Dolphins Camp: Day One Practice Report

Highlights, lowlights, and observations from Wednesday's first practice of Miami Dolphins training camp.

Jul 24, 2024; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Dolphins safety Jordan Colbert (34), safety Patrick McMorris (32), and safety Mark Perry (38) look on during training camp at Baptist Health Training Complex. / Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

• After a brief stretching session inside the gym, the Dolphins took the Baptist Health Training Complex field at 10:40 AM. The focus was on No. 1 QB Tua Tagovailoa, who took the field with his teammates.

• Second-year RB Chris Brooks was absent, who gained 106 yards on 19 carries in nine games last season. A leg injury cost him eight games in the middle of the season. 

• Veteran OT Terron Armstead didn't participate but did ride the bicycle on the sideline. Coach Mike McDaniel said the 12-year, oft-injured veteran was fine, but the trainers want him to take it slow.

• The Dolphins began training camp with six players on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list:

· LB Bradley Chubb, LB Jaelan Phillips, LB David Long, Jr., and LB Cameron Goode;

· G Isaiah Wynn; and

· WR Odell Beckham, Jr.

• Fifth-year LB Jordyn Brooks wore the orange jersey. This practice dates back to mini-camp, where players who had had the best practice in the preceding practice wore the orange jersey.

• Tagovailoa, who is practicing on a limited basis akin to an OTA session, looked sharp in 7-on-7s, hitting on his first four passes, including two to WR Tyreek Hill. However, on his second attempt to Hill, a short down-and-out on the sideline, starting FS Jevon Holland collided with rookie WR Malik Washington and did a complete head-over-heels flip before landing hard on the turf.

• Washington, who had a noteworthy, if not good, practice, dropped a pass from Tua two plays later.

• Tagovailoa's lone mistake came when his deflected pass by CB Siran Neal went into traffic, and LB Erik Vandenburgh picked it off.

• Rookie TE Hayden Rucci dropped a 10-yarder from Tagovailoa but hauled one in on the next play after bobbling it. That was the end of Tagovailoa's passing day (unofficially 7-of-10).

• Backup QB Mike White hit TE Jonnu Smith over the middle for a long gain.

• 11-on-11s began with Tagovailoa's only participation coming on two handoffs.

• The battle for No. 2 QB between Skyler Thompson and Mike White didn't prove anything on Wednesday, although White threw into traffic more than once. He hit FB Alec Ingold and a sideline flip to WR Braxton Barrios.

• Thompson connected deep to TE Tanner Conner.

• Overall, new DC Anthony Weaver called for plenty of blitzes and stunts, so the QBs faced a lot of pressure during 11-on-11s, forcing them to check off for shorter patterns.

• Fourth-stringer Gavin Hardison had a rough outing, throwing interceptions while under pressure in back-to-back plays, missing the handoff because he couldn't get out from under center, and throwing into triple coverage that should have been picked by Marcus Maye, who apologized later for dropping it.

• White hit two straight midrange passes to WRs Jaylen Waddle and River Cracraft before he had a pass deflected at the line. DT Brandon Pili would've sacked him, but the play continued until new Dolphins S Jordan Poyer picked it off for a pick-six.

• Waddle later made a circus catch on a high pass from Thompson and held on to it after colliding with Poyer.

• DT Brandon Pili made a solid opening argument to make the Dolphins' 53-man roster with multiple pressures and at least one sack.

• CBs Jaylen Ramsey and Kendall Fuller looked like they've played together for years as they jumped routes on balls thrown by Thompson and White.