Miami Dolphins OTA Standouts Worth Keeping an Eye on This Offseason
It never takes very long between the beginning of organized team activities (OTAs) and the first reports we begin to hear about certain players who are poised for a breakout season and who could be put on notice for their job security.
The Miami Dolphins have already had their share of such reports coming out of the first wave of OTAs, with some of their high-profile players already making splashes, while other players might be under the gun to get in gear or get off the field.
There are many ways a player can be worth watching more closely; whether he's in danger of being usurped, or has a possibility to usurp someone else, there will be players rising and falling for the Dolphins this offseason as we head into training camp.
Who are those players in the very early stages of the offseason program?
DeVante Parker
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The Dolphins drafted Louisville wide receiver DeVante Parker because they needed a big-bodied boundary receiver to stretch the defense vertically and win jump balls.
So far, it looks like he's living up to the billing. According to Armando Salguero of The Miami Herald, Parker has been "a beast" at OTAs, even going as far as to manhandle Dolphins veteran Pro Bowl cornerback Brent Grimes. Salguero writes:
"Parker beat Grimes again, and again, and again. Each time, the Pro Bowl cornerback had good coverage of Parker. But 6-3 versus 5-10 is simply not a fair match and Parker made that point on in cutting routes, slants and posts. On one play, Grimes was flagged for pass interference. He was being as physical as the NFL allows—moreso. And he rode Parker. And Parker caught the football anyway.
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That's a promising report, considering the Dolphins receiving corps has been notably short on size (no pun intended) and strength in past years. Parker should provide both in being the boundary threat the Dolphins have been lacking ever since Joe Philbin took over as head coach.
Dallas Thomas
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Not all players stand out for good reasons. Count left guard Dallas Thomas among those finding his way into media reports for the wrong reasons.
Thomas worked in as the starting left guard, according to Armando Salguero of The Miami Herald, and the results were not good:
"Put it this way: Monday was the first OTA session of the offseason with offensive players facing defensive players and vice versa. There were no pads. It was not a contact practice. And yet I saw Thomas crumble in a heap on a run play that got blown up by Earl Mitchell and Olivier Vernon as if he was a junior varsity kid competing in the NFL.
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The Dolphins are 60 percent of the way home toward a total rebuild on the offensive line after a disastrous 2013 season. They signed left tackle Branden Albert as a free-agent last year and drafted right tackle Ja'Wuan James as his bookend. Those two, along with center Mike Pouncey, will be starters in the Dolphins offensive line once again.
The two guard spots are up for grabs, though, and between Dallas Thomas, Billy Turner and rookie Jamil Douglas, the Dolphins had better hope they have two talented guards in their employ—or else their big investment at quarterback could be eating a face full of defensive tackles week after week.
Ndamukong Suh
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High-priced defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh did not make his presence felt immediately upon the onset of organized team activities, but he has joined the team now, and to mixed results.
Armando Salguero of The Miami Herald notes that Suh jumped offsides a couple of times, which was a bad habit of his with the Detroit Lions as well. But don't pull the plug on the $60 million man just yet; according to John Congemi of MiamiDolphins.com, Suh had a good day of practice aside from the two infractions, showing "great explosiveness and continually pushing the pocket into the quarterback."
Perhaps his offsides penalties can be written off to rust (although self-inflicted by his own decision to not join the team for voluntary workouts), but Suh had four defensive offsides penalties, tied for fifth most in the NFL last year, according to NFLPenalties.com.
Given the Dolphins' lack of talent at guard, it shouldn't be terribly surprising that he was so dominant rushing up the middle. That being said, this offers an enticing first glimpse into the vast potential for the Dolphins' defensive line. The sky is the limit with Cameron Wake, Earl Mitchell and Olivier Vernon lining up alongside the high-impact defensive tackle.
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Chris McCain
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The Dolphins wasted no time in overhauling the linebacker position by parting ways with Philip Wheeler and Dannell Ellerbe, but they've shuffled their feet to this point with regard to making any additions at the position. Well, now we may know why, and it seems they had a plan all along.
Second-year defenseman Chris McCain split his time between defensive end and linebacker as a rookie in 2014, but if early signs at practice are any indication, his role could be much more defined in 2015. He has spent most of his time working with the linebackers, which could put him in line to compete for a starting spot. Philbin told the media:
"During individual, he went with the linebackers and that's where he's been starting so far. But he obviously has some skills as a pass rusher. It's that challenge of how much time at a certain position and how much time at the other position. He has a lot of different skills that we'd like to take advantage of. We'll see again how things develop over time.
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For now, McCain appears to be one of the top linebackers on the depth chart along with Koa Misi and Jelani Jenkins. There's still a long way to go in the offseason workout program, though, so stay tuned to see if an unheralded linebacker such as Neville Hewitt, Jake Knott or Jordan Tripp can give McCain a run for his money.
Brice McCain
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Okay, so cornerback Brice McCain hasn't turned up in any media reports for big plays or outstanding performance in any particular area, but Omar Kelly of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel points out that there's good reason to keep a close eye on McCain's alignment and assignment during the offseason. Notes Kelly:
"The Dolphins envision McCain serving as the nickel cornerback, replacing Jimmy Wilson. But there's a chance he could do more than that because of his experience level—he has started 19 games in his six-year career with Houston and Pittsburgh—and the injury history of some of the team’s young cornerbacks.
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He's clearly talking about Will Davis and Jamar Taylor, who have both battled through injuries in their career to this point. Taylor was a second-round pick in 2013, but he has not lived up to the billing so far, and his opportunities could be coming to an end. Davis has never had such an opportunity, but there are quite a few other cornerbacks he'll have to beat out for the job.
Between Davis, Taylor, Walt Aikens, Bobby McCain, Zack Bowman and others, there are plenty of question marks on the Dolphins roster at cornerback. If Brice McCain can provide just one answer, he will have gone a long way toward providing some stability in the secondary.
Unless otherwise noted, quotes obtained via team news release.
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