Miami Dolphins depth chart 2021: Training camp Week 3 53-man roster prediction

Another week is done in the Miami Dolphins’ training camp for 2021 and the first preseason game is in the books. The team is preparing to host the Atlanta Falcons in two joint practices this week, then face them in a preseason game at Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday. How has our projected Dolphins’ roster changed over the past week?

Below, you will see how I am predicting the team’s 53-man roster for Week 1. Things will obviously change over the next few weeks, and there will be some player who is a star in practice from what the coaches are seeing, but we do not yet know it, and they will make the roster. Players still have to be cut from all around the league, with the Dolphins able to sign players or trade for them prior to roster cuts, as happened today when the team sent a seventh-round pick to the Carolina Panthers for offensive lineman Greg Little.

Do you agree with my prediction? Feel free to discuss and tell me what you would do differently in the comments.

Quarterbacks (2)

Tua Tagovailoa
Jacoby Brissett

Changes: None.

Running backs (4)

Myles Gaskin
Salvon Ahmed
Malcolm Brown
Gerrid Doaks

Changes: None.

Tight ends (4)

Mike Gesicki
Durham Smythe
Adam Shaheen
Hunter Long

Changes: None.

Wide receivers (6)

DeVante Parker
Jaylen Waddle
Albert Wilson
Mack Hollins
Jakeem Grant
Lynn Bowden, Jr.

Note: Will Fuller V is making the roster, but, as was pointed out in the comments from the last prediction, this is a projection of the Week 1 roster, and Fuller is suspended for Week 1. He makes the roster, is suspended, then comes back for Week 2. In his place, Bowden makes the roster.

Changes: Preston Williams / Robert Foster off, Mack Hollins / Jakeem Grant on. Hollins looked solid against the Bears; he is not a lock on the roster, but he did show he deserves a spot at this time. Grant could slide onto the roster as Miami’s top kick returner, leaving Waddle as the punt returner. Williams falls off the roster as the Dolphins could place him on injured reserve once the season starts, allowing him to continue to rehab and then activate him later in the season when he is fully healthy. Foster has had a good camp, but it feels like it is a question of Foster or Hollins, so he lands on the wrong side of the cut line this week. The injury to Allen Hurns does clear up a little of the team’s logjam at the position.

Offensive linemen (9)

Austin Jackson
Liam Eichenberg
Michael Deiter
Robert Hunt
Jesse Davis
Larnel Coleman
Matt Skura
Solomon Kindley
Greg Little

Changes: Robert Jones off, Greg Little on. The Dolphins traded for Little on Tuesday, likely looking to give the former second-round pick a chance to restart his career while working as the team’s primary depth at the tackle position. Jones falls off the roster, but could fight with Coleman for a spot on the roster. It seems like either Jones or Coleman makes the roster, while the other lands on the practice squad. This group is the top group to watch the rest of the summer, and do not be surprised if things change between the starters and the depth players over the next few weeks.

Defensive linemen (6)

Raekwon Davis
Christian Wilkins
Emmanuel Ogbah
Zach Sieler
John Jenkins
Benito Jones

Changes: Jonathan Ledbetter off. I do not like having only six defensive linemen, but if you consider players like Andrew Van Ginkel and Jaelan Phillips as edge rushers - so pseudo defensive ends - six defensive linemen can work. I think Ledbetter or Jason Strowbridge can fight their way back onto the roster, but I needed a roster spot, and Ledbetter became my cut.

Linebackers (8)

Jerome Baker
Andrew Van Ginkel
Jaelan Phillips
Benardrick McKinney
Elandon Roberts
Brennan Scarlett
Shaquem Griffin
Vince Biegel

Changes: None.

Cornerbacks (7)

Xavien Howard
Byron Jones
Jason McCourty
Nik Needham
Noah Igbinoghene
Jamal Perry
Justin Coleman

Changes: Justin Coleman on. The Dolphins are using Coleman as the sole nickel cornerback right now, with no one really competing against him. That seems to indicate he is locked on the roster, forcing this change. If the Dolphins are looking to only keep six cornerbacks to get back a defensive lineman, it is likely Perry who is cut, but Igbinoghene needs to step up his play and be more consistent.

Safeties (4)

Eric Rowe
Jevon Holland
Brandon Jones
Clayton Fejedelem

Changes: None. I could see Miami look to only keep three safeties, with Jason McCourty serving as the fourth option on the back end of the defense, if they need to find a roster spot. That would endanger Fejedelem’s roster spot, though he makes it here as a special teams contributor.

Kicker (1)

Jason Sanders

Changes: None.

Punter (1)

Michael Palardy

Changes: None.

Long Snapper (1)

Blake Ferguson

Changes: None.