Miami Dolphins' 12 best training camp position battles

Eichenberg has started 38 games in his previous three seasons, but only one of them has been at right guard, the position he wants to play moving forward. Driscoll has played exclusively on the right side, either at right guard or right tackle, throughout his four-year tenure with the Eagles. This battle will likely come down to who is the more reliable pass protector since that has been an issue for both players during their NFL careers.

Isaiah Wynn vs. Robert Jones for starting LG

Wynn was impressive in his seven starts last season before he sustained a quadriceps injury that ended his season prematurely. The Dolphins hope the 28-year-old can pick up where he left off once he’s fully healed. But Miami has Jones, who has started 13 games at both guard spots the past three seasons, waiting in the wings just in case. If there was ever a time for Jones, a former undrafted rookie from Middle Tennessee State Miami has invested three seasons into, to elevate himself into a starting role it’s now.

Teair Tart vs Benito Jones for starting NT

Nose tackle is a very specific role that requires a stout presence on the interior of the defensive line who can take on two blockers and hold his ground. Tart, who has started 36 games the past four seasons, produced 24 tackles and one sack in 350 snaps last season for the Titans, and Jones, who started 15 games last year, contributed 26 tackles and 1 sack in 567 defensive snaps for the Lions in 2023. Each of these defensive linemen needs to improve his conditioning to ensure he can handle the workload.

David Long Jr. vs. Anthony Walker for starting ILB

Even though Long led the Dolphins with 113 tackles last season, it was hard to ignore the playmaking, and versatility Walker put on display during the offseason program. This 75-game starter was all over the field, showing off his nose for the football. This battle comes down to who will best complement new inside linebacker Jordyn Brooks, but it wouldn’t be too surprising if Miami carves out a playing role for all three just like when Andrew Van Ginkel shared the inside linebacker workload with a healthy Jerome Baker and Long.

Mike White vs. Skylar Thompson for backup QB

This battle is more pretend than reality because White has a better grasp of the offense from his time playing under it in New York. While Thompson, who was drafted in the seventh-round of the 2022 draft, has played in it for two seasons, he lacks the consistency needed to seriously threaten White, who will earn $3.5 million this season. Thompson would need to shine in practice and the preseason games to even make this a legit battle.

Cam Smith vs. Nik Needham for third CB role

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