Ryan Fitzpatrick continues work as Dolphins first-string QB

DAVIE, July 28 (UPI) -- Veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick continued to work with the first-team offense through four days of Miami Dolphins training camp.

He is the favorite to be the Dolphins' Week 1 starter after outplaying second-year quarterback Josh Rosen this off-season and throughout the early stages of camp. Fitzpatrick has also thrown the deep ball more than Rosen so far, as Rosen has mostly opted to check down to shorter routes while playing with the second-team offense.

"I'm just trying to be the best version of me that I can be," Fitzpatrick said Thursday. "That really is it. There are so many things that I've just continued to get better at in my game. Knowing who I am as a player and working on my deficiencies, communication is something I try to pride myself on."

The Dolphins' coaching staff has communicated the competition for the starting quarterback job is ongoing, but it appears to be Fitzpatrick's gig to lose based on his play -- and reps -- so far. Rosen has the opportunity to change that with a great preseason.

Fitzpatrick had a rough start at Sunday's training camp session, throwing an errant pass before fumbling the exchange with the center. He was also nearly intercepted. The veteran quarterback rallied to throw multiple red zone touchdowns. Rosen had another inconsistent performance, after posting a solid showing Saturday in Davie, Fla.

Dolphins offensive coordinator Chad O'Shea said Fitzpatrick and Rosen have both done well, but also have areas in their game in need of improvement.

"I don't think anything right now is set in stone," O'Shea said. "There's no starters."

While most Dolphins coaches won't offer much in terms of comparing what Rosen and Fitzpatrick do better than the other, assistant quarterbacks coach Jerry Schuplinski said Fitzpatrick's experience and knowledge of the offense's operation was ahead of Rosen's when the team opened camp.

"When Josh came in, he came in and whatever it was, four weeks we had already started," Schuplinski said. "The way it is with the rules, you only get a limited time to work. I think this training camp has been a good opportunity for him to learn and grow in our system from the ground up as opposed to catching everything on the fly.

"Ryan's experience and knowledge in that area in terms of an operational standpoint may have been ahead a little bit at this stage when we first started training camp, but really the reps are pretty even."

Schuplinski said that was one of the reasons Fitzpatrick has started with the first-team offense throughout training camp. The Dolphins signed Fitzpatrick in free agency in March. They traded for Rosen a month later.

Rosen has 14 regular season games on his NFL resume, while Fitzpatrick has appeared in 141 games over his 14-year tenure. Fitzpatrick has worked in a multitude of offenses throughout the league and with many different players, leading teammates. He quickly earned the respect of his Dolphins teammates, and coaches laud his leadership ability. He also shares his knowledge of the game with Rosen and the team's other quarterbacks during meetings.

Rosen said his approach hasn't changed during the competition as he tries to get better on a daily basis.

"Whether I was in one [a competition] or not in one, starting, backing up or third string, that wouldn't change my approach at the end of the day," Rosen said. "I know you guys are all writers and it's at the forefront of all of your brains, but it's in the back of mine. When I get a play call, I'm just trying to execute that one play regardless of the situation on the team or my position or anything."

Rosen stayed at wide receiver Kenny Stills' home in South Florida when he first joined the team. Stills built a friendship with Rosen during his stay before the team's summer break. The Dolphins wide receiver said there are differences in the way the football comes in when catching passes from Rosen and Fitzpatrick, but they aren't major.

"[Rosen is] a good player," Stills said. "The ball ... when it comes out, it doesn't look like it's coming hard but when it gets up on you, it's got good zip. He seems to be able to anticipate what's happening out there. He's just got to keep doing what he's doing and then prepare himself and show out in the preseason."

The Dolphins return to training camp Tuesday and have a team scrimmage Saturday at Hard Rock Stadium. Miami begins the preseason against the Atlanta Falcons at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in Miami.