TC: Day 3: AM

The Miami Dolphins have entered day 3 of their training camp. 

Here are notes from the AM session:

LT Vernon Carey, LG Chris Liwienski, C Samson Satele, RG Drew Mormino and RT Anthony Alabi. – this is the starting oline this morning.

The starting line has been the same now for 3 days.  Alabi is still not 100 percent and can not run effectively.  With the situation the Dolphins are in with the offensive line, I wonder why the Oline has remained.  Greg Bedard of the Palm-Beach Post seems to find this concerning, and he cites the fact that Oline starters should be getting all the reps at this time as they need every opportunity to get used to each other.

Cleo Lemon is running the first unit again.  Green, who saw most of yesterday with the 2nd unit, is starting with the 2nd unit today.   Nothing should be made of this….yet.  If it continues however, it may be something worth watching…closer.

Greg Bedard Blog notes: (this is not his full blog)

RB Ronnie Brown is once again running tenatively. He also seems to be having trouble with the heat as he is off to the side, squatting on the ground with a towel over his head;

Brown is back on the field for the first 11-on-11 team drills of camp. Trent Green is running the first team. In a bad sign for the season, he was sacked by Matt Roth on the first play.  (so much for the Cleo Lemon running the 1st team talk.)

John Beck is with the second team and his first pass was a deep incompletion. CB Michael Lehan had great coverage. So far in camp, Lehan has been a huge surprise;

Now Cleo Lemon is running the first team. First two passes were incomplete out of bounds on out patterns to Chambers and Booker.

The four QBs were a combined 1 for 7 in team drills with the only reception being a swing pass, according to the spot-on Alain Poupart of Dolphins Digest;

Green just underthrew Chambers in 7-on-7 and was picked off by CB Travis Daniels. Green has been underwhelming so far in camp. I do chalk most of that up to getting used to his players and the offense;

Green made a great read and had TE Aaron Halterman streaking down the field but S Travares Tillman made a spectacular diving play at the last second. I’d make a joke there, but it’s too early in camp to do that;

Beck made his best pass of camp yet when he led Marty Booker perfectly on a post with defenders over and under him;

Beck’s biggest problem continues to be when his first option is shut down, he panics and can’t find an open guy. Talk about happy feet;

Beck was picked off by Renaldo Hill off a tipped pass. Beck had thrown behind Chambers;

Ted Ginn just ran his first reverse. Line penetration pushed him back and he gained 1 yard. But he did look fast;

Halterman just dropped a great scramble pass from Green. Nice job by the QB;

Ginn had a step on Worrell on a fly pattern but Lemon slightly overthrew him;

The morning session concluded.  It appears that the offens is struggling in almost every aspect except WR.  The offensive line which has been the brunt of the most scrutiny is playing very poorly.  Albeit it is only 3 days into camp.  There is still a long ways to go.  All of the QB’s will surely get better and I don’t think that on day 3 there is much to worry about.  I will start to wonder if the same mistakes are being made as the pre-season games progress.  I do expect to see improvement over the next week or so though.

The running game is a concern, but with the Oline struggling, it is no surprise.  It is hardly a knock on backs like Brown and Booker when the Oline is keeping no one off of them or providing lanes to run through.  Again, provided the Oline improves, this area will too.