Don't call it a comeback, the Miami Dolphins stock report has been here for years. And there's no better time for a status report on the team's hot, and not players than after the first week of training camp.
The players might have had Sunday off, but the the coaches didn't. At some point Sunday the staff likely sat at a roundtable throwing ideas against the wall hoping to find ways to improve the squad.
How can they push Phillip Merling to get more out of him? Is Donald Thomas ready for a full contact practice? Does rookie receivers Patrick Turner and Brian Hartline know enough of the offense to move up the depth chart, or learn more receiver spots? Is Brandon Frye better at guard or tackle? Should they try Randy Starks on the right side or leave him in his present role?
It was this point last training camp that Matt Roth was moved to strong side linebacker, and Donald Thomas was elevated to the starting spot, which he eventually secured by dominating that week of practice. That's why this week is my favorite week of training camp.
Expect Tony Sparano to shuffle the deck again at the beginning of week two, changing the depth chart to see who responds to the challenge, and who buckles. Don't be surprised if rookie cornerback Sean Smith isn't elevated to the starting spot.
