MIAMI DOLPHINS: Players that must step up on the Defense

We are a little over a week away from seeing your Miami Dolphins open up their Preseason schedule and I cannot wait. It could be my extreme loyalty and Dolfan heart that is making me believe that this could be the year that potential becomes POWER.

Randy Starks

The Defense, with questions at the Nose Tackle, new starters at Outside Linebacker, and inexperience in the defensive backfield,  I believe got the second best addition of the off season in DC Mike Nolan. We as Dolfans have a lot to worry about, but also also a lot to look forward to.  Randy Starks could either get destroyed by double teams from the guard and center every play or he could completely revolutionize the position. He does not have the "size" of a traditional Nose Guard, but he has the athleticism and strength that no other nose guard in the league possesses. He has had moments where he looks unblockable from the Defensive Tackle position which gives me all the reason to believe that he will do the same at Nose Guard. If it is obvious that the move does not work or he happens to go down with an injury Coach  Nolan will have to immediately switch the defense to a 4-3 base defense or play alot of nickel in the 2-4-5 scheme they've been showing off during training camp.

Cameron Wake

At OLB, I am excited to see Cameron Wake as a full time starter. He had 5 sacks last season with only a quarter of the in game reps. He has to prove that the effort he puts in rushing the passer, he can equal in stopping the run. I like the rookie Koa Misi out of Utah. He is not an overly athletic linebacker, but he is a football player and obviously impressed the man upstairs, Bill Parcells, to earn a 2nd round pick. The wild card in this whole outside linebacker situation has to be Charlie Anderson. A career backup hidden by Joey Porter not wanting to leave the field, Anderson had the opportunity to start against the Tampa Bay Bucs last year and their underrated Offensive Line. He answered the bell and racked up 3 sacks. I believe will get more playing time in this 2010 season. There is one major surprise coming out of training camp. His name is Ike Alama-Francis. He is pushing for playing time and taking alot of reps in camp because of his stout run defense. Coach Nolan asked for him to be moved from DE to OLB in the OTA's and he apparently is blossoming.

Chris Clemons

In the backfield, Sean Smith and Vontae Davis started last year and went though some rough patches but showed enough promise to be excited about.  In Mike Nolan's blitz friendly defense they will get more opportunities at interceptions. We know what what first time Pro Bowler Yeremiah Bell will bring on Sundays, but the free safety position is a huge question mark. My opinion is that you do not need an elite free safety to have a dominant defense, just someone fast enough to not get beat deep and the ability to read and react quickly to what the offense is doing. We will see if Chris Clemons will be able to step up to the plate. He is definitely getting the reps in practice to claim the job as his.