Miami Dolphins final preseason game: Last chance for a big impression
By Brian Miller
The Miami Dolphins will host the Philadelphia Eagles tonight in the final preseason game of the 2022 exhibition season. It’s a big game for some of the Dolphins’ roster.
For some players, tonight will be the last game they step on a field for. Across the NFL, players will fight for the final roster spots on their respective teams. On Tuesday, they will find out their fate when the league reduces rosters from 80 to 53, and a day later they will pray for the phone call that they will be on a practice squad.
The rest? Maybe a shot at the CFL or maybe an arena league or something else, many others will walk away from the game.
The Dolphins are no different. Mike McDaniel said his roster is full of NFL players but doesn’t have enough roster spots for them all. He said tonight will be the last chance for some of the fringe guys. He said for some, they need tonight.
Miami’s roster will churn after tonight but that doesn’t mean if a player makes the team they are still safe. Tonight’s game could be the catalyst for a player to show enough that he is claimed off waivers and in some cases, a player that makes the final 53 loses his spot to a waiver claim a day or two later.
Miami has several key positions that are important and some battles have yet to be resolved.
Wide Receiver
We know the top four. Hill, Waddle, Wilson, Ezukanma, but we have little idea of who comes next in this line. Tonight could help River Cracraft and Trent Sherfield. Both have a shot at the roster as Miami could carry six receivers but there are also questions about Lynn Bowden, Jr. and Preston Williams as well.
Running back
Salvon Ahmed and Myles Gaskin are both fighting for playing time and presumably a roster spot. One of them likely won’t make the team. Deeper on the unit that will probably feature no more than four RBs and one FB, Gerrid Doaks, Sony Michel, and ZaQuandre White is unknown at this point.
Offensive line
Inline tight end play is going to be important and Miami will need to decide on the future of Cethan Carter and Tanner Conner but the bigger focus will be the depth at tackle, guard, and center.
Nine players are likely to make the roster along the offensive line and there are plenty of players with unrealized potential and some who are on that edge of making the roster, including Solomon Kindley.
Cornerbacks
On defense, two positions of interest exist, but cornerback is probably the most important because the depth at the position is not good. The Dolphins may very well scour the waiver wire for releases next week which will not necessarily bode well for the bottom of the roster at this position. Tonight’s game could very well make or break a player or two.
Linebacker
The Dolphins are deep at linebacker but some of that talent will not be on the roster come Tuesday. While they have decent depth, there are questions about consistency. While some are locks, Baker, Phillips, Ingram, and the two rookies, some veterans are not.
Duke Riley, Calvin Munson, Brennan Scarlett, and a few others have shown what they have in the NFL with regular season game tape but not all of the linebackers will make the team.
Tonight’s game kicks off at 7:30 at Hard Rock Stadium.