Where the Dolphins roster stands as draft nears
The Dolphins still need a legitimate No. 3 receiver, an established right guard, a starting defensive tackle to replace Christian Wilkins, a No. 3 safety and one or two more edge rushers.
Here’s how the roster stands, by position, on offense heading into the April 25 NFL Draft and the second and third waves of free agency:
QUARTERBACK
Who’s on the roster: Tua Tagovailoa, Mike White and Skylar Thompson.
What could be added: An undrafted player — or potentially someone in the sixth or seventh rounds — could be plucked to compete with Thompson for the No. 3 job.
Comment: The big question is if and when Tagovailoa and the Dolphins can agree to terms on a contract extension. Both sides want to get it done. But as of recently, there was still ground to cover. The Dolphins are expected to offer a deal that would top $50 million annually. He’s expected to seek something topping $60 million annually.
Joe Burrow’s Cincinnati extension last offseason was for 24.5 percent of the salary cap at the time. If Tagovailoa requested a similar percentage as the Burrow extension, the annual value would be $62.5 million.
A deal likely will be well short of that, but the cap increase is going to factor into what his representatives will seek.
One other note on Tagovailoa: His trainer, Nick Hicks, said that the team asked Tagovailoa to bulk up last season to reduce the risk of injury.
This offseason, Tagovailoa will shed weight while focusing on “speed and agility..
That should improve his mobility when the pocket collapses; he had just 74 rushing yards last season, on 35 carries (a 2.1 average), with a long run of nine yards. In each of his first three NFL seasons, Tagovailoa coincidentally averaged 3.0 yards per carry, rushing for 109, 128 and 70 yards those seasons. Tagovailoa hired former Dolphins quarterback John Beck as his offseason personal QB coach, and they are tinkering with Tagovailoa’s mechanics.
RUNNING BACK
Who’s on the roster: Raheem Mostert, De’Von Achane, Jeff Wilson, Salvon Ahmed, Chris Brooks and fullback Alec Ingold.
What could be added :An undrafted rookie or two. Miami is bringing in two talented backs for predraft visits: Marshall’s Rasheen Ali and Louisville’s Isaac Guerendo.
Comment: Ahmed (who is still out with a foot injury) or Brooks could be at risk if a rookie makes an impression during the offseason program and training camp. Signed as an undrafted rookie last April, Brooks ran for 106 yards on 19 carries, displaying a physical, forceful running style that impressed everyone before a stint on injured reserve.
Wilson agreed to a restructured deal, including a base salary pay cut from $2.6 million to $1.1 million but the addition of lots of incentives and $400,000 guaranteed that should ensure he makes the team.
WIDE RECEIVER
Who’s on the roster: Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Braxton Berrios, Erik Ezukanma, River Cracraft, Braylon Sanders, Anthony Schwartz and Matthew Sexton.
What could be added: At least two more players, including a potential No. 3 receiver. Odell Beckham Jr. remains a target, but the sides haven’t been able to strike a deal.
Don’t discount the possibility of a receiver with the 21st pick — LSU’s Brian Thomas or perhaps Texas’ Xavier Worthy, who has spent time with Mike McDaniel.
Comment: The Dolphins want a legitimate weapon to pair with Hill and Waddle but have been reluctant to pay more than a few million to any of the pedigreed veterans still available in free agency. They could wait out a decision by Beckham and Tyler Boyd.
Hill, Waddle and Berrios will be on the team, and Ezukanma and Cracraft are front-runners for two other jobs. That leaves at least one, and potentially two jobs open.
TIGHT END
Who’s on the roster: Durham Smythe, Jonnu Smith, Jody Fortson, Julian Hill, Tanner Conner.
What could be added: At least two tight ends in the draft process — more likely in undrafted free agency.
Comment: Smythe and Smith likely will play a lot together; Miami used a two-tight end set just 12 percent of the time last season.
The Dolphins like what Hill showed as a blocker as a rookie and are intrigued by the skill set of Fortson, who caught four TD passes on 18 targets from Patrick Mahomes over the past five years with the Chiefs.
If Miami keeps four, Smythe, Smith, Fortson and Hill would likely be the group, barring a rookie making an enormous impression this summer. If the Dolphins keep three, Fortson and Hill will be quite a competition for the No. 3 job.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Who’s on the roster: Tackles Terron Armstead, Austin Jackson, Kendall Lamm, Ryan Hayes and Kion Smith; guards Robert Jones, Liam Eichenberg, Isaiah Wynn, Jack Driscoll, Lester Cotton and Chasen Hines and center Aaron Brewer.
What could be added: Another veteran or early-round pick who could compete with Jones, Eichenberg and Cotton at right guard.
Comment: The sense here is that another veteran will be added to the right guard mix at some point, with Dalton Risner, Cody Whitehair, Greg Van Wroten and
Laken Tomlinson among the possibilities.
Six jobs seem secure: starters Armstead and Jackson, Wynn, starting center Brewer and Lamm and Eichenberg (a contender to start at guard, as well as serving as the backup center). Jones and Driscoll are likely to stick. That’s eight.
DEFENSIVE LINE Who’s on the roster:
Zach Sieler, Teair Tart, Neville Gallimore, Jonathan Harris, Benito Jones, Brandon Pili, Da’Shawn Hand, Isaiah Mack and Daviyon Nixon. All are listed by the team as defensive tackles.
Who could be added: There’s a need for a starting-caliber tackle to pair with Sieler and compete for Wilkins’ old job. One candidate for the job (Tart) is a proven run-stuffing starter with Tennessee but he’s better suited for nose tackle, though he can play in Wilkins’ spot if needed. Two other veterans added — Gallimore and Harris — have been mostly NFL backups.
The 299-pound Mack also will get a look; he has 25 NFL appearances and one start but has appeared in just four games (for Baltimore) over the past two years.
Perhaps the Wilkins replacement could be Texas’ Byron Murphy III or Illinois’ Jer’Zhan Newton, who could be in play with the 21st pick. Perhaps Tart will move into that role.
Comment: At this point, Tart is the favorite over Benito Jones to replace Colts-bound Raekwon Davis when Miami uses a nose tackle — unless Miami uses Tart in Wilkins’ slot.
LINEBACKER
Who’s on the roster: Jaelan Phillips, Bradley Chubb, David Long Jr., Jordyn Brooks, Shaq Barrett, Duke Riley, Channing Tindall, Cameron Goode, Anthony Walker Jr., Quenton Bell, Zeke Vandenburgh.
Who could be added: Another edge player assuredly will be signed or drafted; Carl Lawson visited last week. Phillips has a chance to start the season on time after his November torn
Achilles.
It’s more questionable with Chubb, who had a Dec. 31 ACL injury, though Brooks returned to start the 2023 season after a Week 17 torn ACL. A serious knee injury has Goode’s status in serious question to start next season.
That leaves Barrett as the only established edge player not coming off a serious knee injury.
Miami needs more — either an established veteran or UCLA’s Laiatu Latu or Missouri’s Darius Robinson or FSU’s Jared Verse at No. 21.
Comment: With Long, Brooks, Riley and Walker, the Dolphins are seemingly set at inside linebacker. The question becomes whether former third-round pick Channing Tindall even makes the team as a No. 5 inside linebacker or whether the team converts him to outside linebacker, where his pass rush skills could be developed. Tindall has played 21 defensive snaps in two seasons.
DEFENSIVE BACKS
Who’s on the roster: Cornerbacks Jalen Ramsey, Kendall Fuller, Kader Kohou, Cam Smith, Ethan Bonner and special teams ace Siran Neal; safeties Jevon Holland, Jordan Poyer, Elijah Campbell; and safety/cornerback Nik Needham.
Who could be added: At least two more cornerbacks, potentially through the draft process, where the Dolphins have uncovered Needham, Kohou and now Bonner as undrafted free agents. And a veteran safety seems likely to be added to compete with Campbell and Needham behind Holland and Poyer.
Comment: After the draft, the Dolphins must decide whether to have Needham compete with Kohou and perhaps Smith for the slot corner job — when Ramsey isn’t playing there. At this point, the plan is for the Dolphins to look at Needham at both corner and safety.
Cam Smith will have every chance to earn a top No. 4 rotation spot.
Barry Jackson: 305-376-3491, @flasportsbuzz