Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Minicamp has slew of position battles
Gase makes it plain there are no favorites
Adam Gase has already proven that he doesn’t play favorites.
Last season, the Miami Dolphins head coach benched four veteran starters when their play began to dip, and cut three players after a disappointing loss to the Tennessee Titans.
Gase’s insistence that every player must earn his roster spot was one of the reasons for last season’s turnaround, which produced the Dolphins’ first winning season and playoff berth since 2008.
Nothing has changed this offseason, so expect a few competitive battles during this week’s three-day mandatory minicamp as players jockey for starting spots and playing time.
Here is a breakdown of the Dolphins’ position battles to watch this offseason:
Damien Williams vs. Kenyan
Drake for No. 2 tailback: Jay Ajayi is well entrenched as Miami’s featured back, but the Dolphins like to carve out a role for a change-of-pace tailback. Williams, who scored a careerhigh six touchdowns last season, has held that role for the past three seasons because of his reliable hands and sensational blocking ability. But Drake, the Dolphins’ 2016 third-round pick, has learned the offense well enough to challenge the veteran. And Drake’s 5.4 yards per carry
average last season can’t be ignored.
Kraig Urbik vs. Anthony Steen for backup center: Last season, Urbik and Steen shared the role as Mike Pouncey’s replacement at center. Steen started seven games at center before a leg injury started to affect his play, and he was replaced by Urbik, an eight-year veteran who has started 63 NFL games. Urbik started six games last season at various spots, and consistently helped stabilize Miami’s offensive line. Urbik will likely make the 53-man roster.
Jakeem Grant and Kenyan Drake for return specialist role: Grant, the Dolphins’ 2016 sixth-round pick, is a dangerous weapon when the ball is in his hands. The problem is, his hands aren’t very reliable. Grant had trouble consistently fielding kickoffs and punts last year, and those issues led to Miami’s coaches limiting his role. Drake averaged 30.5 yards and scored a touchdown on the 13 kickoffs he returned as a rookie, and is being groomed to field punts this offseason.
Andre Branch vs. Charles Harris for starting right defensive end: Branch earned the Dolphins’ starting spot five games into last season, and played well enough to be rewarded with a three-year, $24 million contract. But that didn’t stop Miami’s front office from using the team’s first-round pick on former Missouri standout Harris, a pass rushing specialist who has been extremely disruptive during organized team activities. If Harris continues to make a favorable impact when pads come on and learns to stop the run, he could elevate himself to starter status quickly.
Mike Hull vs. Raekwon McMillan for starting linebacker role: The Dolphins have been holding open auditions for a linebacker to pair with Kiko Alonso and Lawrence Timmons as Miami’s starting trio, and it appears Hull’s knowledge of the system has given him an early edge. However, McMillan, the Dolphins’ 2017 second-round pick, is a superior athlete, and could make a push once the NFL game slows down for the rookie. McMillan better make his move before Koa Misi, who has been sidelined with a neck injury, is cleared to practice and the field gets even more crowded.
Bobby McCain vs. Michael Thomas for starting nickel cornerback role: The Dolphins are hopeful that the twoyear, 12-start investment they’ve made with McCain, a 2015 fifth-round pick, begins to pay off. However, Michael Thomas has proven he’s more than capable of getting the job done as a starter in his previous four seasons, which includes 23 starts. McCain has gotten bigger and stronger this offseason, but Thomas’ intelligence always keeps him in the mix.
Nick Williams, Davon Godchaux and Vincent Taylor for third defensive
tackle: The Dolphins have a bunch of young, unproven players backing up Ndamukong Suh and Jordan Phillips. Williams, a waiver-wire find, has contributed 17 tackles in his three previous NFL seasons. Godchaux and Taylor, two rookies Miami selected in the late rounds, both flash some athletic traits that indicate that they might possess upside, but it’s going to take stellar coaching to polish them up enough for Miami’s defense to depend on the rookies.
Byron Maxwell, Tony Lippett and Cordrea Tankersley for boundary cornerback role: Xavien Howard’s development and dominance during OTAs indicates that the starting left corner spot is his to lose, and it’s doubtful he’ll do that unless an injury slows him down. Maxwell and Lippett shared the starting role last season, and each had their moments — and struggles. Tankersley, a former Clemson standout the Dolphins selected in the third round of this year’s draft, has plenty to learn, but possesses the size and athleticism needed to be an NFL starter.
Matt Darr vs. Matt Haack
for punter: Darr had a solid second season, averaging 44.3 yards per punt and 39.9 net yards per, and downed 32 punts inside the 20 last season. But Haack could challenge Darr. The former Arizona State standout has a field-flipping leg that provides impressive hang time (4.21 in 2016) to his left-footed punts.
Brandon Doughty vs. David Fales for No. 3 quarterback role: Neither has proven he deserves a spot on the 53-man roster because each lacks the necessary arm strength. Doughty, the Dolphins’ 2016 seventh-round pick, spent last season learning Miami’s offense on the practice squad. Fales, a sixth-round pick in 2014, is trying to make his fourth team in four years. This battle is realistic for a practice-squad spot, because Matt Moore is one of the NFL’s top backup QBs.