Dolphins Preseason 2026: Predicting The 53-man Roster Ahead Of Giants Game In Preseason Week 2

The Miami Dolphins hit the field on Saturday for the second time in 2026, playing their Preseason Week 2 contest against the New York Giants. The two teams met in a feisty joint practice on Thursday, one that featured multiple skirmishes, Dolphins right tackle Austin Jackson being removed from a large portion of practice, and the Giants manhandling Miami for much of the time.

Before they meet in a game scenario, it is time to take a look at the Dolphins’ preseason roster and predict the regular season roster. Under NFL rules, teams can carry up to 90 players during training camp and the preseason (or 91 in Miami’s case due to a roster exemption for International Pathways Player tight end Seymour Traore), but have to drop to 53 players when the league’s roster limit changes on August 30.

Here is the prediction of the Dolphins 53-man roster during Preseason Week 1:

Miami Dolphins offense (22)

Quarterback (2)

Malik Willis
Quinn Ewers

Cut: Cam Miller, Mark Gronowski

Willis is entrenched at the top of the depth chart. Ewers has not clinched the second position and is now injured, but no one behind him has really pushed him for the backup job. Miller could be a practice squad option. Gronowski is likely a camp arm who is released whenever Ewers returns from his injury.

Running backs (3)

De’Von Achane
Jaylen Wright
Ollie Gordon II

Cut: Donovan Edwards, Carlos Washington, Jr.

The running back group feels like the most secure position group on the roster. Miami’s offense will be built around Achane this year, with Wright serving as his primary backup. Gordon is more of a power back than the other two and will be given the short-yardage duty along with rotational play to keep Achane as fresh as possible throughout the year. Edwards could find himself on the practice squad. Washington has work to do if he wants to make it to the roster.

Fullbacks (1)

DJ Herman

Cut: None

Herman is not a lock to make the roster, but I think he has the potential to stick around. If he moves over to the practice squad, with tight end Ben Sims (listed as a fullback on the team’s unofficial depth chart) taking the primary fullback role, it would not be a surprise.

Tight ends (3)

Greg Dulcich
Will Kacmarek
Ben Sims

Cut: Seydou Traore, Cole Turner, Jeremiah Franklin

Herman making the roster as the fullback eats up a tight end spot, because Sims should make the roster as well. The bubble player here is Traore, who has the draft capital of a fifth-round pick, but he has had a quiet training camp and first preseason game. He could be a practice squad player, with Miami gaining the International Player Pathway roster exemption. If he makes an impression on Saturday, he could fight his way onto the roster, but he would cost Miami no roster or practice squad slots if he were to land on the practice squad.

Offensive lineman (10)

Tackles
Patrick Paul
Austin Jackson
Caedan Wallace
Charlie Heck

Guards
Kadyn Proctor
Jonah Savaiinaea
DJ Campbell
Josh Priebe

Centers
Aaron Brewer
Andrew Meyer

Cut: Gottlieb Ayedze, Jim Bonifas, , Kevin Cline, Marques Cox, James Ester

Paul, Proctor, Brewer, Savaiinaea, and Jackson should be the starting offensive line, left to right. Jamaree Salyer was likely in line to be the top swing tackle and would provide guard depth as well, but he landed on injured reserve this week. Meyer, as the backup center, is a concern; he struggled last week in the Commanders game. Bonifas could make the roster in Meyer’s place, or may be on the practice squad as a developmental lineman. Preibe and Heck need to step up if they want to ensure their roster spot; Miami could look to waiver claims to round out the bottom end of the depth chart.

Wide receivers (6)

Malik Washington
Caleb Douglas
Chris Bell
Kevin Coleman, Jr.
Jalen Tolbert
Jalen Reagor

Cut: Tutu Atwell, AJ Henning, Donaven McCulley, Terrace Marshall, Theo Wease, Jr., Tahj Washington

The wide receiver group is a clash of roster locks (Malik Washington, Douglas, Bell) and a bunch of question marks (Tolbert, Reagor, Atwell, Marshall, Wease, Tahj Washington). Several players on the cut line are developmental players I would love to keep, but there is not enough roster room to keep everyone and hope they reach their potential. Reagor’s return ability has him jumping over players like Atwell and Tahj Washington. I am not convinced Tolbert is a roster lock, especially with Bell now off the non-football injury list; could Miami head into the season with three rookies and Malik Washington as their primary receiving corps?

Miami Dolphins defense (26)

Defensive ends (5)

Chop Robinson
Josh Uche
Robert Beal, Jr.
David Ojabo
Max Llewellyn

Cut: Seth Coleman-Lyles, Clelin Ferrell, Cameron Goode, Rodney McGraw

Ferrell on the cut line is not where I thought I would have him, but the numbers forced me into a cut I did not want to make. The locks are probably Robinson, Uche, and Beal. Ojabo’s stock is probably falling, and it could be a matter of Ferrell or Ojabo on the final roster. If the Dolphins think they can stash Llewellyn, a seventh-round pick this year, on the practice squad, that would free up a roster spot as well. I want to find a way to keep Goode, but right now, I do not have it. Today’s game could shake up this position group a lot.

Defensive tackle (5)

Zach Sieler
Kenneth Grant
Jordan Phillips
Zeek Biggers
Fatorma Mulbah

Cut: Matthew Butler, Keith Cooper, Jr., Alex Huntley, Cam Rice

I think the Dolphins could look to roll deep along the defensive line, and they have the players to do that at defensive tackle. Sieler is the top option, but he is getting to the point in his career where the coaching staff needs to rotate him out to keep him fresh to make an impact when it is most needed. Grant, Phillips, and Biggers are all 2025 draft picks and are showing up now. The bubble watch for the position comes down to Butler or Mulbah. Mulbah was impressive against the Commanders, so he moves onto the roster projection this week.

Linebackers (6)

Jordyn Brooks
Jacob Rodriguez
Trey Moore
Tyrel Dodson
Kyle Louis
Ronnie Harrison, Jr.

Cut: Stephen Dix, Jr., Willie Gay, Jr., Cam Riley, Jackson Woodard

Harrison and Gay are in a position battle to claim the final spot among the linebackers. I will give the nod to Harrison right now, because it feels like he has had a better overall performance this summer, but Gay was all over the field last week against the Commanders and another performance like that today could flip those two spots. Moore will moonlight as an edge rusher and Louis will play in a big nickel/hybrid safety role as well. Dodson is in an odd position of seeming like both a starter and someone who might not be on the roster when the season starts, albeit as a potential trade candidate.

Cornerbacks (6)

Chris Johnson
JuJu Brents
Jason Marshall, Jr.
Ethan Bonner
A.J. Green III
Marco Wilson

Physically Unable to Perform list: Darrell Baker, Jr., Storm Duck

Cuts: Alex Austin, Miles Battle, Ahmari Harvey, Nick McCloud (Released pre-game on Saturday)

Johnson, Brents, and Marshall seem like they are locked into the top three positions on the depth chart. After those three, you could spin a wheel to pick the remaining cornerbacks. Bonner should be in position to claim the top reserve spot and Green and Wilson have played well all summer, which pushes them to the front of the remaining group.

Safeties (4)

Dante Trader, Jr.
Zayne Anderson
Michael Taaffe
Major Burns

Cuts: Lonnie Johnson, Jr., Louis Moore

The first three on the list seem like locks. Burns played really well last week and I pushed him ahead of Johnson because of it. Moore is probably a practice-squad player who can develop throughout the season.

Special Teams (3)

Long Snapper (1)

Tucker Addington

Kicker (1)

Riley Patterson

Punter (1)

Bradley Pinion