The Dolphins kicked off mandatory minicamp Tuesday at the Baptist Health Training Complex in Miami Gardens. The offseason work began in April for the Dolphins and the exposure increases with three practices open to the local media this week. Each day is an integral part of the process that will eventually produce results.
The first two practices open to the media earlier this offseason went to the defense. They produced turnovers, sniffed out any long pass attempts and played a suffocating brand of football.
Tuesday, the passing offense hit several chunk plays. That was a continuation of Friday's practice, according to Head Coach Jeff Hafley, as the offense and quarterback Malik Willis are starting to see results from that work.
"We've been really heavy on the installs and we're starting to come back to install one and two now," Hafley said. "So, it's the second time through. You can see the confidence in the way (Malik) is stepping up and throwing because he's seeing it better. We've installed a lot just to try to get it in and have film of it as we get into training camp and the season. But I think you can see the confidence building now that we're kind of going back through it again."
Willis spread the football to his targets on Tuesday. Wide receivers Malik Washington, Jalen Tolbert and Kevin Coleman Jr. each had plays of 15-plus yards.
The Dolphins run game also found space. Offensive linemen Patrick Paul and Kadyn Proctor cleared lanes for running back Ollie Gordon II on consecutive plays during the team period. Additionally, the line held its own against a handful of blitzes sent by Hafley's defense. The line's work, including guard Jonah Saviinaea and the rookie Proctor, has stood out to the Dolphins' All-Pro center.
"His mentality when he comes out here, he's trying to work," center Aaron Brewer said of Proctor. "He's trying to take in everything he can to be the best left guard next to me as possible."
On Savaiinaea, Brewer added: "Just the development, if y'all been seeing him as well, like just in the drills and the team run, team pass, he looked good out there. I'm excited for him."
The day was far from a wash for the defense. In fact, the first play of the team period was an interception by cornerback JuJu Brents. Meanwhile, cornerbacks Alex Austin, Marco Wilson and rookie Chris Johnson all had pass breakups.
Johnson, the Dolphins' 27th overall pick in April, stayed in the hip pocket on a deep ball from Willis, punching it out of Tolbert's hands at the last moment.
Speaking of staying stride-for-stride in coverage, rookie edge/inside linebacker Trey Moore matched tight end Greg Dulcich on a ball down the middle for a breakup. Fellow rookie inside linebacker Kyle Louis continued to flash his range while the front showed its strength.
Defensive lineman Jordan Phillips had two tackles for loss in the first team period, but he wasn't alone on the plays. Fellow defensive lineman Kenneth Grant stacked blocks on both of those plays to help Phillips make the stuff, while edge rusher Chop Robinson set hard edges to force the ball back inside.
Robinson has enjoyed a nice spring with the right mindset and a fundamentals-based process.
"Hopefully he becomes an every-down player," Hafley said of Robinson. "We have high expectations for him. We need to coach him, we need to develop him, but the guy's got such a good attitude. He's working so hard and I'm excited to see where that goes."
Off the field, the Dolphins announced that they've signed wide receiver Jalen Reagor and waived safety/inside linebacker Jordan Colbert. A six-year veteran, Reagor was the 21st overall pick by Philadelphia in the 2020 NFL Draft. Miami also announced the signing of 10 of its 13 drafted rookies.
For more analysis on the day's work, download the Drive Time Podcast with Travis Wingfield, available wherever you get your podcasts.
