken.
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