NFL cutdown day is next week, which means every team will soon cut nearly half their roster. With that sense of urgency, here are PFN’s Miami Dolphins‘ 53-man roster and depth chart projections 4.0.
Miami Dolphins 53-Man Roster Projection | Offense
If coaches place any value whatsoever on preseason games, there were jobs won and lost in the team’s 28-3 shellacking of the Houston Texans.
Quarterback
Skylar Thompson played like preseason 2022 Skylar Thompson Saturday (three touchdown passes) and not preseason 2023 Skylar Thompson, so he might have squeezed back onto the right side of the cut line. But if the Dolphins are convinced they could sneak him onto their practice squad, they still might.
- Tua Tagovailoa
- Mike White
- Skylar Thompson
Skylar Thompson finds Braxton Berrios!
📺: #MIAvsHOU on @NFLNetwork
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/L9mPiySmuK pic.twitter.com/o5QEbAvlUc— NFL (@NFL) August 19, 2023
Running Back
Chris Grier should be working the phones over the next week because Miami has six players deserving of five spots. The De’Von Achane injury certainly is worrisome, but assuming he’s OK, Myles Gaskin might be on the move.
- Raheem Mostert
- Jeff Wilson Jr.
- Salvon Ahmed
- De’Von Achane (R)
- Alec Ingold
Wide Receiver
The only real question here is whether Erik Ezukanma sticks. The rest are on the team barring something totally unforeseen. Ezukanma has shown flashes, but he certainly is a practice-squad candidate if the numbers get tight.
- Tyreek Hill
- Jaylen Waddle
- Cedrick Wilson Jr.
- Braxton Berrios
- Robbie Chosen
- Erik Ezukanma
Tight End
Eric Saubert was already in limbo before he got hurt in the Texans game. Cutting him would cost $850,000, which isn’t determinative, but also isn’t nothing.
Plus, the way the NFL’s injured reserve rules work is that the Dolphins would have to put another player on the waiver wire to be able to designate him IR-return.
- Durham Smythe
- Tyler Kroft
- Julian Hill (R)
Offensive Line
No one liked seeing Robert Jones limp to the locker room after getting hurt in Houston Saturday. But the Palm Beach Post reports the injury is not feared to be serious.
- Terron Armstead
- Robert Hunt
- Connor Williams
- Austin Jackson
- Liam Eichenberg
- Robert Jones
- Dan Feeney
- Isaiah Wynn
- Kendall Lamm
Miami Dolphins 53-Man Roster Projection | Defense
Lost in all the excitement about the offense’s improvement is this remarkable fact: Miami’s defense has allowed just nine points in eight preseason quarters. This group has a chance to be special.
Interior Defensive Line
Adding Thompson back to the 53 meant someone had to go, and that person was Josiah Bronson, who was on our active list previously simply because the Dolphins had no other good options. He’s certainly a practice-squad candidate.
- Christian Wilkins
- Zach Sieler
- Raekwon Davis
- Brandon Pili (R)
EDGE
Malik Reed is another vet who would cost some dead money to cut, but not enough ($750,000) to force the Dolphins to keep him over a better player. And rookie Mitchell Agude (one sack, two tackles for loss this preseason) has higher upside.
- Bradley Chubb
- Emmanuel Ogbah
- Jaelan Phillips
- Mitchell Agude
Linebacker
No changes here, but it’s worth pointing out that Jerome Baker and David Long Jr. were both impactful in limited snaps against the Texans.
- Jerome Baker
- David Long Jr.
- Andrew Van Ginkel
- Duke Riley
- Channing Tindall
Cornerback
These six are as locked in as you can get. The only player even conceivably at risk is Keion Crossen, but the Dolphins are in no position to be getting rid of one of their better special teamers after giving up two long returns in as many weeks.
- Xavien Howard
- Kader Kohou
- Cam Smith (R)
- Noah Igbinoghene
- Eli Apple
- Keion Crossen
Safety
It’s fair to wonder if the Dolphins regret not keeping Brandon Jones on the PUP list. He still seems a ways off from being ready for game action, and so Miami might have to carry an unavailable player early in camp.
- Jevon Holland
- Brandon Jones
- DeShon Elliott
- Justin Bethel
- Elijah Campbell
Miami Dolphins 53-Man Roster Projection | Special Teams
These three spots have been locked in since the first day of OTAs.
Kicker
- Jason Sanders
Punter
- Jake Bailey
Long Snapper
- Blake Ferguson
Complete Projected Miami Dolphins Depth Chart
Wide Receiver
- Tyreek Hill
- Robbie Chosen
Wide Receiver
- Jaylen Waddle
- Braxton Berrios
Wide Receiver
- Cedrick Wilson Jr.
- Erik Ezukanma
Quarterback
- Tua Tagovailoa
- Mike White
- Skylar Thompson
Running Back
- Raheem Mostert
- Jeff Wilson Jr.
- Salvon Ahmed
- De’Von Achane
Fullback
- Alec Ingold
Tight End
- Durham Smythe
- Tyler Kroft
- Julian Hill
Left Tackle
- Terron Armstead
- Kendall Lamm
Left Guard
- Liam Eichenberg
- Robert Jones
Center
- Connor Williams
- Dan Feeney
Right Guard
- Robert Hunt
- Isaiah Wynn
Right Tackle
- Austin Jackson
- Kendall Lamm
Interior Defensive Line
- Christian Wilkins
- Brandon Pili
Interior Defensive Line
- Zach Sieler
- Raekwon Davis
EDGE
- Bradley Chubb
- Mitchell Agude
EDGE
- Emmanuel Ogbah
- Mitchell Agude
EDGE
- Jaelan Phillips
- Mitchell Agude
Weakside Linebacker
- Jerome Baker
- Duke Riley
- Channing Tindall
Strongside Linebacker
- David Long Jr.
- Andrew Van Ginkel
Cornerback
- Noah Igbinoghene
- Cam Smith
Cornerback
- Xavien Howard
- Keion Crossen
Cornerback
- Kader Kohou
- Eli Apple
Safety
- Jevon Holland
- Justin Bethel
Safety
- Brandon Jones
- DeShon Elliott
- Elijah Campbell
Kicker
- Jason Sanders
Punter
- Jake Bailey
Long Snapper
- Blake Ferguson
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