Miami Dolphins rookie Trey Moore is starting to draw the kind of attention that usually comes with a player who can line up just about anywhere.
Drafted in April, Moore initially looked like the sort of developmental depth piece teams stash and hope grows into something more. Two weeks into training camp, though, he’s already earning praise from head coach Jeff Hafley, and the buzz around him is less about splash plays and more about what he can do across the defense.
Hafley’s view of Moore is pretty straightforward. “Consistency, versatility, he has done a really good job at setting the edge,” Hafley said Wednesday.
That versatility is what has people thinking about Andrew Van Ginkel. Moore has been used as a linebacker without a fixed home, but that appears to be part of the plan.
He can work inside, line up as an outside SAM, and even get after the edge. If that package eventually turns into turnovers, he could become the next version of Van Ginkel.
For Miami, that kind of player matters. It’s also the sort of presence former defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver didn’t have after the Dolphins let Van Ginkel walk in free agency just as Weaver came in. A defender who can handle multiple jobs on the same unit would have been a major boost for that defense.
“He gives you a linebacker who can play all three downs,” Hafley said. “He can play in zone, is good against the run, and has rush value. I like the way he's practiced.”
Moore still has a long road ahead before anyone can label him a success or a miss, and he has yet to take a snap on the practice field. But the first real chance to see him in action is coming fast.
Miami faces the Commanders in its first preseason game this weekend, and Moore is expected to get plenty of snaps along with most of the other rookies.
The Dolphins are clearly leaning into this kind of positional flexibility across the roster. Another rookie, Kyle Louis, also can line up in multiple spots, giving Hafley more options and more ways to disguise what the defense is doing.
Miami’s first preseason game under Hafley kicks off shortly after 7:00 on Friday night. The head coach said only a handful of players will be held out, with those decisions depending on health and how many reps players got during this week’s joint practice. Most of the roster, including Malik Willis, is expected to see preseason action.
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