Dolphins Minicamp Day 1 Recap

until September. We're covering day one of Dolphins mandatory Minicamp, a big day from this revamped Miami defense, the offense hitting some nice chunk plays, and all the details from the rain soaked, monsoon soaked field out in Davy. We're gonna hear from Coach to a Tongue La Noah, Igbanogeny, Solomon Killey as well on this very busy edition o t A edition of the Drive Time Podcast up first on the polit Since we last spoke to you guys, we had a roster move. The Dolphins brought in former

Patriots and Ravens offensive lineman. He's a guard slash tackle, Jermaine Illuminoire who's played both spots as a pro so far. Last year with the Patriots and two hundred and one pass blocking snaps. He had zero sacks allowed, one hit allowed, and three hurries for four total pressures as an offensive tackle. That stack coming from Pro Football Focus. He's played twenty two games over the last two years and started eight of those games, again mostly a tackle for the Patriots

in his run there the last two seasons. We have audio here from coach Flora's who was asked about the signing of Jermaine illuminoire. Let's go ahead and hear from coach on what the newcomer brings to the offensive line. No, we're excited to sound Jermaine and then the time we can we can add someone who's uh you know, has experience, has uh history as a starter and multiple positions, gives us obviously no flexibility and ah, we think it's a

good player and you know, well add competition to the room. Um, you know met him for the first time yesterday. It was excited to meet him and talk to him. It seems like the type of guy we're uh you know, just from a personality standpoint, hard working and loves to play and uh chomping out the bit to get out there and compete and create an opportunity for himself, so excided to work with him, and in order to make room for Illuminoire on the roster, Miami waved tackle to

mown Paris. All right, let's go ahead and get right into the practice notes. Before we go back to media, we'll mix in some of the audio from media on Tuesday for you guys as well. Let's go ahead and start with this, and just to set the scene for you out of towners who were not in South Florida on Tuesday, which basically became the Atlantic Ocean for large portions of the day, it was a picture esque morning all the way up until about practice started, even into

stretching an individual drills, it was just perfect. And then the skies opened up for about ten minutes and we were all as a group hopeful that that was it. But it wasn't. An oh buddy, was it not. This happened several more times throughout the two hour practice session, and it ended with what I would describe as the Atlantic Ocean being tipped upside down and emptying onto South Florida.

If you've ever been to training camp practices here in Davy, you know the bleachers are aligned right alongside the field there, and now it's the end line because the fields have been flipped in the other direction. And the media sits right above those bleachers on Press Row, and there are these large tents that protect us from protect us from the rain and mostly the sunshine for these summer slash

rain drench practices. But today it was so bad at the breeze that was out there, and the heavy rainfall was pushing the water in the rain through the side of the tents. So I had to close up my laptop and just basically find a way to protect my

laptop from getting ruined out in the rain. And by the end of practice, the rain water was flowing off the top of those tents in a way that looked like hundreds of people were standing on top of these tents and just emptying these buckets that had a seemingly endless supply of water. Now, I'm only sixteen months a

South Floridian, but I've never seen anything like that. And remember my first day at the facility last year in August on the podcast, I told you guys a story about the puddles, how I got my shoes soaked, had to come home and change and record the podcast from home. So the campus is pretty large there at Nova Southeastern, and the walk from the stands to the building isn't far. But the problem is that uneven ground and so many

spots collects these giant pools of water. We're talking three four five inches of water after just a few minutes a few hours of raining. So I'm up on the platform and we're doing to a tongue of Bola's press conference after a practice, his media availability, which if you hear that audio, you might have a better understanding of how this day went. It was very difficult to hear some of the people asking questions because we were essentially

inside of a washing machine. And so after two us spoke, he was the first player to speak to the media.

The Dolphins had us clear out because lightning was starting to roll in and they had to get us off those bleachers and at the bottom of the platform, and I'm on this side with Joe Rose and Natt Moore and and John Kenemis in the platform next to me, and the Beat guys are all the way on the other side of the platform, and I'm the last one remaining on my platform, like the last one to leave practice.

So when they call us in. My only choice to get off those bleachers is to step down into those three four five in puddles, so tennis shoes and socks fully submerged in the water, the leg hair about halfway at my ankle soaking wet. The shirt that I'm wearing, which is a team shirt from camp last year. It's a very heavy Nike material. It's my favorite shirt that I own. It's so nice and doesn't shrink in the

wash and all this fun stuff. It just instantly because of the material, captures all of this water and becomes this like ten pound vest on my body from all that water. And on top of that, I have my laptop tucked up under my shirt running back to the practice,

to the facility so I don't ruin it. So with these short pockets that I have my dolphins gym shorts that are holding my sunglasses, the mouse to my laptop, my phone, my wallet, my keys, and my AirPods, these pockets are good for like maybe one item each pocket. I've got all this stuff in there, and I'm high stepping through these puddles running back to the office where I find shelter and toss on a hoodie in place of the aforementioned soaked T shirt. So we said monsoon.

We were not kidding. An insane amount of rain fell on South Florida on Tuesday, and so that was kind of the story of the day, at least until the defense got on the field in the team periods. And one of the coolest hearts about watching practice with Joe Rose and with not more and these legendary Dolphins, well some of the commentary from the X players and what

they could provide. Nat was talking about how valuable those practices because it gives guys a look at how the conditions can be here in September and in October, and you know for a Dolphins game. Heck, it's really all year round. Remember the Arizona game in when Tannehill tried to throw that screen pass and it slipped out of his hand and went backwards for one of the most prominent blooper reels in the last few years in the NFL. That was in December game. So this kind of stuff

can happen really anytime on the calendar. So Nat and Joe loved it because they said, this is just part of life as a Miami Dolphin. They were there before the practice bubble. They were used to practicing in the stuff, and Nat Moore talked about how it's like catching a greased up pig out there trying to catch that wet football without your gloves, and he said the receivers just it's a good opportunity for those guys to learn what it's like to try to catch a football in those conditions,

and two would later say the exact same thing. More on that here in just one moment about practicing in the rain. So there were some drop balls. There was one instance where Read Senet, the Dolphins UH quarterback with with Jacoby Bricetton too a tongue of bloa. Read Senette, the other quarterback went to throw the ball and it just slipped out of his hand and fell with the turf. I think there was one failed exchange in the entire practice,

if that one or zero. So really from that standpoint, I thought the team battled the elements as well as they could have, because again it was like practicing in a swimming pool, and attendance at practice was great. There was one notable absence in quarterback Xavian Howard. More on that here in just a moment, and Mike GASICKI was in the red non contact jersey with the land and Roberts and Preston Williams out on the field, but they were not taking part in the practice, but Gasecki was.

He was out the running routes and playing in seven on seven as well as eleven on eleven, just in the red non contact jersey, and Jermaine Illuminois was out there getting extra conditioning and just like I've never seen heavier rain, I've never seen anybody exert more energy on a stationary bike than what he did. Post practice. He was getting after it. You could tell he need to get out there and get going, so he was really

getting the conditioning work in. I also saw him at one point walking through the stretch routine with one of the strength trainers on the staff, which I wrote down because I thought it gives you an interesting perspective about the acclamation period and all the stuff that you have to learn when you get to a new city and a new team. I just thought that was some good perspective there for Germaine Illuminois signing with Miami on Monday

and I pads and in practice on Tuesday. Some of my other pre practice notes that I just wrote down for the hell of it. I wrote, my god, Jalen Phillips is built like a house. What an impressive specimen he is. And I wrote the same about Malcolm Brown, new Dolphins running back, listed at five eleven two two pounds, but he really carries it well. He's well proportioned in that it's not all like in the mid section or in the bubble or in the legs or in the

arms or anything like that. He's just a brick house through and through a two two pounds. Then we got into some football, some individual drills, you know, throwing on air basically, some walkthrough type of stuff. And again to note, the reason I want to set the scene for you all is that I was without the laptops. I was taking notes and tweeting all from my phone. And with that and a two hour practice, you're just not gonna get guys on all our eyes rather on all guys.

You can't do it. So I did my best for you, and here are my practice notes. In the individual portion, the quarterbacks began by throwing the football to the backs. They would later go to the receivers too, but with the first part of the backs, there was a great moment where both Jared Doakes and Jordan's scarlet, a pair of first year Dolphins running backs, Dokes a rookie scarlet.

You know, a couple of stops in the NFL before here, we're in two U's line of running some routes, and after running different routes and catching the football, they both came back and too approached either one of them for a little conversation. There was some hand gestures and you know, looks like some communication and coaching up going there. So I love to see that from the second year quarterback kind of taking it upon himself to say, hey, you know,

you can do this. And I don't know what he said. I couldn't hear, obviously, but just communicating with the guys. It's a good level of command to have on the offense for your young quarterback. My other note from that period was that guys were really driving the football to a launched a deep out from the near hash so it's not the far side hash throw, but the ball had no hump on it whatsoever on the trajectory. Just ripped that thing out there. Looks good at doing it.

I thought Jacoby was ripping the football well and then read Senet He's got himself a bit of a howitzer out there, had some nice rips on his throws too. Then I got my eyes over to the defensive backs

on the other field to really watch. I wanted to watch a few of the young guys closely, no monogamy, Javon holland Brandon Jones, and I'll tell you this, this group is so much fun to watch that We talked about the Birds in the Hoods last year, the game they had where they were tracking, you know, scooped up balls or intercepted balls or batted balls, and it really created this level of competition, which of course then bred the number one takeaway defense in the National Football League.

But these guys, it's like it's like it's own little community down there. They're so charged up, and I think a lot of that stems from what g A brings, who is just always on ten and coach Burke's also

who does so much on field teaching. We talked about this with Byron Jones last year and how much he spent time pre practice working on ball skills and tracking and locating and how to go up with the right hand, how to jump off the right foot, all that fun stuff that goes into playing the football in the air, and how good of a job coach burksdayed with Byron Jones,

which produced his career high and interceptions. Then we break into seven on seven's and the very first note I haven't here was a ball was deflected and picked off. And two it was the quarterback. And I had a great view of this right in the path of the flight of the football, and there was this eighty bitty the tiniest of windows you could imagine that he went for.

He shot it in there and Sam egill Vaughan made a hell of a play to lunge in front and get a hand on the football, and it popped straight up in the air. And when it does that, you know what's gonna happen. It's picked off by Jamal Perry. And this was a theme on the day for the Dolphins practice. The ball just kind of slippery, falling through hands and getting batted up in the air, and plenty of interceptions to go along with that. Justin Coleman pulled

one down. He skied up high for his interception for what was probably the best a of the day for my money. He went up with one hand to pull this thing down. Kind of Odell Beckham esk to pull down a Jacoby Brissette through. I'm not sure who he was going for there. I didn't see the receiver, but an absolute hell of a play inside from a Dolphins

cornerback there and Justin Coleman. Then Nick Needham got himself won, and that was an impressive play from the third year cornerback where he really ran the route for the receiver. The receiver sets it down a little bit of a hitch route, didn't really come back to the quarterback, but Needham saw that and fired out of his back pedal.

And even with that, with Needham going upfield and the receiver kind of planted waiting for the ball to get there, the ball was kind of in both of their hands at the same time, and he just ran through it and simultaneously pulled the football out and went racing towards the end zone for a return pick six. And he was absolutely fired up after that. Love seeing that from the guys having a good time out there playing ball.

Trull Williams got himself a nice pick as well. Javon Holland Corral went on an overthrow and speaking of Javon Holland. He and Noah n Agaeny were both out after practice after everybody was off the field, and everybody did run gasters. The entire team ran gasters to close things up. But they were the last two guys out there, and they really seem to enjoy it. I mean, playing football in

the rain. That's like the ideal day for the seven year old kid inside all of us, right, So we got to see that with the two young guys out there enjoying ball, enjoying the fun time. I thought it was interesting that both those guys were the ones doing it because, as we've detailed here on Drivetime, both know it. Igman Agony and Javon Holland's parents were world class athletes.

Holland's father a CFL star and then Agnogony's parents, you know, world class olympians, and they both had strict training regiments as kids. And of course there they are out there getting their extra laps and after practice. So built and cut from the same cloth there with Holland and Iguanogeny, and I do want to address the you know, I got air quotes on this on my notes Overthrow aspect

of the prior note talking about the halland interception. So in these practices you don't have sacks because well, doi we don't hit the guys in the red shirts. So when pressure arrives on the quarter back, the rusher has to let up and the quarterback will extend the play

and look to make something happen off script. And that was the case a handful of times in this practice, and a lot of these plays, receivers will break off their route and they'll take off upfield, trying to strike the big play on the kind of scramble player, the broken player, you know, the extended play. So there were a lot of instances where the receiver was behind the defense, but the defender was in the hit pocket with the quarterback on the move, and you know, just kind of

a bunch of chaos everywhere. So you have this tiny window over the top. You have to loop the ball over the underneath corner and not overthrow it over the receiver. And really, again the first time throwing to a lot of these guys in team periods, like a Will Fuller, for instance, a Robert Foster, Jalen Waddle, these newcomers, and in those conditions, those throws are about as likely to hit as a half court shot, and not a half court shot from Steph Curry or Dame or Jimmy Butler

throwing him in for the Miami Heat. But I'm talking if like you or I were out there shooting a half court shot, like, the probability of hitting those, it's very very low. It's a tough throw with the conditions, the chemistry still developing, and of course the scramble play there. So when you call those overthrows, I take a bit of exception with that. So the defense really got after it in both seven on seven as well as eleven

on eleven seven interceptions in total on the day. Williams Holland Needham, Scarlet Perry, and Justin Coleman had the sixth, and I did not see who had the seventh. I'm sure one of the beat writers had that note and thereby did not catch who it was on the seventh interception.

My apologies for that. Also, two of the two of tongue of Blows passes that were intercepted were those tight window throws that just went skyward after getting tipped, and a third went into the intended receiver's hands and fell out into the lap of a defender parked right on top of the receiver. So context matters in that sense, and I love the way to a responded latent practice. In the two minute drive, we talked about his EPA and the fourth quarter is passer rating the fourth quarter

the winning time moments of games. I thought we saw that again in this practice or you know, two minute period clock pier, whatever you want to call it. He was really good in that era area. He floated a beautiful deep shot down the sideline to Will Fuller, who stacked the dB and hauled it in for a big, big game, probably four year fifty yards. And there were a few deep chances that to have put on the money, but they just weren't quite completed. There was one where

DeVante Parker did a head whip. You ever played baseball? Like the head whip is when you take the wrong route initially in baseball and you're off to your left and you have to wit back around to your right.

Parker did that because the ball went kind of a sideways direction because it was one of those post play scrambled drills where to have got out wide and threw a ball up for Davante Parker and he's working for the football, and I just kind of get the feeling that maybe those balls are really tough to pull in on a circus catch that he attempted to make, because you're looking back up into the rain with the football coming from the same trajectory really as the rain is

descending in that same way, falling right into your face. So I have to imagine that's a tough way to try to make haste down the field. He also find too a did found a really nice rhythm with who else, former eMate and rookie of Alabama Jalen Waddle. I think my favorite throw of the day was a crossing pattern where to U saw Jalen coming from one side of the formation and he hadn't yet cleared the middle of

the formation. With that mic linebacker typically plants himself for the spot drop in the middle of the football field and to throws it with anticipation to a spot and Jay was It was real finesse and like kind of softly laid out there so that the Jalen and the ball kind of intersected at this point of the field

at the same time. And what that did was created a really good run and catch opportunity right on the other side of the middle of the field, right on the other side of that middle defender in the middle of the field there, and now we aren't hitting our

guys here. But I think Jalen, based on what we've seen in his college tape and you know everything else, could have made something happen on that one to take what was a twelve or fifteen yard game and possibly turn it into a house call from you know, the wrong side of the fifty yard line, so a possible

long touchdown there. We can't forecast that because we don't know, and we obviously want to tackle a guy, but just the space that he had on that play and the anticipation and finesse of that throw, I think you see the way that can be, you know, a chain mover with a certain player, but you go get a Jailan Wattle with the hopes that he can turn his punt return skill set on the field there and turn it

into a long touchdown pass. Speaking of long touchdowns, Kirk Merritt did that on a well thrown ball from Jacoby Brissette. He catches an inbreaking route and just tore it upfield for a long touchdown again from beyond the fifty yard line once again. He had some really nice places on the day. I thought looked explosive and had strong hands and tough conditions. Caught another ball in the end zone down late in the red zone drill there as well.

Back to Tuh he found that nice rhythm with Wattle which included a beautiful toe tap catch on the sideline. He had another nice catch up the sideline that would have set up for another chance to catching run, which we don't get a chance to see. But that's what you want to put him in positions like that. It's just really nice watching him get the football in his hands because you know what he can do. And boy, he looks electric out there. Speaking of electric, I thought

will Fuller was as advertised. He looks the part with his route run, creating separation and the deep threat that he's been his entire career, logging the biggest air yard reception of the day coming off the left hand of two a tongue by Looa. He was getting open, creating separation and again making the big place down the field. I mentioned Merritt. I thought that his his performance really shined in practice. I liked Robert Foster making some nice

plays in this practice. Davante Parker had a really nice diving catch on another throw from TWA that I thought was in the running for the best of Tah's day. Fuller took the top off the defense likes he is wont to do, and Parker runs a route kind of working off that route in the middle of the field. Remember how we talked about spacing and that speed creates

that space in the middle of the field. Four guys like Parker and Williams and Gisicky and and the like, Well to a rips are really nice anticipation throw right into that vacancy because of four taking the top off and Parker catches the ball going to the ground. So some nice rips there to get some chunk gains. And with the offense as a whole, I just really appreciated

the aggressive nature. The first couple of throws in seven on seven we're just quick checks underneath the running backs and then two will begin to really turn it loose and take those chances. And I mean that's the point of practice, right Like, you want to test it and

see what you can get away with. You put that on film, and that's where you can kind of set your barometer for your landmarks in terms of your landmarks and timing in terms of when you can take those risks, Like if the receivers at this part of the field, I can't make that throw because it will be late and the backside defender can come off his guy and

close on that and make a pick. Now, I see that on film with this particular route against that particular coverage and in fact to a touch on that post practice, talking about the emphasis for the day with the quarterbacks and being aggressive and pushing the football down the field, that's just been the emphasis for us coming out to this first day of minicamp was just to be aggressive,

push the ball down field. Um. Now, obviously you want to be smart, but you know, if if there's time, if there's a time to make mistakes, now is the time to make mistakes. And um, you know, we're just trying to see what we can fit in the hole, what we can throw with than coverages. Um, you know, and come in the film room and then learn from it. And so there's two of talking about what he can

take from these practices. Coach Floors was asked something very similar about what these players can take from these practices. And especially with quarterback to a tongue of Valoa from the O T A and the live reps cadence shift motion, all that fun stuff. Was how coach was asked it, and here's his response. Yeah, I mean I think any practice setting is a is a situation where you can prove on that. I think that's what we've done the last uh you know, three weeks, even in uh the

O T A and walk through sessions. UM. So yeah, I think it's definitely a situation or opportunity from an improved UM obsolutely, we'll be going out at a at a faster pace or a little bit faster pace. Um, you'll see uh you know, some different defenses and you know, we'll do it for a longer period of time. And I think that's part of it is you know, you get tired, Um, you get taxed a little bit. I

think it's for all positions, not just a quarterback. Um. You know, if you get to see if your techniques, your fundamentals, your communication you're build to adjust, you can do that under some duress. There's no scoreboard and the stats don't count at this time of the year. Remember, this is a quarterback who threw five interceptions in nine games as a rookie, and three of those were in the season finale, and was pushing towards efficiency records in

terms of protecting the football last season. And the most common complaint I saw on Twitter or otherwise was to push the ball down the field more, and they did that today in the worst football conditions I've seen personally, from maybe outside of that Mud Bowl game back in two thousand seven in Pittsburgh, the three zero shutout in the one and fifteen season, or maybe that Buffalo and Indianapolis game back in two thousand seventeen where the snow

was pretty much covering guys that had gone to the ground it was so deep. But I'm really looking forward to seeing to respond on Wednesday and see what he can do to come back off this practice and continue to try to fit those tight windows and push the ball downfield and be aggressive the running backs always tough to gauge them in these things. Without contact, hell, it's just hats and no shell, so even in the trenches, you can't really see how guys are hitting each other.

But the note I have, aside from the Malcolm Brown one, was just how smooth Miles Gascon looks. There was a tackling period and again it's tagging off, but you approach an open field tackle and you could really see the suddenness in miles Is game. I think it's a big reason why he's able to slip so many tackles being a sub two pound running back, is he changes the angle at the snap of a finger and it causes a lot of those hits to kind of come to the side of his body where he can absorb it

and bounce right off and get going again. Just like we talked about in training camp last year, I think he looks apart again and the same deal today. It's he looks smooth and fluid and quick, and he caught the football really well too. Up front on the offensive line. Like I said, it's tough to a tough spot to evaluate, and especially since I was trying to pay close attention to the battles on the outside and the passing game and really take infant worry of what the defense was doing.

Just didn't get a lot of offensive line notes. I gotta see Jesse Davis go coach guys up like he does. Got to see Austin Jackson looking really smooth with that kickslide and his athletic ability I think really shines in these practices. I thought Robert Hunt was really scoring up by his blocks, and you know, as much as you can block without full pads. I'm pretty damn impressed by Robert Hunt's game. I think he has bright future ahead

of him. We've talked a lot about how big Solomon Kinley is man he might have competition in that area because d J. Fluker is huge and he was catching some bodies out there today too, so that was a treat to watch. Let's play some sound here real quick from Solomon Kinley and something that I really wanted to get into the podcast here Solomon the big fish himself who runs a swimming camp, and I just wanted to go ahead and play this audio for you guys from

Solomon talking about his giving back to the community. Like you question what I'm doing in the community, Um, it's just a blessing for a while I come from and the money I'm making and doing the things that I'm doing. You know, my mom always taught me to give back, So that's my biggest thing. I want to bless others some to make an impact of my life and I want to do that for other kids. In uh second question,

feel good to be back playing football. You know we've been been away for a long time, you know, back in our element, like you said, and speaking of the offensive line, I wanted to ask coach something of a follow up to his great response last week to the Noah igbodog Any question about development playing outside an inside cornerback, and I asked him about getting guys multiple perspectives by cross training and how that can help them up front. Let's go ahead and turn it over to coach. I

believe so. I think if you're a tackle who's played guard or guardless played center, Um, you know that that that perspective when you're trying to communicate, um with the guy next to you, what that block feels like, what it looks like, what you need if it is a double team, what you what you need from the guard on the double team, if you're playing tackle, what you need from a tackle on a double team, if you're playing guard, same thing with the center position. UM. I

think it's very helpful. Um. I think, you know, like any situation, if you can put yourself in someone else's shoes, you know a little bit more understanding of what they need. Um, there's the struggles that come with a specific block or a specific player, and it can help you. And if you're playing another position. So there's coach, and then there was that defense, This beautiful, beautiful defense, so multiple, so

capable of generating pressure through various looks. I just get so much enjoyment out of watching the way they operate. And we mentioned the interceptions. I just thought the defensive backfield was playing aggressive and really disrupting the timing of so much stuff in the offense. And Noah eg Bonogamy had a really nice pass break up on the ball that he drove on and broke up in the team period just before the long Kirk Merritt touchdown. Let's go

ahead and hear from Noah who you know. Referring back to the first day for Jermaine Illuminoire talked about his second season and where he thinks the biggest lessons came from that rookie year and his growth into a second year as a pro. Um Honestly, the off season was my first off season was huge for me. Um there's just finding a consistent routine, just um, a consistent schedule of just working out and and and conditioning and just doing the same thing over and over again every single day.

That that was the biggest thing for me and in my growth this offseason. I feel like so the off season was huge for me. Um it was a blessing just to go through it. God really changed the move in my life this offseason so long, um So I thank him and I can't wait. I can't wait for

the season. And in that secondary, I mentioned him working with Javon Holland post practice and we've heard coach talk about Holland's ability as a communicator at Oregon, and I sure did enjoy watching the back and forth with you know, he and and Brandon Jones and the rest of the defensive secondary. I mean the hand gestures and non verbal skills and whatnot. That's all you can really pick up. But they were very active in the entire secondary as

far as communicating with each other. And thought was a great sign once again here and you're number two under Jerald Alexander. I thought Holland as a player on the field looks positively fantastic. You can really to see his instincts and he anticipates things and caps routs before the quarterback has a chance to see the opening. He can really flip those hips and run, and his instincts and speed both take him to the football. I talked a lot about him on draft weekend, but seeing him out

there in the aquaand orange, he's a player. I'll keep a close eye on Wednesday and into training camps. I think he's a fun, fun, fun, fun guy to watch. And Brandon Jones too. We talked about his cerebral aptitude a lot and how much of requirement that is for guys in this secondary. He was all over the field making stuff happen. Eric Rowe also got his hands on a ball or two. He looks a little bit bigger

to me. Maybe I'm wrong on that, but I thought he looks bigger and stature down there on the football field. I don't have any Byron Jones notes in my notes, not one single time, because usually that's a great deal for a cornerback. Frankly, I don't remember him being targeted one time in this practice, which again, great thing for a quarterback. I liked why I saw from U. D. F. A.

Jitaln Ask. You thought he had a good practice. Thought he showed some real metal and competitive toughness, really fiery guy out there. And Clayton Federlein had a good practice too. He had a night would be sack on a well timed blitz. The second level of the defense was even better to me than the secondary. These guys were disrupting passing lanes constantly. Brand Scarlett had the pick, Sam eeg

Von tipped one that led to a pick. Van Ginkl had a chance at an interception but couldn't quite squeeze it and he was very upset with himself after the fact there too. And then there's Jerome Baker just covering these huge plots of land watching Baked spot drop whether it's zone or man. Again my my theme here. It's fun to watch he processes as quickly as he moves, so he can really cover a ton of ground in

that area as a cover man. And when you pair that with his blitzing skill set, that's the recipe for a nice contract extension there for Jerome Baker. He and Bernardrick McKinney might have been my They might become my favorite dude to watch this season. I think they feed off each other really well and you can already mug them up into pretty much any gap you want, which

helps keep the defense very, very flexible. In my opinion, Jalen Phillips had a pressure that was perhaps a hit, maybe a sack at one point, an explosive first step and then that nice dip under the pads of the offensive line and the ability to corner and flatten to get that explosive first step and then not fly by

the quarterback and flattened to get to him. Emmanuel Oddball followed up that rep with a would be hit on the QB maybe a sack, and the quarterback with that beautiful cross chop chop move that he has that used so effectively last season. Perhaps my favorite player of the day in terms of practice was newcomer Adam Butler. He was a regular in the backfield and you see that first step quickness off the ball immediately, and it wasn't just his own production. He was setting guys up for

production on that front. I've mentioned him a lot. I think he might be the under the radar acquisition for me this offseason. His skill set fits so well with things Miami were successful with last season, and I think the pairing of he Bake and McKinney in the middle of the defense gives you so many options and a nice blend of size, speed, agility and instincts. Hell, the whole middle of the field has really been addressed these last couple of years with Butler, McKinney, the Baker extension,

drafting Holland and Jones a couple of years. The bullets just keep on coming there. Christian Wilkins had a nice day. Russian the quarterback, I thought he was in there once or twice, and I had Benito Jones with a nice penetration late in practice. And I think that's about it for now. I can't tell you how great it was

to be back on the field watching practice. Hopefully tomorrow we get the sunshine that we had in the morning on Tuesday, and before we get out of here, I want to conclude with the rest of coaches morning press conference. Of course, the one notable absence from practice was cornerback Xavian Howard from Tuesday's practice. You know, I would say again normally we we well keep all this stuff internal, but generally speaking, you know, I think you have h

do you put him in buckets? So you got uh contract extensions, You've got free agent contracts, you know, so we have a player, we extend the contract. YEA free agents will bring on uh X. You know this is a little bit, you know, a unique situation. I'm sure you guys all understand this. So he's in this hole. Uh he was, it was extended, and now we're talking about a renegotiation of an extensions. That's a little bit different. Um, And we've had a lot of discussions about that. Again,

very unique situation. Um. Well we're talking about a potential renegotiation after you know, one year. UM, so I think you know those those turn into you know, long, long, longer conversations and uh, you know, we understand that, and um, you know, we've uh you know, obviously had a lot of a lot of talks and conversations about those and will continue to have those and keep those internal. But

it's very unique situation. And there you have it. Day one from O t a skills like training camp, doesn't it, which is right around the corner. Getting a little bit of appetizer here in June. It's an absolute thing of beauty. We're gonna do it again tomorrow, but in the meantime that's gonna be my time. You all please be sure to Subscribe to the podcast on Apple podcast or Spotify, Google Play, wherever you get your podcast from. Go ahead and leave us a rating, leave us a review. Follow

me on Twitter. It's at Wingfold NFL. Follow the team at Miami Dolphins, check out the fish Tank and the Audible podcast, and of course Miami Dolphins dot com. Until next time, fins up.