First impressions

Dolphins rookies are already raving about coach Adam Gase.

DAVIE — It hasn’t taken Dolphins coach Adam Gase long to impress the newcomers.

After just two days around him, the rookies are already raving about their new coach. On Friday, the team held the first of three workouts during minicamp.

“Being here for two days, he’s very straightforward with us,” defensive tackle Vincent Taylor said. “I like the two rules that he has. It’s a pretty simple, easy thing to follow. Just do the right thing and be on time, and you’ll be fine.”

Gase’s relaxed approach has won over the first-year players. They have gravitated toward his ability to relate to them.

“When he’s on you, you can tell he’s got that other side of him, and he’ll snap on you,” defensive end Charles Harris said. “But he’s been real cool, real laid back. He told us his rules. He told us his demands. It’s up to us to meet them.”

Guard Isaac Asiata described Gase as a nontraditional coach, meaning he knows when to be stern and relaxed.

“I feel that players know when you walk past a head coach or somebody in the hallway, it’s kind of intimidating,” Asiata said. “You don’t want to do one thing wrong or want him to think a certain way about you but I just passed him on the way in here and like I said, he’s an approachable guy.”

Several rookies sign deals

On Thursday, Asiata became the first Dolphins rookie to sign a contract. The four-year deal will pay him $2.6 million in base salary. He will have opportunity to earn more on his rookie deal through playing time incentives, which are given out by the NFL.

Asiata was drafted in the fifth round out of Utah.

The Dolphins also announced that linebacker Raekwon McMillan, the Dolphins’ secondround pick, cornerback Cordea Tankersley, Miami’s third-round selection, Taylor, and receiver Isaiah Ford, the Dolphins’ seventh-round pick, had joined Asiata as the rookies who signed their four-year contracts on day one of the team’s rookie orientation.

First-round pick Charles Harris and fifthround pick Davon Godchaux are the only draftees who haven’t signed their rookie deal.

Wake, Suh become mentors

The best way to locate Harris in the locker room this season will be to search for defensive end Cameron Wake.

Harris said he plans to latch to Wake much as possible to soak up the veteran’s knowledge.

“I’m going to be that little brother that you can’t get away from,” said Harris, the team’s first-round pick. “… In every way, shape or form, I’m going to make sure I’m going to take after him.”

The same goes for Taylor and defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh. They are also planning a mentor/student relationship.

“One thing I can say is I can never try to be like him,” said Taylor, a sixth-round pick out of Oklahoma State. “I can only be the best Vincent Taylor that I can be. I’ll try to get some things from him and learn from him to try to make my game better.”

Gase defends ex-QB Cutler

Former Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler made headlines when he accepted a role as a color commentator for Fox Sports.

Gase, who was the Bears offensive coordinator in 2015, said the move was not a surprise.

“I know a different guy than what everybody else portrays,” Gase said. He also said many of the things that have been said about Cutler are untrue.

Cutler, an 11-year veteran, was released by the Bears in March.

MIKE STOCKER/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Adam Gase had two rules for his rookies: Do the right thing and be on time.