Training Camp Day 5

FINAL MORNING UPDATE

(Scorpio Babers released)

Good morning all. As I am sure you can tell, I up and busy once again surfing the net so you don’t have to in an effort to find what is going on out there. The Miami Dolphins have started their 5th day of training camp, a morning practice obviously. Ben Volin is back in the driver seat once again from the PBP with his running shoes on I am assuming. Same routine today folks, watch for “Update” at the top and continue reading.

Also, if you were unable to listen the radio show last night, we had Big Papa Pump on and he has been attending the practices, so you can listen to him talk from a “fans” point of view, follow the above link and go to the “archives” page.

Watch for Update number 1 shortly. Have a great day and check back here often.

10:32

• Andy Kent from miamidolphins.com filled me in with a nice tidbit that I missed during our last update. During pooch-punt drills, he saw Bill Parcells giving Jayson Foster a little 1-on-1 instruction. The message was to step into the catch, don’t rock back. Have your momentum going forward.
• The skill players break out into 6-on-8 drills, while the trench guys go 1-on-1. I’m mostly watching the quarterbacks.
• By the way, since I didn’t mention it, this morning is Chad Henne’s turn to be “down.” So we’re watching McCown and Beck.
• McCown goes first. His first pass sails over Ted Ginn’s head along the sideline, and then he throws a slant pass to Camarillo that should’ve been intercepted by Jason Allen.
• Another great grab from Derek Hagan, about 25 yards down the right sideline. Joey Thomas got a hand on the ball, but Hagan kept his eye on it while in mid-air and came down with the completion.
• Beck’s in now, and he hits Anthony Armstrong on a drag route across the middle. Beck has looked good on the short and intermediate routes throughout camp.
• Beck is completing most of his passes, but he forces one to Davone Bess over the middle into quadruple coverage. Not even Bess could catch that one.
• OK, watching the trench guys now.
• Vernon Carey looks great in pass protection, especially his footwork. Charlie Anderson has no chance when the two go head-to-head.
• Joey Porter looks like he has gotten past that ankle injury. He plows right past Trey Darilek and eats the imaginary quarterback.
• Nice job by Samson Satele against Paul Soliai. The coaching staff hopes that going against Jason Ferguson every day will make Satele a Pro Bowl caliber center.
• Two rookies going at it, Shawn Murphy and Phillip Merling. This round goes to Murphy.

OK, practice is almost over. Probably one more update.

10:54

More team drills.

• Not the sharpest practice by the offense. Lots of dropped passes and tipped balls. McCown sails another throw to Ginn.
• Patrick Cobbs drops a John Beck pass, right into the hands of Keith Davis. Not Beck’s fault.
• Jalen Parmele takes a screen and bolts up the left sideline for a hefty gain. Parmele has been showing great burst and has been one of the biggest surprises of camp (at least to us).
• Another shaky pass by McCown. He was looking for Camarillo down the left side and instead it goes right to Will Billingsley. But Billingsley drops the INT, and immediately hits the ground for 10 push-ups. Reminds me of Willie Mays Hays in Major League.
• Trey Darilek is playing left tackle with the second team, by the way. Something to keep in mind if Jake Long ever goes down.
• The second-team defense, with Merling, Moses, Torbor and Langford is dominating the second-team offensive line. Neither McCown or Beck can get off a throw without a hand in his face.
• Last throw of the day … McCown has Kircus deep down the left hash, but Kircus mis-times his jump.

And that just about does it. The defense looked great today, and the offense still has a long way to go, especially the passing game.

Cornerback Scorpio Babers has been released. No. 30, whoever he is, is the roster replacement. So if the Dolphins do sign Terry Glenn, someone else will have to be waived.

Team breaks out into 1-on-1 drills, or something like it. The running backs and tight ends are working on blitz pickup, and are going 1-on-1 with the linebackers. Each defensive lineman is going against two offensive linemen. And the skill players are doing 3-on-3 drills.

The RBs and TEs are at a disadvantage in this drill. The LBs aren’t having much of a problem getting around them. I guess the goal for of the drill is just to slow down the LB’s progress.

Given that, Lex Hilliard does a real nice job standing up Edmond Miles. Hilliard will need to excel in the little things like blitz pickup to impress the coaches and crack the roster.

Quentin Moses looks really quick. He blows right past Boomer Grigsby to the outside, then later glides right past Anthony Fasano to the inside.

Also, Ronnie Brown is really getting into it. He also takes care of Edmond Miles, keeps those feet moving and drives him back.

In the quarterback/receivers drills, that No. 30 guy makes a real nice play on a deep ball from McCown to Hagan.

John Beck looks good in this drill, hitting Davone Bess on a medium out pattern on the sideline.

Time for 11-on-11 team drills.

• Here are the First Teamers of note: Charlie Anderson is ROLB, Joey Porter is LOLB, Vonnie Holliday is the RDE and Matt Roth is the LDE.
• More importantly, here are the Second Teamers, the guys who appear to have a leg up on the bottom roster spots:
• Phillip Merling is the RDE, and Quentin Moses is the ROLB. Vonnie Holliday stays out there and moves over to LOLB, and Randy Starks is the LDE. Reggie Torbor is an inside linebacker with Junior Glymph, and the safeties are Keith Davis and Chris Crocker. Travis Daniels is the RCB, and Joey Thomas is the LCB.
• Holliday also stays at LOLB when the Third Teamers come out. He hasn’t come off the field. They’re really working hard to make him a Jason Taylor type of player.
• They’re working mostly on running plays. Four yards and a cloud of dust type stuff. Jason Ferguson is clogging up the middle on every play.
• Patrick Cobbs has a great run, breaking a sweep outside for a home run.
• As I’m walking off the field, they practice the hurry-up field goal. The team sprints down the field, and Feely nails the 40-yard kick just in the nick of time.

Shells and shorts this morning. I believe this is the first morning practice that isn’t full pads.

No Terry Glenn sighting. But there is a new guy, No. 30, probably a defensive back.

Michael Lehan (ankle) still isn’t practicing, but he’s doing drills on the sideline.

Justin Peelle, Aaron Halterman and Daren Heerspink are riding the bike today instead of practicing. Wonder what’s up with Peelle.

Today is Ikechuku Ndukwe’s turn to play right guard with the First Team. Trey Darilek got his chance the first couple of days, and then Donald Thomas the past two days. Rookie Sean Murphy should be getting a chance at some point.

Your First Team offense also includes: Josh McCown, Ronnie Brown, Ginn and Wilford, Anthony Fasano and David Martin.

Ronnie isn’t wearing a sleeve over his right knee anymore, and he doesn’t appear to have any stiffness in that knee today