Dolphins’ second-year CB Cam Smith looking for fresh start after trying rookie season

It hadn’t been 24 hours since the Miami Dolphins’ charter flight had returned from Kansas City following their wild card playoff loss to the Chiefs before Cam Smith was back to working out with an eye on the 2024 season.

“I remember guys were like, ‘Chill, let your body rest a little,’” Smith said.

If you ask Smith, he did enough resting during what was a trying rookie season.

Smith, the Dolphins’ top pick in the 2023 Draft — 51st overall in the second round — was relegated to a seldom-used reserve role quickly last season, and played only 20 defensive snaps combined in four games.

“My frustration was during [training] camp,” Smith said after the Dolphins’ voluntary OTA practice this past Tuesday. “I didn’t focus on it during the season. I felt like I was losing my love for the game. My mom helped me through it, talking to her every day and she told me to just see it through.”

Smith is hoping for a fresh start.

The elements on the Dolphins roster could be conducive to such a goal if Smith can seize the opportunity in Year 2.

“I’m not necessarily worried about placing blame or why his timeline is as it is,” Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said. “Those timelines are unique to each individual. What I’m really pumped about is I know in Year 2 that the relationships that he’s holding within his position and the coaches and the way he’s attacking this offseason is that he’s not satisfied with that by any stretch and nor is the organization.”

The Dolphins secondary will be led by cornerback Jalen Ramsey and safety Jevon Holland.

But former All-Pro corner Xavien Howard is gone after eight seasons in Miami. The Dolphins signed veteran cornerback Kendall Fuller in the hopes of fortifying the position.

But more importantly for Smith, defensive coordinator Vic Fangio is gone and has been replaced by former Ravens defensive line coach Anthony Weaver.

Fangio commented at the end of last season that Smith needed to “improve in all areas” if he wanted a more significant role in the future.

Even with Ramsey injured early in the season, and injuries mounting as the playoffs approached, Smith struggled to earn significant playing time.

 Miami Dolphins cornerback Cam Smith (24) speaks to reporters after practice at the Baptist Health Training Complex in Miami Gardens, FL on Tuesday, May 28, 2024.

Smith posted an opened lock emoji shortly after Fangio departed.

“I was just feeling like, ‘yeah, I didn’t have the season I wanted and I didn’t get the opportunities I wanted,’ but there’s nothing given to you in this league,” Smith said. “Stuff happens and now I’m here. I feel like I’m free.”

Although Smith acknowledged he learned a lot about studying offenses from Fangio, he said he sees a lot of similarities between Weaver’s defensive scheme and the system he was a part of at South Carolina.

Weaver’s message to Smith?

“Don’t worry about what happened last season, just come out and ball,” Smith said.

Smith, who said he feels comfortable playing either as a boundary or nickel corner, is preparing for this challenge by becoming stronger physically. After weighing 180 pounds as a rookie, Smith said he has added about 15 pounds, mostly by drinking Ensure six times a day.

“It’s the first time I’ve really been this big since I was training,” Smith said.

Smith said one of the silver linings of his rookie season was learning from Howard and Ramsey.

“I was under two of the greats in this league, X and Jalen, so it wasn’t anything bad really,” Smith said. “I learned a lot from them, Eli [Apple] and Justin Bethel…It was a learning experience and like I went to school for a year.”

Smith has even more of an opportunity to learn in what is his first true NFL offseason. After spending most of the early months of 2023 training for the NFL Combine, Smith is dedicating himself to fully absorb everything he can in his first season in Weaver’s system.

“I don’t care if anyone says anything about my work ethic because I know what I do,” Smith said. “Physically, I feel like I’m a lot better player and I’m able to stop receivers when I press. “Mentally, just having that season behind me. I can say, ‘Alright, I’m good. I got my feet wet. I did this and that so it’s really good.”