1. Is Ryan Tannehill adjusting to the speed of the NFL game?

Tannehill is doing MUCH better than his OTA and minicamp showing. He's progressing everyday. I'm still noticing too many sacks and interceptions, which would get an offense killed in real games, and he's still tentative when it comes to throwing the ball in the middle of the field. But each day progress gets made.

If that trend continues there's a chance he could catch Matt Moore, moving ahead of last year's incumbent starter, who has erratic practices. But David Garrard is just WAY too polished for the rookie to leapfrog the nine-year veteran on the depth chart before the regular season.

Games haven't been played yet, but I project the depth chart will look like this in a month: Garrard, Tannehill and then Moore.

2. Do the Dolphins have pass rushers not named Cameron Wake?

Olivier Vernon and Jamaal Westerman have been challenging to block most days. Vernon has a raw athleticism that you can't teach, and he's got natural pass rush ability. Westerman has been the biggest surprise of camp for yours truly.

Pair those two with Jared Odrick, who is playing like a first rounder, and the Dolphins should be able to produce more than last year's 41 sacks IF the secondary can cover.

5. Will the secondary tighten up and communicate?

The biggest concern I presently have about the Dolphins is the secondary, and the unit's level of communication, which the coaches admit is an issue.

I'm not seeing many breakdowns, but they do still exist.

Reshad Jones and Nolan Carroll have stepped their games up. Jones looks like he's finally got it, and Carroll appears to be past his sophomore slump. But I haven't seen anyone else take things to the next level. I'm still waiting for a leader to step forward and it hasn't happened.

Games will be a better indicator because they won't know the offense's audibles and check calls, like they do with Miami's offense.

Chris Clemons is the front-runner to serve as the starting safety paired with Jones. I'm a bit troubled the only safeties making game changing plays are Jones and Anderson Russell. Maybe Russell, who pulled down two interceptions on Thursday, needs to get a call-up to the starting unit?

The small shoving among linemen was more of a territorial warning from four-time Pro Bowler Jake Long. One play earlier, Vernon had slipped inside his Miami Dolphins' teammate escaping a block that could have prevented a sack of quarterback David Garrard.

Vernon's speed, technique and strength as a rookie defensive end have caught the attention of many veteran teammates eager to see what the former University of Miami star can become in the NFL.

"I have a lot respect for how he's playing," Long said. "We go hard against each other. I think we're making each other better."

"Now that I'm here and I see what these guys really can do, man I'm glad I'm playing with them," Hicks said. "...(Vernon's) nice, man. This guy can move. And him with Cameron Wake opposite each other, they're gonna put a lot of pressure on the outside pocket. And when that quarterback goes to step up, guess what. You've got (Randy) Starks and big Paul (Soliai) in the middle pushing backwards, so that pocket's gonna collapse on a lot of quarterbacks this year."

Wake sees himself in Vernon when he watches the rookie scrap with Long.

"He's got a lot of energy," Wake said. "He's got the mindset, his temperament is right. Guys like us, who are not the traditional defensive ends in a 4-3 we've got to have that little extra bite. ...He's got a lot of fight in him, and he comes after the ball hard."

Vernon's dust up with Long wasn't the first, and certainly wasn't as note worthy as the one that was more of a small fight in June during a mandatory minicamp.

Based on Vernon's intentions to improve it's bound to happen again in the spirit of competition. One way is through standing up to the toughest guy on the team.

"I've never grown up to be intimidated or have any fear against anybody," Vernon said. "I try to make that known that I'm not scared of nobody out here even though they're grown men."

So how are things between the two of them?

"We shook hands after (the fight in June) in the locker room," Vernon said. "It was all good. It's all football."

His status as an 11-year NFL veteran, and one of the team's top receivers, dictates he sit out those two or three practice periods per day. But for the past two days Johnson has been insistent on getting involved.

Friday, Johnson wedged his way into the drills. First he worked as a gunner on the punt coverage team. Then he handled reps as a punt returner and kick returner.

Johnson fielded the ball without issues and received instruction from tailback Reggie Bush, who established himself as one of college football's most dynamic returners while at USC.

Getting Johnson involved on special teams clearly wasn't in the team's plans, considering coach Joe Philbin wasn't informed of Johnson's special teams work until practice had concluded.

"I must have been at some other drill when that was going on," Philbin said. "Again, we're exploring any option possible and he is a potential option, but beyond that he certainly hasn't been harassing me [about it]."

Observations

During a red-zone drill Bess caught a touchdown on a beautiful rollout throw from Matt Moore. ... QB David Garrard only needed one snap to score on his red-zone opportunity, darting a 20-yard pass to Hogan that the receiver caught in stride. ... CB Sean Smith pulled down his first interception at camp on a bad Moore pass that was caught inside the end zone. ... CB Jonathan Wade had his worst practice of camp Friday, but he did close it out with an interception of rookie QB Ryan Tannehill's final pass. ... TE Charles Clay beat Chris Clemons to score a touchdown for Moore, but he's struggling with drops lately.

Who's up?

It is clear Johnson is starting to feel at home in the Dolphins' offense. He's routinely flashing the playmaking ability that's made him a six-time Pro Bowler. Johnson owned Wade in their battles all day.

Who's down?

The entire starting offensive line, including Pro Bowl left tackle Jake Long, was feasted on by the first- and second-team defense during the final 11-on-11 period of practice. Garrard was sacked three times.

A week into camp, the Dolphins are mostly healthy — and they might have last summer’s rancorous labor dispute to thank for that.

Although it’s still early, the contentious Collective Bargaining Agreement, with its focus on player safety, appears to already be a success — at least in Miami.

Twice-daily, full-contact practices, once the place where seasons went to die, are now a thing of the past. And although catastrophic injuries were once as common during NFL training camps as sunburns, the Dolphins have lost just one player to a major issue so far (reserve safety Kelcie McCray, who broke his foot Monday).

Perhaps, it’s just coincidence. Or maybe it’s the dawn of a new era.

“I really think it’s a game-changer,” said Richie Incognito, the Dolphins’ starting left guard. “The two-a-days really took a toll on your body, both mentally and physically.”

Said defensive back Jimmy Wilson: “This game’s become faster and more mental nowadays, to where you really need to have a good body and a good sound mind entering the season.”

Even when the Dolphins do practice at full speed, coach Joe Philbin has made it a point to limit the collisions. The team worked in shorts Friday, and Saturday morning’s scrimmage at Sun Life Stadium will be the first time the Dolphins will have run a full-contact, goal-line drill all year.

“It’s a tough line you have to walk,” Philbin said.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/08/04/2 ... rylink=cpy

• Quarterback battle: It has been the dominant narrative all summer.

The principals (as if you don’t already know): the Incumbent (Matt Moore) against the Comeback Kid (David Garrard) against the Next Great Hope (Ryan Tannehill).

Philbin said Thursday they’re essentially even after Week 1 (although Garrard has looked superior to most observers outside the team), so whoever plays best will have the inside track to start Friday’s exhibition opener against Tampa Bay. Philbin reiterated Friday that he hopes to have a decision made heading into the third exhibition game, which is traditionally when the first units get the most work — although that isn’t “hard and fast.”

“Go out and get better,” Tannehill said, when asked what he wants to get out of Saturday. “To have a full live practice, it’s different. We’ll be able to get into more of a flow of the game.”

• A brave new (defensive) world: How does Cameron Wake, listed at 250 pounds, hold up with his hand in the dirt most every play? Can Karlos Dansby adapt to playing a true middle linebacker for the first time?

These are just a few of the questions that come with defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle’s new system. And although the 4-3 defense in theory is less exotic than a three down-lineman front, no disciple of Marvin Lewis is just going to sit back and play Cover-2 in the secondary.

“We’ve got some guys up front who can rush the passer, some physical guys,” cornerback Vontae Davis said. “We’ve got some young talent, but it’s up to us to put it all together.”

• Playing time up for grabs: Here’s what we do know about the Dolphins’ receiving situation: Davone Bess is a lock to make the team (and most likely start). Everyone else is a question mark.

Chad Johnson needs to translate a strong first week into dependable production. Receivers such as Legedu Naanee and Roberto Wallace have made the most of their opportunities (particularly with Brian Hartline out), but neither is guaranteed a roster spot. The clock is ticking for rookies B.J. Cunningham, Rishard Matthews and Jeff Fuller to prove they belong.

• Time to answer the Bell: It’s hard to play defense without two safeties, and so the Dolphins will need to decide on one to replace Yeremiah Bell. Miami appears to want Chris Clemons to be that guy, but Jimmy Wilson and Tyrone Culver each got a chance to play with the first-string when Clemons missed time with injury.

• Return of the Dolfans? The Dolphins haven’t won a playoff game since 2000, and when things went south in 2011, disappointed fans decided to finally hit the team where it hurt: the ledger sheet.

The Dolphins drew an average crowd of just 60,886 last year, fifth-worst in the NFL. Sun Life Stadium was just 81 percent filled to capacity. This scrimmage is the first true test of any renewed enthusiasm: It’s being held on a Saturday morning, and admission is free.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/08/04/2 ... rylink=cpy

While the Dolphins’ quarterback battle gained more clarity Friday with David Garrard taking extra snaps with the starting offense, an unexpected battle has broken out at cornerback.

Three-year starter Sean Smith has taken virtually every snap with the starting defense, but his running mate, Vontae Davis, seems to have lost his grip on the other starting spot, at least temporarily. Instead, it has been free agent Richard Marshall paired with Smith in the base defense, with Davis only playing with the starters in the three-cornerback nickel package.

“Nobody has a spot locked up,” Davis said. “Training camp, you got to come in, work hard. It’s a new year. Everybody’s spot’s open on the team.”

Coach Joe Philbin didn’t provide much clarity on Davis’ situation when asked about it Thursday. He said “it’s not a reflection that he hasn’t done well,” but made it clear that Davis, the team’s first-round pick in 2009, has not earned a starting spot.

“There is nothing locked in stone here,” Philbin said. “Certainly we want to look at some other guys and create competition everywhere.”

It could simply be a case of Marshall, who spent his first six NFL seasons with Carolina and Arizona, playing well. Signed to a three-year, $16 million contract this off-season, Marshall was rated by the website Pro Football Focus as the second-best run-stopping cornerback in the NFL last year.

“Sometimes when you do the tackling drills and the blocking drills, sometimes you can kind of hear a good tackle or a good block, and Richard is one of those guys,” Philbin said. “I really like what I see out of him.”

And Marshall said the role he’s playing now with Miami — on the outside in the base defense and in the slot in the nickel package — is familiar.

“Everywhere I’ve been, I’ve been on the outside, and on third down I come into the inside on the nickel,” he said. “But I can’t think about who’s going to start. I just have to get my technique down.”

Davis, who has nine interceptions in three seasons but has also struggled with his professionalism and work ethic, said he doesn’t view his current situation as a benching.

“Everybody needs work. We’re just changing it up,” he said.

The Palm Beach Post reports the Dolphins have considered carrying Ryan Tannehill as the No. 2 quarterback, making the loser of the David Garrard-Matt Moore battle expendable.
Tannehill has looked better than expected early in camp after his play speed "slowed down considerably" versus the first-team offense in spring practices. A league source tells the Post to expect to see a lot of Tannehill in the preseason. Although Joe Philbin wants to wait until the entire offense is installed before making a decision on a starter, Garrard is widely viewed as the favorite. Due $2.5 million this season, Moore could fetch a late-round draft pick from a QB-needy team.

After visiting both Broncos and Dolphins camp, SI's Peter King believes David Garrard has been more impressive in practice than Peyton Manning.
Per King, Garrard was "terrific consistently through practice," and "in general, looking extremely comfortable in a West Coast offense." Added coach Joe Philbin, "this guy's got something to him. I like what I've seen. King also says he's "told" Garrard has outplayed Matt Moore and Ryan Tannehill all camp. Most camp reports need to be taken with a grain of salt. It does sound like 34-year-old Garrard is clearly healthy and fresh after sitting out all of 2011.

According to the Miami Herald, rookie Ryan Tannehill was the "most impressive" quarterback in the Dolphins' Saturday scrimmage.
Tannehill has been generating buzz in the second week of Dolphins camp, but his impressive showing came with the third-team offense against the second- and third-team defense. Per beat writer Armando Salguero, David Garrard put up mediocre numbers with the first-team offense against the second-team defense, while Matt Moore "struggled" with the second-team offense against the first-team defense. Miami's first preseason game is Friday.

Brian Hartline (calf) didn't participate in the Dolphins' Saturday morning scrimmage, but is expected back "soon."
Hartline hasn't practiced since the first day of Dolphins camp. He reportedly looked "fast" in Friday morning sprints, but likely won't be ready for Miami's preseason opener next Friday. Even in Miami's thin receiver corps, missing this much early practice can't be good for Hartline as he looks to endear himself to the new coaching staff.

David Garrard got in "far" more work with the starters than Matt Moore or Ryan Tannehill in Miami's Saturday scrimmage.
Beat writer Ben Volin believes it's "probably safe to say that the job is Garrard’s to lose." Volin's assessment comes one day after SI's Peter King filed a glowing report on Garrard's early play. It's hard to believe Garrard has been so impressive that he's clearly ahead of a first-round pick and player who made 12 starts for the Dolphins last season. We'll get our first live look on Friday when the Dolphins host Tampa Bay in their preseason opener.

1. Is Ryan Tannehill adjusting to the speed of the NFL game?

Tannehill is doing MUCH better than his OTA and minicamp showing. He's progressing everyday. I'm still noticing too many sacks and interceptions, which would get an offense killed in real games, and he's still tentative when it comes to throwing the ball in the middle of the field. But each day progress gets made.

If that trend continues there's a chance he could catch Matt Moore, moving ahead of last year's incumbent starter, who has erratic practices. But David Garrard is just WAY too polished for the rookie to leapfrog the nine-year veteran on the depth chart before the regular season.

Games haven't been played yet, but I project the depth chart will look like this in a month: Garrard, Tannehill and then Moore.

His status as an 11-year NFL veteran, and one of the team's top receivers, dictates he sit out those two or three practice periods per day. But for the past two days Johnson has been insistent on getting involved.

Friday, Johnson wedged his way into the drills. First he worked as a gunner on the punt coverage team. Then he handled reps as a punt returner and kick returner.

Johnson fielded the ball without issues and received instruction from tailback Reggie Bush, who established himself as one of college football's most dynamic returners while at USC.

Getting Johnson involved on special teams clearly wasn't in the team's plans, considering coach Joe Philbin wasn't informed of Johnson's special teams work until practice had concluded.

"I must have been at some other drill when that was going on," Philbin said. "Again, we're exploring any option possible and he is a potential option, but beyond that he certainly hasn't been harassing me [about it]."

Said defensive back Jimmy Wilson: “This game’s become faster and more mental nowadays, to where you really need to have a good body and a good sound mind entering the season.”

• Quarterback battle: It has been the dominant narrative all summer.

The principals (as if you don’t already know): the Incumbent (Matt Moore) against the Comeback Kid (David Garrard) against the Next Great Hope (Ryan Tannehill).

Philbin said Thursday they’re essentially even after Week 1 (although Garrard has looked superior to most observers outside the team), so whoever plays best will have the inside track to start Friday’s exhibition opener against Tampa Bay.

Time to answer the Bell: It’s hard to play defense without two safeties, and so the Dolphins will need to decide on one to replace Yeremiah Bell. Miami appears to want Chris Clemons to be that guy, but Jimmy Wilson and Tyrone Culver each got a chance to play with the first-string when Clemons missed time with injury.

While the Dolphins’ quarterback battle gained more clarity Friday with David Garrard taking extra snaps with the starting offense, an unexpected battle has broken out at cornerback.

Three-year starter Sean Smith has taken virtually every snap with the starting defense, but his running mate, Vontae Davis, seems to have lost his grip on the other starting spot, at least temporarily. Instead, it has been free agent Richard Marshall paired with Smith in the base defense, with Davis only playing with the starters in the three-cornerback nickel package.

Davis, who has nine interceptions in three seasons but has also struggled with his professionalism and work ethic, said he doesn’t view his current situation as a benching.

“Everybody needs work. We’re just changing it up,” he said.