5 Dolphins players who could get cut or traded before Week 1 gets here

In Miami, the Dolphins held their first OTA practice sessions of the offseason. While you can't pick a roster based on early practices, you can start to get a feel of who may be looking for work when training camp rolls around or inches to a close.

There are several tough decisions on the way for Chris Grier. With that said, there are some players who could end up getting cut, while others could be traded. In this piece, we take a look at five guys who may not be around once the season-opener arrives:

2 players the Dolphins could trade before training camp ends

RB Jeff Wilson Jr.

There has been speculation that Jeff Wilson Jr. could be out in Miami. Jaylen Wright's drafting this year and De'Von Achane's development are good indications that Wilson isn't viewed as part of the immediate future at the position.

Running backs are a tight group this year, and the Dolphins can't afford to keep an extra running back when there are other needs on the roster. In the case of Wilson, he is suddenly finding himself on the backend of the depth chart. He will enter camp as the No. 3 runner on the team, but Wright will take his spot, and Chris Brooks is waiting for more opportunities after showing good things last year when he was healthy.

WR Erik Ezukanma

Yes, EZ-E has been cleared from his neck injury that ended his season last year, and he told media members that quitting football was a real option. Now that he is back on the field, the question is, how long will he remain on the roster?

He makes the team and performs well in a perfect world, but Miami's WRs room is top-heavy with Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, and Odell Beckham Jr. Behind those three are Braxton Berrios, River Cracraft, and two rookies drafted in April. There is room for Erik Ezukanma to slide in, but the Dolphins need production, and Ezukanma has yet to turn it on. He is still young, but Miami needs to see what else he can do on game days. There is always a possibility that he won't be around, and given the roster, as it is now, it doesn't look like a guarantee. 

Both players are tradable. Ezukanma has upside potential, and while he won't command a first or second-day draft pick, he could provide a swap of depth players that may fill another need for the Dolphins. As this relates to Wilson, the Dolphins would more likely cut him and allow him to choose his next destination, but Wilson has value and has shown that he can play at the NFL level. He was banged up last year, but like Ezukanma, a small market could allow Miami to add depth somewhere else.

Will the Dolphins end up cutting any of these 3 players?

LB Duke Riley

Duke Riley does whatever is asked of him, but he doesn't do any of it consistently well. Last year's image of him trying to stop Patrick Mahomes with a two-hand touch-type effort wasn't something fans want to remember and Riley hasn't really given fans anything to lean on regarding it not happening again.

The question with Riley is not whether he adds value as a depth linebacker, he does. The problem is whether or not he can be as physical as he needs to be should the Dolphins rely on him for more than a plug-and-play gameday player. If Riley is going to play a bigger role on Sundays, he must be more consistent and right now, he isn't.

LB Channing Tindall

Channing Tindall is a player who many thought would be a steal when he was drafted. So far, he hasn't come close to being that kind of a player. He hasn't responded on the field, even when the Dolphins needed him. There is still a lot to like about Tindall, but he has to take a step in 2024's camp sessions. A strong performance will get him another year, but right now, he needs to do more, and he will need a good understanding of the Anthony Weaver system. A new DC could be what Tindall needs, although Weaver will be his third DC in as many years. While Tindall may not fall into the "surprise" category if he is released, he could just as easily fall into the "surprise" category for taking that proverbial step forward.

QB Mike White

There is no lock for the second quarterback job in Miami. Skylar Thompson or Mike White will be released, or at least should be. The Dolphins don't need to carry three quarterbacks on the roster thanks to new NFL rules that allow a practice squad quarterback to dress for every game and serve as the emergency guy.

White may not carry significant cap space, but the Dolphins could view him as more expendable if Thompson continues to develop. Of the three quarterbacks, Thompson is the most likely to be cut, but White isn't out of the woods, and if the play on the field is equal, White could be the odd man out.