Dolphins Minicamp Day 1 Recap

Jalen Ramsey, Raheem Mostert among the rare front-line players to get extensive work in practice

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) looks on during mandatory minicamp at Baptist Health Training Complex. / Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

The big news around the Miami Dolphins on Tuesday wasn't so much what happened during their minicamp practice, but rather the comments afterward from both quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and Tyreek Hill.

And a big part of the practice review would involve the work each player did or didn't do.

In Tua's case, he only participated in 7-on-7 drills, where he showcased his accuracy with a lot of short completions and some touchdown throws from inside the 10-yard line.

Hill, meanwhile, was among the handful of veterans who were in attendance but didn't participate in any of the drills. Others in that category included fellow wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., tackle Terron Armstead, cornerback Nik Needham and the three injured linebackers recovering from injuries, Jaelan Phillips, Bradley Chubb and Cameron Goode.

Players who were not spotted by the media included RB Salvon Ahmed, RB Chris Brooks, WR Je'Quan Burton, WR Tahj Washington, DT Teair Tart and LB David Long Jr.

Before practice, head coach Mike McDaniel indicated it would be up to Tua how much work, if any, he wanted to do in practice. Tua also didn't throw any passes in 11-on-11 work in the OTA open to the media last week.

"As far as I know, we’re going to move forward in kind of a similar fashion that we had before where we’re going to have him out there and he’s going to be participating, but the depth and really across the board what he’s doing, that will be more up to him than anything," McDaniel said. "To me, the only way that I can do this job appropriately to everyone is honestly just worry about coaching people, and if they take these reps, they take these reps. If they don’t, somebody’s going to get better in that rep. So that stuff I haven’t really paid attention to, I’m not really too focused on. We’ve had a tremendous offseason with regard to developing certain things within our offense and Tua has done a great job with developing some stuff that we’ve asked him to do. So if there’s more development live-action today, awesome. If there’s not, I’ll adjust as well.”

While Tua wasn't asked specifically during his post-practice media session, it's probably not a stretch to suggest him doing only 7-on-7 work in practice is related to his desire to get a contract extension.

As for Hill, McDaniel said before practice that the team was managing Hill's work load.

"Each individual we treat differently," McDaniel said. "Tyreek has been one that we have to kind of measure and take the reins, so to speak, a lot of times on the field because he goes so full tilt and we have to kind of see the pros and cons. He’s been working in the building a ton.”

MINICAMP PRACTICE HIGHLIGHTS

-- Veteran tight end Jonnu Smith made his first appearance of the spring (at least in front of the media) and had a couple of catches, including a nice low grab of a pass from Skylar Thompson.

-- Mike White had the best pass of the day with a back-shoulder completion to Jaylen Waddle down the left sideline in the face of a blitzer.

-- Second-year running back De'Von Achane had a nice day catching the ball, including a touchdown reception from Tua in a 7-on-7 period.

-- For the second time in the three practices viewed by the media this spring, linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. tipped a pass into the air. Rookie free agent isaiah Johnson dove to make the interception off Thompson near the goal line before the ball hit the ground, but couldn't make the catch.

-- Defensive tackle Zach Sieler also batted down a pass.

-- The Dolphins did some work on kickoff returns with the new rules where every player from the kicking team other than the kicker lines up at the receiving team's 40-yard line with at least nine players from the receiving team between its own 30 and 35, and nobody can move forward until the ball is fielded.

-- Running back Jeff Wilson Jr., who wore the orange jersey as the practice player of the day Friday, caught a couple of passes in 7-on-7s.

-- Tua's best throw in 7-on-7 was a fade for a touchdown in the left corner of the end zone to Waddle. He also had a nice completion down the field over the middle to rookie free agent tight end Hayden Rucci.

-- Cornerback Siran Neal had a nice pass breakup on a Tua throw over the middle.

-- Veteran edge defender Shaquil Barrett got around the corner and likely would have had a sack of Mike White in 11-on-11 had it been a game situation.

-- Linebacker Quinton Bell also got into the backfield to meet rookie wide receiver Malik Washington after a short completion from White.