Miami Dolphins position battle sees Jamil Douglas pulling ahead of Billy Turner at guard

One of the top position battles this offseason-training camp-preseason for the Miami Dolphins has been for the starting guard spots, with Dallas Thomas and Billy Turner appearing to be in the lead all summer. Thomas, who started at left tackle for Miami during their Preseason Week 3 contest against the Atlanta Falcons after injuries sidelined Branden Albert and Jason Fox, has been locked into the left guard spot since the team began the offseason workout program and had been developing into the role. Turner has been taking the majority of the right guard first team repetitions, but, according to a report, may not be in the top spot on the depth chart much longer.

The Miami Herald's Barry Jackson wrote on Monday, "Rookie Jamil Douglas has pulled ahead of Billy Turner in the competition at right guard, according to two people briefed on the situation." Jackson adds that Turner was told of the update to the position battle on Monday, and he was "naturally disappointed." The coaches, Jackson writes, are concerned about the lack of consistency from Turner, who has looked really good at times, but then will have stretched where players are blowing right past him and into the Miami backfield.

The Dolphins have one more Preseason game before they open Week 1 of the regular season on September 13 at the Washington Redskins. Douglas could take over the starting role this week against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to allow the coaches to see how he works with the starting offensive line - assuming the team plays the starters for at least one series - in a game situation, and give him an extended number of plays during the game, before making the final decision on who will be that Week 1 starting right guard. However the coaches decide to use Douglas on Thursday, it appears Miami's guard position battle is not over yet, and it appears a change to the presumed starter could be happening fairly soon.