Miami Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley said Trey Moore, Ronnie Harrison Jr. and Ollie Gordon II left the Aug. 22 preseason game and did not return. Hafley said he did not yet know the severity of Moore’s injury and planned to consult with the trainers after the postgame media availability. “Trey (Moore), Ronnie (Harrison Jr.) and Ollie (Gordon II) all left the game,” Hafley said.
Hafley said Moore walked off the field before the coach grabbed Kyle Johnston. He declined to offer a long-term outlook before receiving more information from the trainers. “It’s unfortunate. It’s part of the game. So we’ll see what happens and hopefully we’ll get him back soon,” Hafley said.
Quarterback evaluation remains unsettled
Cam Miller played extensively in the first half, while Mark Gronowski played most of the second half. Hafley said the quarterbacks were difficult to evaluate because the Miami Dolphins dropped passes, made poor decisions and experienced protection issues. He said he needed to review the film before making a fuller assessment.
Hafley said the team was evaluating players competing for depth and positions on the 53-man roster. He cited multiple self-inflicted mistakes, including two special teams holding penalties, a fumble near the goal line and a shanked punt. The Dolphins also had a false start, a wide receiver holding penalty, a fumbled snap, an illegal gunner penalty, a third-down pass interference penalty, a failure to convert third-and-one and a dropped punt.
“Just the details aren’t good enough right now,” Hafley said. “We’re not where we need to be.” He credited the defense for handling short fields, producing stops, holding the opponent to field goals and playing physically. Steve Dix Jr. started the entire second half after meeting with Hafley that morning and receiving play-call instructions during the game.
Hafley praises defense during joint practice
Hafley said the defense had one of its better days during the joint practice, citing physical play, strong run defense, pressure on the quarterback and an aggressive approach. He said the offense moved the ball early, including a De’Von Achane run and a checkdown pass that could have produced explosive plays. Hafley said the opposing pass rush caused problems later in the session.
Chris Bell remained in a red jersey and had not been cleared for contact. Bell participated in a pregame routine but was not going to play, and Hafley said the players would be off the following day while he discussed Bell’s status with the trainers. “He’s still in the red jersey. So when he takes his red jersey off, he’ll be cleared for contact and we’ll be ready to go,” Hafley said.
Running back competition continues
Hafley said Ollie Gordon II, Jaylen Wright and Carlos Washington Jr. ran hard while competing for roles behind De’Von Achane. Wright had a kick return, Gordon had several runs and Washington appeared to break an explosive run that was negated by a holding penalty. Hafley said he wanted to review the film before making a fuller assessment.
Kevin Coleman Jr. made some nice catches, competed and received five targets. Hafley said Coleman had also been competitive in practice, while explaining that target distribution depended on the defense and quarterback reads. “I thought he made some nice catches. I thought he was competitive,” Hafley said.
Hafley described a player’s waiver as a standard transaction and said the player arrived that morning without knowing the team before receiving calls in the huddle. He also said he had just learned about a halftime transaction involving Jai’Onte McMillan and planned to speak with Jon-Eric Sullivan. The Dolphins coach said the team wanted to get the ball to Coleman, but the final evaluation would wait for a film review.
Source: Original report