Dolphins sign veteran guard/center. And McDaniel addresses Hill’s honor, injuries, more

The Dolphins, who are having open competitions for their starting guard spots, added another veteran at the position on Saturday when they signed Sean Harlow, who has appeared in 41 NFL games and started eight of them.

Harlow -- who was selected in the fourth round by Atlanta out of Oregon State in 2017 -- has started five NFL games at left guard and three at center -- all for the Arizona Cardinals in 2021 and 2022.

The Giants plucked him off Dallas’ practice squad last October and he played 16 offensive snaps for New York to finish last season.

To make room on the roster, Miami released Rutgers rookie guard Ireland Brown.

Harlow’s ability to play center could be an asset in his bid for a roster spot, particularly if Liam Eichenberg beats out Jack Driscoll and others for the starting right guard job. That right guard job is open following Rob Hunt’s departure to Carolina. (Eichenberg -- while competing to start at right guard -- also is the incumbent No. 2 center, but there’s competition for that role behind starter Aaron Brewer.)

Isaiah Wynn, last year’s opening day starter at left guard, remains on the physically unable to perform list. Robert Jones has emerged as a top option at left guard if Wynn isn’t ready to start the season after last October’s quadriceps injury.

McDANIEL PRESS CONFERENCE

Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said Tyreek Hill being named the No. 1 player in the league in a poll of players is “appropriate,” while conceding, “I may be biased.”

Speaking of Hill before Saturday’s training camp practice, McDaniel said: “It’s an honor to have all your peers recognize what type of player you are. It’s interesting that it’s not a surprise. There are so many things that make Tyreek unique. We started off today’s team meeting talking about how we intend to be different. You have Tyreek doing a one on one block on a run play in a team run-emphasis period.

“When you have the ability to make plays for your team in extreme form like Tyreek does, heavy is the crown. When you want to be great, you have to do the little things. Tyreek does that and more. He ceases to amaze. It’s a really cool honor that has been well earned as he continues to develop his game each and every year. When your best player in the top 100 poll for players is team-oriented as he is, your team gravitates to that.”

Hill, 30, is the first wide receiver to finish first in the top 100 NFL Network poll of players since the poll began in 2011.

“There are some scouting departments in the NFL that at one time - not necessarily currently - that didn’t draft receivers under 5-10. He’s under 5-10,” McDaniel said. “It a lesson that individuals should be treated as individuals. There are some people who get slower as they get older. [Not] Tyreek.”

McDaniel addressed other issues on Saturday:

▪ In injury news, receiver Erik Ezukanma’s absence this week is not related to the neck issue that sidelined him most of last season. Asked if the undisclosed injury could sideline him awhile, McDaniel said he is “anticipating seeing him” again on the field, but declined to say whether that could be days or weeks from now.

▪ On Jalen Ramsey telling teammates he wants them to be bullies: “If you want your team to be known as something, you have to be that something every day. The locker room taking it upon themselves to decide on their terms what they will be known for, that is ultimately the No. 1 thing you want your team to do.... I like where we are at.”

▪ Ramsey wore the orange jersey on Saturday, an honor bestowed to the standout player in the previous day’s practice.

When asked about filling Christian Wilkins’ leadership void, McDaniel spoke for a while about leadership in general, but then mentioned Ramsey, Zach Sieler and Jevon Holland.

▪ Some players were disappointed that a potential tropical storm canceled the team’s public practice at Hard Rock Stadium. Instead, the team practiced at its Miami Gardens facility, with media but no fans in attendance. The next practice open to fans is at 10:40 a.m. Monday.

▪ McDaniel said the tight end room “has really attacked the offseason, from both a run game and pass game standpoint.”

Did McDaniel believe the team needed more out of that position?

“There was opportunity to get more production from that room from an emphasis standpoint, the types of plays we’re running, the types of things we’re asking people to do. One way was to add an eligible in the pass game.”

Jonnu Smith, who should be a key receiving option at tight end, generally has been practicing on alternating days. Julian Hill, Jody Forston and Tanner Conner are competing for jobs behind Durham Smythe and Smith.