No Miami Dolphins player had a higher discourse-to-playing time ratio in 2023 than Cam Smith.
Then-defensive coordinator Vic Fangio was asked most every Thursday why he wasn’t playing Smith. And then when Sundays rolled around, Fangio would continue sticking Smith on the bench.
But with Smith healthy after a seven-week stint on IR due to a hamstring injury to start the season, and with two of the Dolphins’ top four cornerbacks dealing with injury, it finally could be time for Smith to shine. Or at the very least, get on the field.
Will the Miami Dolphins Play Cam Smith in Week 8?
Smith, the former second-round pick, has logged just 20 of a possible 1,454 defensive snaps in his two years as a pro. Certainly, Fangio’s ambivalence toward him last year a big reason why.
But the Dolphins’ new defensive staff, led by Anthony Weaver, believes in Smith in a way that Fangio never did.
And with Kader Kohou (neck) and Storm Duck (ankle) both out of practice Wednesday and Thursday, this could finally be the week — against Kyler Murray, Marvin Harrison Jr., and the Arizona Cardinals — that Smith is a big part of the Dolphins’ defensive game plan.
“I’m excited about Cam,” Weaver said during his weekly news conference Thursday. “He had his adversity in Year 1. And when that happens to a player, it’s really easy to kind of tuck your tail and hide from the fight. He hasn’t done that. Had some adversity here early in the season, right?
“He was put on IR. But since he’s been back, man, you can just tell that he’s been back with a different attitude, a different energy. He’s been locked in. He’s still a young player. I don’t expect him to go out there and be perfect. But I’m excited to see him compete and just have fun playing the game.”
Added Brian Duker, Miami’s pass game coordinator: “I think he’ll do a good job. The whole time he was injured, he was around in meetings. We’d keep him engaged mentally. I feel very good about where he is.
“Obviously, I don’t have a lot of experience with him just from being banged up. I’ll be excited to see him come out. I’ve been very happy with what I’ve seen, and I’ll be excited to see him play. I think he’s done a really good job. Obviously, mentally, he’s stayed locked in, which I appreciate.”
The Dolphins have the best coverage unit in the NFL when you look at opposing passer rating.
DC Anthony Weaver thinks they have only begin to reach their potential. pic.twitter.com/am0uFKYRSp
— Omar Kelly (@OmarKelly) October 24, 2024
Since we’ve seen so little of Smith these past two years, it’s hard to guess how he will fare if given a heavy workload.
But the Dolphins believe Smith has the tools to succeed.
“He’s a long, fast, twitchy corner,” Duker said. “You appreciate that about him. That’s kind of what you’re looking for in corners, so you appreciate that about him. And then from a growth perspective, I think the biggest thing I’ve seen growth at with him is just his preparation and kind of his approach every day.”
Smith has an important job if he plays Sunday: Don’t let there be any falloff for a Dolphins secondary that leads the league in pass defense (154.5 yards per game).
The biggest loss would be Kohou, who leads the defensive backfield in interceptions (1) and passer rating against (59.9). Opposing passers are averaging just 6.2 yards per target against Kohou this season.
And while his primary job is as the team’s slot cornerback, Kohou’s versatility allows Jalen Ramsey to play all over the secondary. Duck, a rookie, has also been impressive (opposing quarterbacks have averaged just 2.3 yards per target).
So who will play the slot with Kohou out?
“Obviously, we have a bunch of guys that are capable of doing it,” Weaver said. “Each with their own specific skill sets, so you can try to cater to that.
“We’ve played some three safeties with Jevon [Holland] there in the slot, and I think Siran Neal is a guy that we can use and could play in there. Potentially you could see some Cam in there. I think we have a bunch of guys that have the skill set to get the job done. It’s just a matter of what we’re trying to do at that particular moment and who we’re going to put in there.”