The Miami Dolphins will play football this week when they travel to Washington to take on the Commanders in Week 1 of the full preseason slate of games. It's the next step in building the final 53-man roster.
Final roster cuts come early this year. In previous seasons, teams could expect to make those tough decisions in the first week of September, but in 2026, the NFL will open with a Wednesday game. That moved up the deadline for NFL teams to get to the mandated roster limits.
Teams will need to have their rosters in place by the end of the day on August 30th. It may not seem like much given it's only a couple of days, but for players hoping to hold on to their NFL dreams, one more day means one more opportunity.
Miami Dolphins toughest roster decisions may not be all that hard after all
Two weeks into training camp, we have an idea of which players are trending up and down. Now that preseason games are starting, it's time to take a closer look at what the final 53 may look like. An asterisk denotes a rookie player like our own Dante Walker used in his pre-camp 53 prediction piece.
Quarterback (2): Malik Willis, Quinn Ewers
The Dolphins don't need to keep three QBs. Cam Miller should easily pass through the waiver process and land on the practice squad.
Running back (3): De'Von Achane, Jaylen Wright, Ollie Gordon
Miami could carry four, but the bigger question is whether or not they opt to keep fullback D.J. Herman on the 53. The Dolphins like Donovan Edwards as well. This is a position group that bears watching closely on cut day.
Wide Receiver (5): Caleb Douglas*, Kevin Coleman*, Chris Bell*, Malik Washington, TuTu Atwell,
The question is whether there are five or six players kept at the position. The Dolphins can afford to run with five. Theo Wease would land on the practice squad and be a weekly activation early in the season if needed.
Tight End (3): Greg Dulcich, Seydou Traore*, Will Kacmarek*
Ben Sims and Cole Turner are the only other two players who could make the 53. They won't over either of the rookies barring injury. The Dolphins may not be able to afford more than three TEs initially.
Offensive Line (9): Austin Jackson, Patrick Paul, Aaron Brewer, Jonah Savaiinaea, Caedan Wallace, Charlie Heck, Kadyn Proctor*, DJ Campbell*, Jamaree Salyer
The biggest surprises could come from the offensive line. Nine might be high, and if it is, there is no telling who falls off the list. Jackson's health is always worth monitoring.
Defensive Line (5): Zach Sieler, Jordan Phillips, Zeek Biggers, Kenneth Grant, Matthew Butler
The Dolphins have a good front rotation along the defensive line. There shouldn't be any surprises on cut day.
Edge Rushers (6): Max Llewllyn*, Trey Moore*, Josh Uche, Chop Robinson, Clelin Ferrell, Mason Reiger*
This is going to be an interesting position to follow. Reiger is on the fringe of the roster, as is Ferrell at this point. The Dolphins are thin outside of Robinson and the other two rookies. Miami could carry five and add the extra position to another group.
Linebackers (6): Kyle Louis*, Jacob Rodriguez*, Jordyn Brooks, Tyrel Dodson, Willie Gay, Ronnie Harrison
The Dolphins' interior linebacker unit is looking good. Willie Gay is the question here, as Miami could release him to stock someone else at another position. Harrison is another player who could find himself off the roster as well.
Cornerbacks (7): Ethan Bonner, Chris Johnson*, JuJu Brents, Alex Austin, Jason Marshall, Marco Wilson, A.J. Green
Seven is a high number for the CB room, but the Dolphins need all the bodies they can spare in this unit. Miles Battle is a player to keep an eye on.
Safety (4): Zayne Anderson, Dante Trader, Louis Moore, Michael Taaffe
Where is Major Burns? The Dolphins keeping more than four safeties would be a surprise, and Burns is the odd man out at this point. He is a lock for the practice squad if he doesn't make the final 53 and clears waivers.
Special Teams (3): Riley Patterson - kicker, Bradley Pinion - Punter, Tucker Addington - Long Snapper
With Zayne Gonzalez on the injured list, Patterson is now a virtual lock to take the kicking job. The other two specialists are unopposed in camp.
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