Some players shine brightly during training camp practices, and others fade quickly. For the Miami Dolphins, one player is blowing up in all the right ways.
Willie Gay Jr. was an afterthought when the Dolphins signed him as a free agent. He was an NFL veteran with five years of experience, a linebacker who had played inside and outside, and a player who could provide depth to a unit that needed it.
Training camp opened with many players jumping out quickly and then fading, but Gay has yet to fade, and if his joint practice work is any indication, it's only a matter of time before he unseats Tyrel Dodson for the starting job.
Willie Gay has been exceptional through training camp and looks to take Dolphins' starting job
The media have been talking about Gay, who is consistently mentioned as a top camp performer. Gay had two "sacks" within four minutes during joint practices with the Chicago Bears, according to reports.
Gay has been fantastic. He is disruptive to the passing game and has been just as good against the run. He will most certainly be a part of the linebacker rotation, but could he take over the job currently held by Dodson? It is possible and, at this rate, likely, depending on how the Dolphins want to use him.
The Dolphins listed Gay as a backup on the team's first preseason depth chart, but that may not last long. He will climb the depth chart if his production continues to shine. And it should.
Dodson isn't a bad linebacker, and fans were thrilled when he re-signed this offseason, but it's hard to overlook what Gay has been doing, and the thought of him and Jordyn Brooks inside is a coach's dream.
The Dolphins' linebacker unit is better this year than it has been in maybe a decade. It's the core of the defense and, along with the defensive tackle unit, is one of the reasons Chris Grier isn't overly concerned about the secondary.
Miami hopes that a strong front seven will mask the insufficiencies of the secondary by providing quick penetration and quarterback pressure that forces early throws before receivers can take advantage of the inexperienced corners.
It might just work if Gay can continue to dominate when the season begins.