Dolphins practice report: Who impressed, who didn’t and notes from Thursday’s session

News, notes and observations from Thursday’s Dolphins training camp practice:

▪ This was the Tua Tagovailoa/Tyreek Hill show, as is often the case during regular season games. They connected on at least six completions during 11 on 11 drills, on a day that new defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver experimented with different blitzes. Only one went for a long gain.

The defense wasn’t totally helpless to stop them; Miami’s defenders had a couple of nice plays before or during Tagovialoa targets to Hill.

Benito Jones and Zach Sieler appeared to sack Tagovailoa on one play, but Tagovailoa threw anyway and delivered a perfect 40-yard throw to Hill, who beat Kader Kohou for the long completion. On another play, there appeared to be miscommunication between Tagovailoa and Hill and the ball fell incomplete.

On another play, Kohou knocked away an 8-yard pass to Hill during 11 on 11 drills. Then Quinton Bell and Zach Sieler limited Hill to a four-yard gain on another play. And Jordyn Brooks broke up a Tagovailoa throw to Hill in red zone drills.

So while many Tagovailoa to Hill completions had solid gains, there were a couple where the defense asserted itself.

This was overall a good day for the Dolphins’ $212 million quarterback. Tagovailoa beat Ethan Bonner for a nifty 10-yard sideline completion to Jaylen Waddle. He also hit Julian Hill on a 34-yard TD throw in what appeared to be a busted coverage; Kendall Lamm had good protection on the play against Quinton Bell.

Late in practice, Tagovailoa hit Waddle in the back of the end zone; Ethan Bonner was beaten on the play. But Quinton Bell might have had a sack on the play.

Tagovailoa then hit De’Von Achane for another TD later in red zone drills; nobody was close to the Dolphins running back. And Tagovailoa hit Ja’Quan Burton for another TD in red zone drills.

Tagovailoa targeted Pro Bowl cornerback Jalen Ramsey three times in the final minute of practice and connected on two of them, including one for a long Waddle touchdown.

Here’s how those three plays went: Ramsey prevented a completion from Tagovailoa to River Cracraft during the final 30 seconds of practice. But then Tagovailoa nailed a terrific throw to Cracraft, who beat Ramsey on the crossing pattern.

And then Tagovailoa hit Waddle on a splendid 43-yard pass in the final 10 seconds of practice, beating Ramsey.

One more note on the Dolphins’ QB: Tagovailoa, who lost weight, should theoretically be better on quarterback scrambles this year. He ran up the middle for a first down on a 3rd and 5.

▪ Quick observation of receiver Willie Snead Jr., who signed on Wednesday: He doesn’t seem as explosive or move as well as earlier in career. Mike White completed a 10-yard pass to him in one sequence.

▪ Several Dolphins weren’t seen at practice: running back Salvon Ahmed, cornerback Cam Smith, linebacker Anthony Walker, safety Jordan Poyer, receiver Erik Ezukanma, tight end Jonnu Smith and defensive lineman Neville Gallimore.

Smith has a lower body injury and is expected back at some point in August, per Mike McDaniel. Smith has been alternating practice days.

Terron Armstead was limited to individual drills; he was sprinting on the far field while players practiced on the other field.

▪De’Von Achane wore the orange jersey awarded to the player who stood out most from the previous practice session.

▪ Bonner had a tough day after a strong first week of camp.

▪ Former Bills cornerback Siran Neal intercepted a Skylar Thompson pass to Malik Washington in 1 on 1 drills.

▪ Also in 1 on 1s, Hill beat Jalen Ramsey for a touchdown on a throw from Tagovailoa. But Ramsey also punched the ball away from Hill in another sequence, preventing a touchdown.

▪ Jaelan Phillips is running full speed in his rehab work. Bradley Chubb has been watching practice but hasn’t been spotted doing any running, at least not during the time when reporters can watch.

▪ Wisconsin rookie cornerback Jason Maitre continues to have some good moments. He tackled River Cracraft short of the end zone on a Skylar Thompson throw in red zone drills.

▪ In 11 on 11 drills, Raheem Mostert turned the corner on a long run. His snaps are being monitored in camp

▪ Emmanuel Ogbah snuffed out a Waddle run on an end-around for a short gain. Ogbah continues to perform very well in camp.

▪ Rookie fifth-round pick Washington couldn’t hold onto a low pass from Thompson.

▪ Teair Tart snuffed out a Jaylen Wright run for a short gain. Tart and Benito Jones remain in competition for the starting nose tackle job; that battle remains too close to call.

▪ A 15-yard bullet from Tagovalioa to Tyreek Hill was nullified by an illegal shift.

▪ Achane burst up the middle for a sizable gain. Rob Jones and Kendall Lamm had solid blocks on the play.

▪ While some other veterans sit out practice as part of a team-authorized maintenance program, Ramsey has participated consistently in 11 on 11 drills and runs to plays even away from him.

▪ Chris Brooks had a nice inside zone run. He’s had a generally quiet camp.

▪ Jevon Holland sacked Tagovailoa on a blitz, but there was a holding penalty on the defense.

▪ False starts were a problem on Thursday; Lamm had one of them. Weaver experimented with several blitz packages, which caused some of the issues with false starts.

▪ Mo Kamara sacked Mike White during 11 on 11 work. The rookie pass rusher continues to flash.

▪ Nik Needham broke up a White pass to Washington, who hasn’t distinguished himself so far.

▪ Curtis Bolton tackled Wright close to the line of scrimmage for a short gain on a run. Bolton has flashed since joining the team last week.

▪ Thompson’s accuracy remains hit and miss. He was way off on a sideline throw to Achane but also delivered several nice throws, including a sideline pattern to River Cracraft.

▪ Jason Sanders connected on three field goals from 28 to 43 yards. But Ramsey nearly blocked one of them.

▪ Jeff Wilson Jr., who limped off Tuesday, was back at practice. Jonathan Harris limited him to no gain on one 3rd down run.

▪ Da’Shawn Hand and Chop Robinson shared a sack on Thompson, who couldn’t find an open receiver. Robinson continues to flash as a pass rusher but must show he’s trustworthy setting the edge in the run game.

▪ Jody Fortson Jr., the former Chiefs tight end, dropped a pass. Fortson hasn’t had a particularly strong start to camp.

▪ Quinton Bell beat Lamm for a sack. Bell, who had the clear edge in his matchup with Lamm on Thursday, continues to make a case for a significant role in September.

▪ Achane committed a holding penalty.

▪ On a throw from Mike White, River Cracraft caught a pass that initially bounced off his chest. Cracraft’s hands remain a reliable asset.

▪ Rob Jones and Lamm had a nice block on a sizable run by Raheem Mostert. Jones has had a very good camp in his bid for a starting job at guard.

▪ Mike White misfired on a pass to Tanner Conner in red zone drills.

▪ Duke Riley tackled Wilson for a loss on a running play in red zone drills.