Breaking down all of the Miami Dolphins’ roster battles on defense heading into summer
There’s a good chance that at least one — potentially a handful — of players who aren’t on the Dolphins today will be on the 53-man roster when they open the season on Sept. 12 in New England.
With that in mind, here’s an early assessment of the roster battles at each position on defense, while projecting a 25/25 offense/defense split (with a kicker, punter and long snapper) comprising the 53-man roster for purposes of this exercise:
DEFENSIVE LINE
▪ Likely number: Seven or eight.
▪ Who’s on the team: Christian Wilkins, Raekwon Davis, Adam Butler, Zach Sieler, Emmanuel Ogbah (listed as a defensive lineman even though he can be an outside linebacker in this defense).
▪ Who’s on the bubble: Jason Strowbridge, Jonathan Ledbetter, John Jenkins, Benito Jones, Tyshun Render, Nick Coe, Jerome Johnson.
▪ Comment: Wilkins and Davis will fill two starting spots when the Dolphins use a three-man line, with 1) either Ogbah alongside or 2) either Butler or Sieler paired with Wilkins and Davis, and Ogbah filling more of a standup outside linebacker role after Shaq Lawson’s departure in a trade with Houston.
Of course, rookie Jaelan Phillips also could play defensive end, his primary position at the University of Miami, though the Dolphins are listing him as a linebacker.
Butler started four games for the Patriots last season, while Sieler started eight for the Dolphins. Both will play a lot, and both have become capable rotational pass rushers. Butler had 15 sacks in four seasons for New England; Sieler had 3.5 last season.
If the Dolphins keep seven linemen, eight linebackers and 10 defensive backs, then there’s room for two among a group including Strowbridge (the second-year player who logged just 55 snaps as a rookie fifth-rounder), Jones (logged 47 snaps as an undrafted rookie), Jenkins (played 11 games for Chicago last season and has 28 NFL starts); Render and Coe (both 2020 practice squad players), Ledbetter (missed last season with an undisclosed injury) and the Indiana rookie Johnson, a player that Senior Bowl director Jim Nagy said has the talent to be a practice squad player at the very least.
Strowbridge looked good in the mandatory minicamp.
LINEBACKER
▪ Likely number: Eight or nine.
▪ Who’s on the team: Jerome Baker, Benardrick McKinney, Andrew Van Ginkel and Phillips.
▪ More likely than not but not certain: Vince Biegel, Brennan Scarlett, Duke Riley, Elandon Roberts.
▪ At serious risk: Sam Eguavoen, Calvin Munson, Kylan Johnson.
▪ Comment: This could be as simple as keeping the eight listed in the “who’s on the team” and “more likely than not” category.
But there’s a reason the four in the “more likely than not” category aren’t automatics.
Biegel must prove he has his explosiveness back after last summer’s Achilles injury. If it is, he’s in line for a rotational spot, with a chance to build on his 2.5-sack,one-interception season in 2019, when his motor impressed everyone in 15 games and 10 starts. He’s back working fully.
Roberts, who started 11 games for Miami last season and played well from November through mid-December, must prove he hasn’t lost a step after the serious knee injury sustained in Week 16 against Las Vegas. He was an observer during the mandatory minicamp.
Riley — who started eight games for the Eagles last season and 24 in his four-year career — seems very likely to stick. The former third-rounder from LSU can play inside and outside linebacker.
Though Scarlett has modest sack numbers in Houston (5.5 in five years) he’s experienced (22 starts for the Texans) and competent against the run. If he has a good camp and preseason, he likely sticks.
Eguavoen went from a starter to a seldom-used backup last season (just 84 defensive snaps).
Munson (46 defensive snaps) should by no means be ruled out; he has appeared in 18 games and started two under Flores, and the team likes him enough to tender him this offseason.
If Biegel and Roberts aren’t back to themselves by August, the Dolphins could consider a free agent or waiver wire options this summer and during final cuts during the week before Labor Day.
SAFETY
▪ Likely number: Four or five.
▪ Who’s on the team: Jevon Holland, Eric Rowe, Brandon Jones. (Jason McCourty could be counted here or at cornerback.)
▪ Who’s on the bubble: Clayton Fejedelem, Nate Holley, Matt Cole.
▪ Comment: McCourty — who has played most of his career at cornerback — could factor into the equation at free safety if Holland isn’t deemed ready to be an every-down player immediately. McCourty played some safety for the Patriots last season and is expected to compete with Holland in training camp.
The Dolphins believe Holland — who had nine interceptions combined for Oregon in 2018 and 2019 — is ready to assume a significant role immediately, which was the impetus for releasing Bobby McCain.
Jones should assume a larger role, too. The Dolphins like his speed, tackling ability (he had 62 as a rookie) and playmaking (he had a forced fumble and a sack on a blitz last season).
But his coverage skills remain a question; Jones allowed a 108.6 passer rating in his coverage area, permitting 23 completions in 28 targets for 202 yards and a touchdown.
The fact Fejedelem has survived the offseason to this point bodes well for his chances, at least to make it to camp. He seemed like a potential cap casualty because his $2.25 million salary for 2021 is not guaranteed and his $2.5 million cap hit is wiped out if he’s cut.
Fejedelem played just 14 snaps on defense last season and allowed the only pass thrown against him to be caught for 44 yards and a touchdown. But he’s valued on special teams.
Holley was signed to the 53-man roster before the regular season finale last year and the Dolphins remain intrigued by a player who was the CFL’s Rookie of the Year in 2019. He had an interception in minicamp.
Cole, the undrafted second-year player from Mississippi State, spent last season on the Dolphins’ practice squad.
CORNERBACK
▪ Likely number: Five or six.
▪ Who’s on the team: Xavien Howard, Byron Jones, Noah Igbinoghene.
▪ Who’s likely on the team: Jason McCourty, Nik Needham, Justin Coleman.
▪ Who’s facing longer odds: Jamal Perry, Trill Williams, Jaytlin Askew, Terrell Bonds, Javaris Davis, Tino Ellis.
▪ Comment: Two interesting battles loom: Needham against Coleman for the nickel cornerback role and McCourty against Igbinoghene for the No. 3 cornerback job.
The two newcomers — McCourty and Coleman — had two of the nine worst passer ratings against among all NFL cornerbacks last season.
Quarterbacks had a 135 passer rating against McCourty (who played for the Patriots last season) and 134 against Coleman (who played for the Lions).
Igbinoghene allowed a 133.9 passer rating. Needham permitted a 100.7 rating, a number that worsened considerably after he yielded three touchdown receptions in the finale against Buffalo after relinquishing none in the first 15 games.
All four of those players obviously must be better than that this season — particularly the two who seize the top nickel job and the No. 3 cornerback job.
The big issue at cornerback, of course, is Howard’s potential holdout — considered more likely than not — if the Dolphins don’t agree to pay him more. Howard has spoken with confidantes about asking for a trade, but I would be surprised if the Dolphins agree to that.
If the Dolphins don’t rework his contract — and they might — the question then becomes how long he would be willing to hold out, with four years left on his contract.
Howard, incidentally, allowed just a 53 passer rating in his coverage area last season, thanks in part to his 10 interceptions. Jones permitted a bloated 117 passer rating but intercepted two passes late in the season.
Perry lost the nickel corner job to Needham a month into the season and played sparingly. He’s fighting an uphill climb to stick on the 53 for a third year in a row.
The Dolphins want another look at two second-year cornerbacks who were on their practice squad last season: Davis (Auburn) and Ellis (Maryland).
They’re also intrigued by the 5-8 Bonds, the Miami Central High alum who spent time on the Ravens’ practice squad the past two seasons and signed with the Dolphins in January.
Askew, mostly a special teams player at Georgia Tech, faces the longest of odds.
Williams, the Syracuse rookie, has an outside chance to make the 53; some evaluators considered him a fifth- or sixth-round talent. He has size (6-2) and decent ball skills and had an interception during minicamp.
The Dolphins could opt to keep 26 on offense and 24 on defense because of the logjam at wide receiver and tight end. That would mean longer odds for young players such as Strowbridge and Holley and could put one or two of the low-budget veteran offseason pickups (such as Jenkins or Scarlett) at greater risk.
This story was originally published June 25, 2021 at 2:05 PM.
