Predicting the Last 5 In, Last 5 out for Miami Dolphins' Final 53-Man Roster
Players on the roster bubble have two objectives. They must either prove that they are better at their position than others competing for the same roster spot, or they must prove that they can offer value in other ways (mainly on special teams).
Players who can accomplish one (or both) of those two things could find themselves on the right side of the roster bubble. Players who do not accomplish either will probably find themselves looking for work at the end of summer.
The Miami Dolphins are holding some tight training-camp battles this summer; whether it's young players getting their first real chance to make an impact or veterans getting their last chance to prove they still have what it takes to play at the NFL level.
The Dolphins can't be bashful about making tough decisions, as this could be head coach Joe Philbin's last chance to prove he can take the Dolphins over the hump.
Here are some players who need to prove they have what it takes to get the Dolphins to that spot.
In: Will Davis
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Will Davis may be battling back from a torn ACL, but if he feels as good as he says he does, according to Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald, he should be good to compete for a roster spot.
In fact, he may be competing for more than just a spot. Beasley notes that Davis has earned reps with the starting defensive unit, and he has looked good in doing so, just seven months removed from the reconstructive surgery that fixed his knee.
The starting unit would be quite the leap up from Davis' previous positioning on the depth chart; Davis earned 135 snaps in 2014 and 65 snaps in 2013, according to stats website Pro Football Focus. That was eighth-most among the Dolphins defensive backs and fifth-most among their cornerbacks.
Of course, a spot on the starting unit in spring can mean one of two things: either the player has done something to earn the confidence of the team, or the team is giving the player one last chance to prove himself. If Davis keeps playing well into the summer, though, he has as good a shot as anyone of making the final cut.
In: Neville Hewitt
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One of the Dolphins' most intriguing training-camp battles will take place at linebacker, where the top of the depth chart was gutted by the departures of Dannell Ellerbe and Philip Wheeler. That means that last year's backups have an opportunity to step into starting roles and other backups can compete for the remaining roster spots.
That explains why the Dolphins went a little heavy on the linebackers in undrafted free agency, signing three different linebackers, including Marshall's Neville Hewitt.
Dane Brugler of CBS Sports says Hewitt "has natural instincts and the read/react quickness to sidestep bodies and arrive at the ball-carrier to make stops" and said he "rarely came off the field and is flying under the radar as an NFL prospect."
He may be a bit undersized for the position at 6'2" and 219 pounds, but he doesn't lack in the toughness area to make tackles. He made 123 tackles for Marshall in 2014, with 13 of those tackles made behind the line of scrimmage. He also had five sacks, and his blitzing ability will be appreciated by Dolphins defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle, who loves to send extra pass-rushers after the quarterback.
In: LaMichael James
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The Dolphins have a surplus of running backs with a similar skill set that fits best as a scat-back, so in order for any of them to differentiate themselves, they'll have to contribute on special teams.
That bodes best for LaMichael James, the former Oregon Ducks and San Francisco 49ers running back who carved out a niche for himself as a return specialist. James logged 26 kick returns for 738 yards in two years with the 49ers, and he returned 23 punts for 251 yards in 2013 in his final year in San Francisco. The Dolphins have yet to use him in that role, but he played just two games for the Dolphins in 2014.
James has some speed, quickness and agility to his game, but he hasn't had much of a chance to use them on offense. He only has 44 career carries for 193 yards (4.4 yards per attempt) and five career receptions for 45 yards.
James' best bet to make the roster is special teams, though, so his experience in that role works heavily in his favor.
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In: Walt Aikens
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For some players, a change of position can be a bad sign of impending roster doom. For former cornerback-turned-safety Walt Aikens, though, a position switch could actually be the best thing that has happened to him.
The Dolphins have a bigger need at safety than at cornerback, and Aikens is already making plays at his new position, according to Omar Kelly of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Reshad Jones and Louis Delmas are already pencilled in as the starting safeties, and rookie Cedric Thompson should be one of the top backups. But at 6'1" and 210 pounds, Aikens provides an interesting dynamic as a big-bodied safety on the back end.
He also has experience at cornerback that could help him cover tight ends over the middle and running backs out of the backfield.
Aikens was suspended for the season finale in 2014, but according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, the Dolphins have been pleased with his maturation this offseason. If that maturation comes through on the field, he should be safe from the final cutdowns.
In: Don Jones
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As mentioned in the previous slide, the Dolphins have a need for depth at safety. Don Jones has been on and off the roster and had a brief stint with the New England Patriots before returning for another go-around with Miami.
Along the way, he has shown his ability to make big plays on special teams, with seven special teams tackles, according to Pro Football Focus. The third-year safety out of Arkansas State earned a draft grade of 50.2 from NFL.com back in 2012, which was near the bottom of the "draftable prospect" grade range (50-69).
Jones has not had much, if any, opportunities to show what he can do at safety in the regular season. In fact, he has not taken a single snap on defense in his two-year career to this point.
There is always a need for valuable special teams players, and if Jones can prove his worth on defense, the roster will have more than enough space to accommodate Jones.
Out: Ray Drew
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With so much talent at the top of the depth chart on the defensive line, there will be even more competition than usual for the spots at the bottom of the depth chart.
The Dolphins signed Georgia defensive lineman Ray Drew as an undrafted free agent after the 2015 NFL draft, and although the 6'5", 284-pound lineman has plenty of talent, he has a lot of work to do if he wants to maximize his potential.
There's a reason he went undrafted. According to NFL.com's Lance Zierlein, one of the main reasons was his lack of consistent pad level, which causes him to lose leverage on blockers and get moved off the line of scrimmage.
There's also some concern over his positional fit for the Dolphins. He's a bit too small to be a defensive tackle, but a bit too big to be a defensive end. With so much to work on and so much uncertainty about where he would line up, the Dolphins may have a hard time finding room for him on the roster.
Out: Ellis McCarthy
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Players go undrafted for different reasons. Some of them entered their collegiate careers with a lot of hype that they never reached, others are facing character concerns, and others do not have the physical or mental aptitude to play in the NFL.
UCLA defensive tackle Ellis McCarthy falls into the first category, entering UCLA as a 5-star recruit and leaving with only eight starts in his college career. He has freakish size at 6'5" and 338 pounds with 34.25" arms, which help him control his gaps at the line of scrimmage.
What he doesn't have, however, is the discipline. He gained a bit too much weight at college and ended up with knee problems as a result.
The Dolphins don't have a particularly glaring need at defensive tackle, but if they elect to keep a fifth or sixth defensive tackle, McCarthy could be in luck. The Dolphins already have Ndamukong Suh, Earl Mitchell, Jordan Phillips and C.J. Mosley on their roster, so if McCarthy can nestle into a spot just beneath them on the depth chart, he could stick around. He has an uphill battle to get there, though.
Out: Mike Gillislee
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Gillislee has been working as a fifth-string running back this spring, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. That means he's behind Lamar Miller, Jay Ajayi, LaMichael James and Damien Williams—aka every running back currently on the roster.
This is hardly news; the Dolphins haven't been impressed with Gillislee for quite some time, with Jackson reporting last year that the Dolphins were not sold on Gillislee as anything more than a third-stringer. The fifth-string label is indication enough that the Dolphins still don't feel any better about where he's at in his progress.
Gillislee has only six career carries for 21 yards in his career, and he has never had an opportunity to return kicks or punts. That lack of value could really hurt him when it comes time for cutdowns.
If you're not getting better, you're getting worse. Gillislee may not actually be regressing, but by virtue of the Dolphins' additions at running back, he might as well be.
Out: Mike Hull
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As mentioned in a previous slide, there's always room for players who can contribute in a major way on special teams. If nothing else, Penn State linebacker Mike Hull can make an impact there.
The problem is, he may not be able to provide in other areas. He showed off nice athleticism at the 2015 NFL Scouting Combine, putting up 31 reps on the bench press, running the three-cone drill in 6.99 seconds and the 20-yard shuttle in 11.52 seconds.
He's a bit small for an inside linebacker, though, at 6'0" and 237 pounds; and while NFL.com's Lance Zierlein indicates that Hull could "step in for an injured starter" if need be—and while he has enough awareness to drop into short zones—there may just be too much competition for Hull to overcome.
That competition will come in the form of a depth chart that already contains Koa Misi, Jelani Jenkins, Chris McCain, Kelvin Sheppard, Jordan Tripp, Jeff Luc and Neville Hewitt.
Out: Josh Freeman
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Josh Freeman appeared headed for an involuntary retirement after he went unsigned to start the 2014 season, but interest suddenly showed up for Freeman in 2015 when the New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles and Miami Dolphins all inquired about Freeman's services and/or worked him out.
The Dolphins were the team that signed him, but he may not make it through to the final cutdown and the 53-man roster.
Freeman has been productive at times in his five-year career, and he put up 25 touchdowns against only six interceptions in his second season in the NFL, but he was dogged by poor work ethic and other off-field issues.
Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin has kept three quarterbacks in the past, but this year could be different. That extra roster spot could be more valuable this year than ever as Philbin hopes to prove he is worth keeping around for the long term as the head coach.
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