Edge rushers help defense dominate
Miami Dolphins defensive end Shaq Lawson cools down during training camp at Doctors Hospital Training University in Davie on Friday.
The new Miami Dolphins defense was well on its way to its most dominant outing of training camp until the offense came alive during red-zone work near the end of Tuesday’s practice.
Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick led the charge with five touchdowns in the red zone, including one run into the end zone and three consecutive touchdown throws.
Quarterbacks Tua Tagovailoa and Josh Rosen also had a touchdown each in redzone work, while Fitzpatrick and Tagovailoa had a touchdown each in the team’s final two-minute session toward the end of practice.
The throws were in the short area, where space is limited and points are a must.
But let’s not overstate the offense’s performance on just those plays alone. The day was largely dominated by the defense.
The Dolphins’ pass rush will be significantly better than a season ago if new defensive ends Emmanuel Ogbah and Shaq Lawson and second-year outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel have days like they had Tuesday.
Ogbah led the charge with a sack and three tipped passes, Lawson and Strowbridge each had two sacks, and Van Ginkel had two tipped passes including an interception on Tagovailoa at the goal line during a 2-point conversion attempt in the final twominute sequence of practice.
Cornerback Nik Needham, who had two more pass deflections, has had two consecutive practices better than cornerback Byron Jones, who the Dolphins made the NFL’s highest-paid cornerback in the NFL during the offseason.
One of the highlight plays of the day: Fitzpatrick’s fade route to receiver DeVante Parker in the red zone with Jones in coverage. Also, Fitzpatrick ran and dived headfirst for a first down, almost taking out a defender during two-minute work.
Fitzpatrick finished the day completing 12 of 24 passes with six touchdowns and a rushing touchdown, but he was largely hampered by the defense with three tipped passes and three sacks.
Fitzpatrick threw two touchdowns to tight ends Durham Smythe and Adam Shaheen, and receivers Mack Holllins and Isaiah Ford.
Tagovailoa’s day Tuesday was slightly disappointing only because it came after his best day of training camp Monday when he threw three touchdowns.
He finished completing 7 of 13 passes with two short touchdowns, an interception on a tipped pass, two near interceptions, two sacks and he also incurred a delay of game penalty during a two-minute drill.
The overlying positive despite the statistical line: Tagovailoa is learning to trust his teammates, is not afraid to make throws in tight windows or take shots downfield, and he is growing more comfortable with each passing practice.
Also, Rosen only threw five passes on the day. They were all complete.
Other news and notes
Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard worked out on the sidelines away from teammates as he continues to inch toward a return.
Howard is on the physically-unable-toperform list as he continues to rehabilitate from knee surgery at the end of last season. Wide receivers Preston Williams and
Grant did not practice. Williams was due to have some scheduled rest days as he works his way back from last year’s ACL surgery. Grant, however, was held out of the later portions of practice on Monday due to an injury.
Hollins had two nice catches early from Fitzpatrick, taking advantage of their absences.
Outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy was held out of much of Tuesday’s practice, although he was dressed and wearing a brace on his right hand after leaving Monday’s session early. Van Noy did not participate in 11-on-11 drills, and ran on the opposite field to get some conditioning work.
Rookie cornerback Noah Igbinoghene returned after leaving Monday’s practice early with an injury, but his repetitions were limited after Nik Needham had a solid practice Monday. Needham continued to do so Tuesday.
Safety Kavon
Frazier is back with the team after missing personal reasons.
Second year running back Patrick Laird, who suffered an upper-body injury Monday, did not practice. Receiver Kirk Merritt ,an undrafted rookie out of Arkansas State, also did not practice.
Receiver several practices due to
Louis and tight end left practice with injuries.