MIAMI GARDENS — The long-awaited Miami Dolphins debut for Odell Beckham Jr. finally took place in Sunday’s win over the New England Patriots .
It didn’t necessarily produce any fireworks . Beckham played 11 snaps. He was targeted twice. One resulted in the interception by Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez, undercutting his route to pick off quarterback Tyler “Snoop” Huntley.
But the appearance still marked his first game with Miami after a lengthy recovery from a minor offseason knee procedure, which had him on the physically-unable-to-perform list for training camp and the first four weeks of the regular season.
“I was definitely grateful and blessed to be out there,” Beckham said after a Tuesday practice at team facilities before the Dolphins have their bye week. “For me, it felt like less pressure than I’ve ever felt in my entire life. Let’s just go play football and have fun, which is a good feeling instead of feeling super worried about something else. … I was definitely excited to be back on the football field. It felt good.”
Why less pressure?
“Different expectations. Different role. Just all of those things, it just felt different,” Beckham said. “Where I’m at in life, the things that I’ve been through. I’m just able to process and handle it differently.”
Although it wasn’t much activity for Beckham, he came away from Sunday sore, but that was something he already felt from the practice week as he is essentially having his training camp now as he gets in football shape in-season.
“It was really more so the buildup to the game and how hard I practiced,” Beckham said. “I came off PUP, and they were like, ‘Let’s hit it.’ Going into the game, I was a little sore, but it’s all about building up.”
One adjustment Beckham has to make with the Dolphins is playing all three wide receiver positions. He’s used to simply playing as the ‘X’ receiver in his NFL career. He said it’s “not easy” playing the slot, which he hasn’t really done since college at LSU or even high school.
The Mike McDaniel offense also gives him plenty to learn.
“It’s definitely a different world, different verbiage and language,” Beckham said, “but I think, in time, this is just more of a game to get your feet wet, help out however I can. The ultimate goal is to get a win.”
While Beckham is familiar with Huntley from a season together with the Baltimore Ravens, he surely will have to gain chemistry with Tua Tagovailoa when he returns from concussion . And there’s an adjustment to the left-handed thrower’s spin, too.
“Before signing, I was kind of worried about coming to play with a lefty,” he said. “It was something I always joked about not doing in my career. It’s definitely different. It’s different spin. It comes at you a different way at times, but he throws the ball so nice, that it doesn’t really feel like catching from a lefty.”
Saleh reaction
Dolphins players who have had Robert Saleh, whom the New York Jets fired Tuesday , as a coach in the past reacted to the change in the AFC East.
Running back Raheem Mostert, for one, was in San Francisco when Saleh was 49ers defensive coordinator.
“I haven’t really fully digested it yet,” Mostert said. “I think he’s going to be all right wherever he goes, if he gets picked up. He’s a great coordinator, great coach. He brings the best out of players. It’s unfortunate that he was let go over there, but still excited to see where he lands.”
Said quarterback Tim Boyle, who was with the Jets under Saleh: “It’s unfortunate. You never want to see a coach get fired, but they’re doing their thing up in New York, and I’m on the Miami Dolphins right now. So I’m going to stay in my lane.”
Practice report
Several players were either nursing injuries or receiving rest during the Dolphins’ lone practice on the bye week.
Not seen at the Tuesday session were: running back De’Von Achane, cornerback Jalen Ramsey, safety Jevon Holland, cornerback Kendall Fuller, safety Jordan Poyer, linebacker David Long Jr., defensive tackle Calais Campbell, edge defender Emmanuel Ogbah and wide receiver Malik Washington.
Holland is week to week, according to McDaniel with the hand injury that caused him to leave Sunday’s win over the Patriots. Achane exited early with a concussion. Fuller checked out of the game momentarily, but went back in before his injury was ever announced. He was seen on the Gillette Stadium sideline keeping his right leg loose.
Although Ramsey played every snap defensively in New England, he popped up as limited on the Friday injury report last week as he received treatment on a knee. Poyer missed the game with a shin injury. Long has been nursing an ailing hamstring, and Washington the same with his quadriceps. Campbell and Ogbah may have been getting rest, unless an unknown injury kept them away from drills.
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