Miami Dolphins roster 2024: Predicting the 53-man roster ahead of minicamp

The Miami Dolphins hold their veteran minicamp next week, the one mandatory event of the offseason for the club. The three days on the practice field will be the team's last event before they break until training camp at the end of July. The offseason training program and the associated organized team activities and rookie and veteran minicamps are more about installing the foundations of the playbook than deciding who will make the roster. That said, we are in a perfect time to break out the first 53-man roster prediction for the summer.

During the offseason and training camp, teams can have up to 90 players on their respective rosters. However, before the regular season starts in September, they each have to cut down to the 53-man limit upheld throughout the regular season. How will the Dolphins shape their 53-man roster? Here is my 1.0 prediction on the Dolphins’ roster for the season.

Quarterbacks (2)

Tua Tagovailoa
Mike White

The NFL changed the emergency quarterback rule this year, allowing the third-string passer to be a practice squad player. That hurts Skylar Thompson’s chances of making the 53-man roster, and we start the summer assuming that he will head to the practice squad this year.

Running backs (4)

Raheem Mostert
De’Von Achane
Jaylen Wright (R)
Salvon Ahmed

The Dolphins have a decision to make at the back end of the running back position, where Ahmed and Jeff Wilson, Jr., are likely battling for a final roster spot. I’ll give the nod to Ahmed because he is 25 while Wilson is 28, but camp will ultimately make the decision here. Chris Brooks could also factor into the position battle, but he might also be a practice squad player.

Fullback (1)

Alec Ingold

The Dolphins have one fullback on the roster, a Pro Bowl player. It seems pretty straightforward that he made the roster.

Tight ends (3)

Durham Smythe
Jonnu Smith
Julian Hill

Miami’s coaching staff loves Smythe, signed Smith, and seems to like Hill. That gives us three easy choices for the group. Tanner Conner landing on the practice squad is possible, with Jody Fortson and rookie Hayden Rucci needing to prove themselves in training camp.

Wide receivers (5)

Tyreek Hill
Jaylen Waddle
Odell Beckham, Jr.
Malik Washington (R)
River Cracraft

This one could lead to tough decisions for the coaches. Erik Ezukanma, Braxton Berrios, Anthony Schwartz, Braylon Sanders, Mathew Sexton, and rookies Tahj Washington and Je’Quan Burton all could work their way onto the roster, but how many wide receiver positions can the Dolphins keep? The signing of Beckham shook up this position. Cracraft, a coach’s favorite, versus Berrios, a solid returner, will likely be a big camp battle. Tahj Washington could force the Dolphins to keep six receivers if he has a good camp and preseason.

Offensive line (10)

Terron Armstead
Isaiah Wynn
Aaron Brewer
Liam Eichenberg
Austin Jackson
Patrick Paul
Kendall Lamm
Robert Jones
Lester Cotton
Jack Driscoll

The Dolphins roll deep at the offensive line to try to avoid the injury struggles they had last year. Kion Smith is the odd man out in this projection. The practice squad will likely include at least some combination of Chasen Hines, Ryan Hayes, Matthew Jones, Andrew Meter, and Ireland Brown. Bayron Matos, the Dominican-born basketball player looking to convert to the NFL as a lineman, is an International Pathway Program player and should make the practice squad in an exempted spot.

Defensive line (6)

Zach Sieler
Da’Shawn Hand
Teair Tart
Benito Jones
Neville Gallimore
Jonathan Harris

The Dolphins, following the loss of Christian Wilkins in free agency, are expected to rotate their defensive linemen more in 2024 than they did in 2023, leading to a deeper position group. Daviyon Nixon and Isaiah Mack need strong camps to avoid being on the wrong side of the roster bubble. Brandon Pili is probably a practice squad player, while rookies Leonard Payne and Mario Kendricks need to prove themselves.

Linebackers (8)

Jaelan Phillips
David Long, Jr.
Anthony Walker, Jr.
Bradley Chubb
Chop Robinson (R)
Shaquil Barrett
Jordyn Brooks
Duke Riley

Eight linebackers feels like too many, but with the question marks hovering over Phillips and Chubb and their return from season-ending injuries sustained last year, this might have to be a deep position. Either or both could start the season on the physically unable to perform list, easing some of the roster position stress, but we will not project that here. Riley is probably a bubble player, thought he does provide solid depth at inside linebacker if the team needs it. Channing Tindall, Cameron Goode, and Zeke Vandenburgh all need to have huge training camps to force their way onto the roster. Rookie Grayon Murphy is likely a practice squad player.

Cornerbacks (6)

Jalen Ramsey
Kendall Fuller
Kader Kohou
Siran Neal
Cam Smith
Storm Duck (R)

Ramsey, Fuller, and Kohou are locks to make the roster. Neal is a special teams player who makes the roster in that role. Smith was a second-round pick last year who fell into the bad graces of then-defensive coordinator Vic Fangio and saw limited playing time; the team should not be ready to move on from him yet and he has a chance to prove himself this summer. Duck becomes this year’s undrafted free agent to make the roster, but will be challenged by Jason Maitre and Isaiah Johnson for that spot. Ethan Bonner becomes the odd-man out for this position group.

Safeties (5)

Jevon Holland
Jordan Poyer
Elijah Campbell
Nik Needham
Mark Perry (R)

Holland, Poyer, Campbell, and Needham are easy choices - and Needham provides depth at cornerback as well. Perry, an undrafted free agent, beats out Patrick McMorris, a sixth-round pick, for the final position in the group, likely leading to McMorris on the practice squad. Rookie Jordan Colbert could also factor into the position battle.

Special Teams (3)

K: Jason Sanders
P: Jake Bailey
LS: Blake Ferguson

All three are locks unless the Dolphins make a move this summer to bring in competition, with punter the most likely spot for that.