Is Cam Time Coming Soon?

Xavien Howard and Kader Kohou have been the mainstays, as expected, at cornerback for the Miami Dolphins during the absence of three-time Pro Bowl selection Jalen Ramsey.

The Dolphins have used five other cornerbacks at different times early in this 2023 season, but it's the one they have not employed yet who continues to attract the most attention.

That would be rookie second-round pick Cam Smith, whose playing time so far has been limited to special teams.

Considering the Dolphins have gone from Eli Apple to Justin Bethel and back to Elip Apple as the outside cornerback opposite Howard in nickel situations, and considering that Parry Nickerson, Elijah Campbell and Kelvin Joseph all have gotten snaps at cornerback in certain late-game situations, Smith's continued absence from the defense is a topic that comes up every week when defensive coordinator Vic Fangio addresses the media.

The obligatory Smith question this week was phrased this way: Is Cam Smith knocking on the door when it comes to getting playing time on defense?

"He's knocking on the door," Fangio replied without much hesitation.

So what it's going to take for that door to open?

Fangio: "You gotta keep knocking, gotta keep improving and practice."

SMITH'S STRONG SUMMER

That Smith hasn't played at all on defense may be more surprising because of how good he looked throughout most of training camp, though there were a couple of blips where he was badly beaten for long touchdowns — in practice and in the regular season finale against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Fangio previously has talked about being able to trust his cornerbacks, and that logically would figure to be at play here.

Defensive pass game coordinator Sam Madison, who knows a little something about playing cornerback, explained the biggest challenge for Smith.

"Being consistent," Madison said. "Coming from college to the pros, it's all the little small details. I don't care if it's in the building early, out of the building late, just being consistent with those type of things. The kid, he has some talent, but now you just got to follow it up and put it all together."

SMITH NOT THE FIRST TO SIT EARLY

Like Smith, Madison was a second-round pick, taken by the Dolphins out of Louisville. And, as he pointed out Thursday, he didn't make his first NFL start until Week 13 of his rookie season.

Patrick Surtain, another great Dolphins cornerback of that era and another second-round pick, didn't start at all in his rookie season.

Another comparison might be Channing Tindall, who the Dolphins took in the third round with their first pick of the 2022 draft. He didn't get snaps on defense until the fifth game last season and ended up playing only nine snaps on defense all of his rookie year.

That's certainly not the expectation with Smith, but the bottom line is that maybe we need to stop wondering every week whether this is the week he plays on defense.

"My specific role in my job and when you come into this league as a rookie, you're a starter on special teams," Madison said. "And those are the things that he's been doing very well on special teams, he's been doing some very good things out there, just continue to get better. Every day is a day for him to get a little bit better, show the coaches that he understands the technique, understands the scheme, and you have to break those habits from college to pros, because you have to be able to transition.

"And we're in a very good spot not having to throw a rookie out in in there and allow them to be able to learn, but you always tell them you're a play away from being into the football game. And hopefully, when his time comes, he's ready to go in there, ready to get the job done. So we're going to continue to work with him. He's always upbeat, he's energetic. He's doing what he's supposed to, but just being consistent on a consistent basis. and that's where we're going to continue to work with him at."

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