No Dolphins defensive back was more impressive in offseason work than Smith, who enters the final year of his contract and could earn a lucrative deal with a big year.
“I’m getting better,” he said. “My whole thing is to let the game come to me rather than trying to force things. [Former defensive backs coach]Todd Bowles taught me, before he left, to relax and do whatever it was that got me here. Where I've really improved is staying low out of my breaks.” He generally has improved his technique, something former teammate Yeremiah Bell implored him to do.
Smith, who lost 24 pounds this offseason, cut his dreadlocks, largely to reshape the way he presents himself. “It’s all about how you’re perceived on and off the field. I want a more professional, mature approach. The coaches like it.”
Pro Football Focus ranked Smith 105[SUP]th[/SUP] of 109 cornerbacks for 2011 and charged him with five touchdowns allowed and a 90.8 quarterback rating in his coverage area. But he finished strong, with two interceptions in his final six games, after producing one in his first 41. If there was any chance Richard Marshall would start ahead of him, Smith has seemingly eliminated that possibility.
Odrick, meantime, has adjusted well to end in a 4-3 defense - a position he played some as a freshman at Penn State. He had a sack in Saturday's scrimmage and has been stout against the run throughout training camp.
“Sean Smith asked me how I like the defense,” Odrick said. “I said my position is more fun because there’s nothing stationary about the job. I get to do more.”
Odrick had five sacks in 596 snaps last season (he was rated 20[SUP]th[/SUP] of 32 3-4 defensive ends by PFF) and said double figure sacks is a “realistic” goal. He probably will shift to tackle on third downs. At 302 pounds, he’s bigger than traditional 4-3 ends, including 258-pound Cam Wake.
“There are not many 300-pound d-ends,” Odrick said. “People would expect less of you being a bigger guy on the edge. But it helps in setting an anchor in the run game.”
Plus, the Dolphins believe he’s athletic enough to get to the quarterback from that spot.
“He’s a very talented guy, unique in a lot of ways,” defensive line coachKacy Rodgers said. “His athleticism is going to help him make the adjustment to doing that.”
Misi had 2 ½ sacks in his first six NFL games but four in 22 games since, though he often was used in coverage last year, allowing 11 completions in 19 passes against him.
Defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle said Misi is making the biggest adjustment of any player in this new defense, because he will be playing a lot more off the line of scrimmage (as a SAM linebacker) after playing on the line last year.
"It has been difficult, real challenging," Misi said. "But I'm liking it. I have a chance to make more tackles. I'm going to work a lot harder to be a better player than in the past."
Misi's solid camp so far includes an interception return for a touchdown early in camp and a sack in Saturday's scrimmage. “We’re excited about his progress,” Coyle said. “He’s improving every day.”
CHATTER
CBS analyst and former NFL MVP Rich Gannon spent 90 minutes in Dolphins quarterback meetings last week and was struck by Ryan Tannehill’s “knowledge, his answers, his assertiveness. There’s uncertainty with a lot of rookies, but not him. You love his athleticism and toughness, his footwork, his mechanics. He may not be where Andrew Luck is, but he’s a lot further along than a lot of guys coming out. He'll be a really fine player.”
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