Now that training camp has officially broken and we are almost a third of the way through the 2011 preseason, there is only one true position battle ongoing in Davie – starting free safety.

Chris Clemons and Reshad Jones were running neck and neck early in camp. While Clemons is the incumbent, having started 14 of 15 games last season, Jones made enough of an impact in his two starts to warrant strong consideration this time around.

“Well it’s still up in the air to me,” Head Coach Tony Sparano said of the competition. “I thought Chris played really well in the first week of the preseason and I thought he played well again last week. I thought Reshad probably played made a few more plays in the game the other day (versus Carolina) just because the plays ended up coming at him. I don’t think Chris was really challenged much in the game. But I did feel Reshad in the open field a few times and around the football so I think it’s still up in the air right now. I really don’t have my mind made up yet.”

When he was further pressed on the matter, Sparano admitted that he sees this coming down to the end, and while it’s something he’s not rooting for because he likes to have his lineup set as early as possible, he believes it.

Both players are very similar in stature at 6-foot-1, with Jones slightly heavier at 214 pounds compared to Clemons at 210. They are athletic and pick up things fast in terms of proper coverages and adjustments, but they each bring something special to the position that Sparano likes.

Jones is defined as more of a ball hawk and has the same number if interceptions (one) after one season as Clemons had in two. He also had a sack, 14 tackles (11 solo) and two pass breakups in two starts and 14 games, but he is more concerned about developing chemistry with the entire secondary rather than get caught up in a competition.

“I really wouldn’t call it competing because I’m just going out trying to learn as much as I can learn and just keep preparing,” said Jones, who points to being a student of the game as the area he wants to improve on the most. “Preparation leads to opportunity and I feel like I’ve made some good progress from last year so I just say we’re out here to make each other better.”

As for Clemons, he has excelled as a sure tackler and a physical player who likes to make the big hit. He has also embraces his responsibility for getting everybody lined up properly in the secondary, which is another key component of the position.

Sparano considers the first two attributes, ball skills and tackling, as equal when it comes to evaluating the players because they both directly relate to production. The way defensive coordinator Mike Nolan uses his safeties and corners in blitz packages often leads to critical sacks, while an interception in the back end is clearly very important.

“We’re trying to figure out which guy is going to bring more of those things to the table on a consistent basis,” Sparano said. “Now it doesn’t help if the third quality, being getting the guys lined up and making sure that people are in the right spots because they truly are the communicator back there, is not happening. It doesn’t matter what that guys are doing somebody is going to be running down the field free.”

This is Clemons’ third season in Miami and second in Nolan’s system and even though he and Jones have become good friends off the field, he conceded that he is competitive between the lines and has his sights on retaining that starting job. He hasn’t gotten involved in comparing his progress in camp to what Jones is doing, but he knows he needs to convert more pass breakups into interceptions when the opportunity is there.

“My rookie year I was a little confused, but last year each week the game came slower and slower,” Clemons said. “Right now everything’s coming pretty good and I’ve learned a lot from Yeremiah Bell. He’s really taught me how to be a pro and has kept me on my toes.”

Jones also has relied on Bell for leadership and instruction and he has embraced what he considers his best asset, which is creating turnovers and getting the ball. That’s his goal whenever he’s on the field, and now that he is familiar with Nolan’s defense the playbook isn’t so intimidating.

In college at the University of Georgia, Jones was a two-year starter with 14 starts coming at strong safety and 13 at free safety. He intercepted 11 passes, recorded 206 tackles (129 solo) and led the Bulldogs in interceptions in back-to-back seasons. Fellow second-year defensive back Nolan Carroll expects to be battling Jones for interceptions.

“You just go and get it and whoever gets it first comes away with it,” said Carroll, who has one last season. “If it’s a jump ball I’m going to get it because I think I have better vertical leap.”

Those types of competitions among teammates are healthy in Sparano’s eyes, and the offensive players get into it as well. Fourth-year wide receiver Davone Bess goes against the secondary every day in practice and he sees Clemons as a guy with good range, smarts and the knack for just coming up and hitting a receiver. He also admires Jones’ ability to break on the ball and make plays that way.

In a jump ball situation, Bess flashed a smile and predicted if he were the intended receiver he would be the one coming away with the ball. But he thinks the battle going on this long can only benefit the team and Clemons and Jones.

“In this league in order to be successful you’ve got to have a good first string and a good second team,” Bess said. “You never know, on any given day somebody can go down and it’s about what you can do once your number is called. So I think in the long run it’s going to benefit the Miami Dolphins.”

INJURY UPDATE: H-back Charles Clay and defensive end Kendall Langford joined running back Lex Hilliard, wide receiver Patrick Carter and guard Garrett Chisolm on the sideline working with the trainers this morning.

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