The offseason is every NFL fan's Achilles ' heel. The only saving grace is OTAs and mini camps. With those sessions now nearly finished, the true offseason begins, but the real battles are still ahead. No one wins a job during the offseason. Those position battles begin when pads go on, and training camp turns from walkthroughs to full contact. For the Miami Dolphins, one position group will be the talk of camp, and it's because three players are competing for one job.
Jeff Hafley has maintained that there will be competition at every position, so the trio of right guards will have their time to shine. It's anyone's job at this point.
When Jamaree Salyer went down during one of the practice sessions, fans held their breath. So did the Dolphins.
The Miami Dolphins' top position battle will be at the right guard spot
The interior lineman was carted off the field. It turned out to be nothing serious. A minor injury that won't keep him out of camp. That's good news.
Salyer will compete for the starting job against Jonah Savaiinaea, who switched from the left side back to his more natural right side. Those two will work to keep rookie DJ Campbell off the field. That won't be easy.
Each player brings their own juice to the competition. Savaiinaea has the draft pedigree after being taken in the second round of the 2025 draft. Campbell was taken this year under the new regime, and Salyer is a capable starter whom Miami signed in free agency.
Barring injury, none of them are expected to compete on the left side, where rookie first-round pick Kadyn Proctor is expected to start. The right guard spot is the only real open competition as of now, barring an injury somewhere else along the line.
The Dolphins are hoping that all three of the right guard prospects will step up and prove they should be starting. Campbell needs refining, but he is probably more of a physical player than the other two. Salyer has the experience that Campbell and Savaiinaea lack. He has 40 starts in his career.
The Dolphins second round pick of a year ago is hoping to buck the "bust" label he was given last year after a horrible season. He started to look better later in the year, but the inconsistency was hard to overlook. His move back to the right side should help.
Regardless, this is the position to keep a close eye on when pads come on. Fans tend to focus more on the highlights. The deep passes from QB to WR, an interception by a corner or safety, a would-be sack by a linebacker.
This summer is going to be long, but the trio of linemen should make the watercooler talk a lot more interesting, and it should. This competition could be the best on the field with the most at stake.
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