The Dolphins head into Week 1 against the Raiders with something they haven’t had in a long time: real health. Miami’s first injury report listed only four players - Will Kacmarek, Dante Trader Jr., Seydou Traore and Ronnie Harrison - and all four were full participants in practice over the last two days.
That leaves Mike McDaniel’s club with a different kind of problem on Sunday. The NFL only allows 48 of the 53 players on the active roster to dress, so Miami still has to trim five names before kickoff.
One roster move already points toward how that picture is taking shape. On Saturday, the Dolphins elevated Clelin Ferrell from the practice squad to the 53-man roster, and he should see game action against the Raiders, his former team.
That likely squeezes a few players out of the mix.
Justin Joly looks like a tough call to make active this early. The rookie tight end has impressed Miami, but he’s still working through the developmental part of the job. He sits fourth on the depth chart, and it would be a surprise if he’s on the field Sunday.
Jackson Woodard is in a similar spot. His preseason showed enough to get attention, but there are four players ahead of him on the depth chart at the two interior linebacker spots. If Woodard does suit up, it would probably be because of the value he brings on special teams.
Julius Wood also appears to be on the outside looking in. Miami claimed him off waivers from the Cowboys, and the team clearly thinks he has the kind of tools that can play in the league. Wood, who previously played for the Titans in 2024, is still in the development stage and remains buried on the depth chart.
Ryan Miller is another player who may get caught by the numbers. The Dolphins are carrying six receivers, and they don’t need all six active. Miller is the newest addition to the group, and with the roster crowded at the position and other spots demanding attention, his path to Sunday is difficult to see.
Malik Herring also seems likely to stay in street clothes for Week 1. Miami added him on September 3rd, and he told the media this week that he is still adjusting to the new system. With Ferrell now up from the practice squad, that only makes it harder to find Herring a spot on the active list.
In Other News...
Dolphins Suddenly Have A Week 1 Pass Rush Twist Fans Need To See
The Dolphins are already juggling long-term cap concerns, but for now the focus is on what they can get out of their pass rush in Week 1 against the Raiders on Sept. 13. Miami activated defensive end Clelin Ferrell to the active roster for the game, giving the defense another veteran body up front as the team prepares to open the season with several rookies also expected to see the field.
It is a reminder of how much turnover and uncertainty still sits around this roster, even before the first snap matters. Miamis 2026 cap picture is already lopsided, with more money tied up in players not currently on the roster than those who are, so every live rep from a player like Ferrell carries a little extra weight as the Dolphins try to sort out which pieces can actually help them now. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Week 1 Decision Raises Eyebrows At One Position
Jalen Tolbert being among Miamis six inactives for its first regular-season game is the sort of opening-week roster call that immediately stands out. The Dolphins also sat cornerback Reese Taylor, guard DJ Campbell, tackle Chukwuebuka Godrick, tight end Justin Joly and emergency third quarterback Brady Cook, trimming the game-day group before the season even got fully underway.
The list is notable because Tolbert arrived with the kind of veteran profile that usually suggests at least an early role, and instead he was left on the sideline for Week 1. Miamis choices also came against a Raiders inactive list that included tight end Brock Bowers after a knee procedure, along with Aidan O'Connell as the emergency third quarterback, underscoring how quickly early-season availability can shape a game-day plan. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Face Tanking Talk Again As Their Rebuild Gets Tested
Talk of tanking has started to hover around the Dolphins again, this time with the franchise trying to work through a difficult roster and cap picture while also putting real pieces in place for the future. Miami still carries significant dead money from Tua Tagovailoas contract, and the front office has been busy making moves that point more toward stabilization than teardown, including signing quarterback Malik Willis and keeping DeVon Achane in the fold.
For a team that has already lived through accusations of intentional losing back in 2019, the optics matter almost as much as the record. The Dolphins are trying to sell a different story now, one built on rebuilding and a new culture rather than short-term sacrifice, but any season that starts with cap stress and quarterback uncertainty is going to invite the same old questions until the on-field results quiet them. [Read more 🡒]