Miami Dolphins: What We've Learned Through Week 1 of Training Camp
The Miami Dolphins are only one week into training camp, so now is not the time to make sweeping proclamations about anything.
There are still three weeks' worth of practices and four preseason games before we will finally get a look at the team's 53-man roster for the 2015 season. There's just as much time before we know for sure how the top battles will play out for starting spots and backup spots alike.
With so much left ahead, there's some danger in analyzing every snap of every practice. It's too easy to get on the roller coaster of emotions when a player performs up to his standard as opposed to when he struggles.
There's no harm, however, in stopping for a minute to take stock of where things stand as we speak.
Rishard Matthews Is Taking Advantage of Opportunities with DeVante Parker Out
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DeVante Parker's Dolphins career did not get off on the right foot (pun intended) when the rookie wide receiver was sidelined with foot surgery. With Parker out of the picture, though, there have been more opportunities for players further down the depth chart.
For about a minute, Rishard Matthews was thought to be a potential breakout star for the 2015 Dolphins. This was after the team moved on from wide receivers Mike Wallace, Brian Hartline and Brandon Gibson. It didn't take much longer for the team to bury him underneath at least a few receivers, with the additions of Parker, Kenny Stills and Greg Jennings.
But even with a few receivers higher than Matthews on the depth chart, the fourth-year veteran is making plays.
"I think he's had a very good camp," said head coach Joe Philbin. "As I said earlier, I like the way he catches the football, I really do. I think he catches the ball well, and he has confidence; I've said that before, he believes in himself, which is a good trait to have as a player. I think he's tough.
"The roles are going to be defined as he continues to compete out here with the other guys for playing time. Obviously, he wouldn't have been here for as long if we didn't think he had some really good traits."
The last sentence is important, because the Dolphins and Matthews have been at odds in the past; the team has entertained trade talks for Matthews, and Matthews has asked for a release, as the Miami Herald's Adam H. Beasley reported. The important thing is that he's ready to contribute if and when he's called upon, and with strong performances at camp, there seems to be no concern about his ability to step in and make an impact.
Ndamukong Suh Is as Good as Advertised
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When a team spends roughly $60 million guaranteed on a player, that player is expected to make an immediate and dramatic impact. Thus far, defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh appears to be living up to the hype, according to James Walker of ESPN:
"Miami's $114 million investment entered training camp in tremendous shape and has been difficult to block in team and one-on-one drills. Suh was most dominant Saturday in Miami's first day in full pads. Although Suh also must get ready for the regular season, the Dolphins' coaching staff may want to taper Suh back a bit so the interior offensive line can gain some confidence.
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One play after another, Suh has been making life miserable for second-year guard Billy Turner, per Walker. The Dolphins may have a difficult time evaluating their starting offensive guards if Suh keeps making them look foolish at practice.
Walker may have a point; Suh is the kind of player who can hit a switch and dominate a game. As important as it is for him to grasp defensive concepts, he can afford to keep some gas in the tank when it comes to his on-field practice habits. If it means helping the offensive line get back some of its mojo, it would be a trade-off worth making.
The Defensive Line Will Cause Problems for Opposing Offensive Lines
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As mentioned in the previous slide, Ndamukong Suh has been doing a good enough job on his own of making life miserable for the Dolphins' offensive line this summer. Apparently, though, he's far from the only Dolphins defensive linemen who has been making that kind of an impact.
According to James Walker of ESPN, Suh and fellow All-Pro defensive end Cameron Wake have been lining up next to one another in practices, and the results have been scary. And according to Omar Kelly of the South Florida Sun Sentinel, defensive end Olivier Vernon has also been making his presence felt at practice by dominating second-year offensive tackle Ja'Wuan James.
But that's just the starting unit. Kelly also notes that the second-team defensive line (Derrick Shelby, Anthony Johnson, Jordan Phillips and Terrence Fede) has been "eating" at practice as well.
With a deep defensive front that can rotate skilled players onto the field in any situation, the Dolphins could field one of the league's most formidable defensive units in 2015.
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Jamar Taylor Distinguishing Himself as a Starting Cornerback at Practice
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The Dolphins turned up the pressure on third-year cornerback Jamar Taylor with a string of additions this offseason, from veteran free agents (Brice McCain and Zack Bowman) to rookies (Bobby McCain and Tony Lippett). But Taylor has finally begun to live up to the billing as a former second-round pick and is putting himself firmly in the mix to be the starting cornerback opposite Brent Grimes.
But the truth is, the job was always Taylor's to lose. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald said this offseason that Taylor was "front-runner" for the job. That being said, Taylor isn't resting on his laurels.
Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald has repeatedly noted Taylor's "rock solid" performances at practice. That's important for a cornerback who could be dealing with some confidence issues after nearly retiring following a disappointing rookie season.
In his first two years in the league, Taylor allowed 37 receptions on 53 throws into his coverage and an overall passer rating of 107.1, according to Pro Football Focus. Those numbers will have to improve considerably if he is going to hold down the starting spot for any length of time beyond training camp.
The Dolphins have been hoping for a breakout season from Taylor, and it appears he's ready to give them one in 2015.
Dolphins Still Have Some Unanswered Questions on the Offensive Line
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The Dolphins have been facing issues on their offensive line since the 2013 season, and although they are making some progress toward finding answers, they still have some work to do.
They have figured out the offensive tackle spots (Branden Albert and Ja'Wuan James) and center (Mike Pouncey), but the two guard spots remain the biggest concerns.
Entering training camp, Dallas Thomas and Billy Turner were seen as front-runners to start at left and right guard, respectively. But according to Omar Kelly of the South Florida Sun Sentinel, rookie guard Jamil Douglas has been pushing Thomas for the spot at left guard.
That being said, in an appearance on the Joe Rose Show on CBS Miami, vice president of football operations Mike Tannenbaum made it a point to say that Thomas has "distinguished himself" through the first week of practice.
And as mentioned in a previous slide, Turner has struggled when facing off with Suh—not a surprise, but it's hard to evaluate a player when he's being dominated on a consistent basis in practice.
It appears the Dolphins are down to three possibilities for their two guard spots, but now the questions are which two will it be, and will they be good enough to hold down the middle of the line.
Unless otherwise specified, all quotes obtained via team news release. All salary-cap and contract information provided by Over The Cap.
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