We're now well into training camp and just days away from the first preseason game of the year. And this means it's time to once again update the "depth chart bubble watch" with the latest developments from camp.
Again, just incase you haven't seen this before, the idea behind it is simple - to put together a projected 53-man roster and to highlight which players I feel are on pace to just barely make the team and which just miss the cut. And it's important to note that this is not how I predict the roster will look once the preseason comes to a close. Instead, it's simply a snapshot that examines how Miami's 53-man roster might look if the cuts were to be done at this very moment.
The depth chart and some notes can be found below right after the jump...
| 1st Team | 2nd Team | 3rd Team | |
| QB | Chad Pennington | Chad Henne | Pat White |
| RB | Ronnie Brown | Ricky Williams | Patrick Cobbs |
| FB | Lousaka Polite | ||
| WR | Ted Ginn | Patrick Turner | Brandon London |
| WR | Greg Camarillo | Davone Bess | Brian Hartline |
| TE | Anthony Fasano | David Martin | John Nalbone |
| LT | Jake Long | Andrew Gardner | |
| LG | Justin Smiley | Andy Alleman |
|
| C | Jake Grove | Joe Berger | |
| RG | Shawm Murphy |
Donald Thomas | |
| RT | Vernon Carey | ||
| 1st Team | 2nd Team | 3rd Team | |
| DE | Kendall Langford | Randy Starks |
|
| NT | Jason Ferguson | Paul Soliai | |
| DE | Phillip Merling | Tony McDaniel | Lionel Dotson |
| SOLB | Jason Taylor |
Quentin Moses |
Erik Walden |
| ILB | Channing Crowder | Reggie Torbor |
|
| ILB | Akin Ayodele | ||
| WOLB | Joey Porter | Cameron Wake |
Charlie Anderson |
| CB | Will Allen | Vontae Davis | Jason Allen |
| CB | Eric Green | Sean Smith | |
| S | Yeremiah Bell | Chris Clemons | |
| S | Gibril Wilson | Tyrone Culver | |
| 1st Team | 2nd Team | 3rd Team | |
| K | Dan Carpenter | ||
| P | Brandon Fields | ||
| LS | John Denney |
PUP: Matt Roth
Last 5 On: Jason Allen, Erik Walden, Quentin Moses, Brandon London, Charlie Anderson
First 5 Off: Nate Jones, Anthony Armstrong, Ike Ndukwe, Nate Garner, Joey Haynos
Next 5 Off: Ernest Wilford, William Kershaw, Tearrius George, Brandon Frye, Rod Wright
Some notes on this:
- Even though Quentin Moses is listed ahead of Erik Walden, I think he's the one keeping Matt Roth's seat warm. Once Roth begins practicing, I expect Moses to be the one who falls off the roster thanks to Walden's exceptional special teams play.
- It's not a coincidence that my "last 5 on" are all guys who contribute on special teams.
- Notice that Ike Ndukwe has fallen from on the 53-man roster to one of the first 5 off. That's what a bad camp and a healthy Donald Thomas will do.
- I wouldn't at all be surprised to see the Dolphins keep just 5 outside linebackers and 4 inside linebackers - adding William Kershaw to the team thanks to his special teams play. That would likely mean either Charlie Anderson or Erik Walden would be shown the door.
- I'm still not sold on the coaching staff keeping 6 receivers. For now I'll keep 6 on, but I wouldn't be shocked to see an extra defensive player kept instead.
- John Nalbone over Joey Haynos. Why? Nalbone has been lights out in camp from all reports and had the best day of all the pass catchers in Saturday' scrimmage. But he'll have to remain consistent and perform in the preseason if he wants to ensure his spot.