Miami Dolphins release 2021 Training Camp Schedule, Ticket Info

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The Miami Dolphins released their 2021 Training camp schedule earlier today, including 14 practices open to the public. Fans can reserve their FREE seats by clicking HERE. 

Earlier today, the Miami Dolphins released their official 2021 training camp schedule.

According to the team’s official press release, this year’s training camp will be at the Miami Dolphins’ new state-of-the-art Baptist Healthy Training Complex in Miami Gardens. And starting Saturday, July 31st, fans will have their first chance to see the 2021 team–and the new facility, in all its glory. Heck, maybe you’ll even have an opportunity to ride Stephen Ross’ iconic slide. Nevertheless, this is an opportunity fans won’t want to miss!

This will be the first training camp held at the Baptist Health Training Complex, a state-of-the-art, 227,000-square foot facility that will open in July 2021. The partnership with Baptist Health is an extension of a decades-long relationship with the Miami Dolphins. Baptist Health serves as the Official Medical Team and Official Wellness and Sports Medicine Provider of the Miami Dolphins and the Training Complex and is also a proud partner of the Miami Dolphins Foundation.

 

In addition to releasing their training camp schedule,  the team also announced the dates for their joint practices with the Atlanta Falcons, which will take place on August 17th and 18th.

Want to see Kyle Pitts vs. Eric Rowe?

What about Miami’s offense vs. Atlanta’s defense?

or maybe…..

Miami Dolphins quarterback and THE LEFT ARM OF GOD, TUANIGAMANUOLEPOLA TAGOVAILOA!?

The Franchise

Now. Is. Your. Chance.

The team also promises special festivities throughout this year’s training camp. BUT REMEMBER, YOU HAVE TO RESERVE YOUR FREE TICKETS NOW!

This year’s training camp will feature theme days, food trucks from local and minority-owned restaurants, face painting and the garage sale benefitting the Miami Dolphins Foundation.  Fans in attendance at the Baptist Health Training Complex will experience practices under a shaded canopy over the seating area, culinary options from Centerplate at two concession stands and fan festivities.

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Everything Tradeshows is a one-stop-shop for trade show exhibit rentals and custom exhibit display purchase solutions to companies of all sizes.

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Amidst NCAA decision, QB D’Eriq King and Canes taking full advantage

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Wednesday was a momentous day for college athletes all across America as the NCAA decided to suspend its rules that prevented student-athletes from profiting off their name, image, and likeness, otherwise referred to as their NIL. Athletes can now make money off of autographs, special partnership deals, appearances, among other things. 

Making money had been the hottest topic of discussion for as long as college sports has been around and the NCAA had been pressed often about why they are very strict on protecting the amateur status of college athletes despite their respective schools reaping all of the profits.

 

Those critical of the NCAA’s stance considered it exploitation as many athletes in the past have fallen victim, mostly because the stipend provided usually does not cover all of a student-athlete’s costs outside of tuition, books, and food. 

 

Examples include former Ohio State QB Terrelle Pryor signing tons of memorabilia for a Columbus-based businessman in exchange for $20,000-$40,000 in ‘09-10, as well as 13 UNC football players getting suspended for selling their school-issued shoes from a partnership with Nike/Jordan Brand. 

 

IGNITE

 

In conjunction with the NCAA announcing the new NIL policy, the University of Miami athletics department announced a NIL program of their own called “Ignite.”

 

Per UM’s press release:

 

The University of Miami Athletics Department announced Wednesday that it has launched ‘Ignite’, its Name, Image & Likeness program for all Hurricanes student-athletes.

 

Ignite is powered by Opendorse, a national leader in athletic brand solutions that provides personal brand development resources and management technology used by more than 40,000 athletes worldwide.

 

“We’re excited to partner with Opendorse by launching our Ignite program across all of our sports,” Director of Athletics Blake James said. “Our goal at Miami is to Build Champions on and off the field, and a big part of that is providing our student-athletes with a platform like Opendorse to help build their personal brand and take full advantage of Florida’s NIL law, which goes into effect July 1.”

 

Miami will utilize Opendorse’s entire suite of NIL products — Opendorse Ready™, Social™, and Monitor™ — to support Ignite’s mission to prepare student-athletes for success in college athletics with the market’s best resources. Together, the products will empower Hurricanes student-athletes to build, protect and maximize their personal brands with the industry’s leading education, marketing, and compliance technology.

 

The statement also notes that Miami’s student-athletes may use Miami Athletics-related marks and logos by coming to agreements with approved University licensees and/or sponsors.

 

With the launch of Ignite, it seems as if Miami was preparing for when the opportunity for their athletes to promote and profit off of their likeness came about. 

 

When Florida governor Ron DeSantis initially signed the bill last year to allow student-athletes in the state of Florida to profit of their name, image, and likeness, all seven major schools in the state seemed to be at an advantage when it was supposed to go into effect July 1st of 2022.

 

It was a pushed back date from the original choice of Wednesday when the bill was originally drafted.

 

But now, it seems the NCAA relented to not only give a more level playing-field to all schools but also to subside the criticism received from the last few decades.

 

Players would also get a head start on establishing themselves as a brand, doing things such as having their own signature logo, selling merchandise, etc. 

D’Eriq King is taking full advantage of the new NIL regulations as it was revealed that the Miami QB had signed a total of four sponsorship deals: College Hunks Moving Company, Murphy Auto Group, and Dreamfield, in addition to The Wharf. 

 

King is also rumored to be working on a podcast with Canes walk-on LB and fellow Houston-native Ryan Ragone.

 

“The University of Miami has done a great job with us teaching us everything that we can know before this moment came,” King said on Thursday at a celebration at The Wharf Miami.

 

“For the past 8 weeks we’ve literally had meetings every single week about this…When 12:01 hit, it was fair game.” 

 

Although College Hunks and Murphy Auto Group are both Tampa-based companies, the former was actually started by former University of Miami students, which explains the deal and the company’s colors, which are orange and green. 

 

S Bubba Bolden also signed a similar deal with College Hunks Moving Company as well as Murphy Auto Group. 

 

In addition to King and Bolden, three players gained partnerships:

  1. WR Mike Harley signed a deal with Positivity Alkaline Water.
  2. CB Te-Cory Couch signed a deal with Yoke Gaming, which gives people a chance to “play video games with your favorite athlete.”
  3. CB Marcus Clarke signed a deal with JT Sports Visuals (@jtsportsvisuals on Twitter).  

 

We should expect to hear about more and more college athletes getting deals with companies in the coming days, especially with Miami because of the market size.

 

Just a reminder, we just finished up recording a new episode of The Sixth Ring, where we recapped Paradise Camp and touched on the NIL regulations and the impact it can have going forward. 

Don’t forget to sign up for Prizepicks, the industry’s leading over/under fantasy game. Use the code “five” to get up to $100 matched on your initial deposit.

 

 

Jerome Baker

Jerome Baker signs 3-year, $39 million dollar extension with Miami Dolphins

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There are times when players have to be coy about things going on around them. In the case of linebacker Jerome Baker, it was just two days before that he was saying he and the Miami Dolphins hadn’t really discussed details regarding a contract extension.

“I guess.” He laughed when asked about the subject. “I mean, we haven’t really talked about anything. I’m just going into this year and…”

He quickly trailed off and was soon asked another question, this time regarding whether he could see himself playing in Miami for a long time. This time, his answer was much more enthusiastic.

“Oh, yeah. I want to play here for the rest of my career. I love it here, I love the fans, I love the organization, I love everybody here.” He said. “Yeah, I definitely see myself playing here for a long time. Do you see the hat? Do you see the hat?”

Merely two days later, ESPN’s Adam Schefter took to Twitter, announcing that Jerome Baker had signed a 3-year, $39 million dollar contract extension that will keep him in Miami through 2024. So much for having no discussions.

In all fairness, when the two sides want to make a deal, it doesn’t take long to hammer out the details. Baker clearly loves the Miami Dolphins, and the Miami Dolphins love having him on defense. Since being drafted in the third round of the 2018 NFL draft, the 24-year old Jerome Baker has proven to be an effective linebacker in every facet of the game. As a pass rusher, Baker has great speed and can get around the edge in a hurry, or burst through gaps in the middle of the line. In 2020, he recorded a career-high seven sacks.

He has also shown to be effective in coverage, and is very durable. He’s never missed a game yet, playing in all 48 games throughout his three-year career, starting in 37 of them. In that time, he’s racked up a total of 317 tackles, 11.5 sacks, ten pass deflections and two interceptions. That number is only projected to go up as head coach Brian Flores finds new ways to utilize his unique versatility.

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His personality on and off the field has helped him out too. Baker recognizes and embraces this fact.

“For me, ever since I was young, it’s always been the same.” He said on Friday. “I lead by example and I kind of just do what the team needs me to do. If you need me to be the guy that yells today, I’ll be that guy. If you just need me to be that guy to just lead by example, I’ll be that guy. But ultimately, I think I’m just a lead-by-example guy. I just try to do the right things, I try to do what’s best for the team and that’s always been my approach. I don’t see it changing any time soon and I think that’s what’s gotten me here thus far.”

With Jerome Baker now signed for the foreseeable future, the Miami Dolphins can focus on signing their remaining draft class and extending other players, such as Mike Gesicki.

Training camp is just around the corner. Chris Grier deserves credit for extending a cornerstone and fan favorite before his contract expires. Jerome Baker gives a lot to the team, and that won’t change anytime soon. He’s everything the team professes to want. He works hard. He’s young. Fast enough to keep up with running backs. Smart enough to make calls on defense. And most importantly, he’s a team-first kind of player. Re-signing Baker is a no-brainer.

Luis Sung has covered the Miami Dolphins for numerous outlets such as Dolphins Wire for seven years. Follow him on Twitter: @LuisDSung

Everything Tradeshows is a one-stop-shop for trade show exhibit rentals and custom exhibit display purchase solutions to companies of all sizes.

Visit them at everythingtradeshows.com or call 954-791-8882

Five Takeaways from Eric Rowe & DeVante Parker’s Press Conference

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Throughout the 2021 NFL season, players and coaches will meet with the South Florida media to discuss everything surrounding your MIAMI DOLPHINS—and we at Five Reasons Sports will be with you every step of the way.

Here are five things we learned from yesterday’s (6/2) Press Conferences.

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Eric Rowe has a new look.

“Well, really it’s my wife’s idea. She was like, ‘let’s change it up.’ I said no at first. But she was like ‘no, no. I want you to change it.’ So I was like ‘let’s just do it.’ Now it just kind of stuck to me.

So, after I did it, I was like, ‘oh, I’m feeling it.’ And she was like, ‘I told you.’ I was like ‘ok, ok.’”

Translation: At first, I didn’t believe my wife when she said a blonde streak going down ¼ of my head would look nice. I thought she was crazy. But as we all learn at one point or another throughout our life, a happy wife= happy life. I like it. 

Is Jevon Holland ready to step up in Bobby McCain’s absence?

“The Bobby decision, that’s just how the NFL goes, right? At the end of the year, teams are always switching out players, adding players, letting go of players. That’s just the business side, so I really can’t say much on that. I’m not upstairs making roster moves. But as far as Jevon, I’ve worked with him the past couple of weeks. He is athletic. He has nice size; and then I’ve talked to him and he’s a smart guy. He’s picking up the defense pretty fast. We’re just doing walkthroughs right now, but I see him picking things up pretty quick.”

Translation: Look, it’s the NFL. This is a business, and every day, players are cut for one reason or another. I don’t know why Bobby was cut. That’s probably something you should ask those guys upstairs. But what I do know that Jevon Holland is working exceptionally hard to get better. Will he be the starter? That, I’m not ready to proclaim. But if he continues to work hard and pick things up quickly, McCain’s absence won’t be missed.

DeVante Parker is excited to have Jaylen Waddle in Miami

Translation: Y’all saw the offense last year, right?. Cousin Grant was dropping 55-yard dimes, and Tua Tagovailoa tried to fit the ball into non-existent spaces. Personally, I could not be happier to have an explosive playmaker like Jaylen Waddle in this offense. Now you got me, Will, Bowden, Waddle, Gesicki, Unicorn…the list goes on and on. This offense is going to be dirty. 

DVP on what he’s trying to improve on this offseason

“I would say just routes, period. Just getting out of my break quicker.”

“I’m just trying to get quicker, faster and more explosive.”

Translation: I know some fans tried to trade me before Jaylen Waddle was drafted, but that doesn’t bother me. I will continue to do what I need to do to get better and be the dominant No.1 wide receiver that I know I can be. I’m working hard at becoming quicker, faster, and more explosive in and out of my routes this offseason. Don’t worry, Stephen Gilmore. Daddy is coming home #soon. 

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Parker on working with Tua Tagovailoa this offseason

“Footwork. (Getting) the ball out quicker. All of that.”

When asked how he can build chemistry with Tua this offseason:

“It just comes down to getting a lot of reps in with him and just taking it to the game. That’s all it comes down to.”

Translation: Say whatever tf you want about Tua Tagovailoa’s rookie season; the dude is doing everything he can this offseason to improve and get better. The Left Arm of God is looking jacked, and you’re starting to see him become a more vocal leader both on and off the field. This offseason, Tua texted the squad, and we all got together to throw some pigskin. Parker added that he noticed a difference in Tua’s mechanics this offseason.

The Franchise

What was your biggest takeaway from Wednesday’s media availabilities? Let us know in the comments section below!

Josh Houtz wrote this article. You can follow me on Twitter @houtz.

Everything Tradeshows is a one-stop shop for trade show exhibit rentals and custom exhibit display purchase solutions to companies of all sizes.

Visit them at EverythingTradeShows or call 954-791-8882

Tua Tagovailoa

Breaking down the Miami Dolphins first open 2021 practice

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For the first time since last December, the Miami Dolphins held their first open practice for the media to watch. With that first practice comes the opportunity to see and hear from the players in a real football environment and get an idea of where they stand.

As OTAs are voluntary, it’s no surprise to see that some players opted not to attend. The most notable absences were Xavien Howard, Byron Jones, Jason McCourty, Emmanuel Ogbah, Justin Coleman, Jerome Baker, Benardrick McKinney, Will Fuller, and D.J. Fluker. Just looking at the list, it’s mostly veterans who didn’t show up. This is a regular pattern across the NFL and ultimately means nothing. It’s only when mandatory mini-camp arrives that attendance will matter.

“Like I’ve told them, you don’t just roll out of bed and jump back into it as if you’re in midseason form, so there’s a lot of working through some kinks, I would say, even just from a basic fundamentals, footwork, hand placement standpoint.” Head coach Brian Flores said before practice. “It’s good to get them out here and work through some of those things. We’ll see them these next few weeks to include minicamp.”

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Albert Wilson and Allen Hurns attended practice, with video being taken of Wilson catching a pass from veteran QB Jacoby Brissett.

However, Wilson will need every opportunity he can get to prove he still deserves a roster spot with all the weapons that have been added. This Miami Dolphins regime has shown over and over that no player is safe, no matter how good or respected they are.

Speaking of Brissett, it was reported that he and rookie Jaylen Waddle were getting extra work in after practice was over. This is a good sign considering Waddle is projected to be a big contributor to the offense in 2021. Why wasn’t it Tua Tagovailoa instead? One possible reason is he was preparing for a media session.

The offense and defense never faced each other in Wednesday’s practice. Both sides kept to their own work during practice and the players’ only real opponent was the grass in front of them. Part of the agreement the players reached with Brian Flores stated that OTAs would be a much lighter workload. So the session focused mainly on teaching and fundamentals.

After practice was over, players spoke with the media and dropped some interesting tidbits regarding their mindset and the surrounding chatter. One of the most candid of them all was tight end Mike Gesicki.

This is likely in regards due to the recent chatter coming from the likes of Colin Cowherd and others. The criticisms regarding Tagovailoa’s health, arm strength, durability and comparison to fellow QB Justin Herbert has dominated national airwaves. Fortunately, it seems that Tua Tagovailoa isn’t fazed by this talk and appreciates his teammate’s defense of him.

Later, Tua offered some insight on his strength and conditioning.

Obviously, this is excellent news. After all, one of the main concerns of 2020 was Tagovailoa’s health. Now instead of focusing on healing, he can focus on raising his peak physical shape. Everyone has seen the images and videos of Tua Tagovailoa working out, and it’s obvious that he looks much stronger than he did last season.

However, the quote that will likely make the national news regarded Tua Tagovailoa’s level of comfort last season. It was speculated by many that Tagovailoa looked lost at times in the huddle and wasn’t sure where to go with the ball. Tagovailoa confirmed these suspicions in Wednesday’s virtual press conference.

To clarify, Tagovailoa is not suggesting he did not take the time to learn the playbook. He clarified his comments, saying that when he was in the game, the playcalls were simpler, there weren’t extra alerts or things to take into consideration. He didn’t have the playbook down to such a science that he felt comfortable changing things on the fly, pointing things out, speaking with authority and helping his teammates execute.

Considering he was a step behind all season due to his rehab, this should not be a surprise. He did not get to really focus on learning every detail of the playbook because he had to spend time healing and getting back to his baseline physical shape. Plus, the offense was not catered to his strengths, and neither was the offensive coordinator. Last year’s offense was best suited for Ryan Fitzpatrick, a gunslinger. Not a surgeon like Tua Tagovailoa.

Granted, Tagovailoa takes responsibility for not knowing the playbook as well as he should have. But now things are different, now the offense is being built around him. That has already done wonders for his level of comfort, and it’s showing in the huddle.

As time goes on, there will be more opportunities to see what Tagovailoa is truly capable of. His teammates have made it clear they believe in him and they’re excited to work with him. All the other discussions outside the organization are being scoffed at or ignored.

It will be interesting to see where things progress from here.

Quotes aggregated by Alfredo Arteaga (@Alf_Arteaga), who is one-third of the trio that does the Three Yards Per Carry (@3YardsPerCarry) podcast

Summary by Luis Sung (@LuisDSung), who has covered the Miami Dolphins for numerous outlets such as Dolphins Wire for eight years.

 

Everything Tradeshows is a one-stop-shop for trade show exhibit rentals and custom exhibit display purchase solutions to companies of all sizes.

Visit them at everythingtradeshows.com or call 954-791-8882

Dream come true: 3-star WR Lee commits to the Canes

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Recruiting for Miami in the 2022 cycle has been, well, slow to say the least with fans growing a little restless. The Canes’ lone commit is QB Jacurri Brown, but with the June 1st lifting of the dead period looming, recruiting should pick up very soon. Soon as in Wednesday afternoon, when 3-star WR Quan Lee out of Gainesville committed to the Canes.

 

 

Lee committed to his dream school over West Virginia, UCF, Nebraska, and Coastal Carolina at a small ceremony at his high school. He has alluded to his relationship with QB Jacurri Brown as a big factor in choosing the Canes, having experience playing with Brown on the 7-on-7 circuit.

 

Ranked as the 86th-best receiver in the country according to the 247Sports’ Composite, he’s still a very under-the-radar prospect with limited tape but don’t let the stars and ranking fool you. 

 

Turn on the tape and you’ll see that Lee is easily one of the fastest and shiftiest prospects in the country, all while being a very physical wideout who is very solid at high-pointing the ball.

 

At receiver, he caught 47 passes for 1003 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2020 while also lining up at running back and cornerback for the Bobcats. As a result, he was a Gainesville Sun All-Area first-team selection.

 

Even while committed, Lee still has plans to take all five of his official visits, with trips locked up to see West Virginia, UCF, and Coastal Carolina. Lee will visit Coral Gables during the June 11th weekend, where he will be joined by Brown.

 

This is a huge get for the Canes after they missed out on Georgia-based receiver Isaiah Bond, who committed to Florida recently.

 

Recruiting should get really interesting starting next Tuesday, June 1st, when Miami will host a BBQ Cookout for a star-studded list of 2022 prospects. Expected attendees include the likes of 4-star Miami Central LB Wesley Bissainthe, 4-star CB Khamauri Rogers out of Mississippi, and American Heritage’s elite trio of CB Earl Little, CB Jacolby Spells, and DE Marvin Jones Jr.

 

To stay up to date with anything Miami Hurricanes, be sure to follow @PaulAustria_ and @SixthRingCanes, and stay tuned for a NEW episode of The Sixth Ring this Thursday at 7:30, where we’ll recap the impact of Lee’s commitment as well as BBQ Cookout next week. You won’t wanna miss it!

 

 

Matt Skura(AP Photo/Charles Krupa)AP

Dolphins center Matt Skura took snapping issues ‘personal’

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The Miami Dolphins had ample opportunity to address the center position in the 2021 NFL draft. But ultimately, much like the running back position, they determined heavy investment was unnecessary. As of now, the clear starter at the center position is former Baltimore Raven Matt Skura, who signed a 1-year contract back in mid-March.

If this were 2019, Skura would be considered one of the best centers in the NFL. His blocking prowess is highly regarded. His ceiling is much greater than Miami’s recent centers (Daniel Kilgore, Ted Karras). However, there is one fatal flaw that has Dolphins fans understandably concerned. After recovering from a gruesome ACL, MCL, and PCL injury in his left knee in 2019, Skura reclaimed the starting center position in Baltimore in 2020, only to be benched late in the season after two straight games of wildly errant snaps in crucial moments.

Following these incidents, Ravens fans went after Skura and his family, which prompted a response from both Skura and his now former Ravens teammates, including QB Lamar Jackson, who spent the most time catching snaps from him.

Naturally, that made the situation very personal for Matt Skura. Eventually he was benched altogether, as ‘the yips’ – to use NFL jargon – continued plaguing Skura. As a result, he had to test the free agent market instead of remaining with Baltimore. Now he finds himself with the Miami Dolphins. With a new environment, Skura hopes to reset himself back to his Pro Bowl caliber self.

“I didn’t really have any problems with it and the things with the snaps; it was the Patriots game where we were having a little bit of a torrential downpour, but I’m someone who really doesn’t like to make excuses. I don’t care if it’s a blizzard, a hailstorm or whatever it is.” Skura said back in March. “That’s something that I have to take responsibility for, so that’s been one of the main things in this offseason literally every day – snapping – whether it’s getting 10 snaps in or 30 snaps in. Whenever I can that time basically permits for myself, I’m doing snaps, doing o-line drills, doing everything I can to make myself feel prepared.”

This past Monday, Dolphins OL coach Lemuel Jeanpierre offered some insight into how he’s handling Skura to ensure the problem doesn’t continue.

“I think it happens in golf, when you’re shooting.” Jeanpierre said. “You’ve got to know your rhythm and you’ve got to first be able to identify the mistakes. I know we’ve talked to you guys about linemen. We don’t make excuses. The difference between an excuse and a reason is very slight. I think it’s just the person who is listening and how they take it. What we do is we just rep it. It has to be multiple reps over and over again. Like when we’re doing drills, he’s doing it pre-practice, he’s doing it of course during practice, he’s doing it even after practice. You want to do it before something happens. So if it doesn’t feel right, even if you didn’t get a good snap, you want to get more snaps anyway to be preventative, not reactive.”

As a former center, Jeanpierre is well-acquainted with small details that throw centers off their game.

“If there are any issues – of course because I played it, I’ll be able to talk to him and try to see some things.” He said. “Sometimes you want to move the ball a little bit to the center of your nose. You might be off. Sometimes you may want the ball more tilted up, which can affect the pendulum swing. There are many things that could have affected him; but this year so far, when he’s been in there at center, he’s been good. I saw his interview.

“He’s been snapping like crazy because that’s the type of guy he is, where he took that really personal. It’s another chip on his shoulder like a lot of the guys on the line are. He’s worked at it. I’ll be preventative and so will he. We talk to the quarterbacks, ‘did you get that snap? Good. Is it left? Is it right?’ Things like that.”

It’s clear the Dolphins have faith in Matt Skura. Their decision to not draft the likes of Creed Humphrey in the draft indicate they feel comfortable he’ll fix his snapping troubles. With QB Tua Tagovailoa and his fellow offensive linemen primed to make a jump in their development, clean snaps will be crucial to their success. There is no apparent Plan B, as Matt Skura is miles ahead of the likes of Michael Deiter as a blocker.

It’s often said that no player touches the ball more than a quarterback. Technically speaking, that is untrue. The center touches it more than anyone, and Skura will have to prove he can deliver it accurately and on time in 2021. So far, he seems to be off to a good start.

Luis Sung has covered the Miami Dolphins for numerous outlets such as Dolphins Wire for seven years. Follow him on Twitter: @LuisDSung

 

Everything Tradeshows is a one-stop-shop for trade show exhibit rentals and custom exhibit display purchase solutions to companies of all sizes.

Visit them at everythingtradeshows.com or call 954-791-8882

Austin Jackson

Dolphins OT Austin Jackson looking towards second-year jump

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Austin Jackson is entering his second year in the NFL. That means one of two things. He is either going to make the biggest leap of his career, or he is going to begin the dreaded sophomore slump.

Many players have suffered from this dreaded phenomenon. Matt Ryan, Sam Bradford, even former Dolphins defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick didn’t do nearly as well in his second year in the NFL. However, there are many players who escape the slump, and instead improve tremendously after suffering growing pains in their rookie year. Jackson, for his part, went through a lot of growing pains in 2020. On top of the usual in-game adjustments required by all rookies, he had to endure pandemic-related restrictions throughout the year.

Fortunately, things are finally changing for the better.

“Things are a lot different when you’re not in a pandemic, first and foremost obviously.” Jackson said on Thursday. “Being able to just have way more access to resources this year as opposed to last year certainly helps a lot. Getting my feet set for my second year, having more knowledge, knowing a little bit more of what to expect is pretty good. I would say that’s probably the biggest difference from this time last year to this time this year … Last year was very unusual for I think everybody. I think that everybody in the world had an unusual last year. The NFL was definitely affected. We have all of our drafted guys down here already; but my class, we weren’t able to do that. It’s a big difference. I think we’re all excited to get over this thing.”

In spite of the limitations, Austin Jackson had a decent rookie season as the starting left tackle. He certainly isn’t on par with his predecessor, Laremy Tunsil, but he showed promise. That untapped potential is what Miami is counting on for the 2021 season. With one year under his belt, Jackson is turning his attention to honing his technique.

“Obviously every year – well, that’s not obvious but every year, you want to kind of try to take off bad weight and add more good weight because muscle is heavier.” Jackson said. “Just working out and making sure my technique is consistent. It’s hard to pick one thing to work on because you’re pretty much working on everything. But I can say that knee bend and getting lower is something I’ve been working on – my flexibility. Strength and conditioning, torque power, turn power and all of that stuff, that’s something we as offensive linemen work on every day.”

Austin Jackson has high expectations on him as a first-rounder. The former standout out of USC was selected over the likes of wide receiver Justin Jefferson, who made the Pro Bowl as a rookie with the Minnesota Vikings. Fair or not, rookies always get compared to their fellow draftees. First rounders most of all. Austin Jackson knows this. He also knows the old adage that players make their biggest improvement from year one to year two.

“From a personal standpoint, it’s really exciting.” Jackson said. “As a competitor and as a teammate, I definitely want to go out there and do everything perfect for myself and for my team. Having that kind of expectation, but also having the knowledge of what needs to be done, is exciting. It excites me a lot and I’m looking forward to it.”

Should he stay at left tackle, Austin Jackson actually will not be responsible for the blind side of the quarterback. With Tua Tagovailoa being a left-handed QB, that responsibility falls squarely on the right-tackle’s shoulders. Nevertheless, an offensive line is only as strong as its weakest link. When Laremy Tunsil was traded, it showed the team’s confidence in developing a replacement. Jackson has to at least reach that standard as the Dolphins prepare for a playoff run. He cannot be a weak link.

Fortunately, Jackson has an excellent chance to improve in his second year. The culture is non-negotiable. Development of players is priority one for this coaching staff. And it’s clear Jackson’s teammates have confidence in him as well.

“I think just the way that he comes into work on a daily basis.” said Dolphins linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel. “He’s competitive, he’s tough and he’s going to do exactly what the coaches ask of him, so I expect him to make a big jump in his second year and just to continue to improve and get better. I’m looking forward to seeing how he progresses this year.”

Will the sophomore slump drag Austin Jackson down in 2021? Or will he see a dramatic improvement? All signs point to the latter. He’s one of the youngest players in the NFL, and he already has a year of experience under his belt. Now with access to all the resources he lacked in his rookie year, who knows what’s to come?

Luis Sung has covered the Miami Dolphins for numerous outlets such as Dolphins Wire for eight years. Follow him on Twitter: @LuisDSung

Five Takeaways from Myles Gaskin’s Press Conference

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When the Dolphins waited and waited and waited to take a running back in last month’s NFL draft, two things became crystal clear.

 

1:Maybe the Dolphins didn’t value the position. After all, most of Miami’s front office and coaching staff have ties to New England (one way or another) and correct me if I’m wrong, but they don’t exactly spend insane resources on the running back position. Yes, they drafted Sony Michel (who will likely be cut soon and the perfect waiver claim for the Dolphins) and Laurence Maroney in the first round. Still, overall, they plug and play running backs the same way that we’ve seen throughout the duration of Flores’ tenure in Miami.

OR

 

2: Brian Flores, Eric Studesville, and the rest of the Miami Dolphins coaching staff believe in Myles Gaskin. (Something I’ve said all offseason long) And truly believe he can be that workhorse running back. Which, if you’re into projecting numbers, hypotheticals, witches and wargs, and things like that, Gaskin would’ve amassed 1,000+ yards rushing and over 500+ yards rushing. 
I’m not sure we will ever know what the Miami Dolphin’s true intentions were in last month’s draft. But I think it is clear that Myles Gaskin will be the Dolphins starting running back heading into the season. Yesterday afternoon, Miami’s RB1 met with the South Florida media to discuss Miami’s new-look offense and his expectations heading into the 2021 NFL season.
Here are five takeaways from Myles Gaskin’s press conference on 5/17.
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One of the first things Myles Gaskin was asked is whether or not he realized he was on pace to be “like the fourth-most productive player in the NFL” last season. Here’s what RB1 had to say:

“I had heard things like that but I mean; I guess it’s like a compliment, but I wasn’t so you know what I’m saying? Like at the end of the day, I liked how I was playing, but I did miss those games and that’s not a factual statement. You never know what happens in those games, so I appreciate that just kind of being brought to light. But that’s my point of being healthy. I’ll just do as much as I can. Obviously, football is football and things happen, but just trying to do as much as I can to make sure my body is able to go through a 17-plus game season with the playoffs.”

Translation | Myles Gaskin doesn’t care what he was projected to do over a 16-game season. He’s working on getting his body right so he can withstand the beating of a “full 17 game season + PLAYOFFS”?!!?!?!!? #LFG

 

Gaskin on what it’s been like to have his college teammate Salvon Ahmed by his side throughout his NFL journey

 “It means everything. Just having a brother with you at all times and having a guy to compete with. Obviously, we’re best friends off the field, but definitely when we compete, like we’ll be going back and forth. He’ll win some, I’ll win some. We get mad at each other. Like the other day, we were racing and I didn’t even feel like – I lost – and I didn’t feel like talking to him on the ride back. I was sitting in the car just silent. I was so mad. (laughter) So I mean, just having somebody to compete with, especially having like a real friend to compete with, talk about the playbook with, all that type of stuff. Like we’ll be quizzing each other at dinner and stuff like that. It’s cool.”

Translation | Myles Gaskin and Salvon Ahmed are BFFS 4 Lyfe and help push one another to be the best players they can be. They probably have best friend necklaces too. 

 

He then shed some light on Miami’s new playbook now that Eric Studesville and George Godsey are co-offensive coordinators.

Translation | I’m just thankful it’s not Chan Gailey’s playbook. So, I think by default, players are excited and optimistic to see what this offense can do when not being handcuffed by Chanstefer.

 

One reporter asked Myles Gaskin why it was important to be back in Florida to attend voluntary workouts. The response wasn’t exactly what many expected 🙂

“I’ll just speak for myself. I just needed to get up out of Seattle, to be honest. Florida is Florida, so everything’s open. And just the weather. I mean, I got an apartment here. I’m not trying to – I’m not paying for an apartment not to stay there. So I have my other reasons for myself and obviously, help me learn the playbook being on-site. I mean, we got everything you need here, but there’s definitely a mix of football and just trying to get up – I was living at my parents’ house, so you know how that goes. It’s cool and all until they want you to clean a bathroom or something. (laughter)”

Translation | I love my parents, but I’m the starting running back of the Miami Dolphins. I don’t belong in Seattle, living in my parent’s basement. I had to get the hell out of there! #RunGaskinRun

 

Gaskin ended his press conference by telling reporters the difference between the running back heading into year three.

“I’m better, I guess. Just more better in the mind, better just physically, just ready to go. I know what I’m looking for. I know my strengths and I know my weaknesses and I’m trying to get those all to strengths and even my strengths are even stronger. So I think I just have more of a focus on what – I feel like when I first came in, I was just wide-eyed. ‘I just want to get better.’ But now I’m really focused on what I want to get better at, if that makes sense.”

I don’t know about you, but I’m excited to see what RB1 can do this upcoming szn.

The Franchise

Brian Flores makes it clear that Tua Tagovailoa will be the Miami Dolphins quarterback when he is healty. (Craig Davis for Five Reasons Sports Network)

Quick Takes on Dolphins 2021 Draft

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No. 6 overall pick

Jaylen Waddle, WR

My take: I think this was Tua Tagovailoa’s pick. And I think it was a great one. The Miami Dolphins have released that Jaylen Waddle was their top pick no matter who was on the board. They wanted Waddle over Ja’marr Chase or Kyle Pitts if they were available. Tua used to play with Waddle on Alabama, and Waddle was his top target to throw to. Waddle is speedy, and adds an amazing slot-threat to The Dolphins offense.

 

No. 18 overall pick

Jaelan Phillips, DE

My take: I think this was an absolute steal. I don’t think Phillips should have dropped to the Dolphins, but I sure am happy he did. A pass-rusher is a huge edition for the team, and while it is a risky pick, Phillips is worth the possible reward.

 

No. 36 overall pick

Jevon Holland, S

My take: The Dolphins have been in dire need of a Slot Corner, and while Jevon Holland is a safety, he played 64% of his snaps at slot. The Dolphins used to play Nik Needham at Slot most of the time, and I can’t even count the amount of times I saw him get beat by his man. I think Jevon Holland could be a great defensive playmaker for the Dolphins Secondary.

 

No. 42 overall pick

Liam Eichenberg, OT

My take: While the Offensive Tackle isn’t the flashy pick, the Dolphins NEEDED some pass protection early on in this draft. Eichenberg is one of the best pass blockers in the draft, only allowing pressure on 1.1% of his blocks in the past two years.

 

Overall first two rounds: I think these were all amazing picks, and while the Dolphins didn’t pick a running back early on, they filled in some major holes that needed to be filled.