Tua Tagovailoa might have been out with a non-COVID-related sickness for Tuesday’s apply of organized workforce actions, however the Miami Dolphins quarterback has nonetheless been receiving vital reward from his new coach, Mike McDaniel, and prime large receiver, Tyreek Hill, through the offseason periods.
“I’ve seen a guy that’s attacking the moment,” stated McDaniel in his pre-practice press convention, “a guy that really likes to play football.”
Tuesday’s OTA session was the second open to the media after Tagovailoa impressed within the first one every week earlier. Among the third-year signal-caller’s prime passes that day, a deep throw with some arc excessive of the protection to Preston Williams down the sideline and one other intermediate one with zip to the surface, the place tight finish Mike Gesicki was hit in stride.
At the Dolphins’ subsequent apply, Tagovailoa was given the workforce’s orange jersey, which signifies the apply participant of the day from the earlier session and permits him to play workforce DJ, controlling the music that’s performed throughout apply.
McDaniel lauded Tagovailoa’s instincts with which he performs quarterback, which was one thing he at all times heard about whereas he was offensive coordinator and run-game coordinator with the San Francisco 49ers throughout Tagovailoa’s first two NFL seasons and school profession at Alabama.
“Now I have a better idea of what that meant, but I still don’t have a better way to describe it besides instinctiveness,” McDaniel stated. “You can tell the player has played the position for a long time and that he thinks about the game of football through the lens of the quarterback position. I’ve been very excited about his development as far as the offensive plan and being the starting quarterback for the Miami Dolphins.”
Hill is transitioning in Miami from having arguably the NFL’s prime quarterback in Patrick Mahomes with the Kansas City Chiefs to now enjoying with Tagovailoa, who continues to be looking for his footing as an expert after two up-and-down seasons.
Nonetheless, Hill has been impressed catching passes from the left-hander whose arm energy has been criticized in NFL circles.
“At first, I thought it was going to be something crazy — the ball going all over the place — but Tua actually has probably one of the prettiest balls I’ve ever caught in my life. It’s very catchable,” Hill stated.
While Tagovailoa acquired flack earlier than organized workforce actions over a video of an underthrown apply cross to Hill, Hill rushed to his protection days later and posted a video of a number of finer throws from his new quarterback. He has backed up his arm energy in interviews.
“I just feel like football is all about confidence, and I’m very confident in my quarterback,” stated Hill, who was a Pro Bowl choice in all six of his NFL seasons with the Chiefs. “I just feel like if I’m able to help him get all the confidence in the world and push other guys to push that confidence into him, then the sky’s the limit for the guy because he’s a heck of a talent, has crazy arm strength, arm talent. … We’re all excited just to watch him sling the ball each and every day.”
Dolphins offensive coordinator Frank Smith and quarterbacks coach Darrell Bevell have additionally stated this offseason that Tagovailoa possesses adequate arm energy to make all of the throws vital.
Veteran security Eric Rowe has observed Tagovailoa taking management of the offense as he heads into Year 3, whilst he learns a brand new offense beneath McDaniel.
“You can tell he’s made offseason growth with his arm and his accuracy,” Rowe stated. “Obviously, he’s learning another playbook, another offense. That’s rough for him, but he’s taking it like a champ, like a leader.”
With Tagovailoa lacking from Tuesday’s session, veteran backup Teddy Bridgewater and rookie seventh-round draft decide Skylar Thompson mixed for all of the workforce’s throws. The Dolphins have been down to 2 quarterbacks on Tuesday. They beforehand had 4, however Chris Streveler was waived in a corresponding transfer when Miami formally signed cross rusher Melvin Ingram.
The protection had its method in opposition to Miami’s offense in workforce parts of apply, however Thompson, a Kansas State alum, related on an extended ball to Braylon Sanders, an undrafted rookie out of Ole Miss. Bridgewater hit Hill on a deep slant for about 30 yards, and Thompson additionally had a connection in stride over the center with Hill that resulted in yards after the catch.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com