Miami Dolphins training camp preview: Jesse Davis

Jesse Davis looks to win the right tackle job for the Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins have retooled their offensive line in 2020. With two free-agent additions and three draft picks, the offensive line room in Miami is vastly different. However, there is one likely starter in 2020 that was on the roster in 2019: Jesse Davis.

Davis played right tackle in 2019 and may have been the best starter for Miami. The offensive line was abysmal for the Dolphins last season, which is why there was such focus on adding more talent in the trenches.

Going into training camp, Jesse Davis is in a competition for perhaps the most important spot on the offensive line for the Miami Dolphins. With rookie quarterback Tua Tagovailoa eventually becoming the starting quarterback, the right tackle position is responsible for blocking his blind spot. Davis will be competing with rookie second-round pick Robert Hunt for the starting spot. The loser will be the likely starter at right guard.

His best trait is his versatility. In his three years with the Dolphins, he has changed positions each year. In 2017, coming in after an injury to a starter, he played right tackle. In 2018, he started 16 games at right guard before playing right tackle again in 2019.

Film review: Week 7 @ Bills

This game was one of Miami’s final losses before beating the New York Jets at home. Davis lined up primarily against edge rusher Trent Murphy and was able to hold his own. He was adequate in the run game and showed some nice movement. This was one of Davis’ better games in pass protection. However, he still had some slip-ups

Film review: Week 13 VS Eagles

The Eagles game was an abysmal game for Davis. He was eaten alive in pass protection. On the very first play of the game, Brandon Graham long-armed him backward, forcing Ryan Fitzpatrick to throw the ball early and out of rhythm. That ball was intercepted. He struggled against power all day long. Graham and Vinny Curry were simply throwing him around. One of his better plays was a double team to a linebacker in the red zone on a Patrick Laird touchdown run. A play that would have been a negative play for Davis is that fourth and four DeVante Parker touchdown. Davis clearly jumped half a second early. It was not called and Parker scored.

Film review: Week 17 @ Patriots

Oh brother, what a disaster this game was for Jesse Davis. Again and again, he got beat in pass protection. New Miami Dolphin Kyle Van Noy gave him hell all game long. Van Noy beat him in every conceivable way. Whether it was power, speed, or a simple hand move, he got him. There was one play where he left Van Noy completely unblocked and he got a free run to the quarterback. Davis held up on a few plays, but for the most part, Van Noy won. There were numerous plays where Fitzpatrick should have been sacked because of Davis. However, Fitzpatrick’s instincts and escapability mitigated a lot of Davis’ bad reps.

Ultimately, the Dolphins coaching staff better hope and pray that Robert Hunt can play tackle. Davis can be a functional guard. He moves well in the run game and can be fine in pass protection at guard in the “works well in a phone booth” type of player. Long term, Davis would be a great rotational backup offensive lineman. He can play both guard and tackle at a low tier starter type level. Just because he struggled at tackle in 2019 doesn’t mean he cannot fill in when necessary. It must be remembered that he played next to a host of backup type players at right guard. He will likely start in 2020, but his best role is at the rotational spot.