Why Earl Mitchell Has Everything to Prove in Miami Dolphins Training Camp

When the Miami Dolphins signed defensive tackle Earl Mitchell last offseason, the hope was that he would be a starting defensive tackle with time. With Jared Odrick and Randy Starks already in the fold, the Dolphins didn't have enough starting spots to go around for everyone.

Mitchell ended up starting just four games last year, but according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald, he's already being labeled as a front-runner for the starting spot next to Ndamukong Suh. There are some talented players behind Mitchell on the depth chart, though, so his spot should be considered far from 100 percent secure. 

Make no mistake; he's not in any danger of being cut. His contract—a four-year, $16 million pact that gave him $5 million guaranteed—makes cutting him cost prohibitive.

In fact, this could be the best year of Mitchell's career. 

Anyone lining up next to Suh should be a fairly productive player; it's like taking an open-note test. Suh's teammates should see a good deal of one-on-one blocking assignments as a result of Suh's sheer dominance.

But this isn't about Suh. This is about Mitchell proving he has the combination of pass-rushing and run-stuffing ability as well as the endurance to be a three-down player. 

In his career, Mitchell has never been more than a part-time player. He tallied a career-high 553 snaps in 2013 with the Houston Texans, according to Pro Football Focus, and he played 543 snaps for the Dolphins in 2014. 

Mitchell isn't going to prove in training camp that he has the endurance to handle such a role. That proof won't come until the regular season is in full throttle. If that proof doesn't come, there are several players waiting in the wings to snatch up any remaining snaps that Mitchell leaves behind. 

The Dolphins added defensive tackle Jordan Phillips in the second round of the draft. He obviously has long-term upside, otherwise they wouldn't have drafted him so high, but he also could contribute to the defensive line right away.

"We took him and we almost had an earthquake up there, the defensive coaches trying to break down the walls, they were so excited," general manager Dennis Hickey said after the draft, according to Surya Fernandez of Fox Sports Florida. "[He's] a talented player, really excited to get him in with our coaches and work with him. We really like what he brings [in terms of] size, strength, ability to hold point, with also having athleticism and ability to rush the passer."

Sounds like the complete package at defensive tackle, if you ask me. 

But he's not the only one who will be competing for snaps in the Dolphins' loaded defensive line. Veteran C.J Mosley is Suh's old teammate with the Detroit Lions.

Further in the background of the battle, there's third-year defensive tackle A.J. Francis and second-year defensive tackle Anthony Johnson.

But don't expect big things from either Francis or Johnson; the former spent the 2013 season bouncing back and forth between the Dolphins' and the New England Patriots' practice squads, and then spent the 2014 season on injured reserve; the latter played just 84 snaps as a rookie in 2014. The two will probably compete for the fourth and fifth spots on the depth chart at defensive tackle, with Ellis McCarthy and Deandre Coleman fighting for a roster spot or practice squad duty.

Year	Cap number	Total cap savings (pre-June 1)	Total cap savings (post-June 1)
2015	$4,500,000	$1,500,000	$3,500,000
2016	$3,500,000	$1,500,000	$2,500,000
2017	$4,500,000	$3,500,000	$3,500,000

Right now, Mitchell is in the second year of his contract. The Dolphins can cut him anytime they want over the next three years, and they will receive some salary-cap relief if and when they do.

Given the hefty dollar figure that is attached to Mitchell, it seems unlikely that he would be asked to sit on the bench while someone else starts in 2015. That could change in the future when the Dolphins are a little closer up against the salary cap—as of July 29, 2015, the Dolphins are scheduled to be $7.9 million over the salary cap in 2016.

Mitchell needs to use the 2015 season as a launching point for his career by proving that he can thrive in a starting role. That all begins by proving that he belongs in the Dolphins starting lineup.

Unless otherwise noted, all advanced statistics provided by Pro Football Focus. All salary-cap and contract information provided by Over The Cap.