Dolphins 2025 Camp: Detroit Second Joint Practice Recap

ALLEN PARK, Mich. — The Miami Dolphins certainly looked better in their second joint practice with the Detroit Lions, specifically when it comes to the offense.

And, more significantly, there was no injury scare on this day, as there was with Chop Robinson on Wednesday. The 2024 first-round pick not only was back at practice Thursday, he got what appeared to be his normal practice work load.

The Dolphins still practiced without a few significant starters, with Zach Sieler and De'Von Achane joining a list that we already knew would include Tyreek Hill and Jaelan Phillips.

Other members of the active roster not practicing were RT Austin Jackson, LB Mohamed Kamara, S Ashtyn Davis, FB Alec Ingold, OL Andrew Meyer and OL Bayron Matos.

The teams again practiced for a solid two hours and now will see each other again for their preseason matchup at Ford Field on Saturday at 1 p.m. ET.

PRACTICE TAKEAWAYS

-- With competitive action going on two fields at the same time, it's difficult for any reporter to see everything that's going on, so we again teamed up with Detroit Lions on SI Publisher John Maakaron to have everything covered.

-- This time, I watched the Dolphins defense vs. the Lions offense and Maakaron watched the Lions defense vs. the Dolphins offense.

-- The last session of the practice was a specific game situation where the offense got the ball at its 40 down four points with a minute left.

-- Neither team was able to score on that final drive, with the practice ending on a Tua Tagovailoa incompletion after a pass breakup by safety Brian Branch against wide receiver Tarik Black.

THE DOLPHINS DEFENSE

-- Before we get to specific plays, let's just say the Dolphins defense didn't have a great day going against one of the NFL's top offenses.

-- This shouldn't be a shock, but the Dolphins defense again had its hands full with wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, who had several catches.

-- The Dolphins made some plays against the run, but also gave up some sizable gains, most often to the right side of the Detroit formation anchored by All-Pro tackle Penei Sewell.

-- The Dolphins defense generated little in the way of a pass rush, with the only sack we noted coming from Minkah Fitzpatrick and Matthew Butler in that final late-game session.

-- There was a skirmish involving the Dolphins defense for a second consecutive day, and this one involved linebacker K.J. Britt after an overaggressive block by 6-foot-9 known agitator Dan Skipper.

-- The highlight of practice was a bomb from Jared Goff to Jameson Williams after he got behind double coverage from CB Kendall Sheffield and S Ifeatu Melifonwu. Afterward, as he did after pretty much every one of his catches, Williams stared at the opponent and started chirping.

-- Melifonwu got the better of Williams at least once, in a 7-on-7 period to start practice when his tight coverage forced an incompletion down the right sideline.

-- Goff had back-to-back short touchdown passes to St. Brown later in the 7-on-7, once beating Jason Marshall Jr. to the corner and the other beating Kendall Sheffield in the corner of the end zone.

-- Linebacker Willie Gay Jr. threw WR Dominic Lovett to the ground after a short completion and the ball came out, but not sure we’d call it a fumble because the play likely would have been whistled dead.

-- The next drill involved the offense backed up at its 1-yard line, and the Lions got a first down (per the officials) on three runs by Jahmyr Gibbs before Goff had an easy completion to St. Brown near the sideline in front of Storm Duck.

-- The second-team defense then stuffed Lions RB Craig Reynolds on back-to-back runs, first by Jordan Phillips and then by safety Patrick McMorris.

-- Phillips then combined with Willie Gay Jr. to stuff Jacob Saylors on a run from inside the 5-yard line after Sione Vaki scored on a short TD run.

-- With the ball spotted around the 5-yard line, Goff threw three consecutive TD passes, to St. Brown with Cornell Armstrong in coverage, to David Montgomery with LB Jordyn Brooks seemingly picked on the play and visibly upset afterward, and to Williams with Storm Duck in coverage.

-- In a Dolphins kickoff return period, rookie free agent John Saunders Jr. put a Lions player on the ground with a block.

-- The next set of 11-on-11’s began with Goff’s long touchdown pass to Williams before Jordyn Brooks stuffed Gibbs on a running play.

-- Montgomery came back a bit later with a long gain when he got to the outside (on the right) on a running play.

-- Brooks came up with another stop on a run when the Lions ran a Wildcat formation and Montgomery handed off to Gibbs.

-- St. Brown almost came up with another touchdown when he nearly made a one-handed catch in the end zone despite coverage by Jason Marshall Jr.

-- Linebacker Grant Stuard — you know who he is — had a long kickoff return nullified by a holding penalty before he himself was flagged for holding on a subsequent return.

-- In the next set of 11-on-11, Gibbs had a long run to the outside, again to the right.

-- Gibbs had another touchdown run to add to the two by Vaki.

-- In the session-ending Lions drive with the team down by four with a minute left, Detroit moved the ball down with completions to St. Brown and Williams, but the drive ended when Melinfowu broke up a pass on the last play.

-- The drive also featured a nice breakup near the sideline by Storm Duck and the sack that could go to either Fitzpatrick or Butler.

The Dolphins’ final drive under the same circumstances ended in four plays, the last when Brian Branch had tight coverage against Tarik Black to force an incompletion.

On the first two plays, Tua Tagovailoa couldn’t find an open receiver, leading to a short incompletion and a short gain on a check-down to Jaylen Wright.

It should be noted the Dolphins were without Tyreek Hill or Jaylen Waddle for that final series.Before we get to specific plays, let's just say it was a really rough outing for the offense.

THE DOLPHINS OFFENSE

-- This was the report from colleague John Maakaron of Detroit Lions On SI:

-- As an overview, the Dolphins offense rebounded early after a poor showing on Wednesday. 

-- Jaylen Waddle, whose participation was somewhat limited Wednesday, certainly sparked the team and he was targeted early in practice. 

-- Despite key absences, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa started the day in the red zone 7-on-7 period with two touchdown tosses, one to Waddle with Derrick Barnes in coverage and one to Erik Ezukanma with safety Rock Ya-Sin covering. The next two plays resulted in a Lions coverage sack and Waddle not being to secure a pass with Amik Robertson in coverage. 

-- Zach Wilson had two quick touchdowns to start his day, with the second completed to Tahj Washington. 

-- The next period with the first-team offense, again in 7-on-7 in the red zone, Tua found Waddle and Malik Washington. Ezukanma had a reception wiped off the board, as a Dolphins receiver was flagged for pushing off. 

-- As the full team periods began, Detroit's first-team defense gained more and more confidence. Tua found Waddle for a chunk gain on the first play of the team period. The next two plays saw the Lions interior of the defensive line pressure Tua to force an incompletion and DJ Reader recording what would have been a sack. 

-- The worst period for Detroit's defense was their second-team defense having their first opportunity on the field in a full team period. Tyson Russell had a major handful of Tarik Black's uniform, resulting in a flag. Nick Whiteside, who had a solid practice on Wednesday, also was flagged for illegal contact downfield. 

-- Zach Wilson was able to find Black on a throw right. He was able to shed tackled to record significant yardage after the catch. 

-- Jaylen Wright stood out for his hard running throughout practice. He caught the attention of Lions safety Rock Ya-Sin and cornerback Terrion Arnold. Following a run, all three were pushing and shoving. 

-- Dee Eskridge made a nice grab on a seam toss from Tua. He had a slight bobble. but held his concentration to secure the reception with D.J. Reed in coverage. 

-- After a special teams period, Tua found Malik Washington for a touchdown that ignited the Dolphins bench and his teammates. Brian Branch had a rare missed tackle and Washington beat Ya-Sin. Following the rep, the Dolphins offense certainly let the veteran defensive back know they weren't impressed with his coverage at all. 

-- The highlight of the day for the Dolphins was a touchdown toss from Tua to Dee Eskridge with Reed in coverage. 

-- The Dolphins offensive line continued to have problems with Aidan Hutchinson. If the plays were allowed to continue, the former No. 2 overall pick would have recorded four or five sacks. 

-- The end of the Dolphins saw a situational period with the team down four with less than a minute remaining. 

-- Tua tossed an incomplete pass to No. 18 and then checked it down to No. 5. 

-- On third down, Tua threw behind No. 82. The end of practice saw Brian Branch secure a pass breakup against Black and the Dolphins failing to get into the end zone.