4 Dolphins who desperately need good showings in preseason Week 3 vs. Buccaneers

Training camps around the NFL have come to a close, and this weekend will bring the preseason to its conclusion, too. For those players on the fringe of NFL rosters, this weekend may be their last chance to impress other teams. This goes for the Miami Dolphins as well.

There are at least four players fighting for a roster spot. For the most part, the final 53-man roster is laid out without questions. At wide receiver, injuries have opened the door for players who may otherwise have been left off the roster. Running back was supposed to be cut and dry, but an injury there has left the door open for Jeff Wilson, if he were on the bubble.

Miami coaches will have one more chance to evaluate the talent on their roster before making the final cuts to the league-mandated 53 on August 27. On Friday night, Dolphins players will line up for the final time with the hopes of making the team.

Here are four players who are on the edge of the roster and need to have a great game to show they are more valuable on the team than risking on waivers.

Dolphins playing for their jobs in preseason game vs. Buccaneers

CB Storm Duck

The Dolphins should be thrilled with what they have seen out of the undrafted rookie. He has played well and practiced well throughout camp. The Dolphins may not be able to say he is starting quality yet but he can provide depth, and the more reps he gets on the field, the better he will be. Duck would likely get claimed off waivers if the Dolphins release him, so he is playing for his roster spot with Miami and auditioning for other teams as well.

Duck will probably play a good portion of the game so the coaches can truly evaluate him, but there is another cornerback that might be his immediate competition as both undrafted guys are trying to win a spot on the roster.

CB Jason Maitre

Maitre is giving everything he has, and he has looked good in camp. He has played as well as can be expected and could be pushing Duck for what may be one final corner spot on the team. Of the two, Maitre may have less chance of being picked up on waivers, which means the Dolphins could get an opportunity to re-sign him to the practice squad.

On Friday night, Maitre needs to show Anthony Weaver that he can not only play at this level, but has more value to the team than those he is competing against. One final preseason game could end any internal debate the team might have.

QB Skylar Thompson

Mike McDaniel has said both backup quarterbacks are neck-and-neck in the competition for the number two job behind Tua Tagovailoa.

Thompson is cheaper than Mike White, but he gets happy feet too often, and that leads to erratic play. White, on the other hand, holds the ball too long. Through two preseason games, Thompson started, with White playing on the third and fourth teams. The fact that Thompson hasn't looked good is concerning, and while neither has looked better than the other, White has still done more with less. It wouldn't be smart to keep both players on the final 53 as neither one is likely going to get claimed off waivers, but White may be the more likely of the two.

TE Jody Fortson

Honestly, the tight end position will come down to whether or not the Dolphins want to keep four on the roster. Jonnu Smith and Durham Smythe are locks. Julian Hill should make the team, as the Dolphins have liked what they have seen. That leaves the fourth man, if there is one.

Fortson and Tanner Conner need to have big games, and there is no guarantee that Conner plays. Behind them is undrafted rookie Hayden Rucci. Rucci is a good candidate for a practice squad spot. The big question is will Fortson make the team? He hasn't shown a lot in preseason and that could be by design, but he needs to be on the field.

If the Dolphins carry four, Fortson has a good shot of making the roster, but he likely won't take a spot away from Hill at this point.

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