Part four of a seven-part series previewing the Miami Dolphins. The articles will focus on dissecting the team's most crucial positions before the start of training camp.
The Miami Dolphins are doing everything possible to improve last year’s 25th-ranked pass defense.
They let Andre Goodman and Reynaldo Hill sign with Denver, but so far their replacements have struggled. Cornerback Eric Green and safety Gibril Wilson looked bad during organized team activities, particularly against the deep pass.
Rookie corners Sean Smith and Vontae Davis impressed coaches, and both seem to have moved ahead of Green on the depth chart. Nothing is certain during OTA’s because in reality, it is more like flag football.
The good news is the pads start popping in August and the secondary will be taller and more physical.
The Cornerbacks
Will Allen had his best season as a Dolphin in 2008 and was given a two-year contract extension.
He is the oldest member of the secondary and will be counted on to cover some of the best receivers in the game. He will face Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Terrell Owens, and Lee Evens and that’s just in the AFC East.
Davis is a very physical corner and he could really stand out once he’s allowed to hit somebody. He is still a very raw talent and it is still not certain whether he will be a corner or a safety in the NFL.
Smith lined up with the first-team defense during the last round of OTA’s and the early reports on him are solid. At 6-4 and 215 pounds, he gives the Miami the size to match up against Moss and Owens but he may not be ready for that just yet.
All three will be Dolphins in 2009 but the rest of the corners could be fighting just for a place on the team.
Green lost his starting job in Arizona to a rookie and this year a pair of rookies could move him down to fourth on the depth chart.
Green is an experienced NFL corner, making 33 starts in four seasons with the Cardinals but has only two career interceptions.
Jason Allen could be on his way out if he struggles during pre-season. Nathan Jones is a cheaper alternative. Both played on special teams last year but Jones played in nickel and dime formations. $1.9 million is too much to be paying a fifth-string corner if Allen drops that far he will get the axe.
He was torched by former Arena League player Anthony Armstrong and that is defiantly not a good sign. The Dolphins struggled defending the deep pass last year and it could be a problem again.
The Safeties
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