The Dolphins face a 4 p.m. Tuesday cutdown to 53 players and have difficult decisions at outside linebacker/edge rusher, offensive line and especially cornerback. The team is likely to search the waiver wire for a starting cornerback and backup linemen after cuts. Running back depth is uncertain after Jaylen Wright left practice with an apparent leg injury while battling Ollie Gordon II for the backup role. The roster is shifting from older veterans to unproven youth under general manager Chris Grier and coach Mike McDaniel in their fourth year, changing team composition and expectations.
Achane is nursing a calf injury but is expected to be OK by the opener. Wright is a wildcard at this point. The loss of Alexander Mattison (neck) is the biggest story here, followed by the recent emergence of Gordon, the rookie sixth-round pick who provides the power they lost with Mattison. In previous years of the McDaniel era the Dolphins didn't worry about a power runner. Ingold remains the sole fullback.
Overall, the big thing to watch this year, the fourth year for the duo of general manager Chris Grier and coach Mike McDaniel, is the transition from a "win now" team to a team emphasizing winning with youth and draftees. That means the 30-somethings that fueled the team in previous years of the McDaniel era are mostly gone, replaced by unproven youngsters. It's a new roster composition that will make this an interesting season.
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