MIAMI GARDENS — Edge rusher Chop Robinson recorded two sacks and the Dolphins defense smothered the run game as the team held its ninth practice of training camp — and its first this season at Hard Rock Stadium.
Robinson’s second sack ended the first-team offense’s attempt at scoring in an end-of-half scenario, punctuating a dominant day for the defensive front. The second-year pass rusher said he has focused on adding a power element to complement his trademark speed.
“Just my speed off the edge, I know a lot of guys are going to try to cut that off,” Robinson said. “So, me being able to counter in and work on that, it’ll help my game for sure… I could use more power moves instead of me just running off the edge and stuff like that.”
Defensive lineman Jordan Phillips anchored the run defense by stacking up blocks, freeing rookie inside linebacker Jacob Rodriguez to rack up tackles across the field. Center Aaron Brewer praised Rodriguez’s physicality.
“He’s a dawg, like he be flying around,” Brewer said. “He plays physical, plays with his hands. He’s a real-life football player. As everybody has seen him from college and from what we’ve seen in training camp now, he’s a dog and he has all of my trust.”
Quarterback Malik Willis provided the offense’s highlights with his legs and his arm. He completed two passes of 20-plus yards while throwing on the move — one to wide receiver Tutu Atwell and another to tight end Seydou Traore — and scored a rushing touchdown after his first three reads were covered.
“First, second, third read were gloved,” Willis said. “I try to get to my fourth read. Chop won inside late on (Austin Jackson) and just got outside and looked for our fourth read to move around, but it just so happened somebody took him, so I just ran it in. Works out like that sometimes. All you can do is be grateful.”
Before practice, Willis addressed the offense about maintaining a standard regardless of the competitive setting. “We’re not calling plays to beat the defense. We’re calling plays that we want to use throughout the year, and we’re trying to get better at those plays… That’s what it’s about, building confidence in those things. So when we get in those moments and we need them, we just revert to our training,” Willis said.
Quarterbacks Quinn Ewers and Cam Miller both connected on deep shots. Ewers found wide receivers Terrace Marshall Jr. and Tahj Washington — who caught multiple passes at all three levels — for plays of 50-plus yards. Miller dropped a deep ball to wide receiver Donavon McCulley, who held on despite a hit from the safety. Cornerback Ethan Robinson notched the day’s lone takeaway with an interception off Miller.
Cornerback Jason Marshall Jr. had his hands on the ball several times in a competitive back-and-forth with rookie wide receiver Caleb Douglas, who also made several catches of his own.
The Dolphins are off Sunday and return to the field Monday for another open practice at the Baptist Health Training Complex, starting at 9:30 a.m. Admission and parking are free for all training camp practices.