The Miami Dolphins have closed their 2025 offseason training program. We predict the 53-man roster as the team heads into the break.
The Miami Dolphins wrapped up their 2025 offseason training program on Thursday with the final day of their mandatory minicamp. The players now head into the break with holiday plans and individual workouts on their minds. Among the coaches and front office personnel, the break is a time to get some rest, while also starting to think about how they will assemble the final 53-man roster for the regular season.
Training camp opens at the end of July and will bring with it plenty of changes. Veteran players will be signed, injuries will occur, and someone will emerge to force their way onto the roster. Where do we think the roster stands as of the end of minicamp? We project the 53-man roster below, giving you an early swing at who will be on the team when the regular season begins in September.
Who did I forget? Which position battle do you think will be the most interesting? Who would you remove and who would you add if you were to build your 53-man roster?
Rookies in italics.
Offense (26)
Quarterbacks (3)
Tua Tagovailoa
Zach Wilson
Quinn Ewers
This seems pretty straightforward. Tagovailoa will be the starter, Wilson provides a veteran backup, and Ewers is a developmental player behind them. Could the rookie surprise and push ahead of Wilson on the depth chart? Could Brett Gabbert do enough to be a practice squad candidate?
Running backs (5)
De’Von Achane
Jaylen Wright
Alexander Mattison
Ollie Gordon II
Alec Ingold (Fullback)
This really just comes down to how many players will Miami keep at the position? Achane is a lock at the top of the depth chart. Wright and Mattison will be the primary reserves while sixth-round pick Gordon serves as depth. Ingold continues as the team’s fullback.
Wide receivers (5)
Tyreek Hill
Jaylen Waddle
Malik Washington
Nick Westbrook-Ikhine
Tahj Washington
There are rumors of Hill being a trade possibility, but that seems more like wild speculation than anything real at this point. Again, injuries and teams getting desperate in the summer could change that, but Hill should be on the roster this year. The tandem of Hill and Waddle, if they are both back to their pre-2024 forms, will continue to be a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses. Behind them, the two Washingtons and Westbrook-Ikhine should see targets as defenses look to limit Hill and Waddle. Achane could slide out to become more of a wide receiver if needed. Dee Eskridge and Erik Ezukanma are both bubble players who could fight their way onto the roster.
Tight ends (3)
Jonnu Smith
Tanner Conner
Pharaoh Brown
Smith wants a new contract, but the Dolphins seem to be considering trade offers for him instead of re-signing him. Right now, it feels like the Dolphins and Smith can come to an agreement and he stays with the team for 2025 – though if a team (read: the Pittsburgh Steelers) come in with a strong offer, Miami might have to take it. Is this the year Conner finally reaches his potential? Brown adds a blocking tight end option to the roster. If Smith is traded, Julian Hill probably takes the roster spot, though Hayden Rucci could make a case in training camp to claim the spot. Miami might be on the market for an additional tight end.
Offensive linemen (10)
Patrick Paul
James Daniels
Aaron Brewer
Jonah Savaiinaea
Austin Jackson
Larry Borom
Liam Eichenberg
Kion Smith
Jackson Carman
Ryan Hayes
This is another position where it really just depends on the numbers and where Miami wants to add depth. Paul, Daniels, Brewer, Savaiinaea, Jackson, Borom, and Eichenberg should be locks. Smith and Carman are likely to be fairly close to securing roster spots as depth pieces. Hayes is a bubble player. Andrew Meyer may need to be on the roster for center depth unless Miami looks to Eichenberg to fill that role. Braeden Daniels could make a fight in camp. Undrafted rookies Josh Priebe and Addison West are probably practice-squad bound, while Bayron Matos continues to be a roster exemption as a developmental international player.
Defense (24)
Defensive lineman (5)
Zach Sieler
Benito Jones
Kenneth Grant
Jordan Phillips
Matt Dickerson
How many defensive linemen will the team keep? Sieler is obviously the top of the depth chart, with Jones likely to be the team’s starting nose tackle, with rookie Grant on the other side. Phillips and Dickerson provide depth options. The Dolphins are probably looking to rotate players to keep them fresh each week, so adding a sixth person to the group could be on the table.
Linebackers (7)
Jaelan Phillips
Jordyn Brooks
Tyrel Dodson
Bradley Chubb
Chop Robinson
K.J. Britt
Quinton Bell
If the Dolphins have Phillips, Chubb, and Robinson all healthy, they have a trio of pass rushers that should be able to wreak havoc on opposing offenses. The team could look to get all three of them on the field together, sliding one into a more traditional 4-3 defensive end type of role, essentially adding the sixth defensive lineman mentioned above. Brooks and Dodson will man the middle of the defense with Britt backing them up. Bell provides edge rushing depth. This group feels small for a position with injury history, but the team will likely stack the practice squad with developmental options here.
Cornerbacks (7)
Kader Kohou
Storm Duck
Artie Burns
Jason Marshall
Ethan Bonner
Cam Smith
Kendall Sheffield
I went heavy at cornerback because there are just so many questions surrounding the position. Jalen Ramsey is still on the roster, but unlike Jonnu Smith who I still have on the roster come September, Ramsey feels more like a guaranteed trade at some point. Miami is likely going to make some other move to add to the cornerback position, but until that happens, I am projecting these seven players to make the roster, with the possibility of Kohou and Duck starting outside and Burns working as the nickel. Kohou is a more natural nickel than a field or boundary corner, but Miami has to figure out this position. Marshall as a drafted player picks up a roster spot, while Bonner, Cam Smith, and Sheffield all battle their way into roster positions and playing time over the summer. I expect changes to this group.
Safeties (5)
Ashtyn Davis
Elijah Campbell
Ifeatu Melifonwu
Patrick McMorris
Dante Trader
Davis, Campbell, Melifonwu, and McMorris will all battle for starting roles throughout training camp. The free and strong safety positions might be the most wide open position battles during camp this year – other than figuring out the cornerback position – and any of the four could claim one of those spots. Miami might also look to someone like Campbell to fill in as a cornerback to add some stability to that part of the secondary.
Special Teams (3)
Punter (1)
Ryan Stonehouse
Stonehouse replaces Jake Bailey in this scenario, which feels like a foregone conclusion at this point.
Kicker (1)
Jason Sanders
Sanders remains the longest-tenured player on the roster.
Long Snapper (1)
Joe Cardona
Cardona becoming available and joining the Dolphins led to the release of Blake Ferguson and guarantees him a roster spot.