Tua Tagovailoa has strong day in second open Dolphins OTA practice. And other news, notes

The Dolphins held their second OTA practice open to reporters on Wednesday and it was a good day for quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who connected deep with wide receiver Robbie Chosen for a gain of about 45 yards on what was the top play of the afternoon. With wide receiver Tyreek Hill again not in attendance for the voluntary practice, Tagovailoa continued to build chemistry with returning players and newcomers, and very few of his passes in team drills hit the ground.

Other highlights from the session:

▪ It was also a productive session for Tagovailoa’s backups. Skylar Thompson connected with wide receiver Braylon Sanders for a deep gain after he got past a pair of defenders in 11-on-11s. Mike White found wideout Cedrick Wilson Jr. for an intermediate sideline grab in 11-on-11s.

▪ Wide receiver Jaylen Waddle had an active practice with multiple catches, including a leaping grab from Tagovailoa over the middle of the field.

▪ Cornerback Noah Igbinoghene intercepted rookie quarterback James Blackmon in 7-on-7s.

▪ Rookie running back De’Von Achane caught a deep pass from Thompson in 7-on-7s.

▪ Rookie cornerback Cam Smith undercut a route and deflected a pass intended for Chosen.

▪ Cornerback Kader Kohou deflected a sideline pass from White to wide receiver Braxton Berrios.

▪ Outside linebacker Jaelan Phillips got into the backfield on multiple occasions, once on a likely sack and another time disrupting the path of a run play.

▪ With Connor Williams not seen at the second consecutive open OTA practice, third-year player Liam Eichenberg confirmed he has been taking snaps at center. But Eichenberg said he is still hoping to obtain the starting spot at left guard.

Veteran additions talk opportunity in Miami

The Dolphins signed three veterans ahead of organized team activities this month — tight end Tyler Kroft and offensive linemen Isaiah Wynn and Cedric Ogbuehi — and in Kroft and Ogbuehi’s first comments to reporters Wednesday, they said they see an opportunity to contribute.

Kroft, who signed on May 9, said he and his representation decided that if he did not join a team in the first wave of free agency, he would wait until after the draft to see where rosters stood. With Mike Gesicki leaving in free agency and the Dolphins not making any major additions to the position room, Kroft saw a chance to compete for snaps in Miami. Kroft, 30, said the familiarity in the scheme also drove his interest after spending time with the San Francisco 49ers and New York Jets.

“This is an offense that asks a lot out of the tight ends, so it’s a lot of fun in that way ... it gives you an opportunity to [block and catch],” he said.

With Durham Smythe the likely starter, Kroft is competing for a roster spot and snaps with a group that includes Eric Saubert, Tanner Conner, Elijah Higgins and Julian Hill.

“This is year nine for me, so going into that, I probably am viewed more as a blocker,” Kroft said. “But I still take pride in being able to do it all and trying to be a three-down guy.”

Ogbehui, who started five games for the Jets in 2022, declined to say whether he has been told he will compete for a starting spot on the offensive line. But his experience at right tackle, where he has made 21 of 35 career starts, could make him an option to compete with Austin Jackson or provide much-needed depth.

“I think you got to come in every day, work hard, control what you can control and let all the pieces fall into place,” he said.