Miami Dolphins guard Billy Turner is penciled in as a starter for 2015

Billy Turner was drafted in the third round of the 2014 draft and after general manager Dennis Hickey traded up to select him, many expected him to contribute right away. However, Turner suffered a turf toe injury in training camp and was never able to fully recover and catch up after the initial injury. Now, with a full season under his belt and a full offseason to go along with it, the Miami Dolphins have penciled him in as one of the starting guards for 2015.

We've heard from various sources and media reports that the Dolphins are very pleased with Turner's progress and believes he has a bright future. When Hickey spoke to the media earlier this week at the Senior Bowl, he all but confirmed these rumblings that were going around.

“We feel like Billy Turner really made a lot of strides at the end of the year,” Hickey said. “He had a setback with an injury late in training camp, late in preseason, that kind of set him back. But all of the things we liked about him, he’s definitely shown and you really saw a progression every day in practice. Just bringing a physical mentality, a toughness, punch, athleticism and we’re excited about what he’s going to bring to the table in 2015. We’re really pleased with his development and what it’s going to bring to the table.”

Turner will see time with the starting unit when mini-camps and training camp opens in a few months. It will be his job to lose but all indications are that he will be one of the starting five when the season opens in September.

This story was written by Matthew Cannata. Follow him on Twitter: @PhinManiacs