Dolphins 53-man roster projection: Starters set but tough decisions to make on offense

The Dolphins enter training camp under first-year head coach Mike McDaniel with a tale of two stories on both sides of the ball. On defense, there’s little question about the unit’s makeup after the team retained the majority of its contributors, along with coordinator Josh Boyer. On offense, McDaniel will continue the work of implementing a new scheme with a number of returning players and key offseason additions.

And so, projecting the team’s 53-man roster after three waves of cuts comes with a lot more tough decisions on offense as opposed to defense. Here’s the Miami Herald’s projection of what the Dolphins roster after training camp, which begins Wednesday:

Offense

Quarterbacks (2): Tua Tagovailoa, Teddy Bridgewater

▪ Longshot: Skylar Thompson

▪ Skinny: Tagovailoa enters a pivotal third season and second straight as the team’s unquestioned starter. His progression under McDaniel will be a leading topic throughout training camp and the entire season. The signing of Bridgewater was a prudent one as an experienced starter who can fill in if needed. Thompson, one of the team’s two seventh-round picks in the 2022 NFL Draft, has started in a West Coast offense back at Kansas State. But spots on a roster are precious and he faces an uphill battle to make the team. He’s a strong candidate for the practice squad if the Dolphins can get him through waivers.

Running backs (3): Chase Edmonds, Raheem Mostert, Sony Michel

▪ On the bubble: Myles Gaskin, Salvon Ahmed, ZaQuandre White, Gerrid Doaks

▪ Skinny: All of the team’s veteran additions are expected to make the team and hold various roles in the offense. The health status of Mostert remains something to watch. He didn’t participate in organized team activities as he continued to rehab from a knee injury that limited him to one game in 2021. McDaniel said the goal is to have Mostert ready for Week 1 and Mostert gave his own health update in June, writing on Twitter that he’s “close to 100%.” If true, the Dolphins could opt to keep just three backs on the roster and stash one or two players on the practice squad as insurance. If decision-makers feel a fourth back is required, Gaskin, Ahmed, White and Doaks all will be competing for the final spot.

Wide receiver (6): Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Cedrick Wilson Jr., Erik Ezukanma, Trent Sherfield, River Cracraft

▪ On the bubble: Lynn Bowden Jr., Preston Williams

▪ Longshot: DeVonte Dedmon, Cody Core, Braylon Sanders

▪ Skinny: The additions of Hill, Wilson and Ezukanma with Waddle give the Dolphins four wideouts who are locks to make the team. That leaves two, possibly three, available spots. Sherfield and Cracraft get the edge because of their special teams ability and prior knowledge of McDaniel’s offense. Bowden and Williams offer more on offense, though, and could sneak into one of the finals spots with a strong summer.

Tight end/fullback (5): Mike Gesicki, Alec Ingold, Durham Smythe, Hunter Long, Cethan Carter

▪ On the bubble: Adam Shaheen

▪ Longshot: John Lovett, Tanner Conner

▪ Skinny: Gesicki and Smythe return as the team’s top-two tight ends and their usage — particularly Gesicki, whose fit in McDaniel’s system has been questioned — will be worth monitoring. Ingold, still recovering from an ACL injury sustained last November, is expected to be a key cog as a lead blocker. Long didn’t play much as a rookie but is highly regarded as a 2021 third-round pick. If the Dolphins elect to keep a fourth tight end, the decision likely comes down to Carter, a special teams fixture, and Shaheen, who started seven games but was derailed late by a knee injury.

Offensive tackle (5): Terron Armstead, Austin Jackson, Larnel Coleman, Robert Jones, Kellen Diesch

▪ On the bubble: Greg Little, Adam Pankey, Kion Smith, Blaise Andries

▪ Skinny: Armstead comes to Miami to give the Dolphins an elite left tackle, barring health. After splitting time at left tackle and left guard, Jackson is expected to start at right tackle. Their backups remain in question and that will need to be sorted out over the next month. Any one of the remaining players could separate themselves in the coming weeks. The one surprise here is Diesch, an undrafted rookie who was coveted by the staff and has the requisite athleticism to play in the zone running scheme.

Interior offensive line (4): Robert Hunt, Connor Williams, Liam Eichenberg, Michael Deiter

▪ On the bubble: Solomon Kindley, Cole Banwart

▪ Skinny: Williams, who mainly played left guard with the Dallas Cowboys, said he expects to play center with the Dolphins. The expectation is that Eichenberg and Hunt will play left guard and right guard, respectively. After seemingly losing his starting job, Deiter has the potential to be the team’s top interior lineman backup.

Defense

Defensive line (6): Emmanuel Ogbah, Christian Wilkins, Raekwon Davis, Zach Sieler, Adam Butler, John Jenkins

▪ On the bubble: Benito Jones

▪ Longshot: Ben Stille, Owen Carney, Jordan Williams

▪ Skinny: The Dolphins brought back every main contributor from 2021, leaving few questions about the defense’s roster construction. Maybe Jones, a mainstay on the practice squad last season, pushes for a final spot?

Outside linebacker (4): Jaelan Phillips, Andrew Van Ginkel, Melvin Ingram III, Brennan Scarlett

▪ On the bubble: Cameron Goode, Darius Hodge

▪ Longshot: Deandre Johnson, Porter Gustin

▪ Skinny: Melvin is the major addition to this position group. Goode is a seventh-round pick but has three players ahead of him on the depth chart, and maybe a fourth in Scarlett.

Inside linebacker (4): Jerome Baker, Elandon Roberts, Duke Riley, Channing Tindall

▪ On the bubble: Sam Eguavoen, Calvin Munson

▪ Skinny: Tindall’s skill set is perfect for a defense that loves to blitz its linebackers. But he’ll likely have to overtake Riley on the depth chart after he impressed during OTAs. Egauvoen has been a consistent contributor on special teams and that remains his path back to the 53-man roster.

Cornerback (6): Xavien Howard, Byron Jones, Nik Needham, Keion Crossen, Noah Igbinoghene, Trill Williams

▪ On the bubble: Kader Kohou, Elijah Hamilton, D’Angelo Ross, Quincy Wilson, Elijah Campbell

▪ Skinny: Though Igbinoghene, the No. 30 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, has disappointed in three seasons, the dead cap charge from moving on from him likely keeps him on the roster for at least one more season. Kohou is a name to watch; the Dolphins gave him $130,000 in guaranteed money, a high amount for a former Division II player.

Safety (5): Jevon Holland, Brandon Jones, Eric Rowe, Sheldrick Redwine, Clayton Fejedelem

▪ On the bubble: Verone McKinley

▪ Skinny: McKinley, Holland’s former teammate at Oregon, was one of the best ball-hawking safeties in college the last few seasons. He could push for a backup safety spot by making a few plays on defense and special teams. Fejedelem is a core special teams player and reworked his contract in the season, which could make his standing more secure.

Special teams

Specialists (3): Jason Sanders, Thomas Morstead, Blake Ferguson

▪ Longshot: Tommy Heatherly

▪ Skinny: Morstead comes to the Dolphins as the replacement for Michael Palardy after one season. The Dolphins hope his leg, as well as a bounce-back effort from Sanders, results in an improved performance from a unit that regressed in 2021.