There were drops, turnovers and penalties on the second day of practice, but it’s all part of the growth process. Within the ebbs and flows of the day’s work, the Dolphins found running lanes, continued to make progress with a large rookie class, and above all, were competitive on a rep-by-rep basis.
“You want to make practice as hard as it can be, and that’s our goal, like going to practice this whole year, you want to be aggressive,” center Aaron Brewer said. “You want to be intense. You want the game to be easy. We want to push each other, push it all the way to the edge, as close to the fighting as we can. And yeah, that’s the energy this year.”
Brewer and the offensive line led the charge for a strong day running the ball. Second-year running back Ollie Gordon II galloped down the sideline for a 70-yard touchdown behind a well-executed combination block from left tackle Patrick Paul and rookie offensive lineman Kadyn Proctor. Brewer, Proctor and guard Jonah Savaiinaea did their part to create lanes in the inside running game, complementing the outside ground game.
The defense scored wins as well. Rookie inside linebacker Jacob Rodriguez punched the ball out of running back De’Von Achane’s hands for a forced fumble. Rodriguez has now had a forced fumble and two pass breakups through two days of his first NFL training camp. Fellow rookie cornerback Chris Johnson closed down a run by Gordon II and forced a fumble of his own.
The defense also produced three interceptions. Safety Zayne Anderson and cornerback A.J. Green III picked off deflected passes, while inside linebacker Ronnie Harrison Jr. matched tight end Greg Dulcich on a route up the sideline and secured a pick.