Dolphins 2021 Training Camp: August 18 Practice Observations

Highlights, lowlights and anecdotes from the Dolphins practice

Highlights, lowlights and observations for the August 18 Miami Dolphins joint practice with the Atlanta Falcons at the Baptist Health Training Complex:

-- Dolphins attendance report: DeVante Parker, Will Fuller V, Albert Wilson, Isaiah Ford and Cethan Carter. In attendance but not practicing: Vince Biegel, Javaris Davis, Brandon Jones. Jesse Davis is back. Noah Igbinoghene was wearing a red jersey. 

-- Linebacker Sam Eguavoen also was absent after being placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list. He becomes the sixth Dolphins player to have been placed on that list this summer, following T Larnel Coleman, TEs Mike Gesicki, Adam Shaheen and Cethan Carter, as well as WR Preston Williams.

-- There's a new O-lineman at practice wearing 75 and guessing that's newcomer Greg Little. As one would expect given that he just joined the team, Little did very little in team drills, though he got in there at left tackle with the second-team offense in a late two-minute drill.

-- The first competitive drill featured receivers going one-on-one against linebacker or defensive backs, and WR Kirk Merritt abused CB Fabian Moreau with a double move before catching a long pass from Jacoby Brissett.

-- Reid Sinnett threw a perfect back-shoulder throw downfield to Jakeem Grant, but Grant failed to make the catch.

-- Brissett had a nice completion down the middle to Robert Foster on a play where he might have been sacked in a real game.

-- Almost simultaneously, Brissett threw a bullet down the middle to Kirk Merritt in a 7-on-7 period and Nik Needham picked off Feleipe Franks on the far field.

-- Grant fumbled after catching a pass from Tua Tagovailoa.

-- Tua threw a 45-yard touchdown pass to Salvon Ahmed down the right sideline after Ahmed got behind the Atlanta defender.

--  Malcolm Perry came back with a nice high-pointing catch on a high throw by Tua.

-- Cornerback Cre'Von LeBlanc came up with the Dolphins' second interception in the 7-on-7 period, this one after it was tipped by an Atlanta receiver.

-- Jakeem Grant went down on a kickoff return and is limping a bit. He returned another kickoff shortly thereafter.

-- Jaylen Waddle dropped a perfectly thrown pass by Tua on the first play of another 11-on-11 period.

-- Jaelan Phillips got snaps with the first-team defense.

-- Tua did a nice job stepping up in the pocket after getting pressure from the outside (both sides).

-- Brissett had  to stop the play after pressure.

-- Waddle made a spectacular leaping grab of a Tua pass thrown behind him.

-- LeBlanc gave up a long completion but came back the next play to make a diving pass breakup.

-- Rookie Trill Williams wrapped up the 11-on-11 on the far field by breaking up a long pass attempt.

-- Tua starts off a 7-on-7 red-zone drill with a nice thrown down the seam to Adam Shaheen — you know, like he should have tried early on the play against the Bears that resulted in his interception.

-- Tua started off a  red-zone 11-on-11 period with a touchdown throw to a wide open Shaheen on a play that looked similar — except to the opposite side — to the touchdown the Dolphins gave up against Chicago on Saturday.

-- Matt Ryan threw a touchdown pass to Calvin Ridley on a slant , with Xavien Howard in coverage on the short slant.

-- Durham Smythe failed to come up with the catch on a low throw that Tua tried to fit in between defenders. Smythe came back on the next play to catch a touchdown pass from Brissett on a crossing route.

-- Wide receiver Robert Foster, who had a really good practice, caught two touchdown passes in a red-zone 11-on-11 period.

-- Jason Sanders nailed a 54-yard field goal attempt in practice.

-- The team do a two-minute drill with the Atlanta offense starting and everybody on the same field.

-- Matt Ryan completes his first three passes and looks good in the process. After an incompletion, Ryan connects with Tajae Sharpe despite tight coverage by Howard.

-- Ryan throws to the end zone for first-round pick Kyle Pitts, but Eric Rowe breaks up at the last moment. Looking at Ryan, of course, we can't help but wonder whether he'd still be with the Dolphins had they taken him with the first pick of the 2008 draft instead of taking Jake Long.

-- Tua begins the Dolphins offense's two-minute drill with a completion down the middle to Jakeem Grant.

-- Wide receiver Kirk Merritt got snaps with the first-team offense in that drill.

-- The Dolphins defense gave up a 60-yard touchdown pass from A.J. McCarron to Juwan Green.

-- Brissett had a beautiful throw down the middle to Smythe, who later was stripped by the Atlanta defender, though the ball went out of bounds.

-- Brissett later had another nice throw downfield to Kirk Merritt, who continues to have a strong camp.

-- Foster went up to catch a pass from Brissett in the back of the end zone and did a great job of getting his feet in bounds.