/cdn.vox-cdn.com/photo_images/1086935/GYI0061363873.jpg)
The big story on Wednesday was obviously the Dolphins' trade of Greg Camarillo, picking up cornerback Benny Sapp from Minnesota. But that wasn't the only roster move the Dolphins made yesterday. They also released veteran guard Randy Thomas just one week after signing him.
These moves really do nothing but create more questions. Did the Dolphins acquire Benny Sapp because they are worried about Will Allen's recovery from a knee clean-up procedure he had earlier this month? Are the Dolphins still going to look for offensive line depth? And who replaces Greg Camarillo at wide receiver?
Lots of questions - and at this point, not many sure answers. So let's take another crack at how the 53 man roster might look as of today.
1st Team | 2nd Team |
3rd Team/4th Team |
|
QB |
Chad Henne |
Chad Pennington |
Tyler Thigpen |
RB | Ronnie Brown | Ricky Williams |
Patrick Cobbs/Lex Hilliard |
FB | Lousaka Polite | ||
WR |
Brandon Marshall |
Patrick Turner |
Marlon Moore |
WR |
Brian Hartline |
Davone Bess | |
TE | Anthony Fasano | David Martin |
Joey Haynos |
LT | Jake Long | Lydon Murtha |
|
LG |
Richie Incognito |
||
C | Jake Grove |
Joe Berger |
|
RG |
John Jerry |
Donald Thomas |
|
RT | Vernon Carey | Nate Garner | |
1st Team | 2nd Team | 3rd Team | |
DE | Kendall Langford |
Charles Grant |
Tony McDaniel |
NT |
Randy Starks |
Paul Soliai | |
DE | Jared Odrick |
Marques Douglas |
|
SOLB |
Koa Misi |
Ike Alama-Francis |
|
ILB | Channing Crowder | Tim Dobbins |
|
ILB |
Karlos Dansby |
Austin Spitler |
|
WOLB |
Cameron Wake |
Charlie Anderson |
|
CB |
Sean Smith |
Nolan Carroll |
Benny Sapp |
CB | Vontae Davis |
Will Allen |
Jason Allen |
S | Yeremiah Bell |
Tyrone Culver |
|
S |
Chris Clemons |
Reshad Jones |
|
1st Team | 2nd Team | 3rd Team | |
K | Dan Carpenter | ||
P | Brandon Fields | ||
LS | John Denney |
Last 5 On: Patrick Turner, Joey Haynos, Austin Spitler, Marlon Moore, Lydon Murtha
First 5 Off: Roberto Wallace, Lionel Dotson, Cory Procter, Nate Ness, Quentin Moses
Next 5 Off: Pat White, Andrew Hartline, Chris McCoy, Ryan Baker
The players highlighted are ones I consider "locks" to make the roster. I now have 40 locks - meaning I believe 13 roster spots are still up for grabs. However, injuries complicate this thing immensely. So let's dive right into it:
- I don't think the Dolphins want to keep six cornerbacks. That's a lot - especially when I also have them carrying four safeties. But Will Allen's health makes this difficult to predict. I have Will listed as a "lock" for now. But that's assuming he is healthy enough to contribute by week two or three. I don't know how long Miami could manage keeping an injured Allen on the 53 man roster. So the Injured Reserve is not out of the question.
- Nate Garner's health also creates headaches for this coaching staff. Garner is going to be out for at least the first three or four games of the regular season. Because of that, I wouldn't at all be surprised to see the Dolphins carry ten offensive linemen on the roster - at least until Garner is ready to play. If that is indeed the case, the Dolphins could look to create that roster spot by carrying nine defensive backs instead of the ten I have listed above. Again, that brings me back to Will Allen - who could land on IR depending on how he's recovering. Another option for the Dolphins could be to keep only three safeties - which would mean trying to sneak Reshad Jones through waivers and onto the practice squad.
- Or the Dolphins could try carrying only four receivers, making room for a tenth offensive lineman until Garner is healthy. That would mean only one of the three bubble receivers - Patrick Turner, Marlon Moore, and Roberto Wallace - would make the team out of camp. The other two, of course, could land on the practice squad if this was the case.
- Speaking of receivers, I wouldn't be surprised at all if only one of the three I named above make the 53 man roster and add their fifth receiver from outside the organization. The Dolphins are usually active on the waiver wire and have also been known to pluck players off of other teams' practice squads. So the Dolphins' fifth receiver might not even be on the roster right now. You never know.
- Ever since last week's preseason game, Jake Grove has been working as the starting center in practice. So that's why I've bumped him up to first-team...for now. We'll likely know for sure by next week after the coaches evaluate Friday night's preseason game. But I'm banking on Grove getting the first crack with the starters tomorrow against Atlanta.
Loading comments...