Dolphins training camp 2023: Building the roster - Linebackers

The full start of the 2023 training camp for the Miami Dolphins is just a couple of days away with the veterans scheduled to join the already-in-camp rookies on Tuesday. The Dolphins are close to having the full squad in the team facilities, with on-field practices coming a few days later. The preparation for the regular season is about to ramp up.

As we have been doing over the past week, we are building toward training camp by building a 53-man roster projection. Thus far, we have covered the offense position group by position group, starting with the quarterbacks, then working through the running backs, tight ends, wide receivers, fullbacks, and offensive line. We moved to the defense for the first time yesterday, taking a look at the defensive line.

Off-the-field question marks surround the Miami defensive line, especially when it comes to possible contract extensions and the return of players injured in 2022. However, when it comes to the on-field expectations for the group, they could not be higher. This group should prove to be an elite piece of what should be an elite defense for the Dolphins.

This morning, we turn our attention to the area of the defense that may have the biggest question marks surrounding it: the linebackers.

Who is on the 90-man roster?

Mitchell Agude (R)
Jerome Baker
Bradley Chubb
Cameron Goode
David Long, Jr.
Aubrey Miller II (R)
Garrett Nelson (R)
Jalean Phillips
Malik Reed
Duke Riley
Channing Tindall
Andrew Van Ginkel

What should we expect in training camp?

The Dolphins linebackers are built to provide pressure on the quarterback with edge rushers, but they do not have a lot of depth in the middle of the group. That is a good thing because we can use extra linebacker slots to augment the smaller defensive line group we created yesterday. It does, however, give us some issues when it comes to filling out the inside linebacker roles.

Phillips and Chubb should man the top of the edge rushers group, with Reed factoring into the rotation. Agude could be a developmental player who makes a case for a roster spot.

Van Ginkel will be a fun watch this summer. He is an edge rusher who always seems to make an impact when he is on the field. Head coach Mike McDaniel indicated the team was taking a look at Van Ginkel as an inside linebacker during the team’s offseason training program, so you could see him working in both roles, potentially opening up more playing time for him.

Baker will man one of the inside positions, likely with Long holding the other spot. Along with Van Ginkel potentially rotating into the lineup, Miami brought back Riley to give the team depth. Tindall, Miami’s third-round pick last year, primarily played on special teams and will have to prove he is ready to take a step forward if the Dolphins are planning on him being a depth option at the position.

Special teams play will go a long way to deciding who makes the roster this year.

If the Dolphins need roster spots elsewhere, they could look to add several of the younger players to the practice squad. Agude, along with Miller, Nelson, and Goode (an undrafted 2022 free agent who spent the year on Miami’s practice squad) are all candidates for that move.

Miami placed rookie Zeke Vandenburgh on injured reserve already. His season is over unless he and the team come to an injury settlement and release, after which he would be free to sign with any team, including potentially returning to the Dolphins.

2023 53-man roster projection

Mitchell Agude (R)
Jerome Baker
Bradley Chubb
David Long, Jr.
Jalean Phillips
Malik Reed
Duke Riley
Channing Tindall
Andrew Van Ginkel

This gives Miami Chubb, Phillips, Van Ginkel, and Reed to man the outside linebacker positions, with Baker, Long, and Riley as the primary inside linebackers. The depth inside is a major concern. If Tindall is ready to take that step forward, he makes the roster and provides additional depth.

Agude makes the roster because (a) depth is a concern for the linebackers, (b) you can never have enough pass rushers, (c) some undrafted free agent is going to be a surprise this summer and it could be Agude (I know I made the same statement for defensive lineman Brandon Pili, but doubling down on the idea is not bad, right?), and, finally, (d) through the defensive line we have 30 players projected for the roster, giving me 20 roster positions to fill between the linebackers and the secondary - I have room for the ninth linebacker.

Special teams play could make back-end adjustments to the group, especially with Tindall and Agude if one of the other players steps up and makes an impact in camp or the preseason.