A six-pack of notes on a Wednesday night:
### The fact LaMike James was listed as the Dolphins’ first-team punt and kickoff returner was news today to both James and incumbent returner Jarvis Landry.
Landry said he hasn’t been told if he will be used at all as a returner, and James said has been given no indication how many returns he will handle.
Joe Philbin has told reporters to believe what’s written on the depth chart unless and until we’re informed otherwise.
Landry, who obviously will have a heavy workload offensively, didn’t seem concerned about whether he would be used on returns.
“I will leave it up to [special teams coordinator Darren] Rizzi,” Landry said. “To an offensive guy, to have the ball in your hands [as a returner] is a good thing.”
Landry ranked fourth in the NFL in kickoff return average last season (28.1 yards) and 14th on punts (8.2).
James, in preseason, averaged 27.8 yards on kickoffs and 7.6 on punts.
And this is encouraging: James returned 16 kickoffs as a member of the 49ers, averaging 28.4 yards, slightly higher than Landry’s top-five-in-the-league average last season.
James also returned 23 punts for the 49ers, averaging 10.9 yards, which is 2.7 yards higher than Landry’s average last season.
James said returning punts this preseason initially felt “foreign to me,” but he now has more of a comfort level.
### Chris McCain, beaten out by Kelvin Sheppard for the open starting linebacker job, said today he was “a little disappointed” by his preseason but hopes to play in the “jack” role that now-suspended Dion Jordan handled last season. McCain has trained in that role all offseason.
McCain said playing jack is a "fun job" because it allows him to do a lot of things, including rushing the quarterback and handling some coverage assignments.
“I’ve just got to make the most out of [my snaps],” he said.
Defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle was non-committal when asked Monday whether McCain would have a role exactly like Jordan had last season, which typically entailed 20 to 30 snaps per game. But Coyle also said he wants to use all of his defensive players early in the season.
### Though Rishard Matthews had a strong preseason and started the third preseason game, he did not voice displeasure today about being surpassed on the depth chart by Kenny Stills.
“I don’t think it matters,” Matthews said. “What they put out and what we know are different. I know there will be a healthy rotation. My biggest issue was being able to contribute more. As long as I’m out there more. Right now, it’s not an issue.”
Asked why Stills has moved past Matthews, Philbin said: “We like all those guys. I think they have all had a good camp and I expect all of them to contribute, so I wouldn’t read too much into anything, really.”
### The odd thing about Jonas Gray is he could go from practice squad to starter if Lamar Miller had to miss a game with an injury (hopefully not).
Gray essentially is the second-most NFL accomplished back on the roster, based on his 4.6 per carry average for New England last season. Dolphins backup running back Damien Williams averaged 3.4 per carry last season.
Gray “is a good football player,” Philbin said. “He’s obviously had production since he left us and we like his body type. We think he’s a good scheme fit. He was a hard worker the last time he was here. I’m glad to have him back.”
Gray spent the 2012 offseason and training camp with the Dolphins before being released in late August. He said he was “shocked” New England cut him last week but “I can’t blame them.”
He said he wants to show the Dolphins “how I’ve grown as a player and person.”
He ran for 201 yards against the Colts on a Sunday night last season and “I think about [that] a lot, what it could have turned into.”
