McDonald adds another punch to safety duo

Defensive back returning from 8-game suspension gives defense versatility

DAVIE — Dolphins defensive coordinator Matt Burke remembers what it was like in training camp to have safeties Reshad Jones and T.J. McDonald patrolling the secondary together. Ex-Dolphins running back Jay Ajayi might not.

McDonald, who packs a reputation as a hard-hitter, connected with Ajayi so hard he gave him a concussion. And this was during a non-contact drill.

It’s an example of what the Dolphins gain this week when McDonald returns from his eight-game, NFLissued suspension.

With McDonald and Jones, the Dolphins have a pair of safeties who can bring the wood at any time.

But McDonald, who has been working out with the team and attending meetings during his suspension, also adds versatility.

The Dolphins play their safeties interchangeably, meaning either the free safety or strong safety can be the eighth man in the box for run support, and either the free safety or strong safety could be stationed deep as the last line of defense.

“He can play free or strong and I, obviously, can play free or strong,” Jones said. “I’ve played both throughout

my career here, so I think we do complement each other well.”

Initially, Burke wasn’t sure McDonald, because of his size, was qualified to be deep as a free safety, of sorts.

“I don’t want to say [it’s] a stereotype,” Burke said, “but you see a 6-3, 225-pound safety and you just assume those things. That’s probably sort of a bias I had when we signed him.

“I thought that actually was one of the pleasant things about him we noticed in the spring — he’s a tall kid that can range back there, too, and do some things, and I think it’s just sort of human nature to say, ‘Let’s put this big guy in the box and that’s where he is.’ ”

McDonald said he’s OK playing deep.

“I feel like we’re both capable to play deep, play in the box, whatever they want us to do — come blitz,” McDonald said. “It helps us be able to show different looks because you never know which one’s down, which one’s back. We’ll be able to come out here and do some different things.”

Despite McDonald’s comforting words, the big concern with this duo will be those deep duties, not the run support. You must take the correct angle while pursuing the ball, make the right decision when it comes to delivering hits (Jones was flagged for a costly — and questionable — unnecessary-roughness penalty last week), and be a sure tackler.

Keeping the play in front of you is essential.

“I think one of our failings has been that we’ve actually given up more chunk plays in the last few weeks than we had earlier in the year,” he said.

Jones was burned for a 44-yard touchdown reception last week.

But Burke said he has no doubt McDonald can successfully defend such plays.

McDonald, suspended for violating the league’s Policy and Programs for Substances of Abuse, saw repeatedly what happens when you don’t keep the play in front of you.

“Yes, I’d watch the games at home,” he said. “I’d watch the games at home or even [cornerback] Tony Lippett is on [injured reserve] and we’d watch the games together to be able to keep that camaraderie going and be able to see what the mistakes are and what the good things that we’re doing are. That’s been helpful.”

Miami’s pass defense hasn’t been bad.

The Dolphins enter Monday’s game with the NFL’s 14th-ranked pass defense at 221 yards per game.

But they allow quarterbacks a 102.6 passer rating, making Miami 30th in the NFL in that category.

Carolina doesn’t have a great passing game. Quarterback Cam Newton (10 touchdowns, 11 interceptions, 78.4 passer rating, 27th in NFL) doesn’t have wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin, who was traded to Buffalo, or tight end Greg Olsen, who is out with a foot injury.

Consequently, the Panthers, who frequently feature running back Christian McCaffrey as a receiver, are 24th in the NFL at 204 yards passing per game.

The Dolphins got torn up by Oakland tight end Jared Cook (eight receptions, 120 yards).

But Burke said he feels good about McDonald and Jones covering tight ends. And wide receivers.

“I don’t have any reservations putting those guys back there in the back end,” Burke said.

“I feel like we’re both capable to play deep, play in the box.” T.J. McDonald, on playing with Reshad Jones