Tannehill Sharp In Sun Life Scrimmage; other notes

Today marked the first time the Miami Dolphins graced the Sun Life Stadium grass since the debacle against New York at the end of December....

And I'm happy to report, unlike that grim day, the Miami Dolphins are still very much in the playoff hunt after this "game."

In-fact, this was a MUCH better day for the Fins, and, more notably, Ryan Tannehill.

I wasn't there, but, from what I saw and read from my sources on the ground, Tannehill and the offense performed well today in the first simulated action of 2014.

The quick hits:

- Tannehill and the offense drove the ball down the field on their first drive (albeit against the second team defense) that ended with a 7 yard TD pass to RB Lamar Miller.  Miller also had a strong performance today, and found himself wide open in the flat on the touchdown.

- Miller finished the day with 6 carries for 36 yards and the TD, while Tannehill finished 15-27, 137 yards, and two TD's (the second went to TE Dion Sims).  These stats are unofficial and provided by my Finsiders partner Greg Likens, and can be found HERE.

- Speaking of Dion Sims, he was another scrimmage standout today.  He finished with 4 catches, 27 yards, the TD, and a 2-pt conversion.

- The new look tempo was very evident today.  A lot of no huddle looks.

- Charles Clay had 1 catch for 5 yards.  Why the limited numbers?  Well, he limped off the field early on and did not return.  I don't really know much more than that at this time, but we'll keep you up to date.

- WR's Jarvis Landry and Rishard Matthews were very active today, as they have been throughout camp.  Matthews finished with 3 catches (but one drop in the end zone), while Landry hauled in 2 passes for 40 yards and a TD.

- No Mike Wallace or Brian Hartline today.  Wallace was held out with a tight hamstring.  Don't know what the story is on Hartline, but my gut tells me Philbin just wanted to see more Landry and Matthews.  We all know what we're getting with Hartline, the other two need the playing time right now.

- Positive day for the offensive line.  Nate Garner was the starting center and there were no bad exchanges with Tannehill.  That's a huge step up from what we've seen the past week.  It appears the spot is Garners to lose.

- Defensively, Cam Wake had a would be sack, as did Dion Jordan and Terrence Fede.  Fede has been a nice surprise since OTA's, and is making a strong case for a roster spot.

- Another person who's making a strong roster push is rookie Jordan Tripp, who had 73 yard fumble return for a TD today.  People around the league are high on Tripp, and he's looked strong so far.

- CB Cortland Finnegan intercepted Pat Devlin in the end zone.  Jimmy Wilson also had an INT.  Wilson is primed for a big year, folks.  He looks like he's taken the next step in his progression.


For the full list of unofficial stats, visit thefinsiders.com.


KING PRAISES DEFENSE

The MMQB himself Peter King was at camp yesterday, and gave this defense some high praise in an interview with The Finsiders Greg Likens.

King said he expects the defense to be a top 10 unit if the secondary, mainly Finnegan and Delmas, can stay healthy.  He also called DE Cameron Wake a top 3 pass rusher in the league, and said if any team is to dethrone the Patriots in the AFC East, it's the Dolphins.

You can read more and watch the full interview HERE.


I'll be back at practice monday, see you then.

36 days.

What We've Learned Nearly One Week Into Camp

Somehow, we've nearly the completed the first week of Training Camp 2014. Yes, there is still quite some time left before the Patriots roll into town (39 days), but judging by how fast week number one went I expect September 7th to be here before we know it.

So, where do the Miami Dolphins stand after five full practices? Well, like the rest of the league, you just don't know yet.  Some areas have looked strong, some areas have a ways to go, and all areas need work.  And while that week one matchup is still a ways off, the Atlanta trip is not, as the team travels to the Georgia Dome next Friday for their first game action in nearly 8 months.

Here's what we've learned offensively:

- Bill Lazor's offense has the chance to be dynamic this season, it really does.  However, it has a loooooooong ways to go.  Every practice I've been at, the defense has owned the day, and it really hasn't been close.  However, I expected this, and it should come as no surprise.  The defense has played under Kevin Coyle for three seasons now.  The offense has played under Bill Lazor for three months.  There are still major kinks to work out, but once they are this offense can and should be a significant upgrade.

- The biggest kink to work out?  The offensive line.  The loss of Mike Pouncey, so far, has set this unit back quite a bit.  There have been several bad snaps, and nobody seems to have a leg up at the center position.  So far Joe Philbin has worked Sam Brenner, Shelly Smith, and Nate Garner all at center, all with the first team, and nobody has really stepped up yet.

- The tackle position looks to be set, however, with Branden Albert and Ja'Wuan James.  James has struggled at times, but name me a rookie who wouldn't struggle going up against Cam Wake.  As I've said, it's a good experience for James and should pay off massively in season.

- I said it in OTA's, I said it in minicamp, and I'll say it again:  This wide receiver group is the most talented, deepest group in the AFC East.  At this point, I don't see how Joe Philbin doesn't keep six on the team.  Between Mike Wallace, Brian Hartline, Jarvis Landry, Brandon Gibson, Rashard Matthews, and Armon Binns, there will be no shortage of weapons this year for Ryan Tannehill.

- Speaking of Landry, he dropped his first pass AS A PRO today during practice.  That's including all of OTA's, minicamp, and the first four practices of training camp.  One scout said Landry had by far the best hands of any receiver in the draft, and he's been absolutely right.  This kid will make an impact day one.

- Lamar Miller, as I've written, will have the potential to thrive in this new offense.  When Knowshon Moreno comes back, I still expect Miller to start.  Not taking anything away from Moreno, he'll get plenty of carries, but something just tells me that Miller is primed for a big time year.

- RT17.  His deep ball, while still not perfect by any means, has definitely improved this year.  He hit Brian Hartline in stride today for a 70 yard TD.  He hasn't hit all of them, but he's hit his fair share so far, and that's way more than we could say a year ago.

- Something Tannehill must improve upon, however, is his decision making.  In this new offense, the ability to make a quick decision is everything.  So far, Tannehill has somewhat struggled at this, but it's still early and we must remember that he's learning a new offense for the first time in his career.  Regardless, expect this to be an emphasis going forward.


Here's what we've learned defensively:

- Cameron Wake looks better than he ever has, and that's saying something.  He's recorded at least one sack nearly every practice, and does not take plays off.  If he stays healthy, expect him to get back to double digits sacks pretty quickly this season.

- Along with Wake, the rest of the defensive line has been lights out as well.  Olivier Vernon has looked fast.  Randy Starks has been dominate, and I mean dominate, every single practice.  Jared Odrick and Earl Mitchell have both been solid.  And even though he's going to miss the first month, don't forget about Dion Jordan.  He's already made a handful of big time plays, and doesn't appear to have lost a step even though he's put on 17 pounds.  When he returns to this line, it could turn into something really special.

- Koa Misi, and the rest of the LB unit for that matter, just look more comfortable this year.  Maybe a simple switch was all it took?  Maybe they're all actually healthy for the first time in a while?  Whatever it is, the unit looks improved.  With that being said, it's still the biggest question mark on this defense, and I expect to learn a lot more during the preseason.

- Brent Grimes has been every bit the player he was a year ago.  No concerns on that side.  Opposite Grimes is Cortland Finnegan, who has looked more like the player of old then the Finnegan of last season.  The player I'm really excited about, however, is second year man Jamar Taylor.  He was highly touted out of college, but saw limited playing time last season because of an injury.  Well, he's healthy now, and it's shown, because he's been in on the action on nearly every play.  This spot may be Finnegan's, and for good reason, but Taylor is a player to watch.

- Another player I think will make a huge difference this year?  FS Louis Delmas.  He is easily the most energetic player on the field at all times, and has shown a knack for the ball.  IF he can stay healthy, and that's a big if, expect some game changing plays from him this season.


So, to recap:

Camp standouts, so far:  Jarvis Landry, Jamar Taylor, the entire defensive line.

Question marks, so far:  The offensive line (minus the tackles), the linebacker unit, Tannehill decision making.


Practice resumes tomorrow morning.  A recap will follow.  If you need to some light reading before then, check out my latest article on TE Arthur Lynch, via The Finsiders and Dolphins.com.

Familiar Faces Help Arthur Lynch Settle In

39 days.
 

News and Notes From Day Two of Training Camp

Day two of training camp wrapped up late this morning from Davie, FL, as players and coaches were back at it in front of another packed house at the Doctors Hospital Training Complex.

Even though there was still no contact today (that will change tomorrow) there was still plenty of action all around.

Here are the quick hits:

- Another strong day for WR Jarvis Landry.  The book on the rookie coming in was that he simply doesn't drop balls.  So far, he's lived up to it.  It will be interesting to see what Bill Lazor has in store for him.

- The receiver Landry is competing with, Brandon Gibson, also had another solid day.  Dating back to last season, Gibson and Ryan Tannehill have displayed excellent chemistry, and the knee injury Gibson suffered last October doesn't seem to have effected that.

- Lamar Miller handled the starting duties yet again, with Knowshon Moreno still on the PUP list.  Moreno will have some catching up to do once he returns.

- New WR Damien Williams was a practice standout today, catching a couple deep balls from Ryan Tannehill and displaying good YAC.  He's someone to keep an eye on.

- The offensive line remained the same today, with Albert, Colledge, Smith, Thomas, and James.  Coach Philbin did say yesterday that they would be trying different looks throughout camp.

- Ryan Tannehill and Mike Wallace continued to display a good chemistry today.  Tannehill did force a bad throw to him in triple coverage, but, for the most part, those two have shown improvement form a year ago.

- The offense as a whole looked better today. Still a ways to go though.

- Defensively, Randy Starks was all over the place again today.  It should be fun to see him pads tomorrow.

- Olivier Vernon produced a sack.

- Cam Wake was Cam Wake.  He's looked healthier over the past few months than he has in a while.

- Reshad Jones and Brent Grimes both had interceptions today.

- Jamar Taylor impressed for the second day in a row.  If anyone is going to unseat Cortland Finnegan, it'll be him.

- Something to keep an eye on: Jared Odrick appeared limited for the second day in a row.  He was limited during OTA's as well with an undisclosed injury.


WHAT THEY'RE SAYING

- "This year I feel a lot more comfortable." - Mike Wallace

- "I think you’ll see a big difference from Year 1 to Year 2." - Mike Wallace

- "So much enthusiasm and support is amazing." - Cameron Wake

- "One of the greatest things is being here and seeing all the fans." - Cameron Wake

- "They're coming out here working hard every day." - Charles Clay

- Cam Wake on how long he'll play: "I'll keep throwing my fastball and if they start hitting it, maybe I'll think twice."


Tomorrow will be an exciting day, as you'll see some real hitting for the first time since December.  I'll be there for all of it, so make sure to check back in the afternoon!

See you then.

Day One Training Camp Takeaways

Day one is officially in the books, as the Miami Dolphins completed their first official practice of 2014 late this morning.

There was a good crowd on hand in Davie, and although players were not quite yet in pads (two days without first), there was plenty of action.

The takeaways:

- The most notable change from the final day of minicamp to this morning was the offensive line. The starters were as follows:  LT Branden Albert, LG Daryn Colledge, C Shelly Smith, RG Dallas Thomas, RT Ja'Wuan James.

- Newcomer Daryn Colledge also got some starting time at center, as did Sam Brenner.

- Shelly Smith struggled with the exchange at center.  A lot of this could have just been first day rust, only time will tell.

- Lamar Miller handled the first team reps with Daniel Thomas working with the second team.  Knowshon Moreno worked on the sidelines, along with Mike Pouncey.

- FS Louis Delmas was very active today.  When he's healthy he's a good football player.  He'll be a noticeable upgrade over Chris Clemons.

- CB's Will Davis and Jamar Taylor were in the middle of the action all day long as well.  Davis broke up a few Ryan Tannehill passes, and Taylor looked improved (as he did in OTA's), but your starting CB's remained Brent Grimes and Cortland Finnegan.  Barring injury, that won't change.

- Ryan Tannehill and the offense looked shaky at times, again though, this is to be expected on day one.  Tannehill misfired a deep ball to Mike Wallace early on, but later connected.

- As I said in OTA's, when this offense clicks it will be fun to watch.  The play-actions fakes are incredibly deceiving, the only issue will be timing.  How long until they put it all together?

- Ja'Wuan James was, and will be for all of camp, matched up with Cameron Wake today.  As you would expect Wake handled the rookie for most of the day, but James did have his moments.  These next five weeks will be crucial for James, as he should learn a lot going up against one of the NFL's best.

- Randy Starks was a menace today, as per usual.  As I said in my Dolphins.com preview, this defensive line will be daunting for a lot of teams.

- Rookie Jarvis Landry, as he was for OTA's, was solid today. Ryan Tannehill has praised the kid over and over again this offseason, and now is his chance to prove it.

- Brian Hartline was Brian Hartline.  Enough said.

- Armon Binns caught a couple nice passes.  He was a big time training camp performer last year until he got hurt.



We'll have another practice tomorrow and Sunday before a scheduled off day on Monday, so make sure to keep checking back.

Day one in the books!

Football is BACK... and so is the Blog

Happy 2014!

Tomorrow morning marks the official beginning of the 2014 season for the Miami Dolphins, as players and coaches reported back to Davie today and will be on the practice field in less than 12 hours.

This means that the offseason is FINALLY over, folks.  You made it!

No more NBA. No more FIFA. No more, no more, no more.

For the next 7 months the king of the world has returned.  And, along with it, is this blog, which is now entering its third season.

I'll have daily posts for you with the beginning of training camp tomorrow, as per usual, but this year expect even better content, as I'll be at a majority of the practices beginning with this Sunday morning's.

This is a huge year for the Dolphins, folks, make no mistake about it.  Ryan Tannehill is facing a make or break season.  Joe Philbin is facing a make or break season.  If we're being honest, this entire regime is facing a make or break season.

The excuses are gone.  The expectations (from the local media, not the national media) are high.  And the goal is simple: Playoffs, or bust.

So sit back, buckle up, and enjoy the 2014 Miami Dolphins.  It promises to be another roller coaster of a season, and it starts tomorrow!

Until then, check out my work for Dolphins.com, and The Finsiders.  Use these articles as a bit of a training camp primer, if you will.

See you tomorrow.


Sizing Up The Fins’ Place In The AFC East

AFC East Positional Breakdown: Quarterbacks

Miller Looks To Take Next Step In 2014

Inside Ja’Wuan James’ Journey to Tackle

Dolphins lose Pouncey, Moreno in same day

Well, it wasn't the best day for the Miami Dolphins.

According to multiple sources, C Mike Pouncey and RB Knowshon Moreno both underwent surgery today and will miss significant time.

Pouncey missed all three practices last week with an undisclosed injury, which, we found out today, turned out to be a lingering hip issue.  The Dolphins originally thought the injury to be minor, but after further diagnosis the team deemed surgery to be the best option.

The time table for Pouncey's return is three months, which would have him missing all of training camp, all of the preseason, and at least the first month of the season.  Depending on how his recovery goes, the PUP list could also be a possibility for Pouncey, which would mean he wouldn't be eligible to return until week 7 against Chicago.

So, what does this mean?  Well, somebody is going to have to step up.  Whether it be Sam Brenner or Nate Garner, or even RG Shelly Smith, somebody must step up here in fill this void.  My guess would be backup C Sam Brenner, who took the majority of first team reps in Pouncey's absence last week.  Brenner saw starting time last year with the revolving door at offensive line, and was solid in that time.

As for RB Knowshon Moreno, his injury and subsequent surgery is far less serious.  Moreno has been dealing with a left knee issue, and it's been evident all throughout OTA's and minicamp.  According to sources, Moreno will return around training camp, and, at the latest, by the first preseason game.  Regardless, barring any setbacks, Moreno shouldn't miss any significant time.

What does this mean?  Well, Lamar Miller has been handling all the first team reps over the last month, and he's looked extremely solid in doing so.  Miller looks slightly bigger this year, just as fast, and, most importantly, looks very comfortable in Bill Lazor's new offense.

This new scheme seems to fit Miller well, as it plays to his biggest strength- his speed.  I've said it for a while now, I expect a big year out of Miller judging by what I've seen over the month, so I don't foresee this setback to Moreno effecting this offense too much right now.

The team and coaching staff are on vacation for the next month, which means the season is right around the corner.

Beginning in late July, players and coaches will report for training camp, signaling the official beginning of the new season.  Expect the blog to be back in regular season mode at that time, and then, much like the Dolphins themselves, it'll be off to the races!

We're almost there, folks.

76 days.

OTA's in the Books: What We Learned Offensively

The Miami Dolphins completed their final OTA practice that was open to the media yesterday morning amidst smoky conditions at the Doctors Hospital Training Facility in Davie, FL.  I've seen all three OTA practices that the Fins let the media in on, and will be here again next week for the team's mandatory Mini Camp.

Obviously, much will change between now and September 7, but plenty stood out during the open practices, as the changes between the 2013 Dolphins and the 2014 Dolphins were evident on both sides of the football.

Here are my offensive takeaways:

-  This offense could give you a headache: What I mean is there is so much pre-snap movement and motion that getting a clear read on the offense is darn near impossible.  Nearly every play features 2-3 players, usually tight ends, changing their position on the field.  At any given time you could see Charles Clay go from being down on the line, to the backfield next to Ryan Tannehill, to the slot alongside Mike Wallace.  You just never know.

- Mike Wallace should be a happy man this season: The drama last year centered around the lack of attention the Fins were giving Wallace (remember Cleveland?).  Well, I think it's safe to say those are officially days of the past.  Bill Lazor has been putting a special emphasis on the star WR, moving him just about everywhere on the field and making him a focal point in the offensive attack.  Look for a big year, potentially, from Wallace.

- The RB battle: Everybody sort of just gave this position to Knowshon Moreno and just forgot about Lamar Miller.  Well, I'd hold off on that, for now, at least, because Miller has come out of the gates firing, and has the lead in that battle as of right now.  Miller has looked bigger, and just as quick, while Moreno appears to be out of shape and a step slow right now.  This will be a good battle to keep an eye on.

- The new (and hopefully improved) O-line: Here are the guys to beat:  LT Branden Albert, LG Dallas Thomas, C Mike Pouncey, RG Shelly Smith, and RT Ja'wuan James.  Those are the starters as of today, with guys like Billy Turner, Nate Garner, and Jason Fox sitting a distant second.

- WR is deeeeeeep (but potentially fragile): This is one of the deepest positions on the Dolphins, but it's also injury prone.  Guys like Brandon Gibson, Brian Hartine, and Armon Binns are all either back healthy (Hartline and Binns), or close to it (Gibson), and have looked strong during OTA's.  Pair them with Mike Wallace, Rishard Matthews, and rookie Jarvis Landry and you have six guys possibly competing for a starting spot, or even a roster spot.  This unit is strong, but lets hope it remains healthy.

- Tannehill's Time: I was worried when the Dolphins fired Mike Sherman for the sole reason of what it would do to QB Ryan Tannehill.  The two have worked together for six years now, and changing systems on a young QB could be fatal.  HOWEVER, I really like what I've seen so far from Tannehill and Lazor.  This offense, from what I've seen, could be perfect for a QB like Ryan Tannehill.  It utilizes two things that define Tannehill: Roll outs, and throwing on the run.  Expect A LOT more designed roll outs from this offense.  Expect a lot more read option type plays.  Expect a lot of quick throws, quick screens, and quick hitches.  See a common denominator there?  Quickness.  The up-tempo style attack is exactly what Joe Philbin had originally envisioned for Tannehill and this offense when he cam where three years ago.  Unfortunately, Sherman did not come through with it.  It appears Lazor may have.


My defensive takeaways will be out tomorrow.  Come back then!

89 days.