This episode wasn't quite as interesting as the 2nd episode, which featured Chad Johnson being released, but it was the 2nd best episode of the series up till this point.

It was an emotional episode, mostly revolving around telling the stories of players who were released. Here's what we learned from Hard Knocks that we didn't already know:

1) Daniel Thomas is in Philbin's doghouse. It was revealed during the episode that Thomas was late to the team plain and was not in dress code (before the Panthers game I'm assuming), and then was 15 minutes late to lifting 4 days later. Philbin told Thomas that he's "getting a little queasy" about him and he needs to take control of his own career. This isn't good for a player who will be fighting all season to get onto the field.

2. Jeff Ireland negotiated hard in the Vontae trade. Ireland played the negotiation cool for the first few days, and then put the pedal to the floor when he sensed that Indy was getting desperate. Ireland and Philbin were on the same page, and in the meetings discussing Vontae's future, Philbin seemed to lack confidence that they could get Vontae to play where they want him to play. It looks like they think he's reached his ceiling. Vontae was blown away by the news and showed his immaturity, asking to call his grandma right after Ireland told him. When Vontae was told the compensation for him was "a couple of picks", Vontae couldn't believe it. The Dolphins clearly didn't have Davis in the long term plans and seemed to think they got great value for him now.

3. Les Brown isn't going to be put on the practice squad...At least not going by his conversations with coaches and Jeff Ireland. Tight Ends Coach Dan Campbell and Les Brown had a very emotional goodbye. Campbell and the entire organization is clearly very fond of Brown, who promised he'd make it in the NFL...Hard not to root for the guy.

4. On the other hand, it is getting increasingly more difficult to root for Michael Egnew, who couldn't have cared less that his teammate had been cut when saying goodbye to Brown. He has absolutely no emotion what so ever. I doubt he's here long term.

5. Cutting players isn't easy...Especially when they are double your size and look like they want to kill you. Jeff Ireland was breaking the news to Marcus Brown in his office, and Brown could not have been more disrespectful. Ireland shakes his hand; Brown shrugs him off, looking away, pulling his hand away immediately. Ireland than asks if he knows he's been cut, and Brown doesn't respond...Ireland asks again, and Brown looks at him with discussed and finally says "yeah." Jerome Messam was much more respectful, but very frustrated, telling Ireland "you didn't give me a shot."

6. Ryan Tannehill doesn't know anything about the NFL...Not sure it's a bad thing, but it's shocking and kind of disappointing that he's not as passionate about this league as we all are. He says it makes no sense Miami is in the AFC East, thought the Giants were in the NFC North, and thought the Chiefs were in the AFC.

7. We also learned that UDFA DT Chaz Alecxih almost died last spring while jet skiing in the golf of Mexico. He was stranded in the water, without his jet ski, for 8 hours and the police were 5 minutes away from calling off the search when they finally found him. He says he thought he was going to die, and that being that close to death has made him appreciate life. Great story.

Overall an interesting episode with plenty of access. No news on Jake Long's injury though, which was disappointing.

One last tidbit is that in the preview to next week's episode, there was a clip of Jeff Ireland where he flat out said that the WR core will not look the same next week, during a coaches meeting. Whether that means a major trade is coming or not remains to be seen, (unlikely), but they're clearly as unhappy with the receivers as we are.