MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – The Miami Dolphins, and the rest of the NFL, had to get their rosters down to 53 players by Tuesday at 4 p.m.
Additional moves generally happen once the league-wide dust settles, as teams will look to pounce on players released by others.
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For now, Tuesday’s deadline provides a better look at which players on the roster bubble Miami liked during training camp and wants to keep around for the foreseeable future. Maybe.
One big move that the Dolphins made on Tuesday was placing cornerback Byron Jones on the reserve/PUP list.
This means Jones will miss at least Miami’s first four games of the regular season.
Don’t be surprised if the Fins look to add a veteran defensive back ahead of the season, as the position has been drawn thin due to injures over the past few weeks.
The five CBs on Miami’s first 53-man roster are Xavien Howard, Nik Needham, Noah Igbinoghene, Keion Crossen and undrafted rookie Kader Kohou.
Looking at the offensive side of the ball, the Dolphins currently have a roster that includes three quarterbacks, four running backs and five wide receivers.
That means rookie seventh-round pick QB Skylar Thompson, who impressed throughout the preseason, will remain with the team as its third-string signal caller.
At running back, Miami kept the players most familiar with the system in Myles Gaskin and Salvon Ahmed after releasing American Heritage graduate Sony Michel on Monday.
Free agent signings Raheem Mostert and Chase Edmonds round out the Dolphins four running backs.
Wideout Preston Williams could not find any traction during training camp despite his history with the team and was cut on Tuesday, along with fellow pass catchers Lynn Bowden, River Cracraft and Braylon Sanders.
The five wide receivers currently on Miami’s roster are Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Cedrick Wilson Jr., rookie Erik Ezukanma and Trent Sherfield.
Perhaps a surprise move on the offensive line was 2020 fourth-round pick Solomon Kindley being cut. He played in 29 games with Miami over the past two years, starting 13 during his rookie season and another two last year.
The Dolphins will move forward with eight players on their o-line, but it’s another position they may look to add a veteran ahead of their Week 1 matchup, which comes on Sept. 11 against the New England Patriots.
The full list of Tuesday’s roster moves is as follows:
The Dolphins waived wide receiver Lynn Bowden Jr., tackle Larnel Coleman, wide receiver River Cracraft, offensive lineman Kellen Diesch, linebacker Cameron Goode, linebacker Porter Gustin, defensive tackle Benito Jones, offensive lineman Solomon Kindley, safety Verone McKinley III, wide receiver Braylon Sanders, tackle Kion Smith, defensive tackle Ben Stille and wide receiver Preston Williams. The team also placed cornerback Byron Jones on the reserve/physically unable to perform list and linebacker Brennan Scarlett on injured reserve.