Unfortunately for the Miami Dolphins, the above image is more representative of Jalen Ramsey than him actually being in a Miami Dolphins uniform on a Gameday Sunday. Ramsey went down in practice holding his knee, and it’s clear it’s the meniscus. What’s not perfectly clear is how bad the damage is, and how complex the surgery will be. Apparently there are two ways this can go. If the damage isn’t too sever, they may be able to trim the ligament and tighten it up. That’s the best case scenario. This would have Ramsey back in about 8 weeks from today, meaning he’d only miss a few weeks of the season, maybe the first quarter. The reality though is that it’s more likely they will have to fully repair the meniscus, which would mean Ramsey will miss the majority of the season, and at best, could return some time in December.
Well, many of us scratched our head when the Dolphins selected CB with the 51st pick (RD 2) in the 2023 NFL Draft out of South Carolina. Now that move looks brilliant, and he may be leaned on to have some serious playing time. He’s currently #2 on the depth chart at LCB behind Xavien Howard. This injury may change all that. Smith won’t be thrust into the position without earning it though. Last year’s UDFA rookie CB Kader Kohou and Keion Crossen, as well as Trill Williams will be in the mix. There’s also potential for a trade or vet signing. Kohou who was slotted for Nickel back rose to every challenge, much like Nik Needham did in previous seasons. Needham is coming off an injury of his own, and we may need him back quicker than expected due to this injury. Needham is currently on the PUP list, but that doesn’t mean he can’t be available for the season’s start.
We know the defense is in good hands with Vic Fangio at the helm of Defensive Coordinator. This defense will still be formidable without Jalen Ramsey, but Ramsey could have elevated it to special. As always in this sport, it’s next man up, so either the rookie Cam Smith will have to bite quicker than expected, or someone else will have to step up. We’ll know later today the severity of the injury for Jalen Ramsey and his prognosis going forward. I’m not optimistic, I prefer to be realistic and assume he’s either done for the season, or potentially available to make a very late season push. Even in the latter scenario, it’s not like you can just expect him to hit the field in December like nothing happened. The realist (pessimist?) in me is expecting the worst possible news and we may just have to add another DB to the mix. I hope I’m wrong and for once, we catch a break and Ramsey will be fine to play in October. Fingers crossed!
GO DOLPHINS!!!
Finsmob Unleashed 
Who is Taylor?
Someone needs an editor. 😂
Lol….he switched from Thomas to Taylor…good catch
Oooh, there’s a super moon tonight. I was reading about it, this one is called the Sturgeon moon, but also has some other names. My favorite is the Herb moon. Much better. 🌝
Mines a herb moon 😃
I kept reading, now I want to make moon water. 😂
Rock, why do you have us losing opening day on August 1st?
He’s always loved Herbert.
I didn’t realize it was that passionate.🤪
Remember Zach Taylor and Jason Thomas #59 and 94
Wow, Stephen A Smith is a total asshole. I know, this isn’t really news to anyone.
Right ? 🐕
Do you think he acts like that to sell clicks or is he just naturally offensive?
For some one who is barely hanging on to his job he sure has a lot to say about l
People who actually do a good job
Stephen A Smith dodging pink slips at ESPN
Tim Knight says:
August 1, 2023 at 8:47 pm
Rock, why do you have us losing opening day on August 1st?
Reply
It is more a feeling than any calculation. But this is what went into that feeling;
LAC shut down our offense (WITH Tua) last season and made it look like Tannehill was still there.
It is early in the season and we haven’t “gelled” yet and while it wasn’t the case last season, our team has a history of slow starts.
We have to travel to the West coast which is always difficult.
And YES Sonny, I thought Herbert was the better pick and was upset we passed over him to draft an oft injured short “week arm” QB who only threw to wide open receivers in college.
Don’t worry, as per Doggies orders I am not attending this game .. we should be fine
What did Stephen A. Smith say? And yes he is an asshole at times.
I had to stop it because it’s old news and listening to him makes my ears hurt.😂
This is most of it. He was commenting on it after McDaniel’s presser when he was talking about Tua doing a somersault the other day.
“I don’t want to be excessive because I’m serious and I’m not joking. I don’t like listening to this man. It’s unconscionable how you let Tua Tagovailoa on that field against the Cincinnati Bengals last year after watching him be concussed in that game Sunday … I’m talking about the veracity of the words coming out of his mouth. I just don’t believe a damn word he says.
We all watched Tua on that Sunday against Buffalo and we all watched how discombobulated he was. To have him out on that field, you almost got him killed, man. But then he comes back weeks later and then we find out after another game he’s concussed that following Monday… and this man comes up with every explanation under the sun. We don’t believe what you say.“
Also keep in mind that Stephen A Smith said this about Coach about a year ago…
Doggie : have a great time with MOM.. awesome you guys doing that🎉🎉
Stephen A Smith is (a shock jock, no kidding) somebody who reminds me of Bill O’Reilly. When his opinion jives with yours, ya LOVE HIM! When his opinion doesn’t jive with yours, ya HATE HIM!
I’ve got mixed opinions of SAS, but today, I really don’t like him… and generally, I really don’t like him.
So at the end of the day, it would seem that SAS has a problem with Coach for no good reason.
Phindog,
I had to catch up with what I missed: God bless you and your 90-year-old mother, man! Keep her safe and enjoy her for as long as possible. #RESPECT!
Yeah I echo this statement. Nothing but the best for all of you.
It’s exactly why Stephen A Smith is a hack
“We all watched Tua on that Sunday against Buffalo and we all watched how discombobulated he was. To have him out on that field, you almost got him killed, man. But then he comes back weeks later and then we find out after another game he’s concussed that following Monday… and this man comes up with every explanation under the sun. We don’t believe what you say.“
Yes we all watched the Buffalo game
And watched afterwards and know he wasn’t diagnosed with a concussion in game or the following Monday
He was not diagnosed with a concussion after the game
The leagues unaffiliated doctor cleared him of any finding of a concussion
He was concussed the following Thursday on a very hard sack
The coach should not override the decision of the doctors
What was McDaniel supposed to do – tell the doctor he’s wrong
People forget bc it was so long ago – but Stephen A Smith completely slipped in a false statement but saying the following Monday we find out he had a concussion – there was actually no such diagnosis
I know we all moved past this but this is next level Hackery by Smith
He just made up a fact as a foundation of his issue – the entire argument is predicate don something that didn’t occur
I don’t know how Stephen A Smith avoided the diluge of pink slips ESPN was giving out but if they keep hanging on to people like Smith – they’re gonna have to fire a lot more people. How can anyone watch him when he just makes up facts
Agreed and he also takes himself too seriously as if his opinions are extremely important.
Pigster,
The whole reason why SAS didn’t get a pink slip is because a hack sells. That should tell ya all ya need to know about ESPN/ABC/Disney.
Bob Iger is back as the CEO.
And just another reason why I do not trust the MSM.
As Rockphin stated the other day: FUCK DISNEY
I’m 100% with ya, my Bro.
54 goes in this Zachurday 💥💪🐬
🙂 he so deserves it.
Absolutely
NCC
https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/dolphins-waive-p-michael-turk-waive-injured-s-bennett-williams
I saw we signed someone who was on the Vikings but I can’t find a name
Damnit! I was hoping he would beat out the OG fuck himself up doing squats last year.
Myles Dorn. Safety
Thanks. Never heard of him.
Probably never will again after 2 weeks or so lol
It’s about fucking time!
Lol…about Zach
Jay Feidler more days until Preseason game one
Feidler must be our most famous number nine in our history 🤷♂️
(Jeff Beck) where’s Jahn 👀
And, they’re famous for sucking….lol
We’re into our second decade of Fests you guys.
It’s an incredible thing. It’s an honor, it’s interesting, it’s fun, it’s Dolphins and good friends.
Here’s to an epic season Mob 🍺🐬👍
I hope so and can’t wait to be smoking what you are….lol
No doubt
It is something we look forward to each year, nice to see a new face every now and then as well as all the usual returning ones
(We’re gonna meet Herd this year, shh) don’t jinx it
Dead on to all of it!
OK so I played a game of madden replay of last year and then I simulated the game five times and then I played the game again myself on all pro level
The final tally six in one.
Rock on baby! 🪨
Is that Tua’s brain or Herbert’s last dick sneeze?
it is a ROCK emoji
Speaking of hacks …
Mike F-face Florio has 2 new articles out.
One says there are too many players getting in to the HoF, you know who he means. He says he’ll present his list soon.
In the other he says he wonders if Brady will really retire. He says Brady should come back if a starter for a contender gets injured. You know who he means. He says Brady is still a top 10 QB.
How can some one write a whole article about a player un-retiring?
How it it possible to let your brain go there and continue for the length of the time it takes to write an article without stopping and saying to yourself – ‘hey this is pretty fucking ridiculous”
And how many people watching the nfl in 2023 really have been saying to themselves that they wish Brady were still playing. There are so many good young QBs to watch
He’s so annoying and I think he knows he is and gets off on it.
Sonny, that’s crazy, 2nd decade of Fests. Unbelievable really!
It’s a treasure.
OH NO! Hope he is ok.
FULL BACK
Fuck you spam filter!
– Linebacker Bradley Chubb was seen shaking his right arm after a play in team drills late in the practice and stayed on the sideline for the final few plays of the practice. Wide receiver Erik Ezukanma and offensive lineman Dan Feeney also appeared to sustain minor injuries during practice.
YAY! Come on!
— The first competitive situation of practice again involved one-on-one work with defensive linemen against offensive linemen in pass-rushing situations, along with DBs vs. receivers, and running backs vs. linebackers in pass protection. There was some good work there by rookie De’Von Achane in pass protection and by Channing Tindall in pass rush.
Still the same iggy
– On the last play of a session that featured two false starts and a defensive pass interference on Kader Kohou against Tyreek Hill, Tua threw a 25-yard completion to a wide open Hill down the left sideline after Noah Igbinoghene fell after trying to press him at the line.
Not trying to defend Iggy on this one, but we’ve seen Cheetah make All-Pro CBs fall on their faces at the LOS before.
By the way, Rockphin, thanks for the updates!
One of the great masterpieces of our time
Some day art historians will teach about this
Thank you for getting a couple of my posts out of spam (an not all the reposts)!
YAY DEFENSE!
Jets Browns tonight so we’re not quite to Pro Football yet
like preseason football?
💩 fest 2023
There is a Tractor Supply Company commercial that just drives me crazy. It features a woman employee driving a forklift with a pallet of something on it. She is blithely driving along with the load up in the air above her head just smiling away. Every time I see it I want to jump up and jerk her out of the seat, pull the keys out of the ignition and give her a slap. You want to kill someone? That’s how you kill someone!
I haven’t seen it but I get the outrage.
If you go work for them you’d have to pass a forklift course before they’d let you operate one and doing what she did she’d get fired immediately.
EXACTLY!!! And not one fucker involved with producing that commercial understood that !!
Rock, I’m sorry I didn’t recognize your rock
It depends on where you look at it from. If you look at it on the iPhone, it looks the same as it does when I typed it on the iPhone when I look at it on my PC it looks different. There’s very little you need to apologize to me for my brother. Passing the wrong way might be one of them. On the right hand side
I am wearing a Sublime concert T shirt and sitting outside Starbucks reading and these two little tiniboppers walk by and one stops and says “I love your shirt, you a fan?”
Yeah their cool
“That’s really cool, I bet MY DAD doesn’t even know who they are.”
FU lol
So I pointed out to them that the members of the band are 50 and 52 years old. And they were not the first to discover them.
Clueless
They’re damn it!!
Wouldn’t that be teenyboppers?
It’s a very sad truth about life man. I’m looking at the world with seventeen year old eyes but the people looking back see just what I am a Grandpa lol.
It’s all good just keep smiling like you do ✌️❤️👍🐬
This expresses my feelings perfectly.
Darrelle Revis out there, looking like a real island
They showed his mama not for nothing but Lizzo would hire her, just saying
Step one to the fest
Zach shouldn’t have a bust it should be Heisman sized statue of him diving doing a flip in the endzone captured in mid-air on his famous pick six against Neil O’Donnell with Tenn.
Son, it is timely that you mention Lizzo. I have no clue what a Lizzo is, but on the news yesterday there was a story with three BIG BIG women sitting at a desk and the headline underneith said “Former Lizzo Background Dancers Suing” and I had to stop flipping channels because my mind froze up. What!? Those Jabba the Huts aren’t background dancers! How is it possible that all three blew up after they stopped being dancers? Then my slow wit finally kicked in. Inclusion. Everyone get’s a trophy. Everyone can do any job….
NCC
https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/mike-mcdaniel-offseason-training-gave-tua-tagovailoa-more-pitches-in-his-arsenal
YISYAJI
You gotta give us a guide when you make your own acronyms!
LOL Why, the youth today don’t help me out with them! LOL
We don’t have any utes here!
only 178 ours to our first PS game!
and three minutes
Could be…Omar is excited
https://www.si.com/nfl/dolphins/news/miami-dolphins-2023-stock-report-camp-practice-seven
Same info more detail – might have to open it in an incognito tab to get arounf the pay wall
More is more
https://www.miamiherald.com/sports/nfl/miami-dolphins/article277900273.html
I still hold it against Grier that he is incapable of evaluating O line talent. He gave up a 3rd round pick (border linbe starter) to move up in the 2nd round for Liam Eichenberg. Soooo glad he didn’t let someone else take the great player….
I was going to go to the scrimmage tomorrow, but my bosses sold the building (I found out last week) and we have to be out of this building an into the lease space they got at the last minute (space doesn’t work, but that is a different battle) by Tuesday which means everyone has to come in over the weekend pack and unpack the office. Last time we moved we used a professional moving company. This time they hired the bosses brother in law and “a couple of his buddies” Well only one “buddy” can make it now. WTAF?!?! (What the actual fuck for Phelon) Fucking shit show.
THEY DON’T EVEN HAVE A MOVING TRUCK!!!! They are going to try to move an entire office (8 offices, plus all the common area) into 5 offices and a smaller common area with two pickup trucks and a U-haul trailer…. WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK!?
IN RAINY FUCKING SEASON!
Down to one Fullback. John Lovett released this morning.
Sonny, Rock – I deal with a lot of people every day, some kids, some much older, and a lot of people near my age. I know kids look at me like an “old guy” when like you said, I’m looking right at back at them as a 20 year old. I think the people I work with feel that younger person in me more than people who don’t know me, but it is pretty crazy that I suppose we all feel like we’re young people trapped in an older person’s body.
Yeah, I think I’m young until I walk past a shiny surface and think “who is that old ugly fucker” or I stand up to quick and throw out my back!
Was just perusing training camp photos, TE Durham Smythe is looking pretty slender. I wonder if he’s going to be doing more receiving and less blocking.
I hope not
I hope we are throwing to our speedy receivers and our RBs I kind of view the TE in this offense as a last resort
I just want our TEs to block the lights out of LBs – I think they can do that
I don’t think we need our TEs to create mismatches like a lot of offenses do bc our WRs can’t be covered anyway
We don’t really need to create mismatches
But we do need better blocking
Better pass protection
Better run blocking
Better downfield blocking
It sounds like it’s critical and it is a little
But hearing Noah I talked about this way makes me really optimistic
He’s not where he needs to be is nice to hear
Fangio believes in his ability to get there
I’m sure we are all jaded enough to not put much weight in Iggy’s ability
But what if this thing turns around
He’s got a fresh start and he’s only 23 years old
Not giving it to Jones
I hope he wins – I’m a Brandon Jones fan
But I like Fangios approach
News, notes and highlights from practice No. 8 of Miami Dolphins training camp on Friday: ▪ Tua Tagovailoa was sharp, including four TD passes in the rain in red zone drills — a 10-yard TD pass to Braxton Berrios; 13-yard and 8-yard TD passes to Jaylen Waddle and three-yarder to Raheem Mostert – and a deep ball to Robbie Chosen before the rain started.
Tagovailoa, incidentally, didn’t throw an interception and has only one 11 on 11 interceptions through eight practices. (More on Tua in a minute.)There was one worrisome moment Friday: Rookie cornerback Cam Smith walked off gingerly with a trainer, into the team facility, after slipping on a sidewalk by the end zone when defending a receiver during quarterback/receiver/defensive back drills. It wasn’t immediately clear what he injured.
▪ Highlights from 11 on 11 work, beyond Tagovailoa’s aforementioned good work in the rain: Tua completed a 50-yard throw to Chosen on a beautiful throw (beating Tino Ellis).
Among his other completions were a 10-yarder to Durham Smythe and a 12-yarder to Jaylen Waddle. Tagovailoa had a two-yard TD pass to Freddie Swain, against Jevon Holland, in 11 on 11 red zone work. Tagovailoa overthrew Waddle on one deep throw, but had a good day overall.
Skylar Thompson also threw a short TD pass to Swain, with new cornerback Mark Gilbert in coverage. Mike White — who has looked better in recent days and was accurate on Friday — completed a 20-yarder for Braxton Berrios on a sharp throw, a 20-yarder to Julian Hill, a 10-yardere to Salvon Ahmed and made a great throw on a 40-yard play to Chosen. This, by the way, was Chosen’s best day of camp, with those two big plays in 11 on 11 work. and multiple TDs in QB/CB/WR drills…
Kader Kohou and Elijah Campbell had pass breakups…. Linebacker Channing Tindall did a good job stopping Ahmed on a run… Zach Sieler had a sack, continuing a great preseason. He also stuffed Raheem Mostert for no gain on a run…. Emmanuel Ogbah beat Austin Jackson for a sack late in team drills…. Jaelan Phillips had two sacks and Jaylen Twyman and Raekwon Davis had one apiece. Cameron Goode continues to flash… Mitchell Agude wrapped up De’Von Achane for a one-yard gain. Agude remains the most impressive of the undrafted rookies…
But Achane also scored on a short touchdown and had a 15-yard run. Overall, the rookie running back has had a good first week… Alec Ingold had a one-yard TD run; the fullback has had a solid camp… Ellis forced a drop by Cedrick Wilson Jr. And soon after, Channing Tindall broke up a Thompson pass to Wilson. Tindall has displayed improvement this week… Brandon Pili had a run stuff for non gain…
▪ Rookie tight end Elijah Higgins dropped a pass that Thompson threw behind him. Higgins has had at least three drops in camp. And tight end Eric Saubert had a false start.
▪ There is legitimate competition among three players for the starting left guard spot, which Liam Eichenberg held last season when he wasn’t injured. Team rules prohibit us from offering more details.
▪ Participation notes: Bradley Chubb, who was shaking his hand when he left practice on Thursday, practiced and forced a quick throw from Thompson in the downpour…. Erik Ezukanma, Duke Riley and Malik Reid worked on the side with undisclosed injuries. Cornerback Keion Crossen also remains out with an undisclosed injury…. Brandon Jones and Trill Williams – both off 2022 ACL injuries – remained in red noncontact jerseys, but both participated in one-on-one drills where only a quarterback, receiver and defensive back were on the field.. Jones was in pursuit on a short Tagovailoa pass to Berrios… Nik Needham – on PUP while recovering from October Achilles’ surgery – has been running on the sideline…
Terron Armstead worked in 11 on 11 drills for the first time after offseason knee surgery.
▪ Among highlights in red zone drills with only a QB, receiver and defensive back on the field: Anderson caught two TD passes over Eli Apple.. Ellis broke up a White pass to Braylon Sanders…
Tagovailoa hit multiple TD passes in that drill – one to Waddle (beating Xavien Howard), one to Tyreek Hill (over Noah Igbinoghene) and another to River Cracraft, beating Apple…
Skylar Thompson threw a TD to Chris Coleman, beating Cam Smith.. Howard was called for pass interference on a throw to Waddle.. Gilbert, after signing on Thursday, broke up a White pass to Daewood Davis. Gilbert led the USFL with four interceptions this past season; he played eight games for the Saints in 2021.
Miami waived fullback John Lovett, with an injury, to make room for Gilbert… Jeff Wilson had a short TD run…
Noah Igbinoghene broke up a pass to Anderson.
▪ Cornerback Jalen Ramsey is no longer on crutches after knee surgery last week. What’s more, he’s wearing a compression sleeve instead of a brace. That’s encouraging. He could be back on the field by November, per ESPN.
▪ Philips wore the orange jersey given to the standout at the previous day’s practice.
Miami is experimenting with moving Emmanuel Ogbah to outside linebacker, and that decision – and his practices – could have a domino effect on the defense.
Is linebacker a problem area?
Fangio also hinted that new inside linebacker David Long isn’t performing as well as the media seems to think, saying the newcomer Miami signed to a two-year deal worth $10 million has been too inconsistent. Fangio also wasn’t pleased with what he’s seen from the backup inside linebackers, which explains why Andrew Van Ginkel is being cross-trained as both an inside and outside linebacker.
Fangio pointed out Channing Tindall, the Dolphins’ 2022 third-round pick, is still learning the defense, and that appears to be an issue. If Tindall doesn’t step up be could be leapfrogged on the depth chart by rookie inside linebcker Aubrey Miller, an undrafted player from Jackson State.
Grier keeps taking the mid round guys who have problems with football. Learning football, not necessarily playing it. They just can’t learn a playbook.
Another view of camp/notes…..
Dolphins 2023 Camp: August 4 Practice Observations
What stood out during the eighth practice of Miami Dolphins training camp
ALAIN POUPART2 HOURS AGO
— The Dolphins had an interesting practice Friday, one that featured about 20 minutes of work in a heavy — and we mean heavy — downpour (yes, redundant, but we’re trying to make a point here).
— Right off the bat, the two things that stood out from practice was a big day for wide receiver Robbie Chosen, whose camp had been very quiet up to the point and some great by Tua Tagovailoa in the final series featuring third-down work near the end zone.
ERIK EZUKANMA OUT, CAM SMITH LEAVES EARLY
— We’ll start off with the attendance check, including cornerback Jalen Ramsey again making his way onto the field, but this time without his crutches or a brace around his left knee but rather a long compression sleeve. Let’s just say it was a rather surprising sight a week removed from surgery to repair his meniscus.
— There was another change with another prominent Dolphins player, with tackle Terron Armstead taking snaps in team periods for the first time this camp.
— Wide receiver Erik Ezukanma did not practice after sustained an apparent injury Thursday, and LB Malik Reed and CB Keion Crossen continued to be sidelined. DBs Brandon Jones and Trill Williams again wore red (no-contact) jerseys and had only limited snaps in team periods.
— Rookie cornerback Cam Smith left practice early after slipping in the end zone during an early red zone drill. It would be a shame if he were to have to miss any amount of time considering how impressive he’s been.
— Linebacker Bradley Chubb was a full participant, a day after he was seen shaking his right arm after a play in team drills late in practice Thursday.
— Outside linebacker Jaelan Phillips wore the orange jersey as the top performer from Thursday.
ROBBIE CHOSEN, TUA TAGOVAILOA SHINE
— Chosen was on the receiving end of the two longest plays of practice, receptions from Tua and from Mike White. On the first, Chosen got himself wide open behind cornerback Tino Ellis before catching a pass that would have gained somewhere around 50 yards. On the second, he caught a pass in front of a defender near the sideline for a gain in excess of 40 yards after White stepped up in the pocket to avoid pressure from Emmanuel Ogbah, who had his most active practice of camp.
— While that was Tua’s longest completion of practice, he had several throws that were more impressive, starting with a Mahomes-like no-look pass when he stared at the sideline to his left before hitting Durham Smythe in the slot. He later had a nifty 5-yard touchdown pass to Braxton Berrios near the sideline at the goal line against tight coverage.
— But Tua saved his best for last, with three consecutive touchdown passes, including two to Jaylen Waddle. The first came against the blitz and the last when he threw the ball right as Waddle made his cut on a quick slant. In between he threw a strike to Raheem Mostert at the goal line before Mostert made his cut to beat the defender.
— Mike White also had an impressive passing day, highlighted by a beautiful touch pass over a linebacker and into the hands of rookie tight end Julian Hill, who again was very active in the passing game. White also had a 25-yard completion to Berrios, who found himself wide open in the middle of the field.
— Berrios was on the receiving end of another noteworthy play after he caught a backward pass from Tua inside the 5-yard and Noah Igbinoghene threw a shoulder into him before he reached the goal line. Igbinoghene broke up a White pass intended for Chosen in the end zone a few plays later.
CHANNING TINDALL AND OTHER DEFENSIVE HIGHLIGHTS
— Defensively, linebacker Channing Tindall was way more noticeable than usual. He had a tackle for loss on a run by Salvon Ahmed early in team sessions and before Tua’s last series had a stop at the line against running back Chris Brooks and a pass breakup against Cedrick Wilson Jr. on a throw from Skylar Thompson.
— As usual, the defense had a number of “would-be sacks,” though exactly how many as usual depends on who’s doing the scoring.
— Zach Sieler did come free on Tua on one pass play, the result of a clear mix-up up front.
— Jaelan Phillips got close to Tua before a deep incompletion and at the very least would get credited with a QB pressure. The same goes for Ogbah on White’s long completion to Chosen..
— Defensive tackle Jaylen Twyman also should get credit for a sack against Thompson.
— Tight end Eric Saubert had a tough two-play sequence when he dropped a Tua pass in the backfield and then committed a false start.
— The passing game clearly was affected when it started really pouring, and that included Ahmed failing to catch a pass a little bit out of his reach but catchable and the ball coming out of Thompson’s hand as a knuckleball when he tried to throw downfield to Braylon Sanders.
— On Tua’s next-to-last series, the defense got two sacks, one by Ogbah and the other by Raekwon Davis that really should be credited to the coverage.
Fangio doesn’t seem like the type of coach who throws around complements very often.
Vic Fangio Continues To Be Critical Of Dolphins Defense
New defensive coordinator Vic Fangio doesn’t seem satisfied by what he’s seen from the Dolphins defense during camp’s first seven practices
OMAR KELLY4 HOURS AGO
Vic Fangio’s blunt honesty appears to be a staple of his personality, and it’s quite insightful.
The Miami Dolphins’ newly hired defensive coordinator pulled no punches when it came to evaluating the unit he inherited from Josh Boyer, who was fired after the defense he led ranked 18th in total yards allowed and 24th in scoring last season.
According to Fangio, whose unit has had back-and-forth practices with the offense – dominating some days, and taking losses on others – there’s a laundry list of things the defense needs to address before Miami’s ready for the Sept. 10 season opener against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Vic Fangio doesn’t like Dolphins depth
“We have some good talent at some positions. We need to find guys that are able to play good, and execute at all 11 positions. We’re working to get that done,” said Fangio, whom the Dolphins made the highest-paid defensive coordinator in NFL history this offseason. “We’re not a finished product by any means, but we’re working to get that done.”
The Dolphins haven’t found a cornerback to replace Jaley Ramsey, and Noah Igbinoghene and rookie Cam Smith need to step up their practice performances, according to Fangio.
Smith has led practices in pass breakups, and Igbinoghene has looked better in zone coverage. However, it’s not starter-worthy yet.
But Fangio did say Eli Apple, an eight-year veteran who joined to the team after Ramsey suffered a knee injury that will sideline him till December, has been a pleasant surprise.
“There’s progress. But we’re not where we need to be just yet,” Fangio said. “Hopefully by game one, one of them or someone else will surface at that position.”
Defensive line auditions ongoing
The Dolphins also need to find some capable defensive linemen to play behind Zach Sieler, Raekwon Davis and Christian Wilkins, who was a player Fangio targeted in the 2019 NFL draft as head coach of the Denver Broncos, and is better than he expected.
“He works really hard in practice and grinds,” Fangio said of Wilkins, who’s slated to play on a fifth-year option worth $10.7 million, but his camp is negotiating a long-term extension with the Dolphins. “With his talent and worth ethic, he’s one of the top players in the league.”
Miami is experimenting with moving Emmanuel Ogbah to outside linebacker, and that decision – and his practices – could have a domino effect on the defense.
Is linebacker a problem area?
Fangio also hinted that new inside linebacker David Long isn’t performing as well as the media seems to think, saying the newcomer Miami signed to a two-year deal worth $10 million has been too inconsistent. Fangio also wasn’t pleased with what he’s seen from the backup inside linebackers, which explains why Andrew Van Ginkel is being cross-trained as both an inside and outside linebacker.
Fangio pointed out Channing Tindall, the Dolphins’ 2022 third-round pick, is still learning the defense, and that appears to be an issue. If Tindall doesn’t step up be could be leapfrogged on the depth chart by rookie inside linebcker Aubrey Miller, an undrafted player from Jackson State.
Fangio has praise for Jevon Holland
Fangio praised free safety Jevon Holland, and predicted he’ll be one of the best safeties in the NFL in the coming seasons, but admitted Miami hasn’t identified who will start next to him at strong safety.
DeShon Elliott, a free agent signing, Elijah Campbell and Verone McKinley III have been working with Holland throughout camp, but the Dolphins have begun to use cornerbacks at safety, seemingly to test who’s capable.
Brandon Jones and Trill Williams, two players coming back from ACL injuries they suffered last season, will be in the safety mix when they are finally cleared to participate in the contact portion of practice. Jones and Williams are working with the defense every other day, and have been wearing red jerseys, which shields them from contact.
Go Vic!
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