It’s hot, it’s humid, it’s Tampa, Fla. And Wednesday morning, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Miami Dolphins had a bit of a toned-down joint practice, a decision made based on the teams here working through some of the normal bumps and bruises of NFL training camp. Here’s what I gleaned from my time with the Dolphins …
• The defense is going to look different, and a huge part of that is how connected new coordinator Anthony Weaver is with the players. That’s something—as good as Vic Fangio is as a coach—that was clearly missing a year ago. And the bet right now—with a versatile, attacking scheme that requires smart players playing smart football—is that the team’s veteran stars will thrive in the sort of way Kyle Hamilton, Roquan Smith and Justin Madubuike did with Weaver on staff in Mike Macdonald’s Baltimore Ravens scheme. Jalen Ramsey and Jevon Holland are two guys who should be able to make plays with how Weaver will move them around. The edge spot, with Jaelan Phillips back from his Achilles tear, and rookies Chop Robinson and Mohamed Kamara (a fifth-rounder who has flashed), should benefit from the system, too, even with Bradley Chubb still working his way back from an ACL tear.
• One lesser-known name to watch on defense: Jordyn Brooks. The former first-rounder has emerged as a big-time playmaker in camp, and with the aggression in which Weaver uses his linebackers, he’s unleashed the first-round ability that Brooks has always had. The linebacker room in general, after the team moved on from Jerome Baker, has pleasantly surprised, with David Long Jr., Duke Riley and Channing Tindall among those giving Miami some needed depth. But Brooks is the one who looks like he could be a star, and a bargain, too, on the three-year, $30 million deal he signed in March.
• I think Odell Beckham Jr. is going to be an interesting weapon for Mike McDaniel. Beckham, in Year 11, may not be what he once was. But one thing he has never gotten enough credit for is his football IQ—which combined with his route-running skill, is extending his career, and makes him a really good fit for the Dolphins. So while I’d expect him to operate out of the slot, he’s already shown the staff that he can physically and mentally handle all three receiver spots. And with the talent there is around him, I wouldn’t be surprised if he winds up with better numbers than people think.
• The running back room is really, really solid, too. The team knows what it has in Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson Jr.; and De’Von Achane should take a step as one of the more explosive backs not just on the roster, but in the NFL. After that, fourth-round pick Jaylen Wright gives them a 215-pounder with 4.3 speed—and McDaniel is planning a role for him. Part of the logic for McDaniel, in drafting fast backs—and this was there when he was in San Francisco, too—is the idea that the scheme should create seams for these guys to run through. So if you get a guy who can explode into those seams, big plays should follow. It worked for Achane last year. No one should be surprised if it works for Wright, too.
• Perhaps the one lingering question from a roster standpoint this deep into camp is how the corner spot shakes out around Ramsey. Kendall Fuller has had a nice summer, and gives the team a veteran presence at the position. Cam Smith, a 2023 second-rounder, has flashed, but also had some trouble staying on the field (his hamstring has been the main culprit). So that’s one area to watch, and where maybe the team could add a guy or two when final cuts are made Aug. 27.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Dolphins Training Camp Takeaways: Former First-Rounder Emerges.
