Dolphins roster cuts: Predicting the offensive line

The Miami Dolphins have several tough choices ahead of them over the next couple of days. Who will make the roster, and who will have to be cut? There is a numbers game at play, with only 53 slots available, and the team needing to ensure it has depth across the roster. How will it break down? We continue building the roster with the offensive line.

On the roster: Branden Albert, Laremy Tunsil, Mike Pouncey, Jermon Bushrod, Ja’Wuan James, Anthony Steen

On the bubble: Kraig Urbik, Jamil Douglas, Dallas Thomas, Billy Turner, Ulrick John, Sam Young

The offensive line is probably one of the toughest position groups to predict this year. The starters, Branden Albert, Laremy Tunsil, Mike Pouncey, and Ja’Wuan James are roster locks, as is Anthony Steen, due to Pouncey’s injury. Jermon Bushrod should be the right guard starter, so he gets the sixth locked up position. Behind that group, the team could look to go in any number of ways, and they could all make sense. Dallas Thomas and Billy Turner appear to both be in position to make the roster as the primary reserves at guard, with outside chances to start over Bushrod at right guard. That makes eight roster spots, leaving likely one, maybe two, positions left to be claimed. Kraig Urbik, Jamil Douglas, Ulrick John, and Sam Young all provide some benefits to the team and have an argument to make the roster. Urbik is a versatile option that can play either guard or the center position, which makes him a sensible choice. Douglas has experience at center, replacing Pouncey last year, but has disappeared this preseason. Young was expected to serve as the swing tackle, but like Douglas, he has disappeared. John could backup James at right tackle, but the team has been positioning Turner, who played tackle in college, to serve in that role.

53-man roster prediction: Branden Albert, Laremy Tunsil, Mike Pouncey, Jermon Bushrod, Ja’Wuan James, Anthony Steen, Billy Turner, Kraig Urbik, Dallas Thomas

Practice squad: Jamil Douglas.

Cut: Ulrick John, Sam Young.

Roster total: 24 of 53

Practice squad total: 4 of 10