Dolphins' Position Battles to Watch Ahead of 2021 NFL Season

Some roles on the Miami Dolphins roster were clearly defined by their offseason moves. Others are going to have to fight for their snaps in training camp. 

With the vast majority of player movement settled, the team roster is all but set. The starting lineup still has some wiggle room, though, as players start reporting for OTAs and show off the work they put in during the offseason. 

Depth is key in the NFL. That fact will only become more apparent as the league embarks on its first 17-game schedule. However, coaches can only put 11 out on the field at a time, so these position battles will play a large role in what the team looks like. 

Here are the roles that will see some competition throughout the summer and are worth keeping an eye on. 

The Dolphins offensive line is young and therefore has a lot of room to grow. The unit finished 28th in Pro Football Focus' final rankings last season.

That shouldn't come as a shock. Miami's primary mode of finding starters was in the draft. It started three rookies up front, and it can be hard for the big men to have success in their first season. 

The good news is there are no rookies who will simply start by default, as evidenced by second-round pick Liam Eichenberg's situation. The Notre Dame product enters the roster as someone who could compete for multiple starting spots, but the Dolphins aren't forced to play him anywhere. 

"He's got versatility to play left (tackle), right, guard; so like always, we're always looking to play the best five so he's got to earn his role on this team,” head coach Brian Flores said, per the team's website. 

Austin Jackson, who was selected in the first round last year, figures to be the left tackle. The right tackle position battle will come down to Eichenberg, Robert Hunt and Jesse Davis. 

Hunt played the position last year but could also be kicked inside to guard. It would seem likely whoever the Dolphins don't go with on the outside will inhabit the right guard spot. 

Then there's Davis. At 29 years old, he's probably tapped out from a developmental standpoint. He finished 57th out of 79 tackles graded by PFF last season. If he beats out Eichenberg for the job, it could be an indication he is going to take longer to develop than anticipated. 

The Dolphins made a somewhat surprising move when they released team captain Bobby McCain. The 27-year-old was coming off a season in which he held opposing quarterbacks to a 64.3 passer rating when targeted.

The move not only saved the Dolphins some cash but it also opened a direct path to playing time for rookie Jevon Holland. 

The 21-year-old won't just be handed the job, though. Defensive backs coach Gerald Alexander has outlined the expectations he'll have for the Oregon product if he's going to take that spot. 

"He's got to know what to say, in what situations, and not just what to say, but also be loud and confident in his demeanor," Alexander said, per Joe Schad of The Palm Beach Post. "That's in order for Jevon to take the command that we need him to take as a free safety."

The interesting thing to watch with Holland, and several other rookies this season, will be how he adjusts to coming back to football after opting out in 2020. He put enough on tape in 2018 and 2019 to be a second-round pick but didn't play in the 2020 season. 

Holland's primary opposition for the spot is going to come from Brandon Jones. The second-year player and former third-round pick started four games last season but wasn't overly impressive. He had one pass deflection, a sack and three tackles for a loss while giving up a 105.2 passer rating. 

The staff clearly doesn't think too highly of Jones or they wouldn't have drafted Holland. If Jones wins the job, it would be an indication that Holland is coming along slower than anticipated. 

This one isn't so much about who will be on the field. That figures to be some combination of DeVante Parker, Will Fuller V and Jaylen Waddle. 

The intrigue here comes in who will be the fourth receiver and what will be the hierarchy among the top three for targets. 

Parker comes in as the elder statesmen of the group. He's only 28 but is the most experienced and longest-tenured of the trio. Fuller will serve the final game of his PED suspension in Week 1, and Waddle is a rookie coming off an injury that cost him a chunk of his final season at Alabama. 

The competition for the fourth spot will be important. Parker, Fuller and Waddle have varying histories with injuries so it's likely the next player will see a healthy amount of opportunity. 

The leading candidate should be Preston Williams. He's been strong over the last two seasons as a playmaker when he's been on the field. He's averaged 14.3 yards per catch with seven touchdowns. The problem is he's been held to eight games in each of his first two seasons with injuries. 

Lynn Bowden Jr. remains an interesting option. The converted running back played in 10 games last season and caught 75.7 percent of his targets. However, he only averaged 7.5 yards per catch, lacking the explosion of Williams. 

Malcolm Perry figures to be in the mix as well. The former Navy quarterback was efficient in limited opportunities and flashed potential playing receiver for the first time.