These are the top Miami Dolphins training camp storylines
MIAMI — Tua Tagovailoa sat at a desk in a high school classroom recently, pondering the advantages of what he's learned in one full season under coach Mike McDaniel, often orchestrating his offense with aplomb.
Tagovailoa was unwinding after an event at which he presented sports equipment to Miami Edison High School.
How does knowing the plays and knowing the offense, actually returning to the same system for a second consecutive season, impact his personal goal for the upcoming Miami Dolphins training camp?
"Try to get somewhere we've never been to as an offense," Tua said.
Consider that the Dolphins were second in the NFL in yards per offensive play last year.
Consider that the Dolphins were sixth in the NFL in offensive yards per game.
Tua + McDaniel equaled Miami's best offensive season since arguably 1994.
That was 28 years prior, with Marino and Shula and Fryer.
And yet Tua and surely McDaniel, too, believe there is more.
If Tua can stay healthy, Miami should look more like the team that began last season 8-3 than the team that finished 1-5 and with a playoff loss at Buffalo.
"I think we're definitely legit (AFC) contenders," Tua told The Post.
And he's right.
They should be there, right alongside Kansas City, Buffalo and Cincinnati.
Miami opens its training camp Wednesday in Miami Gardens.
But some training camp practices are not open to the public, and not that one, so make sure to check the Dolphins' team website, and make sure you have tickets before heading over.
Here are the top Dolphins training camp storylines we'll be watching in what figures to be a very intriguing and entertaining summer:
Tyreek Hill vs. Jalen Ramsey
They are two of the best and two of the most confident players in all of sport.
Neither Hill nor Ramsey did much in the spring, by design.
"Tyreek, he's got that mindset too," Ramsey said. "He's a dawg, he wants to go get it ... It'll be fun."
Tua's bigger and knows jiujitsu
When does Tua just throw the ball away to avoid a hit?
When does Tua use a special jujitsu fall technique to absorb the blow without injury?
There aren't many hits in the summer (a few preseason games, perhaps) but it will be interesting to see how Tua moves with added bulk and weight and how he practices his pledge to protect his health in 2023.
Related Tua Content: Tua surprises HS with equipment, tells Post: "We're definitely legit (AFC) contenders."
Connor Williams, Zach Sieler, Christian Wilkins contracts
Williams did not show up in the spring, clearly not satisfied with one year remaining on his contract.
Williams, a converted guard, has the eighth-highest cap hit among centers in the NFL in 2023, at $8.4 million.
It makes sense for Miami and Williams to land somewhere around $9.5 million-$10 million a year on an extension. But it's also in Williams' and Miami's best interests for him to report next week. Tua needs him back.
Wilkins participated in the spring. Sieler was there but watched.
WR3 battle: Chosen vs. Cedrick vs. Braxton vs. Ezukanma
Robbie Chosen (formerly Robbie Anderson, Robby Anderson and Chosen Anderson) really flashed some nice things in the spring and could have the inside track for WR3.
Miami should hold onto Cedrick Wilson until it's clear the Dolphins have made it through the summer without a key wide receiver injury or two.
Erik Ezukanma has made progress and Braxton Berrios has value as a slot weapon.
Third cornerback?
Kader Kohou was excellent as an undrafted Dolphins rookie last season.
But Miami's top draft pick in 2023 was athletic, explosive Cam Smith.
Smith will start training on the outside, as a potential backup to both Xavien Howard and Jalen Ramsey. Perhaps this gives Kohou a slot edge this summer.
Related Cam Smith Content Smith reports to Dolphins and he won't back down from any challenge
De'Von Achane Train
It was interesting that Tua told The Post that Achane is doing a good job learning his plays.
The rookie is very exciting, but no running back can play in the NFL until he proves trusted to block.
This summer should determine how many reps Achane takes from Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson in the fall.
Left guard, right tackle
Austin Jackson has the edge at right tackle and the Dolphins want to see if he can play as well as they thought he could before a season-ending injury last season. Jackson is in shape and confident.
At left guard, Liam Eichenberg will be given every opportunity. But it cannot be discounted that Robert Jones, Isaiah Wynn and Dan Feeney can all play that position, as needed.
Miami expects to take a leap forward in the run game and those two spots are key to the progress.
Mike White progress
The Dolphins like White's upside. The team's new backup quarterback is 28 but with seven NFL starts.
At times in the spring, White seemed a bit nervous, which makes some sense as this is a South Florida homecoming. White has a solid arm and accuracy so expect him to be better as he settles in.
Miami passed on paying a bit more for Jacoby Brissett, Taylor Heinicke, Andy Dalton, Jarrett Stidham, Marcus Mariota or Sam Darnold as a backup. The front office also passed on Drew Lock, Baker Mayfield, Gardner Minshew and Case Keenum, who all took the same or a bit less.
Mastering defensive coordinator Vic Fangio's scheme
Fangio is a mastermind, genius and guru all wrapped into one.
When Fangio speaks, Dolphins defenders will listen.
More zone coverage. More confusing and random blitzes. More freedom of movement.
The Dolphins' defense will be better. It woefully underperformed last season: yards per game (18th), points per game (24th), yards per play (14th), third-down defense (24th), red zone defense (23rd), takeaways (30th) and sacks per pass attempt (22nd).
What they can do under Fangio Jalen Ramsey says he, Xavien Howard can do 'special things'
Mike McDaniel, The Sequel
McDaniel is charming and funny and relatable. He's a player's coach.
And he's an offensive intellect, architect and savant.
But he knows Miami must reduce its penalty yards, especially in pre-snap offensive situations, and there's really nothing funny about that.
Miami also needs to be better in instant replay challenge situations.
What will be McDaniel's theme this summer?
It's kind of hard to justify T-shirts that read "Wish it were hotter," when, quite literally, each summer day in 2023 we are in jeopardy of breaking the "world's hottest day" record.
Hydrate well and pack the sunscreen, folks.
Joe Schad is a journalist at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at.jschad@pbpost.com and follow him on Instagram and Twitter @schadjoe. Sign up for Joe's free weekly Dolphins Pulse Newsletter. Help support our work by subscribing
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Miami Dolphins training camp storylines include Vic Fangio, Tua Tagovailoa
