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MIAMI
GARDENS — Miami Dolphins coach Jeff Hafley met with reporters as the team returned from a day off and revved up preparations for the opener Sept. 13 at the Las Vegas Raiders.
Highlights:
- On the depth chart: "Some of it, not all of it," should be taken as gospel.
- On rookie WRs Chris Bell and Caleb Douglas: "Those guys deserve to start and we're going to start them." Bell, coming off a knee injury suffered last year, is not a snap count.
- On S Dante Trader Jr. and Zayne Anderson, who are listed as starting safeties: Hafley also sees Michael Taaffe on equal footing. All three will play.
- On the rookies: "We're going to play a lot of them on Sunday. I think that's very clear."
- On if Hafley will reflect on this being his first game as an NFL head coach: "It'll probably happen during the national anthem, when I can finally take a deep breath." Hafley said he'll reflect on "important people who have helped me throughout my life."
- Hafley says "turnover margin is going to be huge, especially early in the season."
- On LB Jacob Rodriguez wearing the green dot: "It is a challenge. I'm excited for him. He earned it. The guy's hear all the time." Rodriguez was going over the call sheet today before 7 a.m.
- Hafley said as hard as the players have worked through training camp, "I want them to take a step back and enjoy it" as they enter Week 1.
Hal Habib covers the Miami Dolphins for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at HHabib@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Miami Dolphins' Jeff Hafley on plan for Chris Bell, Caleb Douglas
