Miami Dolphins tight end Tanner Conner (80) catches pass during drills before a joint practice with the Atlanta Falcons at Baptist Health Training Complex in Miami Gardens, Florida, on Wednesday, August 7, 2024. PHOTO BY AL DIAZ adiaz@miamiherald.com
As the orange jersey-holder Tanner Conner got to control the playlist during Tuesday’s practice, the Miami Dolphins tight end seemingly overdoes his teammates with four Eminem songs.
Eminem’s one of those artists you either love or hate, but none of that mattered Tuesday because the orange jersey player is bestowed the power of the playlist for being the top performer of the previous workday’s practice, and after pulling down five receptions as Jonnu Smith’s replacement last week, Conner got to showcase his musical personal taste.
Conner’s not only trying to impress his teammates with his music selection, but the former Idaho State receiver who Miami converted to tight end is beginning yet another camp trying to prove he’s more than a flash player.
“According to some people I disappear during training camp,” Conner said, referring to a comment on a Dolphins post I made about how the third-year tight end typically standout when pads aren’t on.
The problem is, football is played in pads.
“I think I’m actually more physical in person when the pads do come on,” Conner said. “Something when you get to training camp, sometimes the situation changes in your [position] room and reps go to different guys. Sometimes you don’t get the looks, and sometimes the defense dominates the offense.
“It’s really unfortunate,” Conner said of his reputation as a flash player. “I’d love to have those big days like some guys have in training camp. It hasn’t been there yet. I’m just grinding and trying to do my thing.”
In the NFL a player typically fits into a handful of categories.
There are the NFL stars, such as Tyreek Hill and Jalen Ramsey.
Then there are the established starters, like Tua Tagovailoa, Jordyn Brooks and Zach Sieler.
After that we’ve got the role players, and journeymen who make up the back end of the roster..
And finally, there’s the draftees, the teases, the flash players, the long shots, and the camp bodies.
If you’re a draftee who hasn’t evaluated his status to starter, or star, then you’re typically a disappointment, unless you were a late-round selection.
Teases and flash players have a common thread, which is that they make plays from time to time, but there’s usually something standing in their way of being more consistent. Sometimes it’s an injury. Sometimes it’s intellect, or coachability.
“You have to be consistent in this league,” said cornerback Cam Smith, who falls into the draftee category since the second-rounder from South Carolina was Miami’s first selection in the 2023 draft class.
A long shot or camp body can elevate his status on the team with strong performances in minicamp, training camp and the exhibition season. But he needs to be able to take his strong practices to game day, and that’s where Conner and Smith have fallen short.
The clock is ticking on underachieving draftees and flash players.
The last thing this talent-deficient roster needs is more players falling short of expectations, or failing to rise to the occasion when elevated up the depth chart.
Draftees such as Smith, receiver Erik Ezukanma (fourth round in 2022), linebacker Channing Tindall (third round in 2022), and Jackson Carman (a 2021 second-round pick of the Bengals), who have fallen short of expectations can no longer live off their potential, hope and upside.
It’s time to deliver.
And flash players such as Conner, cornerback Ethan Bonner and tight end Julian Hill, talents who have been teases during practice, and possibly the preseason game, need to show up.
During Tuesday’s practice coach Mike McDaniel and the entire defense nearly jumped out their sneakers as Bonner stepped in front of an end zone pass. But the third-year cornerback dropped it, making it just a pass deflection.
Those are the types of plays good players typically come down with.
Players such as Bonner oftentimes find themselves in position to make those plays, but fail to finish it.
And that’s what keeps him on the tease list, and off the field on game day.
The same can be said for Ezukanma, who dropped a pass during Tuesday’s work. His size is clearly what Miami’s receiver unit is missing, but he hasn’t shown up since the exhibition season of his rookie year in 2022.
After the cost-conscious makeover this Dolphins team has undergone this offseason, Miami can’t afford to be teased much longer.
It’s time for these disappointing draftees and inconsistent flashing youngsters to take that next step, becoming more consistent, proving that they are ready to handle a heavier load.
“It’s the opportunity of a lifetime,” said Smith, referring to being in position to become an NFL starter in Miami’s stripped-down secondary. “Who wouldn’t want to be in this position.”
Plenty of players want to be in Smith and Conner’s position. But how many can handle it, shining when opportunity presents itself?
There’s only so long a young NFL player can live off upside and potential.
Eventually, it comes down to execution and production, and the Dolphins should be there with about half a dozen players who either need to start delivering, or be shown the door because this team doesn’t have time to continue babysitting.