MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Keeping Tua Tagovailoa clean in 2023 has been the Miami Dolphins’ objective No. 1 this offseason. Keeping their operation clean has been objective No. 2.
Thursday was a bit of a failure in both, as we explain in our Dolphins practice report from Day 7 of training camp.
Miami Dolphins Practice Report: Latest News From Training Camp
A Sloppy Day for the Offense
Vic Fangio’s defense sacked Tagovailoa in the first two dropbacks in team drills, and Miami’s offense committed at least five pre-snap penalties and had a number of holds in a hot late-morning session.
The Dolphins brought in officials for Thursday’s practice and, no matter the cost, they got their money’s worth. Things were so messy, the Dolphins had two false starts flags in the span of three plays.
And it wasn’t any one player. Even Jaylen Waddle drew a flag for flinching while split out wide.
Look, we get it. We wouldn’t love lining up across from Christian Wilkins, Jaelan Phillips, Bradley Chubb, and Emmanuel Ogbah. But the Dolphins will see talented pass rushers most every week this fall, and so they better get used to it.
The mental errors were a bugaboo for much of 2022 — the Dolphins ranked fourth in penalties assessed (111) — and it might have cost them a spot in the AFC’s Divisional Round.
The Bills escaped a Wild Card Round game against an undermanned Dolphins team in no small part because Miami couldn’t get the snap off in time.
Thursday’s practice suggested more work remains on that front.
More Practice Updates
- Tagovailoa completed 10 of 15 passes for 108 yards in team drills, a stat line that included a 10-yard touchdown back-shoulder touchdown pass to Tyreek Hill. Mike White and Skylar Thompson both had TDs in red-zone drills.
- Dolphins defenders with unofficial sacks Thursday: Wilkins, Phillips, Justin Bethel, Mitchell Agude, Andrew Van Ginkel, and Zach Sieler.
- Three Dolphins players appeared to get nicked up in practice Thursday — Chubb, Erik Ezukanma, and Dan Feeney — and four others didn’t practice at all: Keion Crossen, Tyler Kroft, and Malik Reed.
- Jalen Ramsey, who has basically attended every practice since getting out of knee surgery, was again on the sidelines on crutches. He chatted up HC Mike McDaniel and GM Chris Grier early in the day.
- 3-on-3 notables: Xavien Howard intercepted Tagovailoa, while he, Bryce Thompson, Elijah Campbell, DeShon Elliott (x2), and Eli Apple all broke up passes. … The offense got its licks in too. Daewood Davis roasted Apple for a touchdown in that newly unveiled drill.