Training camp and the preseason is a time for experimenting and that's what the Dolphins are doing all over the field. And nowhere is there more experimenting than in the defensive backfield where the looming suspension of Reshad Jones has moved Jimmy Wilson to a starting safety job and left open the first-string nickel cornerback job.
The Dolphins have worked Cortland Finnegan, Will Davis and Jamar Taylor at the nickel. For right now and I assume until it is tested in a preseason game, the nickel job belongs to Finnegan with Taylor playing outside at cornerback with the first string.
"A lot of guys are capable," Finnegan said, sizing up the situation on Tuesday. "Will Davis does a great job, Jamar Taylor, Jimmy [Wilson] is the guy, myself. When the time is called, we'll all be ready. We've been all working it. We'll see how it works out in the game."
Finnegan said he was the Rams' nickel corner last season (For layman purposes, the nickel corner is the guy covering the slot receiver.)
That means if he's the starter in the base defense, Finnegan will be moving from outside in base to the nickel in the sub packages.
"I don't have a preference," Finnegan said. "Everyone's getting reps. We'll see when the coach decides. Everyone's capable. It's just a work in progress."
One supposes Davis and Taylor are competing for the outside corner job in the sub packages. Taylor holds the job for the moment but Davis, who is often around the football, will get an opportunity to win the job before the preseason is over.
On Tuesday the Dolphins finished the practice with their nickel defense backed up inside their 20-yard line against the first-team offense. Ryan Tannehill threw a practice-ending touchdown to pass to Rishard Matthews against the nickel defense.
Matthews beat Taylor for the score.
Like I said, the competition is still open.
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