Completely lost in the shuffle was former first-round linebacker Stephone Anthony. Anthony is still here, and actually as of right now, he’s a starting Dolphins linebacker.

Anthony is still young and still fast and still strong and still has the potential to make a positive impact.

“He earned it by the same way all guys earn it,” Dolphins defensive coordinator Matt Burke said of Anthony taking many spring reps at starter. “He’s been working hard. It’s always difficult to come in the middle of the season, come from a different scheme and pick things up. He works really, really hard. He’s a big athlete. He’s almost 6-foot-3. He’s 240-something. He can run and we like those body types.”

Burke believes a full offseason with Miami will really benefit Anthony, who was criticized in New Orleans not for his physical tools but his ability to consistently diagnose offensive plays. The Dolphins consider Anthony, 25, a part of their 2018 draft class, as he was obtained for a fifth-rounder.

“We’re trying to really overload him a bit and give him a full offseason, a full year of coaching with us, and see what he can do,” Burke said. “I think we’re doing the same thing at linebacker. I think a lot of our other linebackers are younger guys right now. So Steph’s been here. He has a little bit of history in the scheme, so I think there’s just a little bit of comfort level with him in terms of knowledge.”

He stepped in and did a good job last season..Maybe it will click for him.

We should be better at lber this season. Something that hasn't been much of a strength for some time now.

After being acquired from the Saints last September for a fifth-round draft pick, Anthony played 130 defensive snaps in eight games for Miami and had 12 tackles.

According to Pro Football Focus, Anthony was in pass coverage on 89 of those 130 snaps, and his overall grade of 43.4 would have ranked 67th among all linebackers if he had more snaps to qualify — barely ahead of Lawrence Timmons, who was cut by the Dolphins this spring and remains unsigned.

Anthony, 6-3, said he has dropped his weight from 245 to “235-240. I’ve been one step ahead. I’ve been more comfortable with the system.”

Though Miami is open to keeping him beyond this season if he plays well, the Dolphins declined to exercise his 2019 fifth-year option.

“I didn’t talk to anybody about that,” he said. “It’s kind of what I expected. I needed a little more snaps. Not my job to worry about. Whatever opportunity is presented to me, it’s my job to take advantage of it…. The business side really hits you in the face when you get traded.”