Tidbits, observations from Dolphins OTA practice

[fishfanmiami]

Quick notes on the first of the Dolphins' three OTA practices this week:
### The Dolphins, who have only two cornerbacks who have started more than two NFL games (Brent Grimes and Cortland Finnegan) have passed on a slew of veterans this offseason, assuming Jamar Taylor and Will Davis are ready to handle the No. 3 and No. 4 jobs.
Early signs are very encouraging for Taylor, who intercepted a Ryan Tannehill pass Tuesday. Davis either seems to break up passes or allow too much space to receivers; there isn’t a lot of middle ground.
"Like where they're at," Joe Philbin said of Taylor and Davis. "They're progressing well. You feel Jamar a little more [than last year, when he was slowed by a groin issue]. Davis made a couple nice plays today."
### Lamar Miller, being used more as a receiver out of the backfield, remains clearly ahead of Knowshon Moreno for the starting running back job. He had a long run for a touchdown Tuesday.
### Rookie receiver Jarvis Landry continues to make an impression; he has had a few one-handed receptions in camp.
“He’s sneaky quick, sneaky fast,” Philbin said. "He understands the soft spots in a zone. There isn't a lot of hesitation to his game."
### Most impressive of the undrafted rookies? LSU defensive tackle Anthony Johnson, who’s running with the second team. “Quick and explosive,” Philbin said.
### Rookie cornerback Walt Aikens lined up at safety for a few plays. He appears to be the sixth best cornerback, at best, in camp.
### Philbin seems concerned about the backup tight ends behind Charles Clay. "We've still got some things to sort out," Philbin said of the position.
Dion Sims is No. 2 on the depth chart, but Philbin said he wants to see him successfully block defensive ends during games. "He has a lot of great traits [but] he has some work to do," Philbin said.
Rookie Arthur Lynch made a couple of tough catches in practice Tuesday. Philbin said Michael Egnew has had a solid camp.
### Rookie seventh-rounder Terence Fede showed impressive athleticism in intercepting a Matt Moore pass.
### Quarterback play was spotty Tuesday, with Tannehill throwing the pick to Taylor and having another pass nearly intercepted by Louis Delmas. Jalil Brown intercepted Moore.
Meanwhile, Pat Devlin overthrow Rontavious Wooten and Marcus Thigpen on deep balls and hardly shows the type of improvement you would have hoped for by now. And undrafted rookie Brock Jensen isn’t as good as Devlin.
### Rookie receiver Matt Hazel had a couple of nifty catches but fumbled one of them…. Earl Mitchell and Dion Jordan each had sacks.
### Good to see Brandon Gibson back in 11 on 11 drills ---eight months after a major knee injury.
### Dallas Thomas remained the starting left guard and remains ahead of Billy Turner at that position.
### The No. 2 defense: Jordan, Derrick Shelby, Johnson and A.J. Francis on the defensive line; Jelani Jenkins, Jason Trusnik (middle) and Jonathan Freeney at linebacker; Brown and Davis at cornerback (Taylor was filling in for Cortland Finnegan on the first team); and Jimmy Wilson and Don Jones at safety.
Keep in mind that Jared Odrick remains out of 11 on 11 drills.
### Like Finnegan and Moreno, Mike Pouncey also was given time off from full 11 on 11 drills. Sam Brenner filled in at center.... Moreno appears to have lost some weight, and Philbin insisted he's pleased with him.
### The Miami-Dade County commission approved Sun Life stadium renovations. Please see the home page of The Herald for a full report.
### Adam Beasley will have a story posted shortly on Tannehill, who is getting on his receivers more than the past two years. He chewed out Rishard Matthews Tuesday and also yelled at Wooten. Philbin said he is showing more leadership and is completing more "vertical" passes than during OTAs last year.

Read more here: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/spor...actice-um-quarterback-talk.html#storylink=cpy

 

[datruth55]

Every guy with speed looks good in shorts...Miller tops among them. Lets see if he holds on to the top spot when the pads come on. If he hasn't learned to pick up blitzes, stop going down from arm tackles then he won't be starting.

 

[TheJetsBlow]

LOVE hearing about Tannehill stepping up and showing more leadership. That's what we need from him.

 

[hoops]

i sure hope they don't plan on asking any tight end even sims on this roster to stalemate de's one on one in this offense very often...that's a bad recipe...curious that philbin would even make such a statement if he in fact did...anthiny fasano couldn't ever handle a de

jarvis landry already making noise...just wait til the pads come on

michael thomas better ball out on specials if he's behind don jones on the safety chart...

 

[fishfanmiami]

here are some pictures and interviews from today's practice including Philbin , Tannehill and Landry.

http://www.miamidolphins.com/news/a...e-Inside/0da16171-67c6-4238-87a9-83217a8d7a35

 

[Built2Win]

I think i saw miller get finger tackled once. Miller below average on breaking tackles.
Still if the line can give Miller some space? Miller can still average 4.5 + and should have some long td runs if?

Good to see Anthony johnson rising on the depth chart. Undrafted player could see some time in the rotation Perhaps could be the answer with solia gone.

Defede the 7th round de picked off a pass? Seems like the Qb's got picked a lot today.

 

[PHINSfan]

Anthony Johnson and Fede are 2 rooks that have looked good so far in the trenches (of course without pads). With our excellent D-line coach, these 2 guys could very well be groomed for the future.

 

[Fin Thirteen]

### Philbin seems concerned about the backup tight ends behind Charles Clay. "We've still got some things to sort out," Philbin said of the position.
Dion Sims is No. 2 on the depth chart, but Philbin said he wants to see him successfully block defensive ends during games. "He has a lot of great traits [but] he has some work to do," Philbin said.
Rookie Arthur Lynch made a couple of tough catches in practice Tuesday. Philbin said Michael Egnew has had a solid camp.

Having seen the interview, the above seems like an understatement. Ol' pokerface Joe let the mask slip a bit when asked about the TEs. He looked like he really wanted to say they were a bunch of losers. It's rare you get Joe doing anything but straight bat a question back about a struggling player. I get the feeling he's fretting a bit over the position. Lynch is brand new and we can all agree that TE is recognised league-side as a really hard position to pick up. But the other three should be further advanced. I hope Dustin Keller is keeping his phone charged up because we might be calling him soon if things don't pick up.

I've never liked Sims and Egnew has really had every chance to prove he can cut it. Miller is likely a camp body at this point. There's still time for someone to buck the trend but right now I'd have my money on the FO picking up a vet, very possibly a blocking TE to help out our new line. Sooner would be better than later and we could comfortably survive without a guy like Miller in the roster in order to get a safety net in-line guy on the roster.

 

[Austin Tatious]

I wonder if we are one reliable backup corner short. Anything happens to Grimes, Finnegan, or Taylor, and I don't think we are ready. Davis is still developing. Jalil Brown is under the radar and interesting. The Aikens kid apparently has a long way to go.

 

[HoneyB]

i sure hope they don't plan on asking any tight end even sims on this roster to stalemate de's one on one in this offense very often...that's a bad recipe...curious that philbin would even make such a statement if he in fact did...anthiny fasano couldn't ever handle a de

jarvis landry already making noise...just wait til the pads come on

michael thomas better ball out on specials if he's behind don jones on the safety chart...

I was thinking the same thing, that was a wtf moment for me. Dion Sims is our best blocking TE, without question. If anything, I would expect complaints about his route running, not blocking. We don't HAVE anyone else to block better than him.

About Landry, I'm happy they like him, but reports are that he's running with the 3rd team. I hope this isn't another sit-a-high-draft-pick down for year, moment.

 

[HoneyB]

Having seen the interview, the above seems like an understatement. Ol' pokerface Joe let the mask slip a bit when asked about the TEs. He looked like he really wanted to say they were a bunch of losers. It's rare you get Joe doing anything but straight bat a question back about a struggling player. I get the feeling he's fretting a bit over the position. Lynch is brand new and we can all agree that TE is recognised league-side as a really hard position to pick up. But the other three should be further advanced. I hope Dustin Keller is keeping his phone charged up because we might be calling him soon if things don't pick up.

I've never liked Sims and Egnew has really had every chance to prove he can cut it. Miller is likely a camp body at this point. There's still time for someone to buck the trend but right now I'd have my money on the FO picking up a vet, very possibly a blocking TE to help out our new line. Sooner would be better than later and we could comfortably survive without a guy like Miller in the roster in order to get a safety net in-line guy on the roster.

Was Dustin Keller a great blocker?

 

[spike owen]

Landry is on the second team and is learning every wr position. He'll be playing this year.

 

[hoops]

I wonder if we are one reliable backup corner short. Anything happens to Grimes, Finnegan, or Taylor, and I don't think we are ready. Davis is still developing. Jalil Brown is under the radar and interesting. The Aikens kid apparently has a long way to go.

i'd bet money they'd roll with jimmy wilson in the slot if not as the starter as the worst case 4th corner after grimes finnegan and taylor...really doubt barring serious injury issues we see any of davis or aikens...this team can afford one injury in it's top 4 i'd say but not more than one...unless this brown kid is a diamond in the rough

 

[roy_miami]

I was thinking the same thing, that was a wtf moment for me. Dion Sims is our best blocking TE, without question. If anything, I would expect complaints about his route running, not blocking. We don't HAVE anyone else to block better than him.
.

Thats like saying Martin was our best LT without question at this time last year. In other words, in might not be saying anything at all.

 

[hoops]

I was thinking the same thing, that was a wtf moment for me. Dion Sims is our best blocking TE, without question. If anything, I would expect complaints about his route running, not blocking. We don't HAVE anyone else to block better than him.

About Landry, I'm happy they like him, but reports are that he's running with the 3rd team. I hope this isn't another sit-a-high-draft-pick down for year, moment.

if it's an in house option it will be sims...i think philbins just trying to light a fire with that comment...barring a veteran addition which i doubt given the way philbin likes to go with what he knows the primary in line tight end will be sims...and he should be

lynch is somewhat undersized weight wise to play a 1st line in line tight end and it's not a good fit for egnew...keller wouldn't help out as an in line option either and with clay here this team isn't gonna roll with 2 below average blocking tight ends in 2 tight sets...one yeah but not two...and clays below average in line

as for landry just buying time i'd say...seems to be getting some run with the 1st string qb though...and i expect that to increase once real camp opens

there's no excuse though for this staff to be underwhelmed with the tight end options outside of clay...lazors o if heavy 2 tight end they should have known this off their existing personnel and the draft...lynch isn't gonna change any of that...none of these 2nd options will scare anyone in the passing game...scheme driven production all over the place...not a true win option anywhere...it's not in the building