http://www.thefinsiders.com/blog/20...o-watch?_ga=1.154756984.1145683902.1432172465 1. Offensive Guard With Mike Pouncey, Branden Albert (when fully healthy), and Ja’Wuan James, the Dolphins have an impressive group manning the middle and outer portions of the offensive line. The question marks reside between Pouncey and the tackles at the guard position. This is the most wide open battle in all of training camp. Billy Turner, Dallas Thomas, Jamil Douglas, and Jeff Linkenbach are the primary contenders for the two jobs, but J.D. Walton, Jacques McClendon, and Dionte Savage will all have their opportunities to impress the coaching staff. “I completely expect to be very solid at the guard position,” offensive line coach John Benton told me recently. “Who those two players will be, or maybe even a third, I don’t know. That’s something where we need the pads on and we need a couple of preseason games to determine.” This is also the most important position battle as the Dolphins desperately need to reduce the number of sacks sustained by Ryan Tannehill. Over the past two seasons, Miami has allowed 104 sacks. If the Dolphins’ plan to compete for the postseason, that number has to go down and the guards will play a vital role in helping do so. 2. Backup Running Back Coming off his first 1,000 yard season, Lamar Miller is an ascending talent in the league and enters 2015 as Miami’s unquestioned starter. However, the depth chart behind Miller is teeming with talented, multi-dimensional players. Damien Williams turned heads last season by impressing as an undrafted rookie. Jay Ajayi was surprisingly available in the fifth round of this year’s draft after an extremely productive career at Boise State. LaMichael James has big play potential and could help reduce Jarvis Landry’s workload as a returner. And Mike Gillislee is back to full strength after missing all of the 2014 season. All of these players have the potential to positively impact the team as runners and receivers out of the backfield. However, this position battle may be determined by their ability to contribute on special teams. Please click on link for the rest of the article.
Is that list in order of importance? Because I don't think the backup RB position battle ranks ahead of the DB or LB or linebacker battles. We don't have a solidified starter opposite of Grimes and perhaps nickle CB is up in the air. Chris McCain hasn't locked up a starting spot, and whomever the backup MLB is will likely be a starter at some point this season when Misi goes down with injuries, as he's prone to do.
Look at the defense. On one side there is Brent Grimes, Reshad Jones, Cameron Wake and Jelani Jenkins--4 players we're all very confident about. On the other side there is Olivier Vernon, a newbie at OLB, a youngster at CB and maybe if we're lucky a healthy Louis Delmas for most of the year. It's not about CB or FS or OLB....it's about that entire side of the defense not being entirely overwhelmed. We know one side is super-strong and so teams will probably attack towards the weaker side with all the youth and inexperience. How will those guys handle it? We won't know until the season gets underway. All I'll say about RB and Guard is that we were doing decently well last year and all the same pieces are here with a few improvements. At the very least we've added depth at RB and Guard. At the very worst we'll have about what we had last year. That doesn't worry me.
I would think so too. But what if Jamar Taylor struggles at RCB? Brice might be forced to the outside, even if his best position is nickle. Then we're looking at Taylor/Bobby McCain/Will Davis as starting nickle DB's. The lack of a bonafide stater at RCB has implications for the Nickle too.
Yeah, and that worries me. Brice is really suited, I think physically and mentally to be the "slot" guy. Man it would be really, really nice for Taylor to step up.
That wasn't what was meant...he meant 1) Vernon, 2) Newbie at OLB, 3) youngster CB....etc...referring to the right side of the defense (left, if you're looking at it from the Offense).
I agree, but we also need to find a way to get Bobby Mac and Jeff Luc in the game as often as possible...Players like him and Luc are especially good at creating turnovers, which is a huge benefit to have come game day. Quite possible that one of them makes a game saving tackle, or better yet, creates a game saving turnover.
