Dolphins LB competition will shape how things go down for the 53-man roster

Losing one top linebacker is bad enough; losing two can sink your season. In 2023, the Miami Dolphins lost more than that. Bradley Chubb followed Jaelan Phillips to IR, and then Jerome Baker came off IR only to break his hand and land back on it. Add into that mix Andrew Van Ginkel and Channing Tindall both missing the final week and playoff game and clearly the Dolphins defense was not what it should have been.

Anthony Weaver took over the defense this offseason, and his first job was to find linebackers because those players we just mentioned would either not be back or would not be healthy. Tindall is the only one ready to go right now.

The Dolphins will have some decisions to make this offseason and when camp gets started, there will be competition for the spots on the team. Two of those spots will not go to Phillips or Chubb who should start the season injured.

Which linebackers will make Miami's 53-man roster?

The Dolphins currently have 14 linebackers on the roster. The biggest addition came in the form of Jordyn Brooks, who will take over the middle linebacker position for Jerome Baker. Brooks was formerly with Seattle, ironically, that is where Baker ended up as a free agent.

Miami will also head into the season with Shaq Barrett, who joined the Dolphins after his time in Tampa Bay. Barrett will take up the outside and provide pass-rushing to offset the early loss of Phillips and Chubb. David Long will play alongside Brooks, and from there, it will get a bit more interesting.

Anthony Walker has eight years of experience and that should bode well for his chances of making the roster, while Mohamed Kamara was a mid-round draft pick in last April's draft. He should make the team as well. Of course, first-round pick Chop Robinson is a lock as well, as he'll have high expectations in Year 1.

Beyond those players, is where we will find the most competition. Cameron Goode and Channing Tindall have both shown flashes, but neither have stepped up consistently. Tindall has the best chance of the two to make the team. Duke Riley must become more physical at the point of attack and more consistent. He will enter training camp as a player competing for a roster spot.

If the Dolphins are looking for experience, Cam Brown has five years of NFL experience and Quinten Bell has three. Those are two players to keep an eye on as camp starts. The Dolphins will keep more than nine, which will bode well for several fringe players. This year, they may keep 10 or 11 linebackers.

Predictions: Brooks, Barrett, Kamara, Robinson, Riley, Brown, Walker, Long, and Tindall should be the initial nine, with Chubb starting on IR and Phillips a question mark leading up to the summer.