Tag Archive for: Miami Dolphins

Josh Rosen risks

Dolphins head coach Brian Flores wants Josh Rosen to curb risk taking

/0 Comments/in , /by

One major difference between Miami’s current quarterbacks and the one that departed in the offseason is their willingness to take chances. Both Ryan Fitzpatrick and Josh Rosen are aggressive in their decision-making, a trait put on full display during the Dolphins win against the Falcons. They attempted plays that can only be described as incredible. Some of them worked, while some of them did not.

That willingness to be aggressive is part of what makes Rosen such an intriguing prospect. However, it can also lead to mistakes that Miami can’t afford to make. One such mistake was when Rosen attempted a pass in the middle of the field to WR Isaiah Ford, only to be intercepted by linebacker Jermaine Grace. The three-year veteran stepped right in front of the route and Rosen could do nothing but watch as his team chased the defender down.

Rosen is taking chances, but head coach Brian Flores wants him to tone it down a bit.

“Yeah. A couple times there I thought, maybe, those are a little dicey.” Flores said after the game. “And at some point as a quarterback you’ve got to take the sack. That’s the best play. But the guy’s got a little bit of a gunslinger mentality and wants to let it rip and obviously got the nice one out to Preston, but I think we want to play smarter than that I would say in that situation, not just let the ball go like he did.”

Once again, Flores functions on the premise of basics and fundamentals. Even if risky plays end in favorable results, that doesn’t mean Flores condones the decision. He wants smart, calculated football. That means taking advantage of what the defense gives, not forcing something when things get dangerous.

“I felt some guys at my ankles.” Rosen said. “I knew Preston kind of had a stop coming back to me, I saw he was a bit inside of him. So I knew if I just put it up he would kind of have the break on it. It might have been a little bit too dicey; but I don’t know. A couple fall in your favor, a couple don’t. I probably should be a little smarter with that, even though this one worked out.”

Not having consistent protection can easily lead to more of these mistakes. Josh Rosen had to spend the majority of his playing time dodging defenders before he could make a throw. In reality, it’s a testament to Rosen’s improvement that he was able to accomplish what he did against Atlanta. Rosen completed 13 out of 20 attempts for 191 yards, and of course his interception. That averages out to a 75.2 passer rating, which does not reflect his overall performance. Rosen grew more comfortable as the game continued, and soon those risky plays started looking routine.

“I feel substantially better now than I did two weeks ago.”Rosen said. “But like I said, I’ve got a long ways to go. The way ‘Fitz’ (Ryan Fitzpatrick) in our meeting room can break down a defense and how quickly he can make comments on where everyone is, where the ball should go, is pretty impressive and I think if I can kind of hedge that gunslinger attitude a little bit and put a little bit more thought into it, I think I could develop pretty nicely.”

It’s encouraging that Rosen recognizes the flaws in himself. He even goes as far as to admit he’s struggled with taking unnecessary risks throughout his entire football career. He’s learning when the best move is to give up on a play and try again on the next down, and when it’s okay to throw up a prayer. It’s something he’s been dealing with all through the offseason and training camp already.

Josh Rosen isn’t making excuses for himself, though he easily could have on Thursday. With the offensive line unable to protect for him, he didn’t have much time to think about what he was doing. But that’s moot. He made a mistake, and he knows it. He isn’t about to whine about something he feels has no bearing on his ability to make wise choices.

“I threw the pick in a completely clean pocket. So football is football.” He said. “You’re never going to have a completely clean pocket all of the time. When you get it, you’ve got to take advantage of it and when you don’t, you can’t make stupid mistakes by trying to play hero ball. I did kind of a little bit of everything, so I’ve got a lot of film to watch. Just because like good plays gained yards doesn’t mean that the way we got that was like a sustainable way to do that in the future. So I think that like I said at the beginning, there’s good, bad and everything in between.”

If Rosen can eliminate some of the bad, then he can easily take the starting job away from Ryan Fitzpatrick. If he eliminates the everything in between and keeps only the good, then Miami will finally have their franchise quarterback in Josh Rosen. The sooner he learns those lessons, the better off everyone will be.

“I think that’s what this time is for, that’s what training camp is for.” Flores said. “It’s to develop these guys, help develop them, help work on their techniques, fundamentals, consistency. That’s what training camp is for. That’s why I got into coaching, that’s what I love about coaching. We want to win, there’s no doubt about that. But we’re going to try to develop these players as best we can and try to win at the same time. And I think development of players is something that’s ongoing.”

Kenny Stills gets death threats, doesn’t back down

/0 Comments/in /by

Preston Williams, the undrafted free agent that our Chris Kouffman (@CKParrot) told you all about on the day he signed, was the star of the Dolphins’ 34-27 win in their preseason opener.

But that’s not the receiver everyone ran to first in the Dolphins locker room.

That, naturally, was Kenny Stills, after the outspoken community activist tweeted this Wednesday evening about the Dolphins owner Steve Ross.

That tweet went viral, and so did the related story. Ross released his own statement afterwards, but it wasn’t especially well received.

 

Stills wasn’t impressed either, apparently.

Stills addressed the media for roughly 10 minutes, taking every question. He said he did not want to be a distraction, and he had spoken to coach Brian Flores about it.

Flores had his own view on it.

Well, something we need to do more of in a society is not threaten someone’s life for speaking out.

This, unfortunately, wasn’t especially shocking.

Stills has trade value, but he made it clear he doesn’t want to leave the Dolphins. This seems like it may be just a two-day story, but it’s a story that shows how polarized Dolphins fans are politically. For some reason, the view of Stills  as a player is affected by how a fan feels about the president. Even though Stills does more work in the community than just about any active athlete in South Florida, with people of all races. 

Robert Nkemdiche signing

Dolphins sign DL Robert Nkemdiche to 1-year contract

/0 Comments/in , /by

The Miami Dolphins are adding another player to their ranks. Just hours before their first preseason game against the Atlanta Falcons, former Arizona Cardinals first round pick Robert Nkemdiche is signing a 1-year contract. This comes after he was released by the Cardinals in late July for failing a physical, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports the deal is worth $1.16 million.

Nkemdiche, 24, never lived up to his potential in Arizona. Even before he was drafted, teams were concerned about Nkemdiche’s work ethic and character. He was suspended for the Sugar Bowl in college after being arrested with marijuana charges. Now, this year, Nkemdiche was arrested twice within a week for traffic-related incidents, one of which saw him with a white powdery substance in the center console of his car.

The Cardinals took a chance on Nkemdiche, drafting him 29th overall in 2016. The hope was he would turn into a dominant pass rusher. Unfortunately, however, Nkemdiche’s physical gifts went to waste. In three seasons with Arizona, he appeared in 27 games, starting six of them. He recorded 44 tackles, 4.5 sacks, with two passes defensed, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery with a touchdown.

It seemed 2018 would be Nkemdiche’s year to get back on track. All 4.5 of his career sacks came during that season. But once again, Nkemdiche was struck down. He ended the 2018 season on injured reserve with a torn ACL he suffered in December. The Cardinals decided not to exercise the fifth-year option on his contract, which would have paid him $8.6 million, and head coach Kliff Kingsbury did not hold back regarding his disappointment in the former top-10 talent.

“Not in shape,” Kingsbury said. “That’s kind of where we’ll leave it … I mean, he’s on (the Physically Unable to Perform list) and he’s working through that. When he is cleared, we’ll work with him.”

Clearly, they had no interest in working with him.

The Dolphins, on the other hand, are not shy about giving players a chance to redeem themselves. Already, they’ve taken flyers on running back Mark Walton and wide receiver Preston Williams. Both players have issues off the field and are trying to get their careers on track. So far, both Walton and Williams are doing a fine job. Now, Miami is extending that same olive branch to Nkemdiche, who will continue his rehab under head coach Brian Flores’s supervision.

Sometimes, players need a change of scenery to get their lives in order. Under the tutelage of Flores, a Bill Belichick disciple, Robert Nkemdiche has a fighting chance to revitalize his career. There won’t be any nonsense with this coaching regime, discipline is crucial. They will work on basics and fundamentals with him, and will help him stay out of trouble. It’s working out well with Walton and Williams, what’s one more lottery ticket?

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

Miami Dolphins Camp Quickie Notes: Day 11

/0 Comments/in /by

Day 11

– The last practice before they p;ay actual Football.
– There is however one last Training Camp practice on Saturday.
– Coach Flores is late.
– He’s here.
– OL knee brace use is encouraged for camp to reduce the possibility of lower extremity injuries- Coach Flores
– Everybody will be ready to play for extended periods on Thursday. It could be 3 plays, 30 plays, 50 plays- Coach Flores
– We are working Kiko Alonso back, he fits in a lot of our packages- Coach Flores
– Player 1 to 1 interaction is important. For reinforcement, encouragement- Coach Flores
– We snuck in a walk thru at the stadium the other day- Coach Flores
– We might sneak in another one- Coach Flores
– Jesse Davis has taken every 1st team snap at RT for the last 8 practices. It’s no longer an “experiment”. He’s the RT. Can’t see them devote all of this time to this and then reversing course at the 1st sign of adversity. He would have to be a disaster to lose this job. IMO.
– Far field work today.
– Special teams work to begin practice, once again.
– Allen, Grant, Sterup, Jones, McMillan, Rowe, Woodard, Tankersely OUT today.
– Today should have a Walk Thru feel due to the game on Thursday.
– Stretch period.
– Jerome Baker is out here moving fine. No “extra” equipment. He’s a go.
– No change to the OL. Tunsil, Dieter, Kilgore, Calhoun, Davis.
– Ah. The all important warmup. Gets sharper by the day.
– Snap work…..Drake still on the 1st team.
– That UM time paid off…Mark Walton runs his shoot routes, and essentially every pass route out from HB to a tee.
– Sharp stuff from all 3 QB’s in warmup.
– 11v11 time. Fitzy starts off looking sharp, going through progressions, quick to find Wilson, Gesicki on timed routes.
– Josh Rosen in.
– Ok…….Josh Rosen delivers a 22 yard laser to Preston Williams. Dropped.
– Josh Rosen works on some timing, tempo stuff. (Bubble screen)
– Jerome Baker Fills nicely on Drake’s cut back…..Fitzy then drills Parker in the chest on a quick slant. Good looking stuff here.
– Assortment of TE talent getting 1st team snaps.
– Adolphus Washington having moments out here. Looks strong on 3 tech, 5 tech. He is in and around the backfield.
– Josh Rosen seems to have much better command of the offense, being much more decisive. But Fitzy is having a great day.
– Special Teams work.
– Back to some 11v11 work. Third team in.
– Rosen and the 2nd team in, pretty crisp 1 read passes. This practice has been a joy to watch.
– 1st team in. Fitzy works from 10 yard line.
– Some runs being called. Not much value to be gained from this. Mostly snap work. Real walk thru stuff.
– Rosen in. Much of the same. Prep for the Falcons.
– 11v11 simulated portion of practice.
– WHOA. Gesicki almost simulated the Odell Beckham catch vs. Dallas……dropped it however. Fitzy sailed it.
– Josh Rosen attempts the same 22 yard out, broken up.
– Some sloppiness seeps in here….we almost had a 100% clean practice.
– Sharpness returns at the goal line.
– Practice is over after some good looking goal line offense.
– As you can see by the header pic, USWNT World Cup Champion Coach Jill Ellis was a guest of Coach Flores.

Practice MVP: NONE-Walk Thru
Struggled: NONE-Walk Thru

Miami Dolphins Camp Quickie Notes: Day 10

/0 Comments/in /by

Day 10

– The team moved up the Coach Flores Availability without me knowing, but they could not defeat my earlier than usual arrivals. Coach Flores would like me.
– No time table for Reshad Jones’ return- Coach Flores. (Also, not serious)
– It will be exciting for both guys on Thursday (Both Coordinators calling plays for 1st time)- Coach Flores
– The “newly released” depth chart is odd for several reasons, if we are counting snaps.
– Jordan Mills did not take a 1st team snap for 4 days, but hes the starter at RT? NAH.
– Josh Rosen is improving, but he has a long way to go.- Coach Flores
– Don’t buy too much into “Depth Charts”, that’s one grouping. I got 12.- Coach Flores
– Early loose warm up. Near Field work today.
– Special Teams work kicks off practice.
– In shorts/shells today. Should be a lite practice.
– Back to that depth chart….ignore it.
– Both PUP guys, Rowe, Jones, Sterup, Grant, Woodard, Allen OUT today.
– Ryan Fitzpatrick is 1st team once again.
– Snap work. After those 10 pre snap penalties on Saturday….much needed.
– That weird Team Warmup ensues….
– The setup today has a walk thru, lite workout look to it, in preparation for Thursday night.
– Who will get snaps at TE? We know Gesicki will, for sure. The evidence in practice says so. Along side him and behind him? Anybody’s guess. Nick O’Leary probably leads that pack.
– Indy drills.
– Kenyan Drake seems set to get 1st team work today. He was very good on Saturday.
– QB warmup has progressively gotten better as camp has moved on. It was an embarrassment the first 2 days.
– Ball placement drill …Fitzpatrick ..pretty sharp. Rosen with some iffy throws, then picks it up… now, they are running that drill where they throw intentional interceptions. Pretty good at that. Ok.
– Team meeting. Setting up some 11v11 work
– 1st team OL remains….Tunsil, Dieter, Kilgore, Calhoun, Davis
– Fitzy finds Ford on an over route. Busted coverage. Huge gain.
– Special Teams work once again. Kenyan Drake has 1st team PR duty in Jakeem Grant’s absence.
– 11v11 here.
– Series of inside zone runs, out of interesting sets.
– Some screens get called. Uneventful period of practice.
– Special Teams work (punt teams) now.
– 7v7 time…..Fitzy tries a quick out right to Parker…Howard there to break it up.
– Rosen throws one in the dirt to O’Leary….Rosen throws a DEEEEEP beauty to Stills….perfect throw….drop. (off finger tips)
– Rosen then is indecisive / inaccurate on next snap. Bad 7v7 period for the 2 QB’s.
– 11v11 once again.
– Fitzpatrick connects with Mike Gesicki on a crosser. Good looking stuff.
– Ballage on a shoot route. Looks great as usual. He and Drake are both very good running routes, and catching it.
– Mark Walton getting a heavy dose of RB3 work.
– Rosen, with a nice hot slant on the RPO, dropped by Isaiah Ford.
– Preston Williams ladies and gentlemen.
– Hartage was given a difficult assignment with Preston Williams. Preston smoked him on the Out-Up route.
– Fitzy finds Drake on the option route. Given too much room to run. Defense essentially ignored Drake leaking out.
– Jerome Baker’s position being filled by a combination of Tre Watson, Van Ginkel, Hanks.
– Baker also being replaced by Eguavoen in his primary role.
– Operating just outside the Red Area, Fitzy with a sharp stick throw for a TD to Smythe.
– Practice ends, on that note.

Practice MVP: Kenyan Drake, Preston Williams
Struggled: Isaiah Ford, Sam Eguavoen, Montre Hartage

Preston Williams header

Dolphins wide receiver Preston Williams drawing high praise

/0 Comments/in , /by

It’s been a long road for Dolphins wide receiver Preston Williams. He’s made mistakes off the field that he’s trying to get past, and he’s trying to make up for those mistakes by pushing himself as an undrafted free agent. Now, as Miami’s first preseason game draws ever closer, Williams is starting to impress the fans, his coaches, and even his teammates.

“That guy can be special.” said Pro Bowl cornerback Xavien Howard. “He’s still learning, he’s just a rookie. (There) is so much room for improvement with him but he’s going to be a number one receiver one day.”

Considering Howard’s ever-increasing reputation, that’s extremely high praise. Howard’s job is locking down other teams’ best wide receivers, and in training camp, Howard gives that same treatment to Williams. Howard wins a lot of those matches. But there are moments where Williams makes an impressive play to beat the elite cornerback. That’s a difficult task no matter who it is, as everyone knows.

Back in late May, Ryan Fitzpatrick was asked about the tall, strong receiver, and apparently the praise wasn’t quite as pronounced.

“He’ll make some ‘wow’ plays and he’ll make some plays that remind you that he’s a young guy.” He said. “Consistency is going to be a big thing with him. In terms of some of the physical features and the way that he can go get the ball and those type of things, he’s been very impressive. Again, he’s working his tail off and it shows and you can tell out here, but there’s also a lot of work that still needs to be put in for him to be able to be trusted and be out there.”

But since then, trust has been attained, especially from young QB Josh Rosen. The two are building an impressive rapport, one that just might help Rosen win the starting job.

“Yeah, he’s got a ton of potential.” Rosen said after Saturday’s scrimmage. “He’s an unbelievable athlete. He’s got a great attitude. He works really hard, and I think he’s got a really high ceiling. It’s just about how hard he works, and I’m right there in the boat with him. We’re the same age, so hopefully we can develop together and keep pushing each other.”

To further boost their chances, Rosen and Williams actually have a history together. The two were on the same team at The Opening camp in Oregon in 2014 as recruits in high school. During that time, they made quite a tandem.

“I don’t know how much chemistry after – how long is that, five, six years ago?” Rosen said. “But yeah, it’s good to see him. That’s kind of the crazy thing about the NFL is that you walk in and you see faces that you haven’t seen in years from all over.”

Now, with an old friend throwing him the ball as he fights his way back to his NFL dream, does Preston Williams still have a chip on his shoulder from going undrafted? The answer, apparently, is no.

“That’s over, so I don’t really think about it any more.” Williams said. “I’m here now. I’ve got my foot in the door. I just came in to work. It doesn’t matter where I’m at or where I went.”

True enough, since where he is, is at the forefront of a brewing competition. As a result, he’s in the thick of it with DeVante Parker and Brice Butler for a spot on the final roster. If things stay this close between them, then preseason will have to make the final decision. In the end, Preston Williams isn’t taking anything for granted.

“It’s real humbling because a lot of people don’t get the opportunity to sit in these chairs.” He said. “So I just come out here every day like it’s my last practice.”

Header for defense versatility

Miami Dolphins coaches using versatility to define defense

/0 Comments/in , /by

Consider the New England Patriots. One of the things that makes their defense so formidable is that opposing teams can never be sure what they’re facing. Is there a blitz? Why are there are so many defensive backs? Are the linebackers blitzing or in coverage? It’s through reputation alone that they’re considered good, even when they’re objectively bad. They put together personnel groupings that throw offenses for a loop, make them think twice about what they should do. The versatility of their players is a big part of what makes that defense tick.

And that’s exactly what head coach Brian Flores is stressing as he installs his defense.

“I would say first and foremost, it’s in the kicking game for really anyone on the team. If you make plays in the kicking game, you make a name for yourself in the kicking game here in this organization, that means a lot to me. If guys want to impress me, do it in the kicking game.” Flores said on Wednesday. “That’s where I started in college, that’s how I got on the field at Boston College. That’s how I broke into coaching in the National Football League from working with guys like Brad Seeley and then Scott O’Brien.

“It’s a very important phase of the game to me, so if a guy wants to impress on this team, do it there, carve out a role there, and then if you’re at the game for the kicking game, we’ll find something for you to do offensively or defensively. The players know that. I think everyone in the league should know that. That’s a spot where you can definitely carve out a role, and then, that’s how your reps increase. If you do a good job in the kicking game, you get more offensive or defensive snaps. If you do a good job with those snaps, we’ll give you more, and that’s how guys evolve and grow in this profession.”

Already, training camp has consisted of players lining up where they normally wouldn’t. Reshad Jones, T.J. McDonald and Minkah Fitzpatrick are getting linebacker snaps. Bobby McCain is turning himself into a safety. Defensive linemen are lining up out wide, inside, and everywhere in-between.

Is Miami running a 4-3, or a 3-4? Maybe a 4-2-5?

“I don’t even know what that is.” defensive coordinator Patrick Graham said on Thursday. “People ask us, (and we) say, ‘I don’t know.’ You look out there, we can be 1-10 if you want us to be. We’ll figure out something. If it works, we’ll do it.”

So nothing is off the books when it comes to what the defense will do on any given play. Matchups decide who’s on the field at any given moment. The more players adapt to what’s thrown at them, the more they will get to play. Even if they don’t project to start over someone else.

Of course, this puts a mental strain on the players. They have to overcome it.

“It’s not more so the attacking defenses that I’ve been in, in the 4-3 systems that I’ve been accustomed to.” said veteran DT Akeem Spence. “In this defense, you’ve got to really learn a lot. It’s more so learning about more spots than positions and learning a new technique and what Coach Flores wants and Patrick Graham want and trying to go out and execute and compete.”

“It’s all about discipline. The biggest thing is everybody’s got – I mean, the coaches are going to put you in the best position to make plays, and I think that’s the biggest thing I keep in mind.” said pass rusher Charles Harris. “The number count isn’t the most important thing. When that game ends and you’re winning, that’s all that really matters. Like I’ve said before, one of the biggest things that we’ve got, one of the quotes that we’ve got coming is ‘get over yourselves.’ If I’m not getting that many plays, it might not be a week. We might have different schemes for different teams and stuff like that. You really don’t know.”

The Dolphins’ first preseason game draws ever closer, and after Saturday’s faux scrimmage, things are only going to ramp up from here. But more importantly, everyone will get a chance to see what this team can do in real action. True, it’s only the preseason. But considering what the expectations are for this team, how they do against other teams evaluating their depth will be telling.

Miami Dolphins camp Quickie Notes: Day 9

/0 Comments/in /by

Day 9

– NO Scrimmage. Regular Practice scheduled. Oh Well.
– Coach Flores arrives 5 minutes early.
– I know I said Ryan Fitzpatrick was leading the competition, but there is still plenty of competition left – Coach Flores
– The Practice schedule for today is unclear. When asked when the “Live” periods of practice will occur, coach Flores says, “Maybe an hour from now.”
– “We are in an evaluation process.” (when asked about the Depth Chart)- Coach Flores
– “DeVante Parker has had a strong camp” (glowing praise ensued) – Coach Flores
– Woodard, Jones, McMillan, Grant, Allen, plus 2 PUP guys…OUT.
– Practice begins, once again, with Special Teams.
– Stretch portion of practice.
– Indy drills for all. Uneventful start to practice.
– QB warmup time. Josh Rosen is cleaner with his mechanics. None of these QB’s wow anybody, ever, during any of these warmups.
– Team meeting at the 50 yard line. What’s this about?
– 11v11 now
– Drive #1. Fitzy to Stills for 6 on quick out left. Fitzy finds Parker beating the zone for 15. Drake busts a lead right for a big gain down to the 3. Charles Harris with a nice play to stop a run. Play Action Boot Pass to Drake for a TD.
– Josh Rosen leading the 2nd team.
– Rosen to Preston Williams for 15 on deep out.
– 2nd team offense has committed two penalties.
– Rosen with a good looking RPO?
– Rosen quick out to Preston Williams for 8
NICE!
– 2nd team needs to punt having failed to get a 1st down.
– Fitzy to Stills…tipped. Xavien Howard INT.
– Josh Rosen back in. Penalty to start.
– Inside Zone runs, quick out to Brice Butler. Penalty. 3rd and 15. Inside zone run gains 6. Hmm. We have seen that before.
– Penalties, inside zone runs, and a quick out…with MORE penalties sets up 3rd and 25.
– Josh Rosen does well to gain a chunk by escaping pocket, finding Preston Williams. Sets up FG. Good.
– Fitzy has an uneventful series.
– Rudock in to take some snaps.
– Fitzy back in.
– Charles Harris with a sack on Fitzy. Beats Tunsil.
– Charles Harris is a menace. In on Fitzy again. On a twist.
– Van Ginkel got sucked in by the play call. Screen behind him. Drake with a big gain.
– Wow. Fitzy flag pattern for a big one to Stills. Off his finger tips. GREAT THROW
– Fitzy tries a go to Parker on right side. Overthrown. FG try.good.
– Halftime.
– Josh Rosen in. 2nd teamers.
– Rosen, incomplete in cut. Rosen complete out to Brice Butler. Sack by Adolphus Washington ends series.
– Fitzy starts series. Jerome Baker sack.
– Series goes quickly.
– Starting at their own 1. Josh Rosen leads the 2nd team. Dive play gains nothing.
– Rosen moves the chains on 3rd and 5. Rosen starts with a quick out on 1st down. Rosen hits Preston Williams on a beauty. 45 yard gain.
– Preston Williams is today’s clear cut star.
– Sets up a FG try. Good.
– Fitzy 1st teamers. Start at 25 going in.
– Gesicki beats Minkah bad on a back shoulder throw. He pushed off. Offensive P.I.
– ITS REVIEWED. REVERSED. GESICKI SETS UP 1st and Goal from the 5.
– 3rd and goal. Fitzy has nothing. FG try. Good.
– Rudock leads a TD drive on a series of runs on a short field.
– Fitzy starts from his own 1. Ballage moves it 6 yards out.
– Ballage sweep. Penalty. Count is somewhere between 12-15 penalties.
– Dieter consistently 1st team LG. Assortment at RG. Latest is Kyle Fuller.
– Here comes a Josh Rosen 2 minute drill.
– Rosen to Gesicki for 10. Fitzy comes in now. Ford for 10 on Howard.
– Fitzy pick on deep post. Xavien Howard with the pick to kill the drive.
– Rosen in now. Strike to Stills for 18 on curl. Holding. Bring it back.
– Rosen DEEP to stills…Howard with the pick. NO. Stills makes a play off of him. Huge gain. 50+ yards
– Rosen with a DISASTER throw in red zone. Xavien Howard pick. Off his hands. Caught by Ford for a TD.
– Goal line portion of practice.
– Ballage stuffed lead right. Godchaux on play.
– O’Leary TD on play action pass.
– Ballage TD on Dive play.
– Practice over.
– Stephen Ross and Josh Rosen have a long 12-15 minute conversation. Then Ross, Grier and Fitzy have a talk of their own.

Practice MVP: Xavien Howard, Preston Williams, Charles Harris.
Struggled: Kyle Fuller, Laremy Tunsil, Chris Reed

Quickie Miami Dolphins training camp notes — Day 8

/0 Comments/in /by

Day 8

– “My High School coach is here.”- Coach Flores
– Tomorrow’s Scrimmage will have a game day simulation “feel”- Coach Flores
– We are all in this thing together (on coaches running to T.N.T Wall)- Coach Flores
– “Defensive issue” yesterday cause Coach Flores to run to wall.
– Some praise for the Michael Dieter/ Shaq Calhoun starting guard duo- Coach Flores
– BUBBLE TIME
– Its a walk through, so we are not allowed to tweet/write what “exactly” they are doing.
– Mostly Special Teams work to start practice. Guys in new spots as compared go last year.
– Hard to do reporting on what they are doing, but you are seeing many personnel sets, heavy subs on defense, and the use of 9 different skill guys in a set of play calls. Last year, you could go 3 quarters with just 7 skill guys seeing action. That seems to be a thing of the past. Maximum use of the roster and the talent on hand is the new norm. Good to see.
– There must be an NFL requirement for Special Teams Coordinators to be boisterous and use colorful language. Danny Crossman is cut from that same Darren Rizzi mold, in that regard.
– Walk through is complete, plenty of special teams work, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd teams run through their basic sets.
– Reggie McKenzie, Chris Grier, attended the walk through, and seemed to be engaged in conversation/evaluation.

Practice MVP: NONE
Struggled: NONE

And the Dolphins QB battle continues…

/0 Comments/in /by

Miami Dolphins rookie head coach Brian Flores has continued to echo the importance of competition since the team met for mini camp in June.

 

Fast forward about a month and after the first week of training camp, as the Dolphins prepare for the 2019 season, there are a few major position battles brewing in Davie.

 

Each day it seems that a new report is released surrounding a handful of different positions including running back, offensive line and linebacker. However, no competition is under the spotlight as often as the quarterback battle between Josh Rosen and Ryan Fitzpatrick.

 

Fitzpatrick hit the ground running at the first day of training camp and impressed with his accuracy.

 

 

 

The 36-year-old Highland High School alum has also displayed his leadership ability.

 

 

With Fitzpatrick showcasing why has found success as a 14-year NFL veteran, it should come to no surprise that Flores mentioned on Tuesday morning that Fitzpatrick is the current front runner for the quarterback job in front of Rosen, the second-year pro out of UCLA.

 

“It’s pretty clear to me that Ryan Fitzpatrick is leading the way,” Flores said. “He’s done that in a lot of areas, from leadership to production on the field to the meeting rooms to the walk-throughs. This is an ongoing competition, but right now he’s leading the way.”

 

It is important to keep in mind that we are just a week into training camp and while Fitzpatrick has looked the part at times, he doesn’t have the most consistent track record and that part of his game has started to show on the practice field.

 

Miami Dolphins rookie head coach Brian Flores has continued to echo the importance of competition since the team met for mini camp in June.

 

Fast forward about a month and after the first week of training camp, as the Dolphins prepare for the 2019 season, there are a few major position battles brewing in Davie.

 

Each day it seems that a new report is released surrounding a handful of different positions including running back, offensive line and linebacker. However, no competition is under the spotlight as often as the quarterback battle between Josh Rosen and Ryan Fitzpatrick.

 

Fitzpatrick hit the ground running at the first day of training camp and impressed with his accuracy.

 

 

 

The 36-year-old Highland High School alum has also displayed his leadership ability.

 

 

With Fitzpatrick showcasing why has found success as a 14-year NFL veteran, it should come to no surprise that Flores mentioned on Tuesday morning that Fitzpatrick is the current front runner for the quarterback job in front of Rosen, the second-year pro out of UCLA.

 

“It’s pretty clear to me that Ryan Fitzpatrick is leading the way,” Flores said. “He’s done that in a lot of areas, from leadership to production on the field to the meeting rooms to the walk-throughs. This is an ongoing competition, but right now he’s leading the way.”

 

It is important to keep in mind that we are just a week into training camp and while Fitzpatrick has looked the part at times, he doesn’t have the most consistent track record and that part of his game has started to show on the practice field.

 

The Dolphins have more than a month before they hit the turf at Hard Rock Stadium, which is why the quarterback battle is far from over.

 

 

Both quarterbacks continue to push each other and it is important to not get hung up on who is “leading” the quarterback competition. It is far too early to think that Rosen is a bust, but also too early to say that Fitzpatrick will lead the Dolphins to a 4-12 record.

 

Rosen and Fitzpatrick will continue to push each other, which is what exactly what Flores wants each player on the 53-man roster to do.

 

“I guess the thought process behind that is, maybe we want to keep that guy hungry,” Flores said of depth chart shakeups on Sunday. “Maybe we want to make sure that guy knows that you could have a great day, and we’re always competing. There’s a lot of levels here, a lot of things that go into it.”

 

As of right now, it is tough to determine who will be under center come week one, but both Rosen and Fitzpatrick will continue to grow as Miami’s quarterback battle continues to unfold.

 

Jake Mendel also writes for our sister site, Dolphin Maven. 

 

 

The Dolphins have more than a month before they hit the turf at Hard Rock Stadium, which is why the quarterback battle is far from over.

 

 

Both quarterbacks continue to push each other and it is important to not get hung up on who is “leading” the quarterback competition. It is far too early to think that Rosen is a bust, but also too early to say that Fitzpatrick will lead the Dolphins to a 4-12 record.

 

Rosen and Fitzpatrick will continue to push each other, which is what exactly what Flores wants each player on the 53-man roster to do.

 

“I guess the thought process behind that is, maybe we want to keep that guy hungry,” Flores said of depth chart shakeups on Sunday. “Maybe we want to make sure that guy knows that you could have a great day, and we’re always competing. There’s a lot of levels here, a lot of things that go into it.”

 

As of right now, it is tough to determine who will be under center come week one, but both Rosen and Fitzpatrick will continue to grow as Miami’s quarterback battle continues to unfold.

 

Jake Mendel also writes for our sister site, Dolphin Maven.