Dolphins Players Who Need Impressive Camp to Avoid Being Cut

The Miami Dolphins find themselves in a good position heading into training camp.

They have an abundance of talent at running back and wide receiver that should lead to some tremendous competition for spots on the 53-man roster.

The reality of the situation is not all of the players at those two positions will be on the Week 1 roster. It is impossible for the Dolphins to carry five running backs and seven or eight wide receivers.

Mike McDaniel and his staff will have to let go of some players either at end of training camp or in the middle of it through a trade.

Myles Gaskin and Salvon Ahmed are in the most danger to be cut from those two positions. They fell to fourth and fifth, respectively, on the running back depth chart after the AFC East side revamped the positional depth chart in the offseason.

The trade acquisition of Tyreek Hill also made Preston Williams expendable despite his solid contribution when healthy during the Brian Flores era.

McDaniel and Co. will have a few tough decisions to make on the offense throughout training camp, and their roster choices could be made harder if those players shine in the coming days.

Myles Gaskin

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NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - JANUARY 02: Myles Gaskin #37 of the Miami Dolphins runs the ball during the first quarter against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium on January 02, 2022 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Silas Walker/Getty Images)

Myles Gaskin could go from Miami's leading rusher in 2021 to not being on the 53-man roster in 2022.

The 25-year-old's spot on the depth chart was put under threat by the free-agent additions of Chase Edmonds, Raheem Mostert and Sony Michel.

The Dolphins could feel content going into the regular season with Edmonds, Mostert and Michel on the roster and a younger player or two on the practice squad.

Gaskin may be squeezed out of an opportunity and forced to search for playing time elsewhere.

The fourth-year running back put up 612 rushing yards last season and managed 584 rushing yards in his second season in the NFL in 2021.

Those totals are not good enough to lead the Miami rushing attack in its new era under Mike McDaniel.

The first-year head coach comes from the Kyle Shanahan coaching tree, and the addition of Mostert suggests he may try to run a rushing attack with similar principles as the San Francisco 49ers to support quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.

The Dolphins need their lead running back to get closer to, or eclipse, the 1,000-yard mark. Gaskin could be capable of that, but he needs to outperform at least one of the three new arrivals in training camp to have a chance to prove himself.

If Miami opts to go with Edmonds, Mostert and Michel, Gaskin would be one of the top free-agent running backs to come out of training camp, or the Dolphins could find a new home for him through a trade for a late-round draft pick.

Salvon Ahmed

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DAVIE, FL - JUNE 01: Miami Dolphins running back Salvon Ahmed (26) runs with the ball during the first mandatory minicamp at the Baptist Health Training Complex on June 1, 2022, in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Doug Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Salvon Ahmed is in an even worse situation than Gaskin going into training camp.

The third-year running back is likely the fifth option at the position on the depth chart at the moment.

Ahmed has 468 rushing yards and three touchdowns in his career, and he has only played in 18 games over two seasons.

There is a big enough sample size out there on tape to show the new Dolphins staff and other NFL coaches that he has the talent to be a solid running back.

The 23-year-old may not be able to showcase that in Miami in 2022 because of the crowded positional room.

McDaniel and his staff could opt to keep the three proven veteran running backs who were added to the roster in the offseason. That would leave Ahmed and Gaskin by the wayside.

Gaskin is a more intriguing trade candidate than Ahmed, so he may be willing to take the fourth running back spot and prepare for a chance if one of Edmonds, Mostert or Michel goes down with an injury.

The Washington product could also be cut and find an opportunity with another team as he tries to find some sort of playing time.

The decision seems to be made already at running back, but a strong training camp could at least make the coaching staff's choices more difficult.

Preston Williams

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MIAMI GARDENS, FL - OCTOBER 24: Miami Dolphins wide receiver Preston Williams (18) during the game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Miami Dolphins on October 24, 2021 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fl. (Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Preston Williams' receiving yards total has dropped in each of his last two seasons.

The 25-year-old produced just 71 yards on six catches during the 2021 season in which Miami was looking for more help out of the wide receiver slot.

Williams looked like a decent prospect during his rookie season. He had 428 receiving yards on 32 catches and three touchdown catches. He had four touchdowns in 2020.

His time with the Dolphins seems limited based on the offseason moves at wide receiver. Tyreek Hill is the No. 1 wideout, with Jaylen Waddle being a close second. Cedrick Wilson Jr. and rookie Erik Ezukanma should both take up roster spots.

That leaves Williams fighting for a limited role as the fifth wide receiver with Lynn Bowden Jr. and a few others.

Miami's coaching staff might be willing to give that job to a younger wide receiver to prove what he can do in a limited role on offense and on special teams compared to Williams, whose production drop-off is a reason to cut him.

The Colorado State product could spring ahead of Ezukanma during training camp, but he needs a perfect few weeks in south Florida to prove he can be a solid depth piece on the roster.