It’s here my friends. The first Miami Dolphins preseason game is this Thursday at Hard Rock against the Buccaneers. We get to see our team take the field. It’s time for the younger players and/or those fighting for a roster spot, to show they are deserve to be on the 53 man roster. It’s also the time, as a fan, where we’re crossing our fingers and praying that players make it through the game injury free. One thing for sure is I hope we play better than the scrimmage game from Saturday. If you followed the game from Saturday on Twitter/FB, you may have had a similar reaction as I did. What happened to the game? Why are they not showing it anymore? Yeah, well by now, you’ve probably read that Gase ended the game a bit early. Actually just after an hour of playing due to the amount of pre-snap penalties. Here is Gase’s post-game press conference https://www.miamidolphins.com/video/adam-gase-stadium-scrimmage-press-conference He starts off by saying, “The only thing I noticed was the pre-snap penalities. We’ve just got to get that cleaned up.” There have already been several articles written about that game, but here are my quick thoughts on it. Defense stood out. Way too many penalties. Was the game that big of a deal? Not really. It was more or less to get them ready for upcoming game on Thursday. However, penalties were a major issue for us last season. We were one of the worst penalized teams in 2017. Combine that with Cutler’s weekly performances, most games were spent taking long deep breathes while trying not to slam your head against the table. The Dolphins have today and tomorrow to prepare before Thursday’s game. I’m hoping to see a bit more action and a lot less penalty calls. I’m only bringing this player up again, because this was a highlight of the week. If you enjoy a good craft beer, or just a cold beer, and find yourself near Funky Buddha Brewery (Oakland Park, FL) you must try the Landry’s Tears special release. Curious of the taste? Well, as described, “It’s sour, bitter, and just a little bit salty.” https://funkybuddhabrewery.com/news-and-events/news/landrys-tears-gose-special-release If you do get to try one, please comment or tweet at me. It will be available on draft in their tap room for the Dolphins game this Thursday. Let’s briefly discuss the depth chart that the Miami Dolphins released Sunday morning. I’m not too worried about it. They are required to have one before the preseason opening game. One example from it is Gesicki (quickly becoming my favorite rookie player) listed as the 5th tight end. I’m not going to hold much value in this based on that alone. It will change. Gase stated at today’s post-practice interview, “I wouldn’t look too deep into the depth chart.” Gase was asked why Drake and Gore were listed as OR on the chart and his response, “Just to be an a**hole.” Like I said, don’t pay much attention to that chart. I mentioned last week I want to highlight players/plays of the week. Mike Geseiki, had another great week at training camp and showing each day he wants that starting TE position. However, this week I want to highlight CB Xavien Howard. Howard had a slower start to training camp, but as Joe Schad tweeted on Thursday, he seems to be showing he wants to be a top CB this 2018 season. Xavien Howard has 3 interceptions at Miami Dolphins practice today. He appears to me to be a legit #1 CB for 2018. — Joe Schad (@schadjoe) August 2, 2018 Xavien Howard’s name was filling up my Twitter feed after his three interceptions from Thursday’s practice. Howard said during his post-practice interview, “I’m going out there getting better each day.” He continued with, “It’s having the confidence in yourself. You got to think you’re the best every day.” Howard really started to show his skills towards the end of 2017 season and he is making his presence known this 2018 season. Like the Miami Dolphins tweeted last week, don’t sleep on Xavien Howard. He's making his presence known in Training Camp. ❌ Don't sleep on @IAmXavienHoward. ❌ pic.twitter.com/tVU6ChUirH — Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) August 2, 2018 What are you hoping to see on Thursday’s game? Personally, I’m wondering if Fales or Osweiler will get more playing time at quarterback. As a fan, do you try to watch the pre-season games or just read the next day reports? We’re just 34 days until the first 2018 regular season game. I hope you all enjoyed your last non-football weekend of 2018.<doc-sep>The Miami Dolphins are four days away from their first preseason game for 2018. The team is getting ready to actually return to the field in a full game situation following their annual scrimmage yesterday. The Dolphins will only hold two practices this week, hitting their Davie facilities on Monday and Tuesday before an off day on Wednesday leading into Thursday night’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Another step in the preparation for the opening game of the preseason for the Dolphins is the release of the team’s first depth chart. Things will obviously change between now and the start of the regular season, but the first depth chart also gives us a chance to see what the coaches are thinking when it comes to the roster. The Dolphins used “or” in a few places on the depth chart, such as the starting running back. To reflect that, both players are listed in the higher slot on the depth chart, then that spot is blank in the lower of the slots. Once a position has been exhausted of players, “None” is listed. First Team WR: DeVante Parker LT: Laremy Tunsil LG: Josh Sitton C: Daniel Kilgore RG: Jesse Davis RT: Ja’Wuan James TE: MarQueis Gray QB: Ryan Tannehill RB: Kenyan Drake / Frank Gore WR: Danny Amendola WR: Kenny Stills DE: Cameron Wake DT: Jordan Phillips / Davon Godchaux DT: Akeem Spence DE: Robert Quinn LB: Kiko Alonso LB: Raekwon McMillan LB: Stephone Anthony CB: Xavien Howard CB: Bobby McCain S: Reshad Jones S: T.J. McDonald K: Jason Sanders P: Matt Haack LS: John Denney KOR: Jakeem Grant PR: Jakeem Grant Second Team WR: Jakeem Grant LT: Zach Sterup LG: Ted Larsen C: Jake Brendel RG: Isaac Asiata RT: Sam Young TE: A.J. Derby QB: David Fales / Brock Osweiler RB: WR: Isaiah Ford WR: Albert Wilson DE: William Hayes DT: DT: Vincent Taylor DE: Charles Harris LB: Jerome Baker LB: Chase Allen LB: Terence Garvin CB: Torry McTyer CB: Cordrea Tankersley S: Maurice Smith S: Minkah Fitzpatrick K: Greg Joseph P: None LS: Lucas Gravelle KOR: Senorise Perry PR: Danny Amendola Third Team WR: Leonte Carroo LT: Eric Smith LG: Connor Hilland C: Mike Matthews RG: None RT: David Steinmetz TE: Gavin Escobar QB: RB: Senorise Perry WR: Drew Morgan WR: Rashawn Scott DE: Andre Branch DT: Gabe Wright DT: Jamiyus Pittman DE: Cameron Malveaux LB: Mike Hull LB: Quentin Poling LB: Frank Ginda CB: Tony Lippett CB: Jalen Davis S: Jordan Lucas S: Walt Aikens K: None P: None LS: None KOR: Albert Wilson PR: Albert Wilson Fourth Team WR: Francis Owusu LT: Roubbens Joseph LG: None C: None RG: None RT: None TE: Thomas Duarte QB: Brice Petty RB: Kalen Ballage WR: None WR: Malcolm Lewis DE: Jonathan Woodard DT: None DT: Anthony Moten DE: Claudy Mathieu LB: Cayson Collins LB: None LB: None CB: Taveze Calhoun CB: Cornell Armstrong S: Trae Elston S: None K: None P: None LS: None KOR: Kalen Ballage PR: Drew Morgan Fifth Team WR: None LT: None LG: None C: None RG: None RT: None TE: Mike Gesicki QB: None RB: Brandon Radcliff WR: None WR: None DE: None DT: None DT: None DE: Quincy Redmon LB: None LB: None LB: None CB: Johnathan Alston CB: None S: None S: None K: None P: None LS: None KOR: Torry McTyer PR: Kenyan Drake Sixth Team WR: None LT: None LG: None C: None RG: None RT: None TE: Durham Smythe QB: None RB: Buddy Howell WR: None WR: None DE: None DT: None DT: None DE: None LB: None LB: None LB: None CB: None CB: None S: None S: None K: None P: None LS: None KOR: Kenyan Drake PR: None Thoughts There are obviously going to be adjustments to the depth chart as the Dolphins move the rookies up throughout the summer and once the season starts. For example, Gesicki and Smythe should jump ahead of Escobar and Duarte before the preseason is over, with both pushing Gray and Derby for the top two spots on the depth chart. At wide receiver, Carroo is already starting to get buried, which is not a good sign for him. Head coach Adam Gase said of Carroo last week, “He has to just keep battling. He can’t look at what anybody is saying, depth chart or however you want to look at it, how many reps – just keep playing football. He knows that preseason games are where his best opportunities are going to come.” Lippett being behind McTyer is interesting; McTyer has been having a good camp and this could be a reflection of that or how the coaches want to bring Lippett along slowly after his injury last year. Nothing else feels like a big surprise.<doc-sep>
As the Dolphins approach their first preseason game and have their initial depth chart out, coach Adam Gase warned against making any judgments this early. With more than a month until the start of the regular season, he’s in no rush to start narrowing down position battles. "It can go all the way to the wire," he said after this morning’s practice. "That’s the competition part of it. That’s why you want guys to just keep competing every day. You never want to have a guy feel relaxed and say ‘Hey, I’ve got it.’ You don’t want that mindset. "Most guys don’t have that mindset in this league. You just keep competing every day. That’s why every year we start, we say the same thing. Nobody cares about what you did last year. Nobody cares about how many years you’ve been in the league. It’s a fresh start and you have to go prove it all over again." At wide receiver, for example, the Dolphins are likely to carry six players into the season. Four of those spots are absolutely locked down by Kenny Stills, Danny Amendola, DeVante Parker and Albert Wilson, plus Jakeem Grant is a near-certainty. That essentially leaves one opening for a competition among Leonte Carroo, Isaiah Ford, Rashawn Scott, Malcolm Lewis and others. But rather than straight-up tell those players that they’re battling each other, which they might already realize anyway, Gase wants them to concentrate solely on their own performance. When asked about Scott, he praised him for not worry about roster situations like that. "He doesn’t look around," Gase said. "He’s not worried about anybody else but himself. I’ve always appreciated that about him since he’s been here." [Dolphins' Cordrea Tankersley is in a fierce battle for starting job at cornerback] [Dolphins LT Laremy Tunsil is out to prove he can be great] [It's a really big year for Dolphins CB Xavien Howard] Check out The Palm Beach Post's Miami Dolphins page on Facebook.