Where Miami Dolphins’ starting battles stand and depth chart reveals after 10 practices
The Miami Dolphins released a depth chart on Monday that in some ways confirms and in some ways contradicts what has been witnessed in 10 days of practice.
A look at several competitive starting positions:
▪ Free safety: Jason McCourty spent the first six practices as the first-team starting safety. Jevon Holland has been in that role for the past three practices and the production has been sterling: two interceptions, a fumble recovery and a pass breakup.
The depth chart lists McCourty as the starting safety, with Holland backing him up. It lists Eric Rowe as the other starting safety, with Brandon Jones on the second team.
▪ Slot cornerback: Justin Coleman, the former Lions and Seahawks veteran, has remained ahead of Nik Needham for the entire training camp.
The depth chart no longer even lists Needham as a nickel corner (behind Coleman) even though he played there all of last year. Instead, Jamal Perry (who said last week that he’s now a safety) is listed as the second team corner behind Coleman.
Needham and Noah Igbinoghene are listed as the second team boundary cornerbacks behind Xavien Howard and Byron Jones, with Terrell Bonds and Javaris Davis behind them.
▪ Edge rush when Miami begins in base defense: Andrew Van Ginkel is the clear front-runner to start at one of those spots and is listed as the only first-team outside linebacker on the depth chart.
Before his lower-body injury that has sidelined him 11 days, Jaelan Phillips looked to be making a case to win the other outside linebacker job, ahead of Vince Biegel and Brennan Scarlett and others, when the team opens in base defense and with a combined seven linemen and linebackers.
But the depth chart lists Phillips third on the depth chart at his linebacker position, behind both Van Ginkel and veteran Brennan Scarlett, who has had a very good camp.
Jerome Baker and Benardrick McKinney are listed as first team inside linebackers, as expected, with Duke Riley and Sam Eguavoen on the second team and Calvin Munson and Vince Biegel (more of an edge guy) as the third team linebackers behind Baker and McKinney.
▪ Defensive end position next to Emmanuel Ogbah and Raekwon Davis: Zach Sieler has opened with the first team more often than Christian Wilkins during training camp, but Wilkins was with the first team on Sunday and listed as the starter on the depth chart. Adam Butler, John Jenkins and Sieler are the second-team defensive linemen.
▪ Tight end: It might surprise you to know that Durham Smythe - often considered the team’s No. 2 tight end - actually has started nearly twice as many games as Mike Gesicki the past two years (27 to 14). Last season, Smythe started 13, Gesicki 9.
Curiously, Smythe was listed third on Monday’s depth chart, behind Gesicki and Adam Shaheen. Cethan Carter was fourth and Hunter Long tied with Carl Tucker for fifth team. Long was carted off during Sunday’s practice but the Dolphins and his agent declined to say if the injury is very serious or if he will play this season.
Smythe has been with the starters most of camp. Gesicki has been out a week on the COVID-19 list.
▪ Wide receiver: DeVante Parker and Will Fuller are obvious starters when healthy. But Albert Wilson’s exceptional camp has created a fascinating battle with Jaylen Waddle for first-team slot responsibilities. When Parker and Fuller have been out, Wilson and Waddle and Mack Hollins have received the most first team work.
The depth chart had Parker, Wilson and Fuller as the starters, and Jakeem Grant, Waddle and Hollins on the second team, and Lynn Bowden, Robert Foster and Allen Hurns on the third team.
Malcolm Perry, Isaiah Ford and Kirk Merritt are on the fourth team.
▪ Starting left guard: Liam Eichenberg has been in that position for seven consecutive practices and is thus the front-runner, though offensive line coach Lem Jeanpierre said he’s uncertain if Eichenberg will stay at guard. He’s first on the depth chart at left guard, with Solomon Kindley second team.
▪ Starting right tackle: Jesse Davis has been in that position for seven consecutive practices and is first team on the depth chart.
FYI: Adam Pankey and Jonathan Hubbard are listed as the top backup offensive tackles behind Austin Jackson and Davis.
▪Starting center: Michael Deiter has been the first team center all 10 days of practice and is first team on the depth chart, with Matt Skura second and Cameron Tom third.
THIS AND THAT FROM DEPTH CHART
▪ Myles Gaskin is first at running back, as expected, with Malcolm Brown second, Salvon Ahmed third, Patrick Laird fourth, Jordan Scarlett fifth and Gerrid Doaks sixth.
▪ Jermaine Eluemunor, who started eight games at tackle for the Patriots last season, hasn’t been a factor at tackle in camp and is listed as the second team right guard behind Robert Hunt.
▪ Grant is listed as the first team punt and kickoff returner, ahead of Waddle. Grant was third in the NFL in punt return average last season. Waddle was an elite returner at Alabama.
The Dolphins waived long snapper Rex Sunahara on Monday.
This story was originally published August 9, 2021 at 6:07 PM.
