Cam Smith Making Progress

Dolphins cornerback Cam Smith has been cleared for contact work, but now must earn Vic Fangio's trust

Cam Smith has his sights set on being a rookie starter for the Miami Dolphins, and the cornerback knows he’s got some work to do to achieve his goal.

Smith is involved in a three-player battle with veteran Eli Apple and former first-round pick Noah Igbinoghene for the outside spot opposite Xavien Howard when Miami is in its nickel package, defending three-receivers sets.

In that package Kader Kohou goes inside, and a third cornerback comes on the field. Smith is pushing to earn that role, and he’s got three weeks left to put his best foot forward.

Smith cleared to resume contact work

Problem is, a shoulder injury got the former South Carolina standout shelved from contact drills for a week, which means he’s lost some on-the-field time, and the instruction that comes with it.

Smith was cleared to participate in contact work during 11-on-11s on Tuesday, and the 2023 second-round pick hopes to show he’s Miami’s best choice to replace Jalen Ramsey, who is likely sidelined till December because of a knee injury he suffered the first week of camp.

“This was my first time getting back into contact, jamming, getting on the sled. It felt good,” Smith said, addressing the right shoulder injury he suffered in Miami’s 19-3 preseason loss against the Atlanta Falcons on Aug. 11. “I’m not promising anything. But it felt good today.”

When asked if he’s on track for the Sept. 10 season opener against the Los Angeles Chargers, Smith’s response was an emphatic “for sure.”

Players are always optimistic about their recoveries and want to speed the healing timeline. The true test will come from how he handles physical contact in practice, and how his body feels afterwards.

Will Smith play against the Jaguars?

We’ll know more based on whether he’s cleared to play in Saturday’s preseason finale against Jacksonville.

Apple, who has started 78 NFL games in his eight seasons, and Igbinoghene, who has started five of the 32 games he’s played in the past three seasons, got the bulk of the playing time in Saturday’s 28-3 win against the Houston Texans.

The Dolphins know what both players bring to the defense, and don't seem sold on either.

Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio openly admitted he needs to see more from Smith to know if he can trust the rookie.

“Cam just hasn’t been out there enough,” Fangio said. “The biggest thing with Cam is we got to feel like we can trust him to do the right thing….

“We’re all going to get beat some, but we don’t want to get beat by self-inflicted wounds.”

Fangio is referring to the rookie’s mastery and understanding of his zone system, which has more rules than most NFL and college secondaries. In a zone if one player reads a play incorrectly it can leave a receiver, or a zone wide open, and upper-echelon quarterbacks can often exploit those mistakes.

“I feel like I’m getting better every day. A lot of the stuff that’s not coming to me when I first got here is coming to me now. I feel like I’m progressing,” said Smith, who showed a knack for producing pass breakups throughout training camp. “I’m staying in my pedal a lot longer and not sitting on routes. I’m making sure I can transition. I’m being patient with my eyes.”