Predicting the Winner of the Miami Dolphins' Biggest Training-Camp Battles

There is no shortage of training-camp battles on the Miami Dolphins roster this summer.

Starters are trying to prove they can still contribute at a high level—or simply that they are a better solution at their position than any other candidates. Meanwhile, backups are trying to jockey for position to stay on the roster, to earn more playing time or to become a starter in their own right.

With so many shakeups on the Dolphins roster this offseason, there are battles up and down the roster. Thanks to a complete dumping of the old guard at linebacker, defensive tackle and wide receiver, along with a fortifying of the depth chart at cornerback, guard and running back, there are plenty of battles to watch no matter which direction you look.

Spring practices are not meant for evaluation as much as for teaching, but we are still able to take some clues as to who will be starting and who will be coming in off the bench thanks to minicamps and organized team activities.

Here are some early predictions for how the Dolphins' biggest training-camp battles will play out. 

No. 3 Defensive Tackle

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Dolphins DT Jordan Phillips (above) is one of a few candidates for the top backup spot at defensive tackle.

Winner: Jordan Phillips

Spoiler alert: Ndamukong Suh will start every game for the Miami Dolphins. 

Spoiler alert, continued: Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald reports that veteran Earl Mitchell will move from a backup role into a starting role at defensive tackle for the Dolphins this year.

The additions of veteran C.J. Mosley and rookie Jordan Phillips appear to have no bearing on the starting lineup, which means those two will compete for the second-wave spot on the depth chart, coming off the bench to provide a fresh set of legs.

Phillips is a second-round pick and is the future of the defensive tackle position for the Dolphins. The 6'5", 329-pound monster in the middle is not a pass-rushing maven like Suh, but he is more than capable of controlling multiple gaps at the line of scrimmage by using his size to envelop blockers. That's the kind of presence the Dolphins have been missing in the middle over the past two seasons as their run defense has slipped into the bottom 10 in the NFL. 

Mosley is a veteran and a career backup, but he has made a solid career out of hitting in cleanup for the Detroit Lions as a backup to Suh from 2012-2014. He played more than 50 percent of the snaps in the first (2012) and final (2014) seasons of his Lions career, according to Pro Football Focus. 

In the end, Phillips is the rookie with the higher long-term upside and is the better fit for exactly what the Dolphins need at defensive tackle right now. He should be groomed into that role as soon as possible. 

Starting Running Back

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Winner: Lamar Miller

Lamar Miller and Jay Ajayi could be competing for the top spot on the Dolphins' depth chart at running back. Miller, the incumbent, has the advantage over Ajayi, a rookie, in 2015. Change the question from short-term to long-term, though, and you may also have to change the answer.

Miller's rookie contract expires following the 2015 season. That puts him in a precarious position where he must prove his worth to a future free-agent suitor while his current team could be phasing him out of their future plans. Another year at last year's level (216 carries, 1,099 yards, 5.1 yards per attempt, eight touchdowns) could put him among the top free-agent running backs next year.

Good luck staying at that level, though, with a talented rookie waiting in the wings. Ajayi is an every-down back, capable of running hard between the tackles, catching passes out of the backfield and blocking in the passing game. He may not have a decade-plus NFL career after NFL.com's Mike Mayock reported bone-on-bone in his knee, but there are no concerns about his short-term health. 

In the end, though, the winner will likely be Miller, who gives the Dolphins the best chance to win in 2015 due to his knowledge of the playbook. That being said, expect that Ajayi will cut into Miller's carries as the Dolphins look to move into the future at running back. 

Backup Outside Linebacker

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Jordan Tripp (57, left) was one of the Dolphins' top backup linebackers in 2014, and should resume that role this year.

Winners: Neville Hewitt, Jordan Tripp

The top spots at linebacker were vacated by the departures of Dannell Ellerbe and Philip Wheeler this offseason. Jelani Jenkins is expected to fill the weak-side linebacker role—he did the same last year after Ellerbe was lost for the season to injury. Chris McCain is the favorite to start at strong-side linebacker, according to ESPN's James Walker. 

Jordan Tripp was one of the backups last year, and he contributed mainly on special teams as a rookie. He could be considered one of the linebackers battling for the starting strong-side linebacker spot, but that job appears to belong to McCain. 

As a result of the predetermination in the starting lineup, the more intriguing battle at linebacker is further down the depth chart. The Dolphins were aggressive in the undrafted free-agent market and signed four linebackers: Neville Hewitt, Jeff Luc, Mike Hull and Zach Vigil. All four can contribute on special teams, and as mentioned by Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin, all four men were productive players in college—they all ranked within the top 25 in total tackles last season, according to CFBStats.com. 

Hull was a middle linebacker at Penn State, and that's likely to be where he will compete for a backup role with the Dolphins against incumbent Kelvin Sheppard. That leaves Hewitt, Luc and Vigil to compete for a spot at backup outside linebacker. Whichever two do not win the job can make it to the practice squad if they clear waivers. Hewitt has the ability to play all three linebacker spots, though, and the Dolphins tried him at all three this spring, according to Chuck Landon of the Herald-Dispatch. 

Left and Right Guard

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Dolphins OL Billy Turner (77, above) enters his second year in the NFL, and will need to show progress at his new position.

Winners: Billy Turner, Dallas Thomas

In some cases, there's a difference between who should win the battle at their position and who will win that same battle. At guard, rookie Jamil Douglas should be the front-runner for one of the two starting spots. Despite this being his first year in the league, he may very well get the opportunity to prove himself.

In the end, though, Billy Turner and Dallas Thomas are the most likely winners of the starting guard spots. Both men are tackle-to-guard conversion projects, with Turner entering his second season and Thomas entering his third. There has been a lot of shade thrown in Thomas' direction, but despite allowing seven sacks at tackle in 2014, he allowed no sacks at guard, according to Pro Football Focus. 

That may be all the validation the Dolphins need that their project is beginning to reap benefits for the team.

The same cannot be said for Turner, however. His rookie year only saw 17 opportunities to play on offense, per PFF. There's just not enough evidence on Turner to say whether or not he would be an effective starter. 

With both Turner and Thomas on such shaky ground, Douglas could wind up taking one of the starting spots at some point in the 2015 season. For now, though, the veterans have to be considered the front-runners. 

Slot Cornerback

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Brice McCain (25, above) has a lot of NFL experience as a slot cornerback, and could be the front-runner for the same job in his first year with the Dolphins.

Winner: Brice McCain

The No. 1 cornerback spot is locked up by veteran Brent Grimes. Third-year pro Jamar Taylor has the inside track to the No. 2 spot, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. 

The other three (or four) spots will be hotly contested this summer, but the starting duties in the slot will likely be between Will Davis and Brice McCain.

McCain has extensive experience in the slot. The Dolphins signed him to a two-year contract with $2 million fully guaranteed, according to Over The Cap. He hasn't played like his normal self in recent years; he allowed 84 completions on 128 passes thrown into his coverage from 2013-2014 (65.6 percent) with seven touchdowns and four picks, according to PFF. 

Davis, on the other hand, was just beginning to hit his stride as a backup in the Dolphins defensive backfield before an ACL tear took him out of action. He was contributing both on defense and on special teams, and he had allowed only 12 receptions on 27 passes thrown his way last season.

Given a fair shake, Davis could be the winner. With the money the Dolphins will be paying McCain, though, he will probably emerge with the top honors in the slot. 

Unless otherwise noted, all quotes obtained via team news release. All advanced stats obtained via Pro Football Focus' premium section.