Poupart's Dolphins 53-Man Roster Projection 1.0
The Miami Dolphins have assembled a quality roster over the past couple of seasons, one that many consider among the best in the NFL.
Along with the high-end talent they've brought in — like Tyreek Hill, Terron Armstead and Jalen Ramsey, to name three players — the team also has developed better depth than in recent history.
While that's going to help win games in the fall, it's going to make for some tough choices and decisions for GM Chris Grier and head coach Mike McDaniel this summer.
That's especially true at positions like wide receiver and cornerback, where the team appears to have more NFL-caliber players than roster spots available.
Here then is All Dolphins Publisher Alain Poupart's first 53-man roster projection of 2023:
DOLPHINS QUARTERBACKS (3)
On the 53: Tua Tagovailoa, Mike White, Skylar Thompson
Off: James Blackman (R)
Analysis: There's not a whole lot to examine here because the Dolphins kept three QBs on the active roster last season and the new emergency QB rule stipulates that third game-day QB has to be on the 53. So there you go.
DOLPHINS RUNNING BACKS (4)
On the 53: Raheem Mostert, Jeff Wilson Jr., Devon Achane (R), Salvon Ahmed
Off: Myles Gaskin, Chris Brooks (R)
Analysis: The only question here is whether the Dolphins would go ahead and keep only three, with the idea of putting Ahmed on the practice squad if he cleared waivers. Outside of that, it was pretty clear that Ahmed passed Gaskin last season even though it was the latter who led the team in rushing in 2020 and 2021.
DOLPHINS WIDE RECEIVERS (6)
On the 53: Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Braxton Berrios, Robbie Chosen, Cedrick Wilson Jr., Erik Ezukanma
Off: River Cracraft, Braylon Sanders, Freddie Swain, Chris Coleman (R), Daewood Davis (R)
Analysis: Wilson is the X-factor here because he likely wouldn't be on the 53-man roster if not for the fact he's guaranteed $5 million in 2023. Cracraft worked his way onto the active roster last year after starting off on the practice squad and he's a player that McDaniel clearly likes. Ezukanma perhaps could be in trouble if he doesn't show his coaches clear signs of development, though getting rid of second-year player on their rookie contract isn't a great way to build a sustainable winner.
DOLPHINS TIGHT ENDS/FULLBACKS (4)
On the 53: Fullback Alec Ingold, Durham Smythe, Eric Saubert, Elijah Higgins (R)
Off: Tanner Conner, Tyler Kroft, Julian Hill (R); fullback John Lovett
Analysis: The first thing to note about this group is that the Dolphins kept an unusually high number of tight ends at the start of last season with five — Smythe, Conner, Mike Gesicki, Cethan Carter and Hunter Long. That's not going to happen again. We could see a fourth tight end being kept here, and it could be Conner or Kroft, but we're thinking the higher likelihood is having two or three tight ends on the practice squad.
DOLPHINS OFFENSIVE LINEMEN (8)
On the 53: Terron Armstead, Connor Williams, Austin Jackson, Robert Hunt, Liam Eichenberg, Isaiah Wynn, Robert Jones, Dan Feeney
Off: Kendall Lamm, Geron Christian, Cedric Ogbuehi, Kion Smith, Ryan Hayes (R), James Tunstall, Lester Cotton, Alama Uluave (R)
Analysis: The Dolphins had eight offensive linemen on the 53 pretty much all of 2023 and kept bringing guys up from the practice squad to fill in for injuries, and we could see a repeat here. This actually looks like a fairly straightforward decision here, though Ogbuehi could make a push for a roster spot. Hayes looked a bit overmatched in the spring practices open to the media and looked like somebody headed for the practice squad.
DOLPHINS EDGE PLAYERS (5)
On the 53: Emmanuel Ogbah, Jaelan Phillips, Bradley Chubb, Malik Reed, Andrew Van Ginkel
Off: Cameron Goode, Garrett Nelson (R), Mitchell Agude (R), Randy Charlton (R)
Analysis: Agude looked great in the spring practices open to the media, but training camp, the preseason and the regular season are different animals and he's simply a long shot to make the roster. Cameron Goode showed some good things in camp last summer, but he's again facing the battle of making the cut at a deep position.
DOLPHINS DEFENSIVE TACKLES (4)
On the 53: Christian Wilkins, Raekwon Davis, Zach Sieler,. Jaylen Twyman
Off: Josiah Bronson, Anthony Montalvo (R), Brandon Pili (R)
Analysis: This is where there should be an asterisk because we'd suspect the Dolphins will sign a veteran to serve as the backkup here over the month or so.
DOLPHINS INSIDE LINEBACKERS (4)
On the 53: Jerome Baker, David Long Jr., Duke Riley, Channing Tindall
Off: Aubrey Miller (R), Zeke Vandenburgh (R)
Analysis: This position seems pretty clear cut unless one of the two rookies really shines in training camp. The focus here will be on Tindall being able to take a big step forward in Year 2.
DOLPHINS CORNERBACKS (7)
On the 53: Xavien Howard, Jalen Ramsey, Kader Kohou, Nik Needham, Cam Smith (R), Noah Igbinoghene, Trill Williams
Off: Justin Bethel, Tino Ellis, Bryce Thompson, Ethan Bonner (R), Keion Crossen
There will be some tough decisions to make here, particularly after Thompson looked really good in the spring after coming over from the XFL. In the end, this should come down to Igbinoghene vs. Bethel vs. Crossen, and it could go any which way, but Crossen is at a disadvantage here because cutting him will clear $3 million in cap space. Bethel's edge in special teams over Igbinoghene will be nullified to a point because of the new kickoff rules.
DOLPHINS SAFETIES (5)
On the 53: Jevon Holland, Brandon Jones, DeShon Elliott, Elijah Campbell, Verone McKinley III
Off: Bennett Williams (R), Keidron Smith
Analysis: While we put Trill Williams among the cornerbacks, understand he could see time at safety as well, with the same thing applying to Campbell. The big question here is whether Elliott or Jones will start opposite Holland.
DOLPHINS SPECIAL TEAMS (3)
On the 53: K Jason Sanders, P Jake Bailey, LS Blake Ferguson
Off: P Michael Turk (R)
The Dolphins will be looking for a bounce-back year from Sanders, whose performance was uneven in 2022, though he did come through with the money field goal that put them in the playoffs. Turk will have a tough task trying to beat out Bailey, signed as a free agent in the offseason.
