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PALM BEACH — As the first wave of NFL free agency has come and gone, the Miami Dolphins have done relatively little at two positions of need: defensive tackle and cornerback.
The departure of Calais Campbell, back to his original NFL team, the Arizona Cardinals, is a major blow in particular. Campbell, at 38, had a strong season alongside Zach Sieler on the defensive line and is the consummate leader in the locker room.
At defensive tackle, Miami returns Sieler, the anchor of the defensive front coming off back-to-back 10-sack seasons, and re-signed nose tackle Benito Jones, who can stuff the run playing about half the team’s defensive snaps.
But that’s essentially it at the position, where they also will have Matt Dickerson and Neil Farrell competing, two players who bounced around between the practice squad and the end of the active roster last season. Along with Campbell, the Dolphins also lost valuable rotational defensive tackle Da’Shawn Hand in free agency.
It begs the question: What will Miami do on the defensive line?
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel doesn’t seem too worried about it yet, as Miami can bring in some youth on the defensive line with its 10 picks in the draft at the end of the month, and then the team can supplement the roster with other free agents who remain available.
“I feel like we have some options at the position,” McDaniel said this week at the NFL annual meeting at The Breakers. “That position in particular has been a focal point of mine this offseason, and I feel good about how it could play out,and there’s a couple different scenarios it could play out.”
Among veterans available are former Dolphins in Raekwon Davis, John Jenkins and Jordan Phillips. Other names include Austin Johnson, Khalil Davis, Johnathan Hankins, Linval Joseph, Taven Bryan and Maurice Hurst.
But Miami can see who it brings in from what appears to be a deep draft of defensive linemen to see which veteran would best fit into the team’s remaining needs.
At cornerback, the Dolphins have a starting spot open after releasing Kendall Fuller early in the offseason. They brought in Artie Burns, but it shouldn’t be expected of the 2015 first-round pick and former Miami Hurricanes standout to slide into that role at 30.
Miami can always move star cornerback Jalen Ramsey around as a versatile piece for defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver. Kader Kohou, tendered as a restricted free agent, can play the nickel and on the boundary, and new safety Ifeatu Melifonwu can also play some cornerback.
“There’s a couple different happenings, quite similar to the interior defensive line market, where there’s some options,” McDaniel said at owners meetings.
After Ramsey and Kohou, the Dolphins could count on 2023 second-round pick Cam Smith and 2024 undrafted free agent Storm Duck to compete for a role. There are also fellow recent undrafted free agents Ethan Bonner, Isaiah Johnson and Jason Maitre.
If, say, Michigan cornerback Will Johnson is available for the Dolphins to draft with the No. 13 pick, he would be a fantastic selection.
There are also a number of well-known veterans still available as free agents: James Bradberry, Rasul Douglas, Tre’Davious White, Stephon Gilmore, Mike Hilton — or South Florida natives who don’t have as many years on them, like C.J. Henderson and Asante Samuel Jr.
But at the heart of who earns starting jobs at both positions is the competition that will transpire over offseason workouts and then in training camp beginning late July.
“Everyone’s competing,” McDaniel said “What I think will prove to have the residuals to meet the expectations of everyone Dolphins is that we’re creating a unique environment where competition is inherent, that you do not think as though, ‘I’m the starter because I’m anointed.’ I think competition is a driving force in motivated athletes becoming elite at their trade.
“I’ll take the depth chart that I have in my office, the magnets, I might as well just splatter them. Talk to me in August, because that’s always been the mindset of the program.”
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The departure of Calais Campbell, back to his original NFL team, the Arizona Cardinals, is a major blow in particular. Campbell, at 38, had a strong season alongside Zach Sieler on the defensive line and is the consummate leader in the locker room.
At defensive tackle, Miami returns Sieler, the anchor of the defensive front coming off back-to-back 10-sack seasons, and re-signed nose tackle Benito Jones, who can stuff the run playing about half the team’s defensive snaps.
But that’s essentially it at the position, where they also will have Matt Dickerson and Neil Farrell competing, two players who bounced around between the practice squad and the end of the active roster last season. Along with Campbell, the Dolphins also lost valuable rotational defensive tackle Da’Shawn Hand in free agency.
It begs the question: What will Miami do on the defensive line?
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel doesn’t seem too worried about it yet, as Miami can bring in some youth on the defensive line with its 10 picks in the draft at the end of the month, and then the team can supplement the roster with other free agents who remain available.
“I feel like we have some options at the position,” McDaniel said this week at the NFL annual meeting at The Breakers. “That position in particular has been a focal point of mine this offseason, and I feel good about how it could play out,and there’s a couple different scenarios it could play out.”
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Among veterans available are former Dolphins in Raekwon Davis, John Jenkins and Jordan Phillips. Other names include Austin Johnson, Khalil Davis, Johnathan Hankins, Linval Joseph, Taven Bryan and Maurice Hurst.
But Miami can see who it brings in from what appears to be a deep draft of defensive linemen to see which veteran would best fit into the team’s remaining needs.
At cornerback, the Dolphins have a starting spot open after releasing Kendall Fuller early in the offseason. They brought in Artie Burns, but it shouldn’t be expected of the 2015 first-round pick and former Miami Hurricanes standout to slide into that role at 30.
Miami can always move star cornerback Jalen Ramsey around as a versatile piece for defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver. Kader Kohou, tendered as a restricted free agent, can play the nickel and on the boundary, and new safety Ifeatu Melifonwu can also play some cornerback.
“There’s a couple different happenings, quite similar to the interior defensive line market, where there’s some options,” McDaniel said at owners meetings.
After Ramsey and Kohou, the Dolphins could count on 2023 second-round pick Cam Smith and 2024 undrafted free agent Storm Duck to compete for a role. There are also fellow recent undrafted free agents Ethan Bonner, Isaiah Johnson and Jason Maitre.
If, say, Michigan cornerback Will Johnson is available for the Dolphins to draft with the No. 13 pick, he would be a fantastic selection.
There are also a number of well-known veterans still available as free agents: James Bradberry, Rasul Douglas, Tre’Davious White, Stephon Gilmore, Mike Hilton — or South Florida natives who don’t have as many years on them, like C.J. Henderson and Asante Samuel Jr.
But at the heart of who earns starting jobs at both positions is the competition that will transpire over offseason workouts and then in training camp beginning late July.
“Everyone’s competing,” McDaniel said “What I think will prove to have the residuals to meet the expectations of everyone Dolphins is that we’re creating a unique environment where competition is inherent, that you do not think as though, ‘I’m the starter because I’m anointed.’ I think competition is a driving force in motivated athletes becoming elite at their trade.
“I’ll take the depth chart that I have in my office, the magnets, I might as well just splatter them. Talk to me in August, because that’s always been the mindset of the program.”
Continue reading...
