The Miami Dolphins' Eight Most Intriguing Training Camp Battles of 2009

Could it be? After three long months, am I finally resurfacing in the world of online sports journalism/blogging? Yes, indeed I am.

Before I begin, let me put some of the rumors that have been floating around to rest. First, no, I'm not dead. And secondly, no, I'm not dating Jennifer Aniston.

Now that we've gotten that out of the way, let's turn our attention to what really matters—Miami Dolphins football. Training camp is right around the corner (beginning this Sunday, August 2) and the Dolphins will look to defend their 2008 AFC East title.

It definitely won't be easy, with Tom Brady returning to the field in New England, Terrell Owens joining the Bills, and Brett Favre leaving the Jets (a textbook case of addition by subtraction).

So which current Dolphins will be around to help the team defend their crown, and which will be on the outside looking in? Here are, in my view, the top eight training camp battles to watch for the 2009 Miami Dolphins.

Also guys, remember that although I haven't posted on my website in sometime, I'm always updating my Dolphins twitter at http://www.twitter.com/phinsspotlight

No. 8: Backup Safeties

To be honest, there isn't much of a competition at the backup strong safety spot. Courtney Bryan was working at an Arby's last year until being brought back midseason for special teams purposes. Meanwhile, Tyrone Culver did well in the second half of the year and was rewarded with a two-year extension last month. Culver should have no problem securing a roster spot.

However, the free safety spot behind Gibril Wilson is certainly something to keep an eye on. One would imagine fifth-rounder Chris Clemons will win the job, but he strangely remains unsigned as camp rapidly approaches and any lost time will hurt his chances.

Ethan Kilmer might not be the favorite, but he should at least provide some healthy competition for Clemons and certainly should not be counted out. He has a good amount of experience at all the secondary positions (plus wide receiver) and has been a solid special teams performer in the past.

Fearless prediction:
-Clemons and Culver kept
-Kilmer and Bryan cut

No. 7: Final Inside Linebacker Spot

When we talk about the final inside linebacker spot, what we really mean is "special teamer." William Kershaw was added to the Dolphins' roster late in 2008 to help the special teams unit, appearing one one game and recording two tackles and a forced fumble. Strangely, he was deactivated in favor of veteran Derek Smith the next two games.

While one might consider the favorite to be the team's fourth inside 'backer behind Channing Crowder, Akin Ayodele and Reggie Torbor, a number of other players will give chase.

Seventh-rounder J. D. Folsom out of Weber State will be Kershaw's primary competition, but is at a disadvantage entering 2009 camp. Kershaw has much more experience on NFL special teams and Folsom is severely limited in upside. One thing going for Folsom is that Kershaw has been a journeyman over the past three seasons and hasn't really impressed anyone. If Folsom can keep his performance level close to Kershaw's the Dolphins could opt for Folsom's youth and longer contract.

Also competing, but at a far greater disadvantage, could be former Virginia Tech Hokies defensive end Orion Martin. The position change will be tough for him and he'll really have to impress just to earn a practice squad spot.

Fearless prediction:
-Kershaw kept
-Folsom to practice squad
-Martin cut

No. 6: Third Tight End

It's hard to have any complaints with the way Anthony Fasano and David Martin performed in 2009 for the Dolphins, which is why their jobs are likely safe this season. It's the third and final tight end spot that has some intriguing competition.

Second-year man Joey Haynos is the incumbent third-string tight end after signing with the team from Green Bay's practice squad in September. Haynos offers tremendous size for the position (6-8, 270) and even flashed some hands with a 19-yard scoring grab against the 49ers in Week 15 last season. Still, Haynos is far from a lock to make the squad in 2009 and will some unique competition.

Fifth-round pick John Nalbone is regarded as a solid all-around prospect, but making the transition from Division II Monmouth to the NFL could prove difficult. Because of the Dolphins' depth as well as the number of bodies at the position, it seems quite possible Nalbone will begin his progression on the practice squad.

The most interesting name among the competitors is certainly former wide receiver Ernest Wilford. Signed to a four-year, $13 million contract last offseason, Wilford was one of the league's biggest free-agent busts of 2008 as the team preferred to play just about anyone at receiver over Wilford last season.

Still, Wilford is an intriguing tight end prospect because of the some of the mismatches he creates for opposing defense. While no burner as a wide receiver, Wilford certainly possesses more speed and agility than your average tight end, making him a much tougher player to defend for opposing linebackers.

The real obstacle for Wilford will be his contract. The Dolphins aren't looking to keep him around at his current price to be a third-string tight end for the next three seasons. If he wants to stick around, he'll have to show significant potential as a starting tight end and someone that could perhaps even replace Fasano and Martin (both impending free agents) in 2010.

Fearless prediction:
-Haynos kept
-Nalbone to practice squad
-Wilford and Jared Bronson cut

No. 5: Backup Nose Tackle

One need position the Dolphins did not address in this year's draft was nose tackle, and as a result they still don't have a clear-cut, long-term replacement for aging veteran Jason Ferguson.

The most talented backup the team has at the position is third-year man Paul Soliai, but he's been in the organization's dog house on numerous occasions and hasn't been able to "put it all together" when he's been given the chance. The physical attributes you look for in a nose tackle are still there, but whether or not Soliai can get his act together without wearing the staff's patience remains to be seen.

Soliai will receive competition from a number of other players, including Joe Cohen, Louis Ellis and possibly Tony McDaniel.

Cohen - a former fourth-round pick by the 49ers who spend part of last season on Miami's practice squad - hasn't appeared in a game in two pro seasons due to injuries.

Undrafted out of Shaw in 2009, Ellis is an intriguing sleeper prospect. He dominated the Division II ranks on his way to consecutive conference defensive player of the year awards his final two seasons. The transition to the NFL won't be easy though, and it's possible he might be better suited for practice squad at this point in his career.

Throwing his own hat into the ring recently is defensive end Tony McDaniel, who was acquired from the Jacksonville Jaguars for seventh-round pick this offseason. Somewhat lanky and lean (6-7, 310) for a 3-4 nose tackle, McDaniel has stated his desire to be tried at the position. If he shows some ability there, the Dolphins could opt to keep him around due to his Randy Starks-like versatility across the defensive line.

Fearless prediction:
-Soliai kept
-Ellis to practice squad
-Cohen cut

No. 4: Backup Outside Linebackers

Three of the team's top outside linebackers - Joey Porter, Jason Taylor and Matt Roth - should all be safe from the axe. Porter and Taylor provide a quality pass-rushing tandem, and Roth, while not flashy, is greatly needed because he's the only one of the three at this point that is good against the run.

Beyond those players, things a little bit uncertain. 2008 free-agent pickup Charlie Anderson flashed at times as a situation pass rusher and should be safe, but he's certainly no lock.

Joining the competition will be Cameron Wake, who arrives in Miami after racking up 39 sacks and two defensive player of the year awards for the CFL's BC Lions. Wake, who signed a four-year, $4.9-million contact in January, has already been cast out of the NFL once in his career and is no lock to make the team this time around either. He's yet to show he can play at the NFL level and will have to excel on special teams to secure a spot on the team in 2009.

Also in the mix are Erik Walden, Quentin Moses and Tearrius George. Walden is the favorite of the group, as he excelled on special teams in the second half after being picked up off waivers from the Chiefs.

Moses and George are the longest shots of the group. A standout defensive end at UGA, Moses was a third-round pick by the Oakland Raiders in 2006 but failed to make the team out of camp, and was cut after a brief stint with the Cardinals shortly after. In two seasons with the Dolphins, he has shown little progression and his time in Miami may be running out.

Fearless prediction:
-Wake and Anderson kept
-Walden, Moses and George cut

No. 3: Starting Right Guard

If Donald Thomas could stay healthy, this really wouldn't even be a competiton. Thomas blew the coaches away after coming in as a raw sixth-rounder in 2008, but was lost for the season after just one game due to a foot injury.

Thomas suffered another setback with a torn pectoral muscle in May, but recently declared himself close to practice-ready. If that is the case and he can stay healthy, he doesn't face a whole lot of competition talent-wise and should be able to retain the starting job.

If for some reason Thomas flops and/or suffers yet another setback, things could get pretty interesting at right guard for the second year in a row. Incumbent replacement Ike Ndukwe would have to be considered the favorite, but he really hasn't been more than mediocre in his NFL career thus far.

Providing Ndukwe with some competition would be Brandon Frye, a former Virginia Tech and Houston Texans tackle who has some potential as an interior lineman.

Versatile linemen Andy Alleman and Joe Berger will also make pushes for playing time, and each has some things working to their advantage. Berger has experience with the Dolphins' staff from his time in Dallas, while Alleman boasts a successful college career and a second-round draft slot by the Saints in 2007.

In the end, it should be either Thomas or Ndukwe that starts at right guard, with Ndukwe, Alleman and Berger all making the squad in some fashion as they can all play each of the three interior line positions. Frye's lack of experience and versatility in this regard could make him the odd man out.

If you're wondering why I didn't include 2008 fourth-round pick Shawn Murphy in th discussion, it's because I'm not high on him at all and I don't believe the team is either. It says something about you when a sixth-rounder can win the starting job right out of camp, but you as a fourth-rounder can't even get on the field the whole season when the team is picking up any guy they can find off the street to try at right guard. Murphy's struggle will be to make the team, not start.

Fearless prediction:
-Thomas starts
-Ndukwe, Alleman and Berger kept as backups

No. 2: Final Wide Receiver Spots

In my view, the "safe" wide receivers on the Dolphins' roster are Ted Ginn, Jr., Davone Bess, Greg Camarillo and Patrick Turner. The Dolphins typically kep five receivers, but could keep six depending on how many guys prove their worth.

Rookie Brian Hartline is no lock to make the team despite his fourth-round draft status, but he's an underrated receiver and hard worker on special teams so he'd really have to bomb in camp to not make the squad.

If we add Hartline to the "safe" list for the sake of argument, we already have our five receivers. Assuming Greg Camarillo (ACL) doesn't start the season on the PUP list, there might not be any room left for the other competitors.

Should the Dolphins choose to keep six wideouts (or stash Camarillo on the PUP list for the first ten weeks of the season), there isn't really a clear-cut choice. If it were based on looks, of course we'd have to give the spot to budding model Brandon London. Unfortunately, Bill Parcells & Co. are likely more concerned with football ability, and that's where things get cloudy.

London certainly made his mark on special teams in 2008, which gives him a slight edge over Anthony Armstrong, Brennan Marion and Chris Williams. He also has the best size of the group at 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds.

Still, London has yet to show much as a receiver and thus is not safe from the axe. Former Arena standout Anthony Armstrong drew rave reviews during 2009 minicamps and will be right on London's heels the entire time.

An intriguing prospect to watch is undrafted rookie Brennan Marion out of Tulsa. He's coming back from a knee injury suffered late in his college career, but was a tremendous deep threat for the Golden Hurricane when healthy as he set an NCAA record in yards per catch. The active roster might be a stretch out of the gate for him, but he's ideal practice squad material.

The least likely candidate the the team is undrafted rookie Chris Williams out of New Mexico State. At just 5-foot-8 and 175 pounds, Williams is pure returner material and will have to show he's far and away better than Ginn, Bess, Cobbs and all the others to earn a spot on the team. The those other players already locks because of their ability to contribute on offense, the odds are significantly stacked against Williams. The best he can hope for is a practice squad spot.

Fearless prediction:
-Hartline and Amstrong kept
-Marion to practice squad
-London and Williams cut

No. 1: Starting Cornerback

The Dolphins lost cornerback Andre' Goodman to free agency after a career year, and replacing him will no easy task for a team that now has a hole opposite starting cornerback Will Allen.

The Dolphins initially looked to fill that role in free agency, adding former Cardinals defensive back Eric Green to a two-year, $6 million contract. Green has been inconsistent in his career thus far and has yet to establish himself as a starter. Now, Green will face stiff competition from a pair of very talented rookies.

The Dolphins got what many called a steal with the 25th overall pick in the 2009 Draft. A legitimate top-10 talent, Illinois cornerback Vontae Davis possesses good speed and size with an impeccable athletic physique.

Also joining the new-look secondary is Sean Smith, a second-round pick out of Utah who began his collegiate career as a wide receiver. Possessing rare size for a cornerback at 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, Smith shined in the team's offseason minicamps and even reportedly outplayed Davis.

Fearless prediction:
-Smith starts
-Davis and Green see plenty of playing time in nickel and time sets