Jacksons observations
News, views, nuggets from Monday's Dolphins practice
News and views from today’s Dolphins OTA session, the third and final one open to the media before next week’s mini-camp (which is open to the media but not the public).
### The great guard experiment continues! Today, Billy Turner and Jeff Linkenbach got first-team snaps at right guard (Turner got more than Linkenbach and remains the front-runner at that position), while Jamil Douglas and Dallas Thomas took with first-team snaps at left guard. Douglas seemed to get more time today with the first team than Thomas, but Douglas said the snaps are being split equally.
The Dolphins have been impressed with Douglas. “He doesn’t make a lot of mental mistakes,” Joe Philbin said. "I really like what I see."
### Ryan Tannehill implied DeVante Parker will miss at least part of training camp, which isn’t a surprise.
He’s expected to be out eight weeks after foot surgery, according to his agent. With Parker out, the Dolphins re-signed former UM receiver Tommy Streeter, who spent some time on the team’s practice squad last year.
Philbin didn’t want to discuss Parker’s injury but said: “We expect him to be a great player for a long time.”
### Philbin seldom says anything about his interaction with players, but he gave some insight into how he’s handling the tricky situation with Rishard Matthews, who has asked for a trade because he wants to play more.
“He needs to have faith the right things will happen,” Philbin said. “I love his enthusiasm. He has confidence in his ability. Rishard has practiced well.”
### Jarvis Landry was the star today in a practice devoted in large part to red zone drills. Landry repeatedly got open around the goal line and made a scintillating one handed catch in the end zone.
### Good to see Will Davis doing 11 on 11 drills, less than seven months after sustaining a torn ACL. He seems to be moving around well. Brandon Albert remains sidelined after his ACL injury. Louis Delmas, also off an ACL, was in uniform but didn't participate in 11 on 11 drills.
### Philbin, predictably, did not want to say whether he regrets holding a kickball game that resulted in a quadriceps injury to kicker Caleb Sturgis.
“There’s purpose behind everything we do,” Philbin said. “Everything is under my watch.”
In Sturgis’ absence, Andrew Franks hit four of five field goals. He connected from 28, 41, 44 and 47 and missed from 51.
### With Delmas limited, Walt Aikens, who has impressed the staff this spring, and Michael Thomas split first-team safety snaps opposite Reshad Jones.
### Other notable practice stuff: Greg Jennings had several catches against Brent Grimes and others. Jennings still has a knack for getting open… Matt Hazel dropped at least two passes but also had a touchdown catch in red zone drills….
Among linebackers, Jelani Jenkins and Zach Vigil had excellent breakups in coverage…. Deep ball alert: Tannehill completed the only one in practice, to Michael Preston…. The McCain cornerbacks each broke up passing plays and Bobby McCain had a sack on a blitz. Both continue to get work in the slot and the boundary… Rookie Tony Lippett got some first-team snaps, as did at least six cornerbacks on the roster. Lippett broke up a pass to Tyler McDonald….
Jordan Cameron made a great TD catch in the back of the end zone, from Tannehill... We saw some of Jay Ajayi’s heralded pass catching skills; he took a pass from McLeod Bethel Thompson for a long touchdown.
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/spor...days-dolphins-practice.html#storylink=addthis
this guy thinks pump the brakes was meant directly for him
