Charles Harris plays less snaps than Woodard on Sunday

The Miami Dolphins really loved what they saw in defensive end Charles Harris coming out of college but someone needs to take responsibility for the mistake.

On Sunday Charles Harris was expected to play more snaps than he did in the previous weeks thanks to the injuries to Andre Branch and William Hayes. He did just that. The bigger question is why did he play three less snaps than Jonathan Woodard?

For most of us this Monday the little things about the game go unnoticed but Armando Salguero looked at the play counts and brought this fact to light. Harris played less than a guy that had just been signed off the teams practice squad. Not signed a week ago but signed a few days before the game.

In all honesty this is a legitimate question that the Dolphins need to start asking themselves. How far behind is Charles Harris and why can’t he get on the field?

Since last season many have pointed to the fact that Charles Harris was playing behind guys like William Hayes and Andre Branch and Cameron Wake but that line of thinking didn’t stop the Dolphins from trading for Robert Quinn instead of relying on their own former number one draft pick.

Through four week of the 2018 season Charles Harris is not showing his value as a first round draft pick and frankly, you would expect an immediate impact from a defensive lineman. The Dolphins are not getting that impact. So we have to ask. What is wrong with Charles Harris?

The margin of playing time was small between Harris and Woodard. Woodard took three more snaps than Harris and that could have simply come on a drive that Woodard was in and the Patriots had more plays but the reality is that Harris should have seen a lot more time than Woodard.

The Dolphins like rotating their defensive ends to keep them fresh but at a time when injuries have hit the position you would expect a former college standout and a first round pick to take a big jump in production when given the chance. Harris hasn’t done that and maybe Woodard showed more on the field in the eyes of the coaching staff than Harris.

More from Dolphins News

• Tua Tagovailoa practicing with teammates is everything a leader does
• 4 offensive tackles Miami Dolphins could draft at 51
• Miami Dolphins don’t need CB help but these 5 could be available at 51
• 4 players that could replace Wilkins if Miami Dolphins don’t re-sign him
• Miami Dolphins have a starting point with Wilkins after Simmons deal

The Dolphins coaches won’t say anything to undermine their former first rounder in public but did they believe that Woodard gave them more of a positive option from the end position than Harris?

This is troubling and it should be. Harris should be developing far beyond what we are seeing on the field of play and frankly he isn’t. Maybe he is one of those players that gets better with more reps during a game. With this rotation policy we may not find that out.

Salguero may find out what is going on and he may ask these questions of Matt Burke. We will update this with a link to Salguero if and when he posts about it.  With Cordrea Tankersley not making strides and Raekown McMillan still trying to find his footing a promising draft class isn’t looking so great.