The Miami Dolphins have a deep stable of tailbacks courtesy of this offseason’s decision to add three established veterans in free agency. But one of the newcomers stood out during his first practice session with his new team.
Chase Edmonds, a four-year veteran who was signed to a two-year deal worth $12.1 million, showed up for the team’s mandatory minicamp after skipping the entire offseason program and showcased eye-opening speed during the team’s first 11-on-11 period.
Edmonds, who averaged 75.2 rushing and receiving yards per game last season as the Arizona Cardinals’ No. 2 back, followed Austin Jackson’s second-level block downfield and used his afterburners to take the right side run up field for about 30 yards before a defender reached him.
That run was one of the very few highlights provided by the offense during Wednesday’s defense-dominated practice, which was the first of two mandatory minicamp sessions for the Dolphins this week.
Rookie tailback ZaQuandre White, who has been impressive just about every practice the media has attended, also delivered one of the days biggest runs. The former South Carolina standout been a pleasant surprise. …
Not surprising was how much pressure the Dolphins defense applied to the quarterbacks. It was the second straight practice where defenders spent plenty of 11-on-11 snaps in the offense’s backfield.
In fairness to the quarterbacks and Miami’s offensive line, the defense was clearly working on their blitz packages. And the offensive line has been without left tackle Terron Armstead, Miami’s big ticket free-agent addition, all offseason while he rehabs the right knee injury he played through late last season.
Even without Emmanuel Ogbah, the team’s top defensive lineman, who has been sidelined by an undisclosed injury, Miami’s defensive front dominated the day.
Here’s a sample of what most of the 11-on-11 periods of practice looked like:
— Defensive tackle Benito Jones sacked quarterback Teddy Bridgewater;
— Linebacker Jaelan Phillips had a tackle-for-loss on a left side run;
— Linebacker Sam Eguavoen blew up a run, stopping the tailback in the backfield;
— Phillips caught quarterback Tua Tagovailoa with a blitz and he threw it away right before the rusher could get to him in the backfield for a would-be sack;
— Linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel forced Tagovailoa to throw the ball away on another pressure, this time the Dolphins’ starting quarterbacks rolled right into Van Ginkel’s coverage;
— Tagovailoa later dropped a bad snap and Phillips wound up with a turnover and was stopped sprinting downfield before the refs blew their whistle, stopping the play;
— The Dolphins’ media rules prevent reporters from naming the player who made that errant snap, but the player being tried out at center also had a couple of high snaps that Tagovailoa had to jump for.
And back to the defense’s dominance …
— Defensive tackle Zach Sieler batted down a pass from Bridgewater at the goal line;
— Safety Jevon Hollins dropped an interception in the end zone on a red-zone pass from Tagovailoa;
— Defensive tackle Raekwon Davis sacked Tagovailoa at the goal line, pushing one of the team’s centers directly into the quarterback;
— Outside linebacker Darius Hodge tipped Bridgewater pass at the line of scrimmage;
— Tagovailoa missed fullback Cethan Carter badly, throwing way too high in the back of the end zone during the red-zone work;
— Linebacker Brennan Scarlett sacked Tagovailoa at the goal line;
— Offensively, receivers Lynn Bowden Jr. and Jaylen Waddle were among the top performers;
Bowden had two nice first-down receptions in the middle of the field, one of which was thrown by rookie quarterback Skylar Thompson.
Waddle scored the only touchdown during the goal-line work, and it came from Thompson. Waddle also caught a nice 30-yard pass from Tagovailoa at the end of practice.
But cornerback Noah Igbinoghene broke up the final pass thrown his way as Tagovailoa failed to connect with him on a deep ball that was slightly under thrown. Igbinoghene also sacked Tagovailoa during an earlier 11-on-11 period.
Receiver Cody Core had a nice 25-yard reception from Thompson, who was impressive.
Cornerback D’Angelo Ross had a nice jumping tip to prevent a punt from going into the end zone, and cornerback Trill Williams stopped a punt at the 1-yard line.
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