Tannehill, Gase Happy To See Parker Return To Dolphins Practice
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DAVIE (CBSMiami) – Following a poor performance in the team's first intrasquad scrimmage on Saturday, quarterback Ryan Tannehill and the Miami Dolphins offense has been focused on bouncing back.
While it's still early in Training Camp, the Dolphins know that they need to have a better showing when they take the field on Friday for preseason game number one against the New York Giants.
Tannehill is entering his fifth season leading Miami's offense, but is learning a new system for the third time in that span after seeing former coordinators Mike Sherman and Bill Lazor get fired after two years apiece running the show.
Coming off such a poor performance in the offense's first opportunity to show what it can do, the unit wanted to come out on Tuesday and perform properly.
"We didn't play well," Tannehill said of the scrimmage. "We didn't play well anywhere on the offensive side of the ball from top to bottom – from ones, twos or threes. We didn't play well. We didn't come out. We didn't execute. We got dominated upfront. We wanted to respond and come out and correct the things that we didn't do well that day, and I think today we showed that we can bounce back and come out and play the way we want to play."
The difference was noticed by head coach Adam Gase, who calls the offensive plays and is known as a coach who specializes on that side of the ball.
"I thought today was one of those days were I felt like he came out with a purpose and was very aggressive as far as he was chirping a little bit out there, especially amongst our guys," Gase said of Tannehill. "I think he was more focused on our group, just really preaching what we've been talking about like sticking with our process, positive plays [and] getting completions. I thought he did a good job of when we did get some pressure, he got rid of the ball (and) wasn't trying to hang on anything. Today was a good day for him as far as, I felt I saw some growth there as far as his personality coming out and taking control of the offense."
After the scrimmage Tannehill said that he addressed the offense and while he didn't disclose exactly what was discussed, he said that they already knew it wasn't acceptable and that corrections had to be made.
It may have been just one practice to another but there was certainly a difference between Saturday's scrimmage and Tuesday's workout.
"I think the guys came out with purpose, with intensity, with enthusiasm and executed," Tannehill said. "That's what it comes down to – coming out, pushing the tempo, pushing each other and executing. I think we did that today."
A big positive that came on Tuesday was the return of wide receiver DeVante Parker from a hamstring injury.
Receiver is possibly the deepest position on Miami's roster and having Parker healthy is essential to the unit being well-rounded.
"It's nice to have DeVante back," Tannehill said. [In] that two-minute drive, I threw the comeback to him, got him back in the huddle, and I said, 'Man, it's nice to have you back.' It's one of those things. He's a good player. He stretches the field for us. You put him on one side, Kenny [Stills] on the other side, Jarvis [Landry] in the middle and we have three really dynamic playmakers. When you take [Parker] out of the equation, obviously it's a little bit tougher. It's nice to have him on the field. That's where we want him."
The only person happier than Tannehill to see Parker back on the field was…Parker.
"I'm not sure how many [days] it was but yes, it was a long wait," Parker said. Coach [Gase] and everybody wanted to make sure that I was 100 percent when I came back. You don't want to come right in and rush into anything so you have to be patient with it."
He may have some catching up to do with his offensive teammates but there is still over a month to go until Miami's Week 1 matchup with Seattle.
That gives Parker and Tannehill some time to work on their on-field chemistry, something that will be crucial to the success of the Dolphins offense.
"I feel like we have good chemistry," Parker said of Tannehill. "Even though I missed a couple of days of practice, I still feel like the chemistry is still there."
As for Gase, he understands that having a big-bodied receiver like Parker, who also has speed and good hands, only helps make his quarterback better.
"I mean he's a big man that can move," Gase said. "So when you throw a ball down the field, he can either go get it or if you underthrow a ball, he can make it right. You have room for error as a quarterback and those kind of guys, there's not a ton of them."