It's almost here! Final roster cuts are just around the corner. The Miami Dolphins will have until 6:00 P.M. on Sunday, August 30th, to finalize their roster. These last few days of practice and Friday's final preseason game are all that stand between making an NFL squad and hoping to get an invitation to the practice squad.
Head coach Jeff Hafley and general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan will have interesting decisions to make. Some positions have decent competition for one or maybe two spots overall, but at safety, the Dolphins may find themselves forced to carry more than they wanted to, or struggle to decide who is worth keeping.
The safety room has been rather disappointing throughout training camp. Not a single player has looked like a lockdown player despite several players having good reps, albeit inconsistently. The bigger problem is that all of them have a lot of potential.
Miami Dolphins safeties may force Jeff Hafley to keep more players than he wants
Locked up a roster spot
Dante Trader, Jr.: Trader got back on the field last week and played a large portion of the defensive reps against the Giants. It was good work by the safety team, who have been banged up. The trader has the inside track on the starting job, and as such, he isn't in any danger of being released.
Zayne Anderson: Anderson has been good enough through camp and has made some decent plays. It will be interesting to see how he and Trader work together once the regular season begins. Anderson should start opposite Trader.
Michael Taaffe: The rookie has had his share of mistakes throughout camp, but he has made some good plays as well. It's hard to imagine the Dolphins releasing him. He has a physicality in his play that Hafley loves.
On the edge
Lonnie Johnson, Jr: Johnson has the most experience of the entire group, and it makes sense to keep him around because of it, but he isn't going to start, and as a result, his roster spot can't be guaranteed just yet. He is in a good position, but still has to hold off the guys behind him. The worst part is that despite his experience, his camp hasn't been good.
Major Burns: Burns could give Johnson a run for his money. He has played well enough to catch the eyes of his coaches, but he is also still raw. Do the Dolphins take the chance and cut him and hope he clears waivers so he can be added to the practice squad? It's risky.
Louis Moore: Another promising youngster, Moore isn't going to take up a spot on the 53, but his talent and potential should land him a spot on the practice squad. He isn't ready just yet and should slide through waivers.
Final Predictions
- Dante Trader, Jr.
- Michael Taaffe
- Zayne Anderson
- Major Burns
Add us as a preferred source on Google