Examining the Potential Dolphins Lineup Changes

Several new players could get bigger roles as the Miami Dolphins look to turn things around

Miami Dolphins cornerback Storm Duck (36) works out during mandatory minicamp at Baptist Health Training Complex in 2024. | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

The Miami Dolphins are still looking for answers on defense, and there might be some new faces involved this week or next week to try to help provide some kind of solution.

The team is looking at a handful of players headed in or out of the lineup because of injuries or performance, and it involves all three levels of the defense.

Specifically looking at the Week 6 game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday, expect Benito Jones to get more playing time along the defensive line, expect K.J. Britt or Willie Gay Jr. to start at linebacker, expect a new look (or two) at the nickel corner spot, and maybe even a change at cornerback.

THE INJURY FACTOR

We'll start at middle linebacker, where there almost definitively will be a change in the starting lineup because Tyrel Dodson has yet to practice this week because of the concussion he sustained during teh 27-24 loss against the Carolina Panthers last Sunday.

Britt replaced Dodson in the lineup against the Panthers, and took on the responsibility of having the green dot as the defensive signal-caller.

But defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver said Thursday that Gay also was an option to replace Dodson in the starting lineup against the Chargers.

“The green dot conversation is always interesting to me, because people just think, ‘yeah, just give the next guy the green dot,’ " Weaver said. "That guy that has the green dot, there's a tremendous amount of responsibility that comes with that. And I've been around some guys who have gotten that and then it's slowed down their play, because now they're in charge of disseminating all this information everywhere, and now they're like, ‘oh god, what's my job?’ Some guys just need a little bit more time to process what they have to do, who they have to talk to, what they're looking at, all those things. You have to make sure that guy has the right temperament to do that.

"We're currently trying to figure that out. We have the utmost faith in both K.J. (Britt) and Willie (Gay Jr.), whoever ends up trotting out there at the end of the day. K.J. has been trained in that role throughout, Willie has kind of bounced back and forth. We'll see, there may be opportunities for both of them out there as the ‘Mike,’ and then in terms of just who wears a green dot, we'll make that decision. It could be safety, it could be Jordyn Brooks. In an ideal world, it’s somebody that's out there all three downs so you're not forced to do some of the things where you have to signal in calls and things like that which we which we've gotten into at times. We'll see. We're still in the process. We're in a lot of discussions. We're working multiple guys right now and just see who's the most comfortable in doing that.”

Gay is coming off a game where he only three defensive snaps, this after being a training camp sensation.

BENITO ON THE GO

The issue on the defensive line, per Weaver, is merit-based.

Simply put, Weaver said Jones' performance against Carolina has earned him more snaps.

"Playing time in this league and on our team, to me, is earned daily, and he went out there and played a good game," Weaver said. "To me, he's earned the right to have some more reps. So I was pleased with how Benito (Jones) was playing, I was pleased with how Benito played this game. I thought it was his best game to date and because of that, he'll be rewarded for it. We live in a meritocracy in this league. You get what you earn, and the second you become complacent is the second you're on your way out.”

Jones played only 20 snaps on defense against Carolina, the lowest total among the team's active defensive linemen.

SECONDARY SHUFFLE COMING?

In the secondary, the Dolphins have Cornell Armstrong out of the lineup after going on IR because of a hamstring injury and they might have Storm Duck back from the ankle injury that has sidelined him since Week 1, though it still might be another week before that happens.

When Duck does return, the question is whether he'll resume his place as a starting outside cornerback or whether the Dolphins will keep going with Jack Jones and Rasul Douglas. If it's the former, then the question will be whether it will be Jones or Douglas who will get replaced.

There also will be a decision to make for the nickel corner spot, with options including safeties Minkah Fitzpatrick and Ifeatu Melifonwu.

“We're in the process of trying to figure that out with the guys currently on the roster," Weaver said. "Most of the guys that we have available to us right now have primarily been outside guys, so we've got some cross-training going on right now with all the guys who currently aren't starters and we'll see how it shakes out. But yes, primarily that role will have to be filled by safeties.”