Dolphins Training Camp 2022 Awards From Joe Schad

MIAMI GARDENS — This was a productive Dolphins training camp.

First-year head coach Mike McDaniel and his staff appear organized and efficient and the players seems to be responding to their positive coaching methods.

Everything is different, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa says.

"Everything," Tua says. "The offense is different. The confidence that the guys have coming out to practice is different. The confidence that the guys have coming into the building is different. The way we do things around the building is different."

We'll see how prepared the Dolphins are to operate a new offense on Sept. 11 against the Patriots at home. Every indication is New England has been struggling.

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Will the Dolphins win 9, 10 or 11 games? Anything less than 9 wins would certainly be disappointing. The goal needs to be the postseason.

This is a postseason-caliber roster.

Here are some "awards" I wanted to make a note of at the conclusion of camp:

Best offensive player: Tyreek Hill. Better than advertised. Uncoverable. The most incredible weapon Tua could have been handed.

Best defensive player: Jevon Holland. Day after day. Interception after interception. Holland should be a Pro Bowler in his second season.

Unexpected offensive player: Skylar Thompson. There is a strong argument to be made to keep Thompson on the initial 53-man roster.

Unexpected defensive player: Keion Crossen. The cornerback seems to have surpassed Noah Igbinoghene at a Miami position of need.

Player with cloudy future: Mike Gesicki is a very talented receiving tight end. He may simply not be a fit for the McDaniel, 49ers-style offense.

Player with breakout future: Jaelan Phillips should be an absolute terror this season. The addition of veteran Melvin Ingram should aid his growth.

Most enjoyable, refreshing head coach: Mike McDaniel. Look, Brian Flores could be difficult to work with. But this is not simply about the easy McDaniel-Flores contrast. McDaniel is thoughtful, insightful, open and brings attentiveness and positive energy.

Bummer of the summer: Tampering penalty. The Dolphins have to hope Tua is it because without two first-round picks in 2023 (one was stripped to tamper with a quarterback they didn't even get, Tom Brady), it would be harder to draft a replacement.

Dodge of the summer: Deshaun Watson. Look, we don't know if Tua will live up to his status at the fifth pick in an NFL Draft. But at least the Dolphins aren't the Browns.

Takeaway of the summer: Positivity. It wasn't all perfect. We're not sure how long it will take for Miami's offensive line to gel. We're not sure how long it will take to get the running game on track. We're not sure how much better Tua will be and how McDaniel will handle being a first-time play-caller.

But the Dolphins defense should absolutely be Top 10, perhaps Top 5. And the entire vibe at Dolphins practice and in the locker room and facility hallways has changed. The Dolphins have hope and a positive mindset. Let's hope it translates to Sundays.

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Drop me a note at jschad@pbpost.com or please tag me in a Tweet at @schadjoe or follow me on Instagram @schadjoe. Thanks!

Joe Schad is a journalist at the Palm Beach Post part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at jschad@pbpost.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Dolphins Training Camp 2022 Awards From Joe Schad