Dolphins' Position Battles to Watch Ahead of 2023 NFL Season
Most of the Miami Dolphins' starting offense is set ahead of the 2023 NFL season, but two of the 11 spots on the depth chart need to be solidified before Week 1.
The Dolphins signed former New England Patriots offensive tackle Isaiah Wynn after the draft to compete with Austin Jackson at right tackle.
The competition is a bit less clear at tight end, where they may replace Mike Gesicki's impact with a committee.
Durham Smythe, Tyler Kroft and Eric Saubert have not been No. 1 tight ends in their NFL careers, and Elijah Higgins is a rookie who played wide receiver in college.
Defensively, the Dolphins are mostly set, but there will be a battle for the final starting secondary spot between DeShon Elliott and Brandon Jones.
Right Tackle
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Miami had to explore all offseason options to protect quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
The Dolphins didn't have a Day 1 pick and didn't use the draft to improve that spot.
Instead, Miami landed Wynn from the free-agent market to provide competition for Jackson.
Jackson and Wynn have both gone through struggles in their respective careers, so there is no clear-cut favorite to start at right tackle in Week 1 on September 10.
Wynn's inconsistency in New England caused him to sit on the free-agent market until after the draft. He could have gone back to the Patriots, but he opted for a new challenge within the AFC East.
The two right tackles will be watched closely with every snap in training camp and preseason because protecting Tagovailoa is paramount after the string of injuries to start his career, including several concussions last year.
Tight End
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Miami made it clear in 2022 that it will not use its tight end as much as other teams do in the passing game.
The Dolphins still need a strong pass-catcher at the position to provide help in short-yardage and red-zone situations.
None of the three veteran tight ends on the roster has had a 500-yard season. The best single campaign out of the group was Kroft's 404 receiving yards in 2017.
The 30-year-old has not recorded over 200 receiving yards in a season since then, while Saubert never had over 200 yards in a campaign, and Smythe had just 20 catches for 129 yards in 2022.
Smythe did have 70 catches in 2020 and 2021, so he would be the assumed favorite to win the starting tight end spot.
If Kroft returns to the form from his Cincinnati Bengals days, he could take over snaps and turn into one of the offseason's bargain signings.
All three players need to shoulder blocking responsibilities in the Dolphins' offensive system, and that is why Smythe may have the advantage at the start, but the team can't just rely on Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle to make every play.
Do not expect massive yardage out of any Miami tight end, but they can contribute in the red zone, and whichever one of the three veterans or Higgins shines the most in that department could come away with the most snaps in 2023.
Safety
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The Dolphins only have one decision to make in their secondary before Week 1: Will Elliott or Jones take the starting spot next to Jevon Holland at safety?
Elliott was brought in as a free agent after one year with the Detroit Lions, with whom he made 73 tackles and had three passes defended.
Jones has been on the Miami roster for the last three years, and he holds the advantage of knowing the defensive scheme from last season.
The added wrinkle to the competition is both players came out of Texas around the same time. Elliott was a sixth-round pick out of Texas in 2018, and Jones was drafted in the third round in 2020.
Whomever emerges as the starting safety will be vital to the Dolphins' success because there is a good chance opposing offenses will target him with Holland, Jalen Ramsey and Xavien Howard roaming the defensive backfield.
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