Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Up for grabs
Dolphins have an open spot at cornerback.
DAVIE — The philosophy for Dolphins defensive backs coach Tony Oden is simple when it comes to evaluating the unit this season.
He uses one line to determine who will get most of the reps.
“If you ball, you play,” Oden said. “It’s simple as that.”
That is the approach Oden is taking to figure out who will start opposite Xavien Howard at cornerback. Among those in contention are Cordrea Tankersley, Tony Lippett and Torry McTyer.
“It’s competitive,” Oden said. “That’s what you want. All those guys are working hard. We’ve got a lot of guys that want it. That pushes (Howard) because he sees those guys are battling.”
Added Lippett, “It’s a good competition. We’re all learning from each other. We’re all coming out here and competing every day just trying to get better. That’s it.”
Lippett is still working his way back from a torn Achilles that caused him to miss all of last season. The Dolphins are hoping he can revert to his 2016 form, when he had four interceptions and 67 tackles.
“I’m pretty close,” Lippett said. “I’m feeling pretty good, feeling back to myself, just trying to every day take it one day at a time and just keep going.”
Dolphins coach Adam Gase said the true test arrives once preseason games begin. At times, Lippett has looked solid while other days he has struggled.
“If you ball, you play. It’s simple as that.” Tony Oden, defensive backs coach
“I think he’s had some days where he has a tough matchup a lot of the times,” Gase said. “It seems like he’s on Jakeem (Grant) quite a bit and that will test you right out of the gate as far as being able to transition and trying to stay with a guy with really good speed. I think he just has to focus on what he’s doing right now. He has to put that injury behind him. I think eventually that’ll move away from him. I think it’s going to happen more when we start playing games and we can get tackling and it gets a little more physical and real for him. I think once he gets into a preseason game, all of that will just go behind him and he’ll be able to go play.”
Tankersley, who is in his second year with the Dolphins, started 11 games last year and finished with 31 tackles and seven pass break-ups. He’s spent most of training camp working with the first and second units.
Oden has also been especially high on McTyer, who has received first-team reps. McTyer joined the Dolphins last season as an undrafted rookie free agent out of UNLV.
“I tell those guys it doesn’t matter where you come from, how you got here, if you’re drafted, if you were here already,” Oden said. “… (McTyer’s) done well. He’s been competitive. Not perfect but none of them are. I’m not singling him out.”
What the Dolphins don’t have to worry about is Howard, who has impressed with his consistency throughout camp. He had two interceptions during Thursday’s practice.
“I’m just trying to feed off each practice and get better each day,” Howard said. “Just being consistent and doing what I do best and knowing what I can do best.”
Howard has intentions of building on last year’s breakout season, where he had four interceptions and established himself as the team’s top corner.
“It’s just really just having confidence, just knowing that you’re out there on an island by yourself,” Howard said. “You’ve got to think you’re the best everyday.”