The Miami Dolphins and the rest of the league have faced down the latest roster deadline ahead of the close of the 2021 preseason, with all 32 teams needing to get to 80 players (or 81, in the case of the Dolphins and any other teams with a player qualifying for an international exemption) by 4PM this afternoon.
The deed is done for the Dolphins, announcing the departure of three, plus the designation of a key receiver to injured reserve this afternoon.
Miami’s transactions are as follows:
These moves, along with the presence of LB Kylan Johnson on the reserve/COVID-19 list, put the Dolphins’ roster in compliance with the new limit as of this afternoon’s deadline.
Competition for roster spots is only going to get stiffer from here, as head coach Brian Flores conceded during this morning’s press availability that it would be “fair” to say that three, four or maybe even more spots on the final roster “haven’t been claimed yet”. His message to them?
“Work hard, keep improving and take advantage of your opportunities,” said Flores.
The wide receiver, running back and defensive back rooms are notably tight as we creep closer to the final cuts: Miami boasts a slew of receivers worthy of playing on an NFL roster this fall, even after today’s transactions. The team’s running back position appears positioned for heartbreak from someone, either 2021 7th-round pick Gerrid Doaks or Patrick Laird, who has held a roster spot in Miami for two seasons. And in the defensive backfield, players like Cre’Von LeBlanc and 2021 UDFA Trill Williams have played well this preseason by may be victims of the numbers game.
It all adds up as quite a testament to the Dolphins’ three-year rebuild, which started when Flores came to town in 2019. Considering Miami spent that first offseason tearing the whole roster down just to pick it back up again, the amount of hard decisions the team will face over the course of the next few weeks is enviable. And it makes this weekend’s preseason showcase against Cincinnati that much more important, too.