Poupart’s Final 53-Man Roster Projection

The Miami Dolphins dress rehearsals — if we can even call preseason games that — are now done after the 24-14 loss against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Friday night, and now it’s time to get down to business.

Specifically, it’s time to get down to the business of slashing the 90-man roster down to the 53-player limit, which must be done by no later than 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday.

Some of the decisions already have been made, including releasing quarterback Mike White and tight end Jody Fortson on Sunday, along with placing players on injured reserve.

As is usually the case, there are some positions that look pretty clear cut and others not so much, with the secondary jumping out as being part of the latter.

Here then is Miami Dolphins On SI Publisher Alain Poupart’s fifth and final 53-man roster projection of 2024:

On the 53: Tua Tagovailoa, Skylar Thompson

Off: None

Changes from roster projection 4.0: Mike White out

Analysis: We discuss in detail the decision to let go of White, who clearly was outplayed by Thompson all summer and now is a free agent eligible to sign with any other team. The Dolphins obviously will bring in another quarterback — at the very least on the practice squad, though it’s important to note the proposed bylaw change that would have allowed teams to elevate a player on the practice squad an unlimited number of times to serve as emergency third quarterback was dropped after the NFLPA refused to approve the change. So we’re back to the 2023 rule stating the emergency third quarterback must be on the 53-man roster. This was part of the reason we thought the Dolphins would stick with both Thompson and White.

On the 53: Raheem Mostert, Devon Achane, Jaylen Wright (R), fullback Alec Ingold, Chris Brooks

Off: Jeff Wilson Jr., Zavon Horvath, Anthony McFarland Jr.

Changes from roster projection 4.0: None

Analysis: This is pretty simple from this end. Wilson will be on the 53-man roster if the Dolphins can’t work out a trade for him because Mike McDaniel is a big fan of his game, but he’s also clearly fourth on the pecking order and Miami likely can get at least a draft pick in return.

On the 53: Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Braxton Berrios, Malik Washington (R), Erik Ezukanma, Odell Beckham Jr.

Off: Je’Quan Burton (R), Anthony Schwartz (IR), Braylon Sanders, Mike Harley Jr., Kyric McGowan, River Cracraft (IR), Jadon Janke

Changes from roster projection 4.0: Beckham out

Analysis: The big mystery here remains whether Beckham will wind up starting the season on PUP, which would keep him out for at least the first four games. And that’s just one of the injury issues here because River Cracraft likely will begin the season on IR and the same might go for Ezukanma, who was spotted in a walking boot on the sideline before the preseason finale. This is a position where a veteran newcomer could wind up on the 53.

On the 53: Durham Smythe, Julian Hill, Jonnu Smith

Off: Hayden Rucci (R), Tanner Conner

Changes from roster projection 4.0: None

Analysis: The big question here is whether the Dolphins would keep a fourth tight end on the initial 53. If that happens, we’d give Conner the edge over Rucci, though ultimately we easily could see both ending up on the practice squad.

On the 53: T Terron Armstead, T Austin Jackson, C/G Liam Eichenberg, G Robert Jones, T Patrick Paul (R), C/G Aaron Brewer, T Kendall Lamm, G/T Jack Driscoll, G Lester Cotton

Off: Andrew Meyer (R), Matthew Jones (R), Ryan Hayes, Bayron Matos (R), G Isaiah Wynn (PUP)

Changes from roster projection 4.0: None

Analysis: Projecting the offensive linemen has become easier because it’s looking more and more like Wynn indeed will be starting the season on PUP.

On the 53: Jaelan Phillips, Emmanuel Ogbah, Chop Robinson (R), Mohamed Kamara (R), Quinton Bell

Off: Cameron Goode (PUP), Bradley Chubb (PUP), Wyatt Ray, David Anenih

Changes from roster projection 4.0: None

Analysis: Nothing has changed here, except that Quinton Bell no longer appears to be the lock he was early in training camp because he was barely noticeable in any of the joint practices or preseason games. Before that, the injury that landed Cam Brown on IR made things pretty clear cut, though the tricky part will come when Chubb is ready to come off PUP, whether it happens at the moves to 53 or after four weeks.

On the 53: Zach Sieler, Benito Jones, Da’Shawn Hand, Calais Campbell, Brandon Pili

Off: Isaiah Mack, Mario Kendricks (R), Leonard Payne (R), Jonathan Harris, Neville Gallimore, Robert Cooper

Changes from roster projection 4.0: None

Analysis: This is based on the assumption that Pili’s injury from Friday night isn’t serious, and we should mention this is a position where the Dolphins very well might look outside to bring in some reinforcements.

On the 53: Jordyn Brooks, David Long Jr., Duke Riley, Channing Tindall

Off: Curtis Bolton, Anthony Walker Jr., Dequan Jackson

Changes from roster projection 4.0: None

Walker is more than good enough to belong on the 53, but we’re thinking his prolonged absence likely will keep him off the roster or maybe he’ll just wind up starting the season on IR. Bolton actually has had himself a very good training camp, but we’re thinking the Dolphins will be sticking with Tindall in the hope he takes a big leap on defense or at the very least can be a core member of the special teams.

On the 53: Jalen Ramsey, Kader Kohou, Ethan Bonner, Kendall Fuller, Siran Neal, Jevon Holland, Jordan Poyer, Marcus Maye, Elijah Campbell, Cam Smith, Storm Duck (R)

Off: Isaiah Johnson (R), Jason Maitre (R), Nik Needham, Jordan Colbert (R), Mark Perry (R), Patrick McMorris (IR)

Changes from roster projection 4.0: Smith in

This remains the position that presents the toughest decisions from this end because of the three good-looking rookie cornerbacks and additionally rookie safety Mark Perry. We’ve got Cam Smith back on the initial 53, even though IR remains a possibility because of his hamstring injury, but either way he’ll be with the team. And it could be any one of Duck, Johnson and Maitre who lands that last spot at cornerback. The Dolphins also have tough decisions when it comes to Needham, who’s a veteran with position flexibility, and Perry.

On the 53: K Jason Sanders, P Jake Bailey, LS Blake Ferguson

Off: None

Changes from roster projection 4.0: None

Analysis: As we wrote all summer, while there’s an argument to be made that maybe the Dolphins should have brought in competition here, you gotta love it when the Dolphins make it easy for all of us doing roster projections.