What the Dolphins QB coach noticed watching Huntley. And coaches dish on personnel issues

In the days before Miami poached Tyler Huntley from Baltimore’s practice squad, Dolphins quarterbacks coach Darrell Bevell was watching his Ravens tape and noticed something.

“What’s talked about all the time is things he can do with his legs — which is exciting to have,” Bevell said Friday.

“I like what he did as a passer; he was a little underrated in some things he can do as a passer.”

Such as?

“You immediately think he’s a runner. [But] to see him throw down in and down out and see him throw accurately. He’s willing to throw it on time. Those are the things you look for. What’s the play designed for? Can he let it go on time? Does he anticipate? Does he have to see it open? We like what we saw.”

All of those questions are critical to the Dolphins’ timing-based offense.

“Snoop has been in Baltimore [with] not quite the same timing we use,” Bevell said. “Our offense is an elite timing offense. Tua [Tagovailoa] is very elite at that… The vision has to be there to do it.”

What’s encouraging is “Huntley has come in and sunk his teeth into it and worked really hard and gained the knowledge he has to have. He has done a nice job. It’s not an easy task to learn an offense that’s this verbose.”

Coach Mike McDaniel hasn’t publicly named a starting quarterback for Monday’s game against visiting Tennessee (7:15 p.m., CBS 4, ESPN).

Huntley is considered the favorite if he impresses coaches in practice this week. ESPN reported that Huntley or Skylar Thompson will start, but Thompson remains limited by a painful rib injury. Tim Boyle also is competing.

Asked if the Dolphins would need to “dumb down” the offense for Huntley or Boyle because of their limited time here, offensive coordinator Frank Smith said: “It’s not like necessarily you dumb down, but you try to do what your players do well. There are different concepts we can use to attack the defense.”

Boyle joined the Dolphins Aug. 29. Huntley signed with Miami last week.

THIS AND THAT

Tagovailoa remains in concussion protocol and unavailable to return until Oct. 27 against Arizona at the earliest.

Asked if Tagovailoa seems eager to play, Bevell said: “I love Tua’s approach. He’s going through the [concussion protocol] process. He’s here every day, excited, eager, trying to lead in his own way. He’s really helped out all the quarterbacks.”

▪ If linebacker David Long Jr. (hamstring) can’t play Monday, Anthony Walker Jr. likely would get the start.

“We have the utmost confidence in Anthony and Duke Riley,” defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver said. “He brings a wealth of experience. The thing Anthony provides is he has a big-picture understanding of what we’re trying to do defensively. He is a calming presence out there because he knows everybody’s job…. Excited to see him out there if David can’t go.”

▪ With linebacker Jaelan Phillips coming off last November’s torn Achilles, “we all have to give him a little grace” in evaluating how he plays, Weaver said. “To come back from an Achilles as fast as he did is remarkable. He’s still working himself back into [having his] gaming timing right. There’s nobody in this building that works harder.”

▪ Outside linebacker Bradley Chubb is eligible to come off the physically unable to perform list next week, but likely will need more time after his Dec. 31 ACL injury.

“In all of our meetings, he gives me the feel we will see him at some point this year.”

▪ Defensive lineman Calais Campbell has played less than half the defensive snaps the past two games, partly because the score was lopsided in the second half of both. But Weaver assured he can play more if needed and can play 40 snaps if the situation calls for it.

▪ With cornerback Kendall Fuller in concussion protocol, Kader Kohou might need to play on the boundary on Monday opposite Jalen Ramsey.

Is Kohou better in the slot or on the boundary?

Weaver said he can effectively do both but added that “Kader is an elite nickel. Where he flourishes is inside where he can use short-area quickness and toughness”

▪ With cornerbacks Fuller, Siran Neal (hamstring) and Storm Duck (shoulder) all nursing injuries, Ethan Bonner might be active for the first time this season. “Incredibly confident if Ethan steps on the field,” Weaver said.

▪ Offensive coordinator Frank Smith, on the offense, which has scored a league-low 33 points: “We are generally frustrated where we are at. We’ve had some adversity. Let’s not run from it.”

▪ The Dolphins have committed five illegal formation penalties on special teams, including three by Walker. Special teams coordinator Danny Crossman said the new rules on kickoffs are contributing to that.

“You get veteran players who are used to playing the game a certain way,” Crossman said. “Six or seven years of training on doing something. You have to remind them they’re not moving. We have to adapt quicker.”

So far, Dolphins coaches haven’t benched players for penalties.

Asked if he would ever bench a player for penalties, Crossman said it depends on the penalty, in terms of whether it’s aggressive or “dumb.”

▪ How would the Dolphins replace ace special teams player Neal if his hamstring injury doesn’t allow him to play?

“Good players are good players and you just don’t have another one,” Crossman said.

Crossman said Bonner is fine on special teams: “When he gets an opportunity, he’ll be ready to play.”