Two practices with Falcons should help clarify the state of the Dolphins’ banged-up defense
When the Atlanta Falcons and their snazzy collection of offensive weapons practice against the Dolphins in Miami Gardens on Tuesday and Wednesday, it will either fuel concerns or allay worries about a Miami defense whose current collection of available players isn’t nearly as talented as the unit that took the field against Kansas City in Germany last year.
Since that one brief point in November when everyone was finally healthy, the Dolphins defense has sustained all kinds of losses — pass rushers Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb to serious injuries that have them still sidelined; cornerback Xavien Howard to injury and eventually, his release; and anchor Christian Wilkins to Las Vegas in free agency.
With Phillips and Chubb out (Phillips seems to be nearing a return), and starting safety Jordan
Poyer and linebackers Jordyn Brooks and Anthony Walker all out with undisclosed injuries, the current group will be under considerable stress against an offense as skilled as the Falcons’.
Where things stand with the defense heading into the two joint practices and Friday night’s preseason home game against Atlanta:
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Miami isn’t better than a year ago, not after losing Wilkins. But Calais Campbell has had a strong camp, and Benito Jones has been serviceable at nose tackle. The concern is that Teiar Tart wasn’t very good to begin camp before coming on strong the past two practices, including a sack Monday.
Tart likely has a higher ceiling than Jones, based on how each has played at his best in his NFL career. Miami needs Tart to stake a serious claim to Raekwon Davis’ old job.
Neville Gallimore flashed with a two-sack day last week, and Da’Shawn Hand and Isaiah
Mack have been impactful at times, but it’s questionable if this group is strong enough overall.
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When healthy, this group of David Long Jr., Brooks, Walker and Duke Riley is
Defensive tackle: Inside linebacker:
better than last year’s group of Long, Jerome Baker, Riley and Channing Tindall (who’s fighting for a roster spot with this group).
But Brooks and Walker are now sidelined and Long is on a maintenance program after dealing with a knee injury early in camp. Coach Mike McDaniel wouldn’t disclose the Brooks and Walker injuries but said they will be back “sooner than later.”
Outside linebacker:
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Quinton Bell and Emmanuel Ogbah have been very good throughout camp, easing concerns
that the Dolphins would be in a mess if Chubb is sidelined into October and if Phillips doesn’t play in the opener or begins the season on a pitch count.
The question, at least against Jacksonville and Buffalo in Weeks 1 and 2, is whether rookie firstrounder Chop Robinson can be counted on for more than a small package of pass-rushing snaps.
After struggling against the run early in camp, he might have turned a corner Saturday.
“You’ve got to set the edge in the run game and then be able to have fun
with pass rushing,” Robinson said. “I’ve been emphasizing that a lot — stopping the run and being an edge setter, and trying to get better at that every day.”
As a pass rusher, the impressive first step has been evident.
“A few [pass rush] moves I was working on in the offseason to see if they would work against better tackles, going from college to the league. I feel like I’ve been doing a good job of that. I’ve been perfecting those things.”
Safety: Poyer missed
● a fourth practice in a row
Monday (McDaniel declined to indicate the severity of his injury) but at least he’s ambulatory. He has played well in camp when he’s on the field, including at least one interception. The Poyer/Jevon Holland pairing holds great promise.
This week’s joint practices will offer a chance for Marcus Maye, Elijah Campbell and Nik Needham to stake a claim to the No. 3 job, which is Maye’s to lose.
Cornerback: Will a
● top backup boundary cornerback emerge this week? The clear front runner is Ethan Bonner, who has had a very solid camp and drawn raves from Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill. Cam Smith returned to practice Monday after missing a week with an injury but was limited to individual drills.
Kader Kohou — battling Needham and others for the nickel corner job — must still prove that he’s closer to his rookie form than last year’s incarnation. He has had a pretty strong camp, including a near interception Monday.
The Falcons will test Miami at all levels.
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell ranks Atlanta’s group of skill-position players 10th in the NFL; that group is led by running back Bijan
Robinson, receiver Drake London and tight end Kyle Pitts. And they have a much better quarterback this season, with Kirk Cousins replacing Desmond Ridder.
“You will see a couple teams really excited to play against somebody else,” McDaniel said. “It will be a breath of fresh air. It should be pretty intense and fun.”
BOWENS WILL JOIN RING OF HONOR
The Dolphins announced that defensive tackle Tim Bowens will become the 28th member of the team’s Ring of Honor and the first addition in 10 years.
“It was a shock,” he said during a media session Monday, after being introduced by Hall of Famer and former teammate Zach Thomas. “I’m thankful and grateful. It feels great to know people appreciate what you did.”
Bowens will be inducted at halftime of the Dolphins-Arizona Cardinals game Oct. 27 at Hard
Rock Stadium.
Drafted 20th overall in 1994, Bowens played his entire 11-year career with the Dolphins. He was named the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year and was selected to two Pro Bowls, in 1998 and 2002.
Bowens had 407 career tackles (296 solo) and 22 sacks, along with nine forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries, one interception and 21 passes defensed.
How did he maintain his sterling play? “A lot of beer,” he cracked. “Good genes, I guess.”
Bowens, 51, was added to the franchise’s Walk of Fame in 2012 and named to the Miami Dolphins 50th Season All-Time Team in 2015.
His 157 games played are 14th-most in Dolphins history. His 155 career starts rank sixth in team history and are the most by an interior defensive lineman.
Bowens played 104 straight games in 19942000 seasons, which is tied for the 10th-longest streak by a Dolphin. His 92 consecutive games started in 1994-99 is the fifth-longest streak in team history.