Dolphin Digest – August 2019

12 Dolphin Digest AUGUST 6, 2019

TRAINING CAMP 2019

The arrival of a new head coach always

means some uncertainty when it comes to start-

ing positions, and so it is with the Dolphins and

Brian Flores.

Complicating matters is the expected change

in defensive scheme, with a greater emphasis

on a 3-4 look, which would mean different

roles for most of the front seven players.

Flores made it a point during the spring to

say that every position would feature competi-

tion, though it’s still safe to assume that certain

players will be starters. That list would include

Kenyan Drake at running back, Kenny Stills

and DeVante Parker at wide receiver, Laremy

Tunsil at left tackle, Daniel Kilgore at center,

Xavien Howard at cornerback, Reshad Jones

and T.J. McDonald at safety, as well as the three

kicking game specialists.

There will be competition in the front seven,

but it’s safe to assume that players such as

Davon Godchaux, Akeem Spence, Kiko

Alonso, Raekwon McMillan and Jerome Baker

will be in the mix.

Seven of the opening-day starters from the

2018 team no longer are with the team: quar-

terback Ryan Tannehill, running back Frank

Gore, wide receiver Danny Amendola, left

guard Josh Sitton, right tackle Ja’Wuan James, and de-

fensive ends Cameron Wake and Robert Quinn.

Here’s a breakdown of the projected starting battles,

leaving out the defensive front seven because the Dol-

phins figure to have so many starters there depending

on what front they use any particular week:

Quarterback

The contenders:Ryan Fitzpatrick, Josh Rosen

Long shot: Jake Rudock

2018 opening-day starter:Ryan Tannehill

Breakdown:Maybe the expectation was that Rosen

would be handed the starting job because the Dolphins

did give up two draft picks to acquire him from the Ari-

zona Cardinals and he could end up being their quar-

terback of the future, but he’s still going to have to

show he deserves it. Fitzpatrick has had an up-and-

down career, but he’s coming off his best season and

looked the better of the two in the spring. The bottom

line is Rosen likely will get the nod if the competition

is even remotely close this summer — Flores has said

he’ll consider everything when making the decision —

but it’s not as though it’s a foregone conclusion.

Fullback

The contenders:Chandler Cox, Patrick Laird

Long shots: Nick O’Leary, Dwayne Allen

2018 opening-day starter:None

Breakdown:The fullback position appears to be

coming back after the Dolphins selected Cox in the

seventh round of the draft, though to what extent it will

be used remains to be seen. Cox and Laird are the two

fullbacks on the roster, though it’s not out of the ques-

tion that we could see O’Leary and Allen line up in the

offensive backfield as well.

Left guard

The contenders:Chris Reed, Michael Deiter

Long shot: Shaq Calhoun

2018 opening-day starter:Josh Sitton

Breakdown:The battle for the starting positions at

both guard spots easily could be combined because

Reed and Deiter could wind up at either position. Cal-

houn was a rookie free agent who brought impressive

credentials and will get a chance to shine in training

camp and the preseason.

Right guard

The contenders:Jesse Davis, Chris Reed, Michael

Deiter

Long shot: Shaq Calhoun

2018 opening-day starter:Jesse Davis

Breakdown:The real wild card along the offensive

line is Davis because it’s pretty much a given he will

start — he played every single offensive snap last sea-

son — though where is unknown because he’s got ex-

perience at both guard and tackle and he ended

the spring at the latter position. If the Dolphins

decide to keep Davis at his 2018 position of

guard, that puts the focus on the former Jaguars

backup Reed and the rookie third-round pick

Deiter.

Right tackle

The contenders:Jordan Mills, Jesse Davis

Long shot: Isaiah Prince

2018 opening-day starter:Ja’Wuan James

Breakdown:There was some level of expec-

tation that this spot belonged to Mills the moment

he was signed in May. After all, he came to the

Dolphins after starting every game the past four

seasons for the Buffalo Bills. But Davis’ appear-

ance at right tackle during the June minicamp was

an attention-getter, particularly after Mills looked

less than overwhelming in OTAs — though it

needs to be repeated that practices without con-

tact aren’t a great gauge for offensive linemen.

This battle really could could down to whether

Mills plays better at right tackle this summer than

Reed and Deiter perform at guard, convincing the

Dolphins they should keep Davis at guard.

Tight end

The contenders:Dwayne Allen, Mike Gesicki

Long shots: Clive Walford

2018 opening-day starter:Mike Gesicki

Breakdown:This spot should be very interesting to

watch throughout training camp and the preseason. The

Dolphins no doubt still have high hopes for Gesicki,

though it’s clear he needs to raise his game after a

rather nondescript rookie season. Allen joined the Dol-

phins after spending the past two seasons with New

England and he’s a proven veteran with starting expe-

rience, though he was sidelined for most of the spring.

Cornerback

The contenders:Eric Rowe, Torry McTyer, Cor-

drea Tankersley, Jalen Davis

Long shot: Bobby McCain

2018 opening-day starter:Bobby McCain

Breakdown:The Dolphins have a Pro Bowl cor-

nerback in Xavien Howard and they really need to find

a solid starter on the opposite side. Rowe would ap-

pear to have the edge coming into training camp be-

cause he has more experience than most candidates at

the position and because of his familiarity with the de-

fensive scheme from his three seasons in New Eng-

land. McCain started most of last season as the second

outside cornerback, but he got a lot of snaps in the

spring at free safety and it just might be that Flores

would like more size on the outside.

The Summer Competitions

Mike Gesicki Dwayne Allen

.

.

.