The Miami Dolphins are heading into the last week of preseason with plenty still unresolved, and that’s exactly the kind of pressure test new head coach Jeff Hafley needs before the roster gets trimmed to 53. After two rough exhibition losses, Miami has spent August sorting through who can handle the physical demands, the scheme demands and the mental demands of a team trying to reset its identity.
That work has already produced a few clear takeaways. The Dolphins opened with a 20-7 road loss to Washington, then followed it with a 26-3 defeat at Hard Rock Stadium against the New York Giants.
Those games have made the growing pains obvious, but they’ve also offered enough individual flashes to shape the roster picture. Malik Willis has gotten only limited work with the starters, while Quinn Ewers and Cam Miller have been given longer looks.
On defense, the front seven has shown some aggression and delivered a few timely stops, even as turnovers and mistakes from the depth pieces have repeatedly stopped drives cold.
With one preseason game left against Atlanta, here’s how the roster appears to be lining up.
At quarterback, the projection keeps two: Malik Willis and Quinn Ewers. Willis is the starter because his mobility fits the play-action-heavy approach and gives the offense a different kind of stress on defenses. Ewers is the backup, offering a more traditional pocket presence if Miami needs that kind of look.
The backfield is built around De'Von Achane, with Jaylen Wright and Ollie Gordon II rounding out the group. Achane is the clear centerpiece thanks to his acceleration and explosiveness, while Wright brings speed in support and Gordon adds more power between the tackles.
At receiver, the six projected names are Malik Washington, Jalen Tolbert, Caleb Douglas, Chris Bell, Kevin Coleman Jr and Jalen Reagor. Washington looks like a primary option, Tolbert brings experience and the ability to work outside, and Douglas is another receiver who can handle meaningful snaps. Bell and Coleman add developmental upside, and Reagor’s experience plus return value gives him a strong case for the final spot.
Tight end is projected to stay at four: Greg Dulcich, Will Kacmarek, Ben Sims and DJ Herman. Dulcich brings the most obvious receiving upside, while Kacmarek and Sims add versatility. Herman’s H-back/fullback skill set matters in an offense that wants to move defensive pieces around and force mismatches.
The offensive line group is projected to include nine players: Patrick Paul, Austin Jackson, Charlie Heck, Caedan Wallace, Kadyn Proctor, Jonah Savaiinaea, Josh Priebe, Aaron Brewer and Andrew Meyer. Brewer is the key piece at center.
Paul and Jackson give Miami established tackle options, Heck and Wallace add depth, and Proctor, Savaiinaea and Priebe are in the mix for interior work. Meyer is there for extra center depth, which matters in a hurry because injuries up front can unravel a season fast.
On the interior defensive line, the five projected names are Zach Sieler, Kenneth Grant, Jordan Phillips, Zeek Biggers and Matthew Butler. Sieler supplies veteran stability, Grant brings a massive presence in the middle, Phillips adds experience and rotational help, and Biggers and Butler fill out the depth.
The EDGE group comes out to five: Chop Robinson, Josh Uche, Clelin Ferrell, Robert Beal Jr and Max Llewellyn. Robinson is the explosive pass-rushing piece Miami needs, Uche brings more speed off the edge, and Ferrell plus Beal help complete the rotation. Injuries to Trey Moore, David Ojabo and Cameron Goode could still complicate how that room is sorted depending on roster designations.
At linebacker, the projection keeps Jordyn Brooks, Tyrel Dodson, Jacob Rodriguez, Ronnie Harrison Jr, Kyle Louis and Jackson Woodard. Brooks and Dodson are the expected starters, Rodriguez and Harrison add depth, and Louis and Woodard may have to earn their spots through special teams as much as through defensive work.
Cornerback is projected as JuJu Brents, Chris Johnson, Jason Marshall Jr, Ethan Bonner, Alex Austin and AJ Green III. It’s not a group loaded with established star power, so communication and consistency become critical. Brents and Johnson are in line for major responsibility, Marshall adds more boundary depth, and Austin, Bonner and Green will have to show they can help on special teams and survive specific matchup duties.
Safety is projected to be Dante Trader Jr, Michael Taaffe, Zayne Anderson and Lonnie Johnson Jr. Trader and Taaffe are the core options, while Anderson and Johnson bring experience and versatility. With only four safeties, Miami may lean on hybrid packages that pull help from corners and linebackers, and that could become a defining feature of Hafley’s defense.
Special teams looks straightforward: Riley Patterson at kicker, Bradley Pinion at punter and Tucker Addington at long snapper.
The larger theme of this roster is clear enough. Miami is trying to build around versatility, athleticism and adaptability.
But the preseason has also made it obvious how much work is still ahead. That’s why the final exhibition against Atlanta matters so much.
One big showing can move a player onto the roster. One bad one can end the conversation.
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The appeal of the idea is obvious from Miamis perspective: a trade like that would bring back multiple first-rounders, a fourth-round pick and a future second-rounder, while still leaving the team positioned to land one of the most intriguing offensive prospects in the class. It is only a projection at this point, not a real deal, but it underscores how a top pick could become more than just a single-player decision if Miami ever gets that opportunity. [Read more 🡒]
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Woodard has drawn attention for the way he has played despite some athletic limitations, and that is part of what makes this a tougher evaluation than it might have looked a few weeks ago. Miami is not just sorting through who can help on defense, but who can also add value on special teams, and those overlapping jobs can shape the final roster picture as much as anything else. The Dolphins have options here, but the challenge now is deciding which combination gives them the most reliable return. [Read more 🡒]