Miami Dolphins: Which Holes Have the Dolphins Failed to Address?

We are about two weeks deep into Miami Dolphins training camp, and position battles are starting to come into focus.

Most of Miami's roster is settled, but there are a handful of positions where battles are being waged—mainly due to a lack of top-tier talent. As we watch the Dolphins duke it out at their respective position competitions, it's hard not to second guess Jeff Ireland. 

Some of these positional battles feature futile competition, and there are still a handful of spots on the roster that remain paper thin. There is still time for Miami to acquire some quality players to fulfill these gaps, but in all likelihood, it's too late for the Dolphins to recover from their overconfidence. 

Quarterback

Technically, the Dolphins addressed their quarterback situation. But they didn't really address it.

Miami's top priority this offseason was to find an upgrade from Chad Henne; however, they botched Kyle Orton negotiations and settled for Matt Moore. It's far too early to tell, but Moore does not appear prepared to dethrone Henne. 

There's still time for the Dolphins to find quality competition (Dennis Dixon?), but all indications suggest Henne will retain his job. And if reports of improved chemistry with Brandon Marshall prove true, he might be able to carry this team into playoff contention. 

Right Guard

For the second consecutive summer, Tony Sparano is hosting a game of musical chairs with his offensive linemen. It's the same exact approach he took last season, and it's the same exact approach that undermined the entire offense. 

It's difficult to get a read on exactly which linemen are competing for which spots, but it sounds like Nate Garner, John Jerry and Vernon Carey are all in contention to start at right guard (and maybe one of them could beat out Richie Incognito for the LG job).

Regardless, it's clear that Miami would have—and still could— benefited greatly from pursuing an upgrade. Former Cowboy and three-time Pro Bowler Leonard Davis remains a free agent. He played under Sparano in Dallas and would make for a picturesque pickup. 

Outside Linebacker

One of Miami's top priorities heading into the offseason was to add depth at outside linebacker. Behind Koa Misi and Cam Wake, Ikaika Alama-Francis was the only player under contract.

But much like their attempt to "upgrade" the quarterback position, the Dolphins made a relatively futile attempt to upgrade their OLB depth. 

Sure, we're all giddy to have Jason Taylor back in aqua and orange, but at age 37, he is nothing more than a pass rush specialist. And Jason Trusnik, Miami's other outside linebacker acquisition, has racked up just 104 tackles and 3.5 sacks in five NFL seasons. 

If Misi or Wake go down with a severe injury, would you feel comfortable promoting any of these backups to a prominent role?

Free Safety

Between Cam Wake, a pair of budding cornerbacks and one of the league's deepest front sevens, the Dolphins' defense is right on the cusp of greatness. But there is still one position the team could stand to upgrade: free safety.

Chris Clemons and Reshad Jones, who are currently battling for the starting job, are both promising youngsters with heaps of potential. But just imagine how much the Dolphins would benefit from acquiring a proven safety who could lay a safety blanket over the entire defense.

Clemons showed signs of promise in his first season as a starter, and maybe he can transcend to the next level. If, however, Clemons does not progress, Miami will regret not investing in an upgrade.