Get your complete roster breakdown here

[DolFan619]

http://miamiherald.typepad.com/dolphins_in_depth/2008/08/get-your-comple.html

Get your complete roster breakdown here

The Dolphins play their third and most important preseason game Saturday night so now is as good a time as any to take a look at the entire roster on a position by position basis.

I am not assuming anything on here as you will see. I think, given some of the moves of this new regime, that is a safe way to go. Let me know where you agree and where you disagree.

QB: In: Chad Henne, Chad Pennington. On the bubble: Josh McCown and John Beck. The skinny: Although Sparano has said the team might carry four guys, that is hard to fathom. More likely the team keeps three with McCown and Beck sweating out the cuts. The Dolphins are hoping some QB around the league goes down this weekend, making a trade involving McCown or Beck palatable.

RB: In: Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown. On the bubble: Patrick Cobbs, Jalen Parmele. On the outs?: Lex Hilliard. The skinny: Despite the ESPN rumor that Brown might be gone from the team this season, it is hard to believe the Dolphins would simply push him out without getting value in return. And no one is giving up a first-round pick for Brown so there is no return value seemingly available. The coaching staff, particularly Sparano, likes Cobbs. But despite his effort and desire, his production (10 carries, 25 yards) has been pedestrian this preseason. Parmele runs a little high, but he runs hard. Hilliard has disappeared at times this training camp and can hope for a practice squad spot at best.

WR: IN:Ted Ginn Jr, Derek Hagan. On the bubble: Ernest Wilford, Greg Camarillo, Davone Bess, Anthony Armstrong. On the outs? Jayson Foster, David Kircus. The skinny: The Dolphins probably keep five of these guys. They would listen to trade offers for Wilford with a return trip to Jacksonville a slight possibility. Absent that, a good game by Wilford on Saturday assures him of making the team. Camarillo and Bess have been fairly consistent but they need to excell on special teams to nail down a position. Armstrong has become Miami's most explosive receiver in practices the last week or so. Kircus, perhaps Miami's best deep threat in practices, had a good chance to make the team until Armstrong started flashing skills.

FB/TE: IN: Anthony Fasano, David Martin. On the bubble: Reagan Mauia, Boomer Grigsby, Justin Peelle, Sean Ryan. On the outs? Matthew Mulligan. The skinny: The Dolphins will probably keep five from this group and that normally breaks down to two FBs and three TEs, but because the Dolphins use TEs in the backfield as blockers, the team has flexibility on personnel. The decisions will boil down primarily to special teams. The better special teamers will get the nod and, based on past performances, that is an advantage for Grigsby and Peelle first, followed by Ryan and Mauia.

OL: In: Jake Long, Justin Smiley, Samson Satele, Donald Thomas, Vernon Carey, Trey Darilek. On the bubble: Darren Heerspink, Matt Spanos, Irechuku Ndukwe. On the outs?: Mike Byrne, Shawn Murphy. The skinny: Thomas is the most pleasant surprise of any rookie given his draft status (6th rounder). Long has played as advertised while Darilek is a Dallas Cowboys favorite of Sparano's and he also plays multiple positions. The Dolphins have very poor depth behind the starters so even those players making the roster should hold their breath until after Miami studies the talent available on the waiver wire. Murphy, promising in offseason camps, has not physically won a job on the roster although his draft status could still save him.

DL: In: Kendall Langford, Vonnie Holliday, Jason Ferguson, Matt Roth, Phillip Merling. On the bubble: Randy Starks, Paul Soliai, Rodrique Wright. On the outs? Anthony Toribio, Lionel Dotson. The skinny: The Dolphins are encouraged by their youngsters (Langford and Merling) and have to feel good about the maturity and professionalism Ferguson and Holliday bring. Beyond that, the depth is questionable. Starks has been slow to get comfortable in Miami's system and Soliai has been inconsistent as he tries to learn to be a professional. The cuts here should not be difficult.

LB: In: Channing Crowder, Akin Ayodele, Reggie Torbor. On the bubble: Joey Porter, Charlie Anderson, Quentin Moses, Titus Brown, Edmond Miles, Rob Ninkovich. On the outs?: Kelly Poppinga, Maurice Fountain, Junior Glymph. They skinny: I know, I know, you think Porter is definitely on the team. That may be true based on reputation and his contract, which included a $20 million guarantee. But if you measure guys making the team based on production this preseason, Porter is a big question mark based on his inability to contribute because of injuries. The Dolphins may think this is the start of a troubling trend and may try to trade Porter. Anderson was starting early in training camp but injuries have kept him from earning a roster spot as well. He was back practicing this morning and may try to play Saturday to open the coaching staff's eyes. Brown is a darkhorse that coaches love for his desire, effort and potential. Moses needs to show more consistency.

DB: In: Andre' Goodman, Will Allen, Joey Thomas, Yeremiah Bell, Nathan Jones, Chris Crocker. On the bubble: Jason Allen, Michael Lehan, Renaldo Hill, Keith Davis. On the outs? Will Billingsley, Courtney Bryan, Chris Roberson. Allen, Lehan and Hill are probably on the team so I don't want to hear any crap about where I put them. The fact is there are still questions among the coaching staff on all of those guys so one cannot simply anoint them to a roster spot or assume they have one locked up -- no matter what anybody says. Davis can make the team with a solid special teams performance Saturday evening. The guys on the outs were in the game last weekend when Jacksonville bombed the Miami secondary in the final quarter.

Spec: In: K Dan Carpenter, P Brandon Fields, and LS John Denney. The skinny: It must be nice to be them.

[fyo]

This guy needs to learn how to count. The insight is good (or so I assume, not having actually watched practice), but the numbers just don't add up. It seems particularly egregious among the linemen (on both sides of the ball).

Take the defensive line. Judging from past opening-day rosters, most teams keep 9 players, even when running a 3-4. On the last Parcell's pre-season roster I was able to find, Dallas had 12 defensive linemen on a 64-man roster.

Yet the article above lists 5 defensive linemen as "in" (where one looks like he'll wind up being a linebacker) and 3 on the bubble. You're not "on the bubble" if there are 1 or 2 spots IN ADDITION to those listed "on the bubble". I think ALL the "bubble" players listed on the line make it, plus Shawn Murphy. That still leaves 1 spot if Roth winds up counting as a linebacker. On the other hand, there seems to be more talent worth keeping at linebacker, so I think Parcell's winds up keeping 9 d-linemen, including Roth.

I still think there's a chance we'll keep 4 running backs. There's some interesting talent at the bottom of the running back pile and season-ending injuries to the top 2 would seem to be a strong argument for keeping an extra body around. Parmele would be a good 3rd down back choice, while Cobbs is one of the better special teams performers. I think they both stick.

At tight end: David Martin hasn't made an impression on me at all so far - except for his drops. Maybe he earns the spot for solid blocking?

[YoFuggedaboutit]

Take the defensive line. Judging from past opening-day rosters, most teams keep 9 players, even when running a 3-4. On the last Parcell's pre-season roster I was able to find, Dallas had 12 defensive linemen on a 64-man roster.

Yet the article above lists 5 defensive linemen as "in" (where one looks like he'll wind up being a linebacker) and 3 on the bubble. You're not "on the bubble" if there are 1 or 2 spots IN ADDITION to those listed "on the bubble". I think ALL the "bubble" players listed on the line make it, plus Shawn Murphy. That still leaves 1 spot if Roth winds up counting as a linebacker. On the other hand, there seems to be more talent worth keeping at linebacker, so I think Parcell's winds up keeping 9 d-linemen, including Roth.

In a 3-4 defense, you have to count the "hybrids" as defensive linemen.  Still, I have to agree that keeping only five defensive linemen is a bit too little here.  Maybe they should lump together the entire defensive front seven.

I still think there's a chance we'll keep 4 running backs. There's some interesting talent at the bottom of the running back pile and season-ending injuries to the top 2 would seem to be a strong argument for keeping an extra body around. Parmele would be a good 3rd down back choice, while Cobbs is one of the better special teams performers. I think they both stick.

Cobbs is also a bullish runner who'll push the pile on third and short.  Parmele has the tools needed to be a quality NFL back, but he runs a little too high.  That can be worked on, but if he makes the roster, I don't see him being active for any games. 

At tight end: David Martin hasn't made an impression on me at all so far - except for his drops. Maybe he earns the spot for solid blocking?

I'll be surprised if Martin makes this team over Peele.  If he doesn't, it'll be another log to add to the "Blame Cam Cameron" fire. 

[Rick]

At tight end: David Martin hasn't made an impression on me at all so far - except for his drops. Maybe he earns the spot for solid blocking?

  David Martin is a horrible blocking TE....he played H-back in the Jacksonville preseason game and missed 3 key blocks that could have hurt Miami big time....if Martin makes the team, it is because he catches the ball (sometimes)....personally, I would much rather see Justin Peelle make the team over Martin....I don't think Martin is that good of a TE at all.

[fyo]

Tight end...

I have Fasano and Peele as locks for making the roster. Depending on what happens at fullback, Parcell's could go with either 1 or 2 more tight ends. Sean Ryan and David Martin are battling for the final position(s), with Mulligan almost certainly out.

TE is one of our weakest positions, in my book. We could really use some talent there.

[YoFuggedaboutit]

Tight end...

I have Fasano and Peele as locks for making the roster. Depending on what happens at fullback, Parcell's could go with either 1 or 2 more tight ends. Sean Ryan and David Martin are battling for the final position(s), with Mulligan almost certainly out.

TE is one of our weakest positions, in my book. We could really use some talent there.

I think Fasano is a stopgap until we can get an established TE.  He's capable, but never really lived up to his potential, thanks to Jason Whitten.

A good season by him here could change that course.

[Dave Gray]

This is one of my favorite blog posts of the season.  It's very helpful in breaking everything down.  Good stuff.

[Brian Fein]

Fasano is a decent TE that was buried on the depth chart behind a pro-bowler.  expect good things out of him.  We really ripped the Cowboys off in that trade.

[fyo]

Fasano is a decent TE that was buried on the depth chart behind a pro-bowler.  expect good things out of him.  We really ripped the Cowboys off in that trade.

This might sound odd, but I'm REALLY excited about this season... and guys like Fasano are the reason. There are just so many players that I'm looking forward to see in real games. Admittedly, that excitement could disappear very quickly if those players look like crap...

[YoFuggedaboutit]

Fasano is a decent TE that was buried on the depth chart behind a pro-bowler.  expect good things out of him.  We really ripped the Cowboys off in that trade.

Lets see where this goes.  I'll hold my breath on this one.  If both Fasano and Adoyele start contributing significantly, then we can definitely call that trade a highway robbery in our favor.