My favorite drill the Miami Dolphins are doing this training camp is perhaps the most important one relative to quarterback Ryan Tannehill that we've seen in a while.
Coach Adam Gase has installed a period for quarterback where he will take a shotgun snap, drop two steps, chop step to the right, chop step to the left, forward, backward and then throw the ball. A complementary drill has the QB dropping and moving around in what would be the pass pocket with several people around him swiping at the football in his hands.
"One, we're trying to create great habits for pocket presence," Gase said. "You try to make things as chaotic as possible so that during the game, it's just normal for them. So you're trying to create chaos as much as possible to make sure they feel that's how it could be in the game and they know how to handle it."
And I ask, what has been one of the significant critiques of Ryan Tannehill in the past?
Pocket presence. He hasn't often shown great instincts in the pocket. He hasn't often seemed to have that innate sense that trouble is coming and what to do about it, where to slide, where to throw, when to throw.
Gase has been working this drill with his QBs for years. I've never seen this drill in Miami the past four years.
If it addresses the issue that it is intended to -- ostensibly, improving Tannehill's pocket presence, this otherwise short drill could pay big dividends in 2016 and beyond.
Onto Saturday's practice ...
Dion Jordan did not practice but Gase confirmed he is in the building. Right now Jordan is following the protocols set by the league whereby he must walk through certain steps including setting up "clinical resources in Miami" to let him move forward with practice and preseason games.
"We're allowed to have certain conversations," Gase said. "He's allowed to do certain type of things that he's allowed to be around. We're taking things very slowly.
"We're on step one of like 500."
Gase said he has "no idea" when Jordan will practice.
On the field, Miami quarterbacks had their second consecutive day without an interception. Good for them.
Reshad Jones had a fine pass breakup of a Ryan Tannehill pass and that's good because he is a Pro Bowl player. Byron Maxwell had a good pass defensed on gadget play meant to fool the defense that didn't work.
In red zone, Kenny Still caught a TD pass from Ryan Tannehill that ended practice on an upbeat note for the quarterback and receiver. Stills, by the way, has been impressive since minicamp in June. He's opened some eyes since that time and has picked up this training camp where he left off.
The shifting and experimenting continued on the offensive line today.
Dallas Thomas, who worked at starting LG the first day of training camp, was on right side both with the first and second team.
Jermon Bushrod and rookie Laremy Tunsil both got first team left guard work.
There were hiccups ...
Ndamukong Suh had an offside call.
There was a defensive holding on Byron Maxwell in red zone.
I saw two bad snaps with the backups. Ryan Tannehill and center Mike Pouncey had a flubbed center exchange that led to Tannehill picking up the ball and running with it.
Kenyon Drake fumbled once.
Cameron Wake continues to work with the second-team defense. The starting defensive ends have been Mario Williams and Andre Branch. But Wake is getting his share of work. Today the team got 30-plus minutes of individual work and Wake participated in that.
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