Why Dolphins Want Secondary to be 'Positionless'

The terms “positionless” and “versatile” have become big-time buzzwords in NFL circles, especially when talking about defensive players lining up in different spots.  

It’s all the rage these days, and the Miami Dolphins are expected to lean into that trend this season. Defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver mentioned it’s how the team will attack multiple positions on the defensive depth chart. 

“The one thing about us, and I think it's reflective in the depth chart, is we're a little bit positionless in terms of who we are and what we do,” Weaver told reporters Thursday. “By trait, I guess you would say we have a lot of tweeners on the defense. But that also gives you a lot of flexibility.”

That was Weaver’s answer when he was asked who would start in the slot for the Dolphins’ Week 1 game against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. It’s a classic non-answer from a coach, but what does “positionless” actually mean for the Dolphins’ secondary? 

Well, the team’s slot spot is a tremendous example of what an actual positionless group of players could look like. 

Miami Can Play Matchups on the Back End 

If you look at Miami’s safeties and expected slot cornerbacks, you’ll notice a wide range of skill sets. 

Minkah Fitzpatrick has experience playing everywhere. Ashtyn Davis is best in deep zones, while Ifeatu Melifonwu is a former college cornerback with good size. Lastly, rookie Jason Marshall Jr. is more of a traditional cornerback with good toughness and quickness. 

When Weaver is talking about “positionless” defense, he’s really referring to Miami’s ability to match any type of offensive personnel. In this specific example, it means the Dolphins’ slot cornerback or second safety could change depending on the opponent. 

Let’s take a look at the Colts. They have a big tight end in Tyler Warren and a small, fast receiver in Josh Downs, who, depending on the personnel package, could be the slot defender’s responsibility. 

In a situation where you’re more worried about Warren, you could ask Melifonwu to cover him. He’s a former college cornerback, who at 6-3, is more equipped to handle someone like Warren in the middle of the field. 

Downs is more of a vertical threat and is listed at 5-10. That likely bodes better for Marshall, who is listed at 6 feet and is a lot more sudden and twitchy than Melifonwu. 

You’d be correct to point out that the Colts will likely have those players on the field together at times, which is where the other safeties come in. Fitzpatrick is capable of playing single-high, so that allows Melifonwu to roll into the box and cover Warren, while Marshall Jr. mans the traditional slot spot against Downs. 

What makes this exciting for the Dolphins is that you could switch up some of those roles and still get matchups you’re comfortable with. Although Marshall Jr. is smaller than Warren, he’s still a cornerback. 

Although Melifonwu is better in the box, he’s played deep safety in the past. The Dolphins could show the Colts what we laid out above pre-snap, and then rotate Fitzpatrick into the box and have Melifonwu drop deep post-snap. 

Neither player is in their best spot, but they’re both capable enough to manage each other’s roles. This prevents the offense from getting an idea of what coverages the Dolphins are in based on the personnel — that’s the advantage of being “positionless.”

Of course, this is an oversimplification, and this is just one piece of the puzzle on defense, but Miami’s back end personnel is set up so that Weaver can move a lot of players around without tipping his hand to the offense. 

It should be pointed out that this is one of the best ways to have a functional defense when you have a lot of questions in the secondary. 

Miami’s cornerback issues have been debated ad nauseam, and even Fitzpatrick, Davis, Melifonwu, and Marshall have their own question marks. The Dolphins will need to confuse offenses this season because they won’t be able to win with pure talent as much.