Battlelines Set As Training Camp Looms

The smell of fresh cut grass, yard marker paint, and Gatorade is in the air…that’s right training camp is right around the corner and competition will be heavy as the Dolphins looks to stay ahead of the pack in the AFC East and make the playoffs for the second straight season after a 1-15 campaign in 2007. 

Let's take a look at three position battles to watch during Training Camp 2009.

1. Left Outside Linebacker

The Competition:

Jason Taylor (FA – Redskins)
Cameron Wake (FA – CFL)
Matt Roth
Charlie Anderson

The Blogosphere and draftniks were adamant the Dolphins were going to address the outside linebacker position – namely pass rusher – early in the 2009 draft.  Joey Porter is coming off a 17.5 sack, Pro Bowl season but opposite him Matt Roth, Charlie Anderson, and company managed only 7.5 sacks combined and a very inconsistent rush of the passer.  Roth provides a good edge against the run but didn’t provide the constant pressure the defense is predicated on and Anderson has been little other than a journeyman backup to this point.

Enter Cameron Wake (formerly Derek for you Penn State fans), a former NFL prospect passed over during the 2007 Draft after a decent career for the Nittany Lions (8.5 sacks).  The former D.C. area high school standout signed on to play in Canada after a brief stint as a free agent with the New York Giants and earned his way to an NFL 4.9 million dollar contract with a 16 sack performance in 2008 for the B.C. Lions of the CFL.  He will be expected to play a big part as a situational pass rusher for the Dolphins and will be the first to push Roth for time on the left side.

Added to the mix later in the off-season is fan favorite Jason Taylor.  Reports from Miami suggest Taylor will start at his more natural right side behind Joey Porter, but don’t be surprised to see Taylor or even Porter be moved around to the left side on occasion, especially if Taylor plays like the Jason Taylor from 2007 and not the one from 2008 that only recorded one sack for the Redskins.
 


2. Wide Receiver opposite Ted Ginn Jr.

The Competition:

Greg Camarillo
Patrick Turner (rookie – Round 3)
Brian Hartline (rookie – Round 4)
Davone Bess

The biggest need going into the off-season by most accounts has the most competition entering training camp.  Ted Ginn Jr. will open the season opposite at one spot but the other is completely up for grabs.  Greg Camarillo and Davone Bess return as the second and third leading receivers with 55 catches, 613 yards (two touchdowns) and 54 catches 554 yards (one touchdown) respectively.   The position needed to be addressed with depth and talent and the staff is high on both Turner and Hartline who have the physical makeup to be dominating collegiate players, but failed to live up to the high expectations each had at their respective universities.  Turner is a big target at 6-foot-5 and over 210 pounds.  He runs in the 4.6 range and reminds many of a poor man’s Keyshawn Johnson.  Hartline drew raves from personnel men around the NFL in how they saw him as an NFL pro.  After a solid 2007 season, Hartline disappointed a bit in 2008 as a result of Ohio State going to more of a run oriented attack with Terrelle Pryor and Chris ‘Beanie’ Wells.

If there is a wild card to this equation, it’s the presence of former Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress in free agency.  Burress has expressed an interest in joining the Dolphins and would immediately make this unit a strength, however the Dolphins have not stated an interest in the 6-foot-6 pass catcher and his legal issues make him a bit of a risk at this time.

 
3. Cornerback opposite Will Allen

The Competition:

Vontae Davis (rookie – Round 1)
Sean Smith (rookie – Round 2)
Eric Green (FA – Arizona)
Jason Allen

The Dolphins ranked 25th against the pass in 2008 and in the off-season, they dedicated a lot of resources to the unit in an attempt to improve it.  In free agency, they added Eric Green from Arizona to challenge incumbent Jason Allen for starting time.  In the draft, they added two players with their first three picks at defensive back.  Vontae Davis’ is as physically impressive as they come at cornerback.  At 5-foot-11 and over 200 pounds, Davis brings unmatched speed and physical ability to the position.  Pundits do question his cornerback skill and technique however.  Davis is though, a very highly regarded prospect with a high ceiling.  He will be given every chance to start and take the job away from both Green and Allen.

A wild card in the mix is Sean Smith, the second of the Dolphins two second round picks.  Smith played cornerback at Utah but because of his size, projects as more of a safety to the NFL.  That might not stop the Dolphins from playing Smith at corner if he shows fluid hips and technique.  At 6-foot-4 and over 200 pounds while running a 4.4, he brings a different kind of skill set and physical make up that no cornerback in the NFL don’t has.  But, like was mentioned, can he turn and run with a wide out?