Dolphins Bobby McCain wants to play multiple positions

There is a camp battle brewing in the Miami Dolphins secondary and Bobby McCain is not seeing his name mentioned in that battle but he might want it to be.

Bobby McCain is highly thought of by the Dolphins and they proved that when they gave him a $27 million extension this past off-season. Yet when we start hearing about the camp battle for the corner spot opposite Xavien Howard, McCain isn’t mentioned.

That battle is between Cordrea Tankersley, Tony Lippett, and the surprising Torry McTyer. McCain has been the nickel corner and is expected to continue with that role but with the addition of Minkah Fitzpatrick, that role could be reduced a bit.

Consider there are 11 players on defense. Three linebacker, four defensive lineman, two safeties, and two corners. Different packages and schemes bring different personnel but the Dolphins are toying with the three safety idea and are practicing it. If there are three safeties will there be one less linebacker or one less nickel corner?

One thing is certain, the Dolphins are going to use McCain. He is a good football player and he wants to do more.

"(How many positions do you want to play this year?) – “As many as I can. I like to know the defense. I like to study the defense. I love football. I like to know where everybody is lining up, what’s my weakness, where’s my help, where isn’t it. Knowing nickel, corner, safety, knowing it all, it helps you.” – MiamiDolphins.com press transcript release."

This is important for any player but the fact that McCain is trying to learn the responsibilities of all of the players is good leadership sign. It’s odd that this year there are players starting to emerge on both sides of the ball with leadership qualities. It’s a good thing to have.

McCain isn’t sitting around taking what the Dolphins are just handing him. He is out to prove that that new contract wasn’t a waste. He was also asked about that competition at corner.

"(Obviously, you’re going to play a lot regardless, but do you want to be in competition when you open with two corners to be that other guy?) – “Definitely. I’m just coming out and working every day. There’s competition everywhere – corner, inside, outside, safety. You have to come out and give your best game every day, and when your number is called, you have to be ready, because your number will be called to go inside, outside, wherever they want to put you – safety – and you have to be ready.”"

Kind of an odd question because no one is going to say, “no, not really. I don’t want to start or compete for that job. In fact I’m pretty comfortable right where I’m at.”  That is intended sarcasm.

Back to the leadership role, it’s obvious the Dolphins are heading in the right direction in the secondary. As McCain pointed out in his presser, most of the group has been around now for three years and there is definite chemistry to the point they think of each other as family.

"(It seems like you have a good mixture of youth and veterans in the secondary. What’s that like in the meeting room?) – “It’s good. It’s good because we know how to talk to each other. We’ve got a little chemistry. We’ve been with each other for two or three years. It’s not like if I’m saying something to them, it’s like I’m yelling at them. I’m telling them as a brother – as a family member – ‘Let’s pick our stuff up. Let’s do what we have to do. Let’s tighten up,’ and everybody listens and vice versa. They’ll tell me, ‘Let’s get it together and let’s get it done.’”"

McCain also talked about how he is helping the new guys in the secondary learn the little things at this level. Things like technique and alignment. In other words…acting like a veteran leader.

The Dolphins invested a good chunk of change on a slot/nickel corner and a lot in the media had some negative things to say about that contract but internally it appears that the Dolphins saw something and see something in McCain and some of that may be emerging now. It’s good to see.