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Miami Dolphins' linebacker Matt Roth to miss first six weeks of regular season

The Dolphins worked through the preseason without Matt Roth, last year's starting strong-side linebacker. Now they will work at least the first five games -- and possibly more -- of the regular season without him.

Saturday's roster moves, to get down to the NFL's 53-man limit, included moving Roth, who started 14 regular-season games and the playoff loss to Baltimore, to the reserve/non-football injury list. Roth is unavailable through the first six weeks of the NFL schedule -- the Dolphins' first five games and their bye week.

Beginning with the week of their sixth game, against New Orleans, the Dolphins will have 21 days to begin including Roth in practice. Once Roth returns to practice, they would have 21 days during which he can practice. After the 21-day practice period, the Dolphins have to decide whether to activate him or keep him on the reserve/nonfootball injury list for the season.

Competition for Miami Dolphins roster spots set to begin

W ith Dolphins training camp opening next weekend, some chatter on the most competitive roster battles:

Linebacker: Joey Porter, Channing Crowder , Matt Roth , Akin Ayodele and Jason Taylor take up five spots, and Reggie Torbor is valued as the top veteran backup inside linebacker. That leaves two openings, but possibly three, to be filled among eight candidates: Charlie Anderson (who played well late last season), Canadian Football League pass-rushing sensation Cameron Wake , holdovers Quentin Moses (inactive the final three games of 2008) and Erik Walden , William Kershaw (on the practice squad most of last season), Tearrius George (briefly with the Saints last year) and rookies J.D. Folsom and Orion Martin .

One official close to the Dolphins front office said Wake has been ordinary, and is no cinch to make the roster. Don't misunderstand: The Dolphins still have hopes Wake -- a highly skilled athlete -- can be good, but he must show it in camp.

Miami Dolphins linebacker Matt Roth set to return to practice

Linebacker Matt Roth is eligible to begin practice either Monday or Tuesday, and he will do exactly that.

The Dolphins are seeking a clarification from the NFL on whether Roth, who is on the nonfootball injury list, can begin working Monday or Tuesday.

A player on the list is eligible to begin practice after six weeks -- not games. Miami played a Monday night game, so it is not clear which day Roth would be allowed to return. Regardless of the NFL's ruling, Roth will return to practice.

Jake Long leads the way in one man's ranking of Miami Dolphins 1-60

A fter each season the Dolphins evaluate all their players and actually rank them.

``We will sit down as a staff and go through the entire season -- number of plays, rate every player, rank them all,'' coach Tony Sparano said.

Cool.

Odd saga comes to an end as Miami Dolphins cut Matt Roth

A strange, four-month span for Dolphins linebacker Matt Roth came to an unexpected conclusion Tuesday -- the team has decided to move forward without him.

Roth, who became the center of an odd saga when he missed all of training camp with a groin injury, was released after totaling just four combined tackles during his four games this season.

The move was ``strictly a football decision,'' one source said. Although no other outside factors are believed to have contributed to his departure, the drama of training camp surely will follow Roth in the wake of Miami's choice to cut him.