Phin Phanatic
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Bobby McCain new outside corner, Fitzpatrick new nickel

By Shawn Digity

FOXBORO, MA - NOVEMBER 26: Bobby McCain #28 of the Miami Dolphins reacts after getting ejected from the game during the third quarter of a game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on November 26, 2017 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)
FOXBORO, MA - NOVEMBER 26: Bobby McCain #28 of the Miami Dolphins reacts after getting ejected from the game during the third quarter of a game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on November 26, 2017 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images) /
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On Sunday the Miami Dolphins made some shifts in their defensive starters. Bobby McCain is the new outside corner opposite Xavien Howard.

Over the past couple weeks, the Dolphins have had a contested battle over the second corner position. Torry McTyer, Cordrea Tankersley, and Tony Lippett have vied for the precious first-team snaps and have all seemingly traded punches for major playing time. There hasn’t been an obvious front-runner, so the team mixed it up with a new name being moved to the outside: Bobby McCain.

Many Dolphins fans know McCain as the de facto nickel cornerback. It seems to have been a forgone conclusion that McCain would continue his role as the nickel this year. The coaching staff tried a little experiment moving him to the boundary though. Maybe that’s a testament to McCain’s improvement over the last couple years. Maybe it’s a omen that the other corners aren’t quite playing up to par. The truth might be somewhere in the middle, but it’s still something worth keeping an eye on..

With McCain relieving his duties at nickel (at least for one practice), that leaves a void to cover the slot receivers and middle of the field. This is where it gets interesting. Enter rookie Minkah Fitzpatrick. The 2018 first-rounder “Swiss army knife” was there to pick up the slack. After a decent showing in his first preseason game, Fitzpatrick is ascending and is apparently ready to be handed a new role.

Being placed in the nickel is a good sign that he’s getting his footing with the NFL speed. It’s also a great way for the Fins to get three of their more talented defensive backs on the field at once. Reshad Jones and T.J. McDonald will be able to form a dynamic safety duo if Fitzpatrick is penciled in as the nickelback.

I can’t say for sure if this experiment will be successful or not, but I think it’s definitely worth a shot. Not only is it an exciting combination worth getting hyped about, it’s also a creative way to get as many of the top-notch athletes on the field as possible. I look forward to seeing if this idea has any payoff.

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