Versatility is the name of the game for the Miami Dolphins — head coach Brian Flores and general manager Chris Grier are looking to add on players capable of filling multiple roles on the team. The objective? To have the needed depth to be a well-oiled machine but also being able to attack the opposition from a slew of angles to help keep teams guessing.
Who are the Dolphins’ most versatile players? Here’s a shortlist of candidates.
DL Christian Wilkins
A-gap. B-gap. C-gap. You can line Christian Wilkins up just about anywhere and he’ll be an effective presence along the defensive line. Heck, Wilkins caught a touchdown last season against the Bengals while lined up at fullback in the red zone last year, too. That isn’t a gimmick, either — Wilkins touched the ball six times at the college level on offense and scored touchdowns on three of those chances. And with a touchdown to his name already, you can bet Wilkins is already in Brian Flores’ ear about finding more reps in the backfield to compliment his versatile defensive play.
LB Elandon Roberts
Speaking of two-way players, Roberts is primarily a depth linebacker and special teams contributor — but Roberts also played fullback in 2019. Roberts took 58 snaps on offense for the Patriots last season and caught a touchdown of his own; ironically enough his came against the Miami Dolphins in Week 17 of the 2019 regular season. Roberts will contribute on special teams and has a chance to carve out a rotational role on defense under Brian Flores. And at the very least we know in a pinch he’ll be capable of stepping in as a lead blocker.
LB Kyle Van Noy
Van Noy offers pass coverage, pass rush and run fits in his game — and playing for the coach (Brian Flores) who oversaw his best career year in 2018 should help that versatility on defense shine through. The Dolphins paid handsomely for Van Noy in free agency; expect this team to have big plans and a feature role for him in 2020 and beyond.
The Secondary
Pick your poison. Miami’s top five defensive backs (Xavien Howard, Eric Rowe, Bobby McCain, Byron Jones and Noah Igbinoghene) will serve as the primary nickel with two safeties and three cornerbacks — but all own cornerback experience and man to man coverage ability. Three of these defenders, Rowe, McCain and Jones, also have NFL game experience at safety.
RB/WR/KR Malcolm Perry
The Dolphins are going to get creative with Perry. Whether or not he ends up making the roster is yet to be determined, but Perry’s short area quickness and ball carrying skills will certainly get a chance to shine in a number of different roles — most likely as a gadget player on offense and on special teams.
OL Michael Deiter
Deiter played left guard for the Dolphins in 2019 and struggled for a significant stretch of the season. But he’s had exposure to playing tackle, guard and center during his college career at Wisconsin. Even if Deiter ends up being a utility linemen, he can cover a lot of ground in providing depth for the Dolphins.