Dolphins Have Second Set of Joint Practices
The Miami Dolphins have their second set of joint practices firmed up for 2023 and, as expected, those will come against the Houston Texans.
The Dolphins and Texans will practice with/against each other on Wednesday, Aug. 16 and Thursday, Aug. 17, ahead of the teams' Aug. 19 preseason game at NRG Stadium, according to FOX reporter Mark Berman.
The pairing of the Dolphins and Texans made sense all along considering that Miami head coach Mike McDaniel and new Houston head coach DeMeco Ryans were colleagues as assistants for the San Francisco 49ers.
The joint practices will make for an even nicer Houston homecoming for Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard and wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, as well as provide a look at former Miami first-round pick Laremy Tunsil. The Texans offensive tackle, selected by the Dolphins with the 13th overall pick in the 2016 draft, last played for Miami in 2108 before being traded in a mega deal that a tremendous return.
The Texans are coming off a 3-13-1 season under former head coach Lovie Smith and selected QB C.J. Stroud and edge defender Will Anderson with the second and third overall picks in the 2023 NFL draft after orchestrating a trade for the No. 3 pick.
Anderson played at Alabama, where he was teammates with Waddle in 2020.
This will mark the third consecutive year the Dolphins have joint practices away from South Florida, after working with the Chicago Bears in 2021 and with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last year.
THE FIRST JOINT PRACTICE
The Dolphins also will hold joint practices this summer with the Atlanta Falcons on Aug. 8-9, leading into the Dolphins' Aug. 11 preseason opener at Hard Rock Stadium.
Practices will be open to the fans at the team's Baptist Health Training Complex, which is located in Miami Gardens.
The Dolphins previously hosted the Falcons in 2021 and had a couple of spirited practices with a Matt Ryan-led Falcons team. During those practices, tight end Kyle Pitts, who was then a rookie, showcased game-changing potential against safety Eric Rowe, and Miami's offensive line struggled for most of those practices.
Along with practicing with the Buccaneers last summer, the Dolphins also had a joint practice with the Philadelphia Eagles at the Baptist Health Training Complex. The second scheduled joint practice was canceled when a stomach bug went around the Dolphins locker room, though the Eagles practiced in Miami on that second day.
