With Randy Starks sidelined by a back injury it appears Shelby will get his workload increased during Sunday's game against the Oakland Raiders.
“I’m out there trying to keep the other guys fresh. A guy like Cameron Wake and OV [Olivier Vernon] need to be fresh in the fourth quarter. That’s when they are the most dangerous,” said Shelby, who has contributed four tackles, one sack, two quarterback hurries and recovered one fumble in Miami's first three games. “That’s the plan going in and I just keep doing what I’ve always done.”
Shelby has played 89 snaps on defense spelling everyone on the defensive line the past three games, and that includes the 6-foot-2, 282 pounder taking snaps at defensive tackle. With Starks sidelined he'll split the defensive tackle workload with rookie Anthony Johnson. And don't be surprised if he plays ahead of Johnson.
Shelby’s play was so steady he worked ahead of Dion Jordan, the team’s 2013 first-round pick, in the defensive end rotation last season. And even when Jordan wasn’t suspended Shelby had a higher standing in his unit.
And that spot is one he doesn’t intend to relinquish when Jordan returns from his six game suspension the NFL imposed for failing a drug test, and when Terrence Fede, the team’s 2014 seventh-round pick, gets cleared to play, which will likely be this Sunday.
“Numbers wise, you’re only allowed to bring so many people to the game and Derrick is a versatile guy,” Coyle said. “He gives us a guy that can rush the passer inside, he can play defensive end in the base packages….He is a very valuable player on our defense because he’s very intelligent, he’s got versatility and when he plays he generally wins a lot more than he loses.”
That's what the Dolphins hope Shelby can do against the Raiders offensive guards on Sunday when he's called on to block them.
“I’m just trying to do my part. At the end of the day if you’re drafted, undrafted, that only really counts if you’re just a guy. Everybody from all aspects of the team comes from different rounds, and some of the best player weren’t drafted. You just have to be reliable,” said Shelby, who worked his way back from a knee injury during OTAs. “I’ve proven that I can make plays when I’m out there. I don’t want people to say I’m just a guy.”
