8/1 Sports Buzz- Camp Report

[Daytona Fin]

Terrence Fede, Jordan Tripp and Walt Aikens -- the Dolphins’ three defensive draft picks in 2014 -- all have expanded roles so far in training camp and all appear to be making the most of them.

Fede, a backup defensive end, had another sack Saturday, giving him at least 3.5 in three days.

Tripp, who has been playing mostly with the second team, had a sack and got some work with the first team at linebacker.

And Aikens continues to work on the second team at safety, alongside Michael Thomas, and also received some snaps with the starters on Friday.

Last season, Fede played just 82 defensive snaps, Aikens 64 and Tripp 12.

But Fede’s opportunity should increase because of Dion Jordan’s season-long suspension.

“Terrence really looked good, watching him in drill work,” coach Joe Philbin said. “He’s moving well. He’s up to 275 pounds and change. He might even have a little position flexibility as well. You might have seen him line up inside. We’ve used him at different spots. Coming from Marist is a big adjustment but he’s doing well.”

Fede said he likes to “take a few things” from Derrick Shelby, Miami’s other second-team defensive end, because “we’re the same body frame.” He also has studied tape of injured Giants standout Jason Pierre Paul and former Giants star Michael Strahan.

Tripp, meanwhile, said he’s a “completely different” player than a year ago, 10 to 15 pounds heavier “and a lot better.” He said he had an appendectomy late in preseason last year and that took a while to recover from.

“What I like about Jordy so far is he seems a lot more confident getting the defense lined up,” Philbin said. “He’s a good communicator.”

Aikens, meanwhile, has impressed the staff not only with his play, but also with his improved maturity after a few off-field missteps last year.

Thomas said Aikens has come “in this year with a better mindset, better focus, like this year, ‘I’m going to be a pro. I’m not a young kid.’

"That’s the approach he took coming into camp. He went from a rookie that you didn’t know what you were going to get to a guy, ‘OK we can count on him.’ He’s getting other guys lined up. I might even make a mistake and he helps me out.

### After practicing the first two days of camp, cornerback Will Davis sat out the third. But Davis, who had surgery to repair a torn ACL last November, said there wasn’t a setback with his knee.

He said “we knew coming in” that he would take days off. “I’m trying to get to 100 percent, trying to get the explosiveness back,” he said. “I don’t want to push it too much.”

### The Dolphins said they viewed Brice McCain as a slot corner when they signed him in March, but he is also getting a chance to compete with Jamar Taylor on the boundary. On Saturday, both players took first-team snaps both outside and in the slot.

Taylor has “got good awareness,” Philbin said. “He can tackle well at that position [slot], especially on normal down and distance you have to be able to, if when the personnel dictates that we’re in that grouping, then you have to be able to tackle. We’re just looking for different roles that he can fill and we need to develop as many players inside as we can.”

Taylor ripped a ball from Michael Preston’s hands and McCain had good coverage on a Ryan Tannehill deep throw to Kenny Stills.

### In training camp’s first practice in pads, Ndamukong Suh predictably got the better of guard Billy Turner, including one play that might have resulted in Ryan Tannehill losing a body part in normal game circumstances.

Mike Pouncey also helped block Suh and said training camp is more exhausting for him with Suh on the team. “When you’re going against a player like that, it’s going to make you better,” Pouncey said.

Joe Philbin said Suh “needs to get himself fully comfortable in our system and his timing and his rhythm down. It’s going to be a great experience for our offensive players to go against him. It’s going to benefit everybody. He certainly had some impactful plays out there."

http://miamiherald.typepad.com/spor...mp-broadcast-news-on-some-familiar-names.html

 

[LANGER72]

:hi5:

 

[PHINSfan]

Suh and Wake coming from the right side. Vernon (on a contract year) coming from the other side on passing downs..... WOW!!! A true nightmare for opposing O's!

 

[ITS!MATEO]

So is Tripp being played at Mike in those 1st team reps or sam?

 

[Phinatic8u]

I think sam.

 

[hoops]

So is Tripp being played at Mike in those 1st team reps or sam?

Weak...where he should be but i really doubt this staff would give him the nod over jenkins coming off his 2014...but at least it sounds like we have a viable depth option there if need be

 

[j-off-her-doll]

Weak...where he should be but i really doubt this staff would give him the nod over jenkins coming off his 2014...but at least it sounds like we have a viable depth option there if need be

I believe the reports I read that he's been running SLB with the 1's with Misi in the middle and Jenkins at WLB.

 

[hoops]

I believe the reports I read that he's been running SLB with the 1's with Misi in the middle and Jenkins at WLB.

Dont like it unless hes really made some serious poa strides in one offseason...like a complete 180

Thats another knock on mccain if thats the case...

 

[nick1]

Dont like it unless hes really made some serious poa strides in one offseason...like a complete 180

Thats another knock on mccain if thats the case...

I get the sense they don't want McCain to be settled in as an every down LB. They want him at DE half of the time. Which means you need a LB who can play half of his snaps

 

[hoops]

I get the sense they don't want McCain to be settled in as an every down LB. They want him at DE half of the time. Which means you need a LB who can play half of his snaps

The thought was he was gonna be a 2 down solb and sub package de...the latter appears to still be the case the former seems iffy right now

You better have some strength at the poa at sam...in that respect mccan and misi and to a lesser degree paysinger fit...we will see in the preseason if tripp gets run there if he does...youd be upgrading your athletisicm with tripp at strong no doubt but you better have yourself a fill backer with some pop

Big difference between weak and strong olbs skill set required

 

[So Be]

Great to see more draft picks fitting in. Fede just may make the OV decision easier, and Aikens may be able to fill next year at S. It way too early but, does sound promising.

On the OL struggles today in pads, is anyone really surprised? Our DL is easily top 5 and may turn out to be the best in the NFL. Our OL has new/very young guys at OG and a questionable sub at LT. I'm not yet taking much from them being beaten up. If they take this as a learning experience, they will be better than they were every day. Looking forward to see what Benton's guys do on Sunday and beyond.

I can't yet pick on the OG's but, Fox is a major concern of mine.

 

[Phinatic8u]

If OV continues this play into the season, everything I have ever said about him, I will apologize.

 

[mnphinfan]

Dont like it unless hes really made some serious poa strides in one offseason...like a complete 180

Thats another knock on mccain if thats the case...

I read in an interview today that Tripp said he gained around 15 lbs on muscle this offseason. He said he went from about 230ish to 245ish. That will definitely help.

 

[hoops]

I read in an interview today that Tripp said he gained around 15 lbs on muscle this offseason. He said he went from about 230ish to 245ish. That will definitely help.

Sounds like hes gone the ped route ala brian cushing

 

[Austin Tatious]

I'm looking forward to seeing all three of these young pups play extended snaps in preseason. Fede was a tremendous find by Hickey considering where we got him. Give credit to our scouts. Our scouts have done a nice job finding these nuggets for awhile. Hickey executed on draft day.

Aikens has gotten nothing but positive press for months. I can't wait to see what the fuss is about.

If these three and Chris McCain can come through, that 2014 haul could be utterly ridic.