Miami Dolphins Training Camp Practice 16 Observations: Team moves inside for last day

Couple of red zone touchdown passes, acrobatic INT highlight practice

Miami Dolphins safety Major Burns (43) works during practice at the Baptist Health Training Complex. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Miami Dolphins wrapped up their 2026 training camp with a practice that featured a first this summer, a move inside that was not caused by lightning in the area.

The Dolphins began outside as usual for special teams work and position drills, but then went into the Baptist Health Training Complex for their team periods, which focused heavily on red zone work and ended with a end-of-game situation.

The practice ended after Malik Willis completed a 20-yard pass to Malik Washington at the 1-yard line after Washington dove to make a great catch, but time running out on the offense as the players raced to the line of scrimmage to try to spike the ball.

The practice, with players in shells, featured a couple of highlight touchdown passes and the most impressive interception of camp.

Rookie wide receiver Chris Bell again did work in 11-on-11 periods, but it seemed as though he didn't get as many reps as he got Tuesday and the question remains whether he'll play in the preseason finale against the Atlanta Falcons. The best guess here is that Bell will play, but it will be a very brief appearance.

Former Dolphins defensive end Trace Armstrong, who is now an agent and represented head coach Jeff Hafley among others, attended practice.

ATTENDANCE REPORT

There was good news with the return of linebacker Jordyn Brooks, who got some team reps along with his positional work. Edge defender Cameron Goode and rookie tight end Seyou Traore also were back and got team reps, with Traore catching a pass from Quinn Ewers in a red zone period.

Edge Robert Beal Jr. practiced but did not do any team reps.

On the flip side, there were a couple of new names on the injury list, most notably rookie linebacker Jacob Rodriguez. He attended practice but did not participate. Running backs Ollie Gordon II and Donovan Edwards were not spotted at practice.

Defensive tackle Zach Sieler, edge Clelin Ferrell, tight end Will Kacmarek and defensive tackle Kenneth Grant again missed practice but were in attendance. Tight end Cole Turner, who was injured in practice Tuesday, was not at practice.

Rookie linebacker Trey Moore and linebacker Ronnie Harrison Jr. also didn't practice and were not spotted. Head coach Jeff Hafley provided an update on Moore's status before practice Tuesday.

PRACTICE HIGHLIGHTS AND OBSERVATIONS

-- The interception came courtesy of safety Major Burns on a pass from Ewers intended for wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr. Burns had good coverage all the way and jumped at the last second to pick off the pass as Ewers tried to loft it over him to the back of the end zone. This was more about a great defensive play than a bad pass.

-- Bell was targeted once and the result was an incompletion when he went deep down the right sideline and was well covered by A.J. Green III, with Ewers' pass landing out of bounds.

-- Ewers had an up-and-down practice, though it was better than most of his work this preseason. He overshot rookie Kevin Coleman Jr. along the sideline, though he was well covered by Alex Austin on the play.

-- Josh Uche got pressure on Malik Willis and forced him to scramble on the first snap of a red zone period.

-- Willis threw a beautiful touchdown pass in the corner of the end zone to rookie Caleb Douglas, who got himself past Austin with a gentle push in the back of the end zone, the kind of move that's technically not legal but was done discreetly enough to not draw a flag from the officials on hand. Props to the rookie on that one.

-- Thumbs down to Douglas, though, for failing to make the catch on a low pass from Willis down the middle. While it wasn't an easy catch, it wasn't anywhere near as high a degree of difficulty as the catch Washington made at the end of practice.

-- Willis had another touchdown pass, that one to Washington after he scrambled to his right on a play where Uche's bull rush pushed tackle Austin Jackson almost back into Willis' lap.

-- On the next snap, Chop Robinson beat Patrick Paul at the line, but Willis escaped the pocket and scrambled for a touchdown.

-- Defensive tackle Keith Cooper Jr., who's had himself a great camp, met Carlos Washington Jr. at the line of a running play.

-- Ewers' best throw came on a perfect fade to Terrace Marshall Jr. in the back of the end zone. Austin had good coverage on the play but was beaten by the perfect throw.

-- Willis had four consecutive completions late in practice until tight end Greg Dulcich ended the streak by dropping a perfect pass over the middle.

-- Rookie free agent Donovan McCulley had a really good contested catch on a pass from Ewers despite tight coverage by Ethan Bonner and instant contact once the ball got to his hands. McCulley has shown good hands throughout camp.