Miami Dolphins depth chart 2021: Predicting Miami roster after Preseason Week 2

The Miami Dolphins crushed the Atlanta Falcons on Saturday night, coming away with the 37-17 victory. Of course, it was just Week 2 of the 2021 NFL Preseason and the Falcons were not playing most of their starters while Miami kept their first team on the field through the first half and some into the third quarter. It is not a game that determines what the Dolphins will be in the regular season, but it was a game in which fans should start to believe in what this season could be.

It was also a game in which players continued to battle for roster spots. How did the Falcons game impact our 53-man roster projection? It is time to take a look.

As always, let me know in the comments where you disagree with my prediction. Who do you think I left off the roster that is going to make it, and who would you remove?

Quarterbacks (2)

Tua Tagovailoa
Jacoby Brissett

Changes: None. Tagovailoa is looking sharp and ready for the regular season.

Running backs (4)

Myles Gaskin
Salvon Ahmed
Malcolm Brown
Gerrid Doaks

Changes: None. Doaks likely makes the roster at this point, but I think Patrick Laird has an outside shot thanks to special teams play. This could come down to the final preseason game, as well as who Miami thinks they could get through the practice squad.

Tight ends (4)

Mike Gesicki
Durham Smythe
Adam Shaheen
Hunter Long

Changes: None. Miami likely starts with five players on the roster at the position as Cethan Carter makes the final cuts, then immediately gets put on injured reserve, giving Miami the option to bring him back once he fully recovers from a knee injury. Where do they create that roster spot, though?

Wide receivers (7)

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

Note: Will Fuller V is on the roster, but starts the year suspended for the first game.

Changes: Preston Williams added; Now that he has come off the Physically Unable to Perform list, Williams gets added back onto the 53-man roster. Seven wide receivers - eight if you count Fuller as well - is a lot, but the Dolphins are so deep at this position, it is hard to figure out who does not make the roster. That is a good problem to have. Miami should also have a fairly deep practice squad group at the position, given how injury-prone the position has been this summer.

Offensive linemen (9)

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

Changes: No change. There was a minor adjustment to the list, as Kindley moved up into the top five while Eichenberg fell into the depth players, but that does not change the nine players projected to make the roster. Coleman could be a player who lands on the practice squad if Miami needs to either create a roster spot or would like to add someone else (Robert Jones, Adam Pankey) to the roster for depth on the offensive line.

Defensive linemen (5)

Raekwon Davis
Christian Wilkins
Emmanuel Ogbah
Zach Sieler
Adam Butler

Changes: John Jenkins, Benito Jones off, Adam Butler on; Last week I did not like having only six defensive linemen on the roster, so this week I cut it down to five. Butler gets his rightful place on the roster after I have left him off in the past. I still like Jenkins and Jones, but I need roster space and they land on the wrong side of the cut line. Jason Strowbridge and Jonathan Ledbetter could be practice squad targets.

Linebackers (8)

Jerome Baker
Andrew Van Ginkel
Jaelan Phillips
Benardrick McKinney
Elandon Roberts
Brennan Scarlett
Vince Biegel
Sam Eguavoen

Changes: Shaquem Griffin off, Sam Eguavoen on; This move is obvious after the Falcons game. With four sacks and a safety, Eguavoen has to make the roster. Yes, it was one preseason game against backups for the most part, but Eguavoen was always a bubble player that I pushed off the roster because the Dolphins added Griffin so close to camp. Griffin’s story is obviously one for which fans should root, but Eguavoen has outplayed Griffin at this point.

Cornerbacks (7)

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

Changes: None.

Safeties (4)

Eric Rowe
Jevon Holland
Brandon Jones
Clayton Fejedelem

Changes: None. I still have Fejedelem on the roster at this point, but see him as a bubble player who would likely make it more as a special teams player than as a defensive depth player. McCourty can move back to safety if needed.

Kicker (1)

Jason Sanders

Changes: None.

Punter (1)

Michael Palardy

Changes: None.

Long Snapper (1)

Blake Ferguson

Changes: None.