Miami Dolphins Training Camp: Chris Johnson, Kevin Coleman Jr. Stand Out
The Miami Dolphins were back in full pads Tuesday for another training camp practice, and for most of the day, I thought the defense got the better of the offense. Among the Dolphins training camp standouts, rookie cornerback Chris Johnson made the biggest impression on me.
The offense did finish practice with some excitement. Kevin Coleman Jr. scored twice, Malik Willis made another play outside of structure, and there were more encouraging signs from Miami’s young receiving group.
Chris Johnson continues to impress
I found myself watching Johnson a lot Tuesday, especially once the Dolphins got into the red zone. I really liked what I saw from him there today and, honestly, what I’ve been seeing from him in those situations throughout camp.
When you get down in the red zone and the field becomes condensed, everything happens quicker. That’s where Johnson continues to impress me.
He broke up passes intended for Caleb Douglas and Malik Washington. On another rep, he stayed with AJ Henning down the field and used the sideline to take away the available throwing lane.
Johnson doesn’t seem to panic. He stays patient, trusts his feet, and consistently puts himself in position to make a play on the football. The Dolphins moved him around Tuesday, too, giving him work outside and in the nickel.
I’ve said it before, but I like Johnson inside a little bit more right now. He seems more comfortable there, and you really see his skill set show up when he’s playing in the nickel. His footwork, short-area quickness, and football IQ stand out when he’s working inside. The more I watch him there, the more I can see why the Dolphins like him in that role.
Tuesday was one of his better practices of camp.
Kevin Coleman Jr. makes an immediate impact
It was also good to see Coleman back on the field, and he didn’t waste much time making an impact.
Coleman scored his first touchdown after Cam Miller got outside the pocket. Instead of giving up on the play, Coleman kept working, found space near the back of the end zone, and gave Miller somewhere to go with the football.
Later, we saw something similar with Willis. Max Llewellyn got pressure off the edge and forced Willis to escape to his left. Willis kept the play alive, threw back across his body, and found Coleman for another touchdown. Willis then connected with Malik Washington on the 2-point conversion.
The two touchdowns were great, but what stood out to me was how Coleman got them. Both times the play broke down, Coleman kept working. That’s something I really like about his game.
Coleman also had a key block on another play, fitting right in with Jeff Hafley’s “no block, no rock” message to his receivers. Overall, it was a really encouraging day for Coleman in his return.
Chris Bell takes another step
Chris Bell also took another step forward Tuesday. After participating in individual drills Monday, Bell moved into 11-on-11 work Tuesday while still wearing the red noncontact jersey.
Bell worked with multiple quarterbacks and eventually received reps with Willis and the first-team offense. He wasn’t targeted, but there were a couple of routes where I thought he created some nice separation. One that stood out came when he beat press coverage outside, although the quarterback eventually pulled the ball down and ran.
I’m not worried about Bell getting targets right now. For me, it’s about seeing him back on the field, seeing him move, and watching him continue to progress.
There’s no reason to rush him. Going from individual work Monday to 11-on-11 reps Tuesday is another positive step, and it’s encouraging for a young Dolphins receiving room that suddenly has some interesting pieces.
More Dolphins Training Camp Standouts on Defense
There were a few other things defensively that caught my attention, starting with Chop Robinson’s strength showing up again near the goal line.
On a designed run for Willis, Robinson powered through Austin Jackson, put the right tackle on the ground and blew up the play before it had much of a chance to get started. That’s something we’ve continued to see from Robinson throughout camp. He looks stronger.
Llewellyn was another player I kept noticing. He won multiple one-on-one pass-rush reps and, during team periods, consistently made the quarterbacks move off their spots.
With Zach Sieler and Kenneth Grant unavailable, Zeek Biggers received additional work with the first-team defense and had some positive plays Tuesday.
Kyle Louis continues to be interesting, too. We saw him working with the safeties again during individual drills, and he also received work there during team periods. The Dolphins continue to move him around and see just how much they can do with him.
Grant will remain out for the rest of the week. Sieler is considered week to week, but coach Jeff Hafley said the veteran isn’t in danger of missing the season opener.
The Dolphins will hold a joint practice with the New York Giants on Thursday.
