Most encouraging development offensively through three days of Miami Dolphins padded practices?
You can start with this: Several young players — particularly the rookie offensive line draft picks — don’t seem the least bit overwhelmed and are very much in the mix for major roles.
With no practice held Thursday, here’s some feedback on those young players at each position, aside from quarterback, from interview sessions with Dolphins offensive assistant coaches this week:
▪ Offensive line: At this point, at least two rookies — left tackle Austin Jackson and right guard Solomon Kindley — have a more-than-decent chance to earn starting jobs, provided they don’t begin to regress. And second-round pick Robert Hunt remains in the mix at guard and tackle.
“Those three guys are competing for a job; they were very good players at the college level and are getting better every day,” offensive line coach Steve Marshall said. “Every play is a new adventure for those guys. We’ve been pleased.”
Kindley’s immediate emergence has been one of the notable developments of camp. He’s big (336 pounds) and steady on his feet.
“Kindley is a guy who’s a big man, smart guy, loves to play the game,” Marshall said.
“For a 21-year-old kid that left college [Georgia] early to come to the NFL,... he’s got physical attributes and a skill set that my grandmother can see. We’ve put a lot on him, and he hasn’t backed down a bit.”
Kindley has made several impressive plays, and “my plan is to eliminate the bad ones,” Marshall said.
Though Marshall didn’t say this, the left tackle job appears to be Jackson’s to lose. If he struggles, Julien Davenport would get the call.
Ballage dropped a pass and fumbled in a practice earlier this week. As was the case last season, Laird has been most impactful in the passing game, catching several short throws from Tua Tagovailoa.
▪ Wide receiver: Besides veterans Ricardo Louis, Isaiah Ford and Chester Rogers, several inexperienced players are battling for jobs behind DeVante Parker, Preston Williams and Jakeem Grant.
Perry, who played quarterback at Navy, has looked smooth in the early stages of his transition to slot receiver.
“Malcolm is an interesting guy having played quarterback in the option,” offensive coordinator Chan Gailey said. “He’s got some quickness. He’s got a feel for the game. He played tag growing up. He knows how to make people miss and make them get out of the way. He learned early on how to do that, how to look at a guy and know when he’s off balance and has his foot in the wrong place and can make a move the other way.
“He’s got a unique talent and that’s one thing that gives me hope he can play receiver for us. He has a feel for getting people off balance and finding holes and understands the game very well.”
Undrafted rookie Matt Cole has shown promise in his transition from Division II McKendree University. Cole became emotional when coach Brian Flores called him on the third night of the NFL Draft, asking him to join the team.
“Strong player, explosive guy,” receivers coach Josh Grizzard said. “Gets in and out of breaks quickly.”
Gary Jennings — the second-year player who was drafted by Seattle in the fourth round last year and claimed off waivers by Miami in November — is one of a handful of receivers competing in the slot.
“Tough player, physical,” Grizzard said. “Sometimes he would rather run through a guy than around him.”
Undrafted rookie Kirk Merritt has one of the most memorable plays in camp — a 20-plus yard catch down the seam from Tagovailoa, with two defenders in close range.
Ford, who emerged last December, “has elite knowledge,” Grizzard said. “I could see this guy coaching one day.”
▪ Tight end: There should be room for at least three on the roster, and Durham Smythe and Adam Shaheen are the favorites to join starter Mike Gesicki.
Tight ends coach George Godsey made clear Thursday that Smythe is valued here.
“There’s a certain thing in the run game he’s able to provide for us,” Godsey said. “There maybe are some things he can do that maybe Michael can’t do.
“This guy is as sharp as anybody in our offensive room. He understands defenses. He understands technique…. I tip my hat to Durham. Sometimes it’s a thankless job... because it doesn’t show up in the stat book, but he’s a big part of us being successful [with the] run, play action. When he’s thrown the ball, he has to take advantage of it. He’s shown a little bit of that first few days of pads on.”
Shaheen, meanwhile, is trying to catch up after being acquired from the Chicago Bears on July 25.
“He’s gradually grasping the offense,” Godsey said. “We know he can catch the ball.”
