A dozen thoughts on the Dolphins’ first depth chart of preseason
Preseason depth charts often aren’t reflective of what is being witnessed at practice, but the Dolphins’ first depth chart released this week seems mostly on target.
Twelve tidbits revealed on the depth chart heading into Wednesday’s second joint practice with the Falcons in Miami Gardens and Friday’s preseason home game against Atlanta (7 p.m., CBS-4):
1. Robert Jones (left) and Liam Eichenberg (right) are listed as the starters at guard, and that’s an accurate depiction of what’s happening at practice. They’ve been the best guards in camp, at least according to the eye test.
Isaiah Wynn, still on PUP, could eventually replace Jones at left guard when his October quadriceps injury is fully healed. Kion Smith and Jack Driscoll are the second-team guards. Smith, a former backup tackle, has crosstrained at guard.
Ohio State rookie Matthew Jones and veteran Lester Cotton are the third-team guards.
UTEP rookie Andrew Meyer is the second-team center behind Aaron Brewer, but that job likely belongs to Eichenberg, the starting right guard.
2. Benito Jones is the first team nose tackle, ahead of Teair Tart, starting alongside Zach Sieler and Calais Campbell. That’s fair, because Jones has been more consistent than Tart through 10 days of camp. Tart has been better the past three practices, including Tuesday.
Jonathan Harris and Da’Shawn Hand are the second-team tackles behind Sieler and Campbell.
Neville Gallimore and Isaiah Mack are the thirdteam tackles. You could make the case that Gallimore and Mack have outplayed Harris, but that’s splitting hairs. Brandon
Pili is the third team nose tackle behind Jones and Tart.
3. Mike White is listed ahead of Skylar Thompson as the No. 2 quarterback behind starter Tua Tagovailoa. Thompson has had the better camp, in our view.
4. Emmanuel Ogbah and Quinton Bell are listed as the first-team outside linebackers, which is deserving. Former Giants special teams player Cam Brown and first-round rookie Chop Robinson are on the second team, with fifth-round rookie Mo Kamara and undrafted rookie Grayson Murphy on the third team.
5. Kader Kohou is listed as the starting nickel cornerback, with Nik Needham on the second team and impressive Wisconsin
rookie Jason Maitre on the third team. Kohou has had a good camp.
Ethan Bonner and Cam Smith are the secondteam boundary cornerbacks, behind Jalen Ramsey and Kendall Fuller.
Smith didn’t do team drills on Mondayor Tuesday as he returns from missing a week with an injury. The third-team cornerbacks are former Bills special teams ace Siran Neal and undrafted rookie Storm Duck, with undrafted rookie Isaiah Johnson on the fourth team.
Neal had some good moments earlier in camp, but the Dolphins have said Smith was playing very well before his injury.
6. Jordan Poyer (who has missed five practices in a row due to injury) is the starting safety opposite Jevon Holland, with Marcus Maye and Elijah Campbell on the second team.
Sixth-round rookies Patrick McMorris and Jordan Colbert are the third team safeties. In our view, this fairly reflects how the safeties have played. TCU rookie Mark Perry, on the fourth team, has had a quiet camp.
7. Raheem Mostert and De’Von Achane are listed as co-starters at running back, with Salvon Ahmed (currently in a walking boot) and Jeff Wilson Jr. on the second team and Chris Brooks and rookie Jaylen Wright on the third team. The one surprise was Ahmed maintaining a spot on the second team despite an injury.
Alec Ingold is the only fullback on the roster.
8. At receiver, with Odell Beckham Jr. on
PUP, Braxton Berrios and River Cracraft are on the second team, behind starters Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.
Notably, Willie Snead IV, who has been on the team for less than a week, is on the third team at receiver, with Anthony Schwartz. Snead had two dropped passes in the joint practice on Tuesday.
Erik Ezukanma, who remains out with an undisclosed injury, and Braylon Sanders are on the fourth team. Surprisingly, rookie fifth-rounder Malik Washington is on the fifth team with Kyric McGowan. Washington said last Friday that he has been disappointed by his camp. FAU rookie Je’Quan Burton is on the sixth team.
9. At inside linebacker, the top four are in the expected order: David Long Jr. and Jordyn
Brooks as the starters, and Anthony Walker and Duke Riley on the second team. Brooks and Walker have missed four practices in a row, but Mike McDaniel said they will be back “sooner than later.”
Ezekiel Vandenburgh and Channing Tindall are the third-team inside linebackers.
10. Here’s how the tight ends were listed, in order: Durham Smythe, Jonnu Smith, Julian Hill, Jody Fortson, Tanner Conner and Hayden Rucci. In our view, Conner had outplayed Fortson until Monday, when Fortson caught five passes, including a touchdown.
11. Patrick Paul is the second-team left tackle (behind Terron Armstead) and Kendall Lamm is the second-team right tackle behind Austin Jackson. Ryan Hayes and Bayron Matos are the third-team tackles. No surprise with any of this. Paul had a good day against Atlanta on Tuesdya.
12. Braxton Berrios remains the starting kickoff and punt return. Behind him, on kickoffs, in order: Achane, Schwartz, Washington and McGowan. Behind Berrios, on punts, in order: Cracraft, McGowan and Washington.
Because new kickoff rules are intended to add more explosiveness to that part of the game, Hill and Waddle spoke briefly to Mike McDaniel about being more involved in returns, according to Waddle.
But the first depth chart doesn’t reflect any intention to use them on returns. And Waddle recently made a point to note that Berrios has done a good job on returns.