Dolphins stock report: Who’s rising, falling after the first two weeks of training camp?

After the Dolphins’ practice at Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday, one that was once again slanted toward the defense, coach Mike McDaniel assessed the state of his team two weeks into training camp.

“I think the journey is just beginning for the team and that’s the way both sides of the ball have to look at it,” he said. “There will be plays too that the defense will learn from, but overall, it’s a very productive day when people really put themselves out there and are able to learn from it. Sometimes those are hard lessons.”

For the Dolphins, the 2023 season is a journey that began with a drive into a pothole, as the team lost All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey for a considerable amount of time to a meniscus injury in the second practice. But since then, camp has consisted of several impressive sessions for the defense, with the offense responding a fair share of times, too.

The Dolphins are halfway through their training camp schedule. But there are still a pair of joint practices and three preseason games that will play a big role in deciding roles and roster spots.

Here is a look at who’s rising and falling through the first half of training camp.

Rising

▪ Wide receiver Braxton Berrios: When the Dolphins signed Berrios in the first week of free agency, he was seen as the favorite to be Miami’s top return specialist and on the shortlist of pass-catchers to take on the No. 3 receiver role. And while Robbie Chosen was the standout from spring workouts, Berrios has arguably been the most consistent wide receiver in the summer. He’s developed a rapport with all the quarterbacks, not just Tua Tagovailoa, and shown a canny ability to separate from defenders.

▪ Dolphins’ defensive front: As mentioned before, the Dolphins’ defense has had the upper hand in the early portion of training camp and much of that is due to Miami’s defensive front. Linemen Christian Wilkins might be the top performer on the team. Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb have shown flashes of the bothersome edge rush duo the team hopes to have for years. And Zach Sieler and Raekwon Davis have also had standout practices. Even the team’s younger players, such as Jalen Twyman and Josiah Bronson, flashed during the stadium practice.

Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said the team is still looking for players to step up and earn roles as reserves. But he has a core of starters he can rely on.

▪ Running back Chris Brooks: Much of the talk surrounding the Dolphins and running backs is whether they will sign free agent and Miami native Dalvin Cook. And while that situation continues to play out, Miami has seen good things from its current group, which includes Brooks, an undrafted rookie from BYU.

Brooks, 6-1 and 225 pounds, still faces an uphill battle to make the roster. But he runs hard in team drills and has a knack for reaching the end zone, whether it’s short red zone runs or a 95-yard score that is one of the top plays of camp.

▪ The Dolphins’ CB contingency plans: Ramsey’s injury was a big blow to a secondary that many believed could be one of the best in the NFL. And while the group still has players such as Xavien Howard, Jevon Holland and Kader Kohou, Ramsey’s absence has a trickle-down effect for a cornerback room dealing with other injuries, too.

Fortunately for the Dolphins, a trio of contenders have all had impressive starts to camp. Rookie Cam Smith’s penchant for getting his hands on the ball has matched his draft scouting report. New addition Eli Apple recorded an interception on Saturday. And Noah Igbinoghene, the No. 30 overall pick in the 2020 Draft, has looked more comfortable in a defensive scheme that is expected to play a variety of coverages. McDaniel called Igbinoghene’s interception on Saturday “one of my favorite cloud [coverage] reps that he’s had all camp and really since he’s been here.”

There is no replacing a player of Ramsey’s talent and versatility. But the Dolphins could still feature a quality trio of corners if the current candidates continue to progress.

▪ Defensive back Elijah Campbell: Asked last week which players have made noticeable improvements from organized team activities to training camp, McDaniel named Campbell among a group of players. Campbell has almost exclusively been a special teams player in his young career. But he’s held his own in one-on-ones and shown comfort in Fangio’s defense, intercepting quarterback Skylar Thompson on Saturday. With multiple defensive backs sidelined, Campbell, like McDaniel noted, is making his case for an expanded role.

Falling

▪ Tight end involvement: No team threw fewer passes to tight ends in 2022 than the Dolphins. And if the start of training camp is any indication, tight ends won’t be much of a focal point again in the passing game.

That is to be expected with an offense that features receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. But none of the Dolphins’ newest additions — whether it be veterans Eric Saubert and Tyler Kroft or rookies Elijah Higgins and Julian Hill — have distinguished themselves so far.

▪ Offensive lineman Liam Eichenberg: Though Eichenberg is just entering his third season, it’s a critical year for the 2021 second-round pick. He acknowledged that he’s competing to retain his starting spot at left guard but early struggles in team drills have seemingly put his hold on that position in jeopardy. With Isaiah Wynn’s recent comments that he has been playing guard, too, the competition at left guard is one that still appears to be developing.

▪ Wide receiver Robbie Chosen: Chosen was a standout in spring workouts but has been relatively quiet in camp. His last two practices were probably his best of the summer so far but his overall production pales in comparison to the likes of Berrios, Erik Ezukanma and even Cedrick Wilson Jr. There should be caution, though, to prematurely awarding anyone the leader to be the No. 3 receiver. This time last year, Ezukanma and Wilson seemed like the front-runners. Ultimately, it was Trent Sherfield that obtained the role. There is a lot of time to determine who will replace Sherfield and tight end Mike Gesicki.

▪ Clarity at safety position: The Dolphins got good injury news to start training camp, as defensive backs Brandon Jones and Trill Williams did not start on the physically-unable-to-perform list. But the two have been limited as their practice participation slowly increases. Both players are still wearing red, non-contact jerseys, and it’s unclear what level of workload they will get in joint practices with the Atlanta Falcons.

Jones was a full-time starter before tearing his ACL last November and Williams has said he has the versatility to play safety, where he played in college. However, Fangio noted neither has practiced enough for him to assess how they factor into the competition for a starting spot next to Holland. DeShon Elliott also did not practice on Saturday because of an undisclosed injury. On a defense that mainly has starting spots settled, safety is one that is still open.