Training camp Monday/first with pads

Will a new defensive coordinator mean a new and improved Kader Kohou? The third-year Miami Dolphins cornerback has looked excellent in Dolphins practices this training camp, a hopeful sign that his sophomore slump is behind him. Here’s what Kohou had to say about the state of his career plus a ton of injury news and much more in our Day 4 Miami Dolphins practice report.

Bounce-Back Year for Miami Dolphins CB Kader Kohou?
Kohou had already taken the lead in the race for the Dolphins’ CB3 job even before his top competition, Cam Smith, walked off the practice field Sunday under the supervision of a Dolphins medical staffer.

But even if both players were 100% healthy, Kohou would have to be seen as the frontrunner for the job. He’s received an unspoken vote of confidence from new coordinator Anthony Weaver and the rest of the Dolphins’ coaching staff after a rough second season.

Kohou in 2023 regressed significantly from his rookie year in completion percentage allowed (59.1% to 81.9%), yards per target (6.1 to 7.7), touchdowns surrendered (3 to 8), and passer rating against (81.7 to 131).

On Sunday, he made no excuses for his play.

“I just got in my own way,” Kohou said. “It would be easy to say it was the defense we were running or anything like that. But I don’t think that was the case. At the end of the day, whatever defense you call, you just have to go out there and execute. I feel like we started getting deeper into the season, I just started losing a little focus. I wasn’t really just focused on the details and stuff like that. So that’s one thing I’m gonna focus on this year.”

Kohou didn’t blame former DC Vic Fangio’s system for his poor play. And he pushed back on the idea that he was out of position last year when he played on the boundary instead as a slot nickel.

“I feel like my rookie year, I played more boundary than I did nickel,” Kohou said. “So I don’t think that was the case. Wherever he put me at, you just got to execute. So I don’t think I’m more suitable to play either/or. I can play boundary and inside. Like I said, just going deeper into the season, I just kind of lost focus a little bit and then I started getting in my own way, focused on the wrong things.”

Quarterback Report
The Tua Tagovailoa contract extension officially closed the book on Tagovailoa’s training camp hold-in.

He took all of his scheduled 11-on-11 snaps Sunday. Tagovailoa continues to look sharp in practice, although on Sunday he did throw his first interception in a full team rep. Jevon Holland picked off a pass deflected at the line by defensive tackle Zach Sieler.

Tagaovailoa’s best play Sunday? A touchdown pass to Jaylen Waddle, showing encouraging mobility by stepping up in the pocket.

The Dolphins are down to three quarterbacks after cutting rookie Gavin Hardison. Tua’s backups — Mike White and Skylar Thompson — have been up and down in camp. But White’s interception Sunday wasn’t his fault. Je’Quan Burton dropped a sure catch, allowing Isaiah Mack to pick it off.

White did deliver a beautiful touchdown pass to tight end Tanner Conner in red-zone work. The Dolphins’ secondary had a pretty obvious busted coverage that resulted in Conner being wide open.

Injury Report
The Dolphins on Sunday activated linebacker David Long Jr. off the physically unable to perform (PUP) list. Long’s participation in his first practice of camp was limited to individual drills.

Smith’s curious early exit aside, the Dolphins had a healthy first week of training camp. Holland had a scare when he landed hard after getting upended on Day 1, but was back on the field the next day.

Two Dolphins veterans got the day off Sunday: Tackle Terron Armstead and wide receiver Tyreek Hill. Meanwhile, five Miami players remain on PUP: Linebackers Bradley Chubb, Jaelan Phillips, and Cameron Goode; wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.; and guard Isaiah Wynn. McDaniel said that “there’s been no setbacks” for Phillips and Chubb, who are still recovering from major injuries that ended their 2023 seasons.

Stock Up
Waddle has been the Dolphins’ best player in camp, and that continued Sunday when he shook Jalen Ramsey out of his shoes for a touchdown in 1-on-1s.

Running back Jeff Wilson Jr. had another good day Sunday after being the best Dolphins player in Friday’s practice. Wilson, who is competing with Jaylen Wright, Salvon Ahmed, and Chris Brooks for the RB3 job, continues to run with power and purpose.

Stock Down
Rookie tackle Patrick Paul had his hands full with Chop Robinson in team drills. Robinson was consistently in the backfield after getting past his fellow 2024 NFL Draft classmate.

Ramsey has had back-to-back rough practices. He gave up a bomb to Hill on Friday and then struggled to hang with Waddle for much of Sunday. One of the rare times Waddle didn’t pull in a pass thrown his way Sunday came on a pretty blatant defensive pass interference by Ramsey.

 

Not our camp but it is Dolphins related:
After cornerback Mekhi Blackmon suffered a torn ACL last week, the Vikings have added a veteran to their secondary. According to multiple reports, Minnesota is signing Bobby McCain. McCain, 30, formerly played under Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores when they were both with the Dolphins.

McCain spent most of last season with the Giants. He appeared in 10 games, mostly playing special teams. He was on the field for just 19 defensive snaps. After spending six seasons with the Dolphins to begin his career, McCain played for Washington in 2021 and 2022, appearing in all 34 regular season games. In 131 games with 87 starts, McCain has recorded 45 passes defensed with 11 interceptions.