Some interesting tidbits about the depth chart

The Dolphins depth chart came out Monday as a function of the fact the team plays a preseason game this week and today was the deadline for putting the chart out for that game.

My impressions?

John Denney and Brandon Fields ought to be feeling pretty good about themselves. They have no one competing with them for their jobs as long snapper and punter, respectively.

OK seriously: You'll certainly note the quarterback is Josh McCown with John Beck next and rookie Chad Henne third. The fact is, according to coach Tony Sparano, the chart was set based on experience and not performance.

Were it based on performance, I believe Henne might be first with McCown second and Beck third.

But as Sparano noted, the depth chart can change.

Note that veteran Trey Darilek is ahead of rookie Donald Thomas at right guard although Thomas spent all of last week with the starting unit. The fact is Darilek had to move to tackle and even got work at center much of last week because of injuries, opening the spot for Thomas.

Coaches still believe Darilek is more likely to win that guard spot based on his experience and maturity. Thomas is longer on potential, however.

Note that at tight end, Justin Peelle is needing to get healthy so he can gain some ground in the race for a job. The Dolphins have five tight ends in camp. Peelle, nursing a knee most of last week, is listed fourth.

Note Anthony Fasano is listed ahead of last year's starter David Martin at tight end. That comes as no surprise as Fasano is a favorite of Sparano going back to their Dallas days and he isn't disappointing in Miami.

Note that Patick Cobbs is ahead of BOTH rookie running backs Jalen Parmele and Lex Hilliard. Hilliard has been the least impressive of the backs in camp so far and has at times struggled catching the football. He needs to flash on special teams in the preseason because Cobbs is likely to be pretty good on special teams.

Finally, note that Renaldo Hill, a starter each of the past two seasons, is running third team at free safety. That's a tough spot for Hill because his advantage the past couple of years has been his superior knowledge of the system. That more than made up for Jason Allen's superior speed.

But under this more player-friendly system, Allen is catching on better and that is allowing his athletic skills to flash more. Second-teamer Chris Crocker, meanwhile, is younger than Hill by a couple of years and that is an advantage for him. The long and short is Hill has to make up some ground in the preseason because he hasn't even been on first team in the nickel or dime packages.

So below is the chart. The rooks are underlined.

OFFENSE

WR: Ted Ginn, Derek Hagan, David Kircus, Jayson Foster, Anthony Armstrong

LT: Jake Long, Ikechuku Ndukwe

LG: Justin Smiley, Shawn Murphy

C: Samson Satele, Steve McKinney, Matt Spanos

RG: Trey Darilek, Donald Thomas, Mike Byrne

RT: Vernon Carey, Daren Heerspink

TE: Anthony Fasano, David Martin, Sean Ryan, Justin Peelle, Matthew Mulligan

WR: Ernest Wilford, Greg Camarillo, Davone Bess, John Dunlap, Selwyn Lymon

QB: Josh McCown, John Beck, Chad Henne

FB: Regan Mauia, Boomer Grigsby

RB: Ronnie Brown, Ricky Williams, Patrick Cobbs, Jalen Parmele, Lex Hilliard

DEFENSE

LE: Matt Roth, Randy Starks, Kendall Langford, Rodrique Wright

NT: Jason Ferguson, Paul Soliai, Anthony Toribio

RE: Vonnie Holliday, Phillip Merling, Lionel Dotson

SLB: Joey Porter, Rob Ninkovich, Junior Glymph, Titus Brown

ILB: Channing Crowder, Kelvin Smith, Kelly Poppinga

ILB : Akin Ayodele, Reggie Torbor, Edmond Miles

WLB: Charlie Anderson, Quentin Moses, Keith Saunders

LCB: Will Allen, Joey Thomas, Chris Roberson

RCB: Andre Goodman, Travis Daniels, Nathan Jones, Will Billingsley

FS: Jason Allen, Chris Crocker, Renaldo Hill

SS: Yeremiah Bell, Keith Davis, Courtney Bryan

SPECIALISTS

P: Brandon Fields

K: Jay Feely, Dan Carpenter

KO: Jay Feely, Dan Carpenter

H: Brandon Fields

KOR: Ted Ginn, Jayson Foster, Davone Bess

PR: Ted Ginn, Jayson Foster, Davone Bess

LS: John Denney

Comments

[Mr. Bungle]

Depth charts this early never mean much unless you're talking about an established veteran team. I'm not sure we'll see an accurate depth chart until after the 2nd preseason game.

[harricane]

Mando,

Nothing really sticks out as a shocker, except maybe Torbor, interesting. I was pulling for Anderson, the last Rebel we had was pretty good (Bowens). Roth has manned up as has Soliai. Receiving core looks good. Glad to see Fasano at TE. Will be cool to see him in the backfield as well.

Best of all are the potential back-ups. Do I finally see some depth?

[Jeremy in the Canadian Cowtown]

Why is Ginn not on the depth chart as a wide reciever?

[rick wilson]

why don't they just put henne in let him make his rookie mistakes and build from that we are rebuilding this is the year to do that

[MeanGreenFinsMachine]

I have to agree with Rick about Henne. Sorry to say I just don't think Beck has good pocket skills. Not sure what depth chart Jeremy is looking at but Ginn is listed as a WR above.

[MeanGreenFinsMachine]

One more thing... Check the Dolphins website and watch video of Jayson Foster. That kid is fast! I just wish he was 6-2 not 5-7. It will be interesting to see if he can return kicks

[DolphinDenny]

Mando, you proved once again why I come here all the time. I just went to PBP and their analysis of the depth chart was they were surprised Mauia is starting ahead of grigsby. That was about it.

Thanks for the heads up on Hill and Peelle and others.

[klndry]

Jason Foster is fast and small. Small fast guys are valuable. (Anyone remember Wes Welker?) Nothing wrong with that. Speed opens things up and when you have two speed burners the middle opens up for running and screens. Linebackers have to drop into coverage. So there are a ton of advantages.
Just get a qb to hit them once in a while and we are set.

[abe]

Every Other Site That Ive Seen Has Ricky Over Ronnie. Are You Sure Your Correct Mando??