Roster moves (formerly roster projections)

Here's my take on the final 53...

24 offense
26 defense
3 special teams

QB (2)
Tannehill
Fales

RB (4)
Drake
Gore
Ballage
Perry

WR (6)
Stills
Amendola
Wilson
Parker
Grant
Ford

TE (3)
Gesicki
Smythe
Gray

OL (9)
Tunsil
Sitton
Kilgore
Davis
James
Young
Larsen
Sterup
Asiata

DE (5)
Quinn
Wake
Harris
Branch
Hayes

DT (4)
Phillips
Taylor
Godchaux
Langford

LB (6)
Alonso
McMillan
Baker
Allen
Anthony
Hull

S (5)
Jones
McDonald
Fitzpatrick
Aikens
Smith

CB (6)
Howard
McCain
Tankersley
McTyer
Lippett
Davis

P (1)
Haack

K (1)
Sanders

LS (1)
Denney


Notes:
--WR - I don't want to keep Ford, but with Parker and Grant out we will need a 6th receiver and, for reasons completely unknown to me, the coaches seem to love Ford.
--TE - Again, for reasons I can't understand, the coaches seem to love Derby, but I can't justify 4 TEs on this roster so I'm cutting him.
--OL - The depth here is atrocious.  The coaches like Sterup so he gets the nod over Smith, although I would choose Smith.  I think Asiata is a waste and should be cut, but with Larsen injured we need a backup guard and we don't have anyone else worthwhile.  Asiata gets the last spot because he was drafted.  If Larsen is out, I don't ow who the backup center is.  Ideally it would be Brendel but he hasn't played at all since being injured a month or so ago....he might end up on IR.
--DT - There's no way I can justify keeping Spence over Langford, so I won't.  I doubt the Phins will cut Spence, but if I was calling the shots I'd have dumped him already.
--LB - The last two spots are up in the air.  If Hull is healthy, he gets a spot for his STs play.  Anthony really has no business being on an NFL roster, and hopefully the Phins can find a replacement after Saturday's cuts. But right now he's the best of the worst from this sorry group of backup LBs.  As expected, Poling was a wasted draft pick and I wouldn't even bother putting him on the practice squad.
--S - I've always thought Jordan Lucas was a waste, so I'm dumping him and rolling with Maurice Smith as the primary backup at safety (assuming Fitzpatrick stays at corner).  I'm still listing Fitzpatrick as a safety because that's where he should be playing.
--CB - There's a chance the Phins keep only 5 corners since Fitzpatrick has been playing nickle CB, but the Phins have given Davis tons of snaps in preseason (why, I don't know) so I assume they want him on the team.  Depth at corner looks awful with Davis, Tank and Lippett showing nothing this preseason, but it is what it is.  Also as expected, Armstrong was a wasted draft pick - too bad, because we could really use another decent corner.

Going through this list, it's apparent to me that depth at nearly every position (except TE and DL, and maybe WR for those of you that like this group...I don't) is really, really bad.  It's amazing to me that the roster is still this weak heading into year three of this regime.  Poor drafting continues to hurt the Phins.

I was going to say I do not remember Polling at all in the three games. I thought he was going to be a poor man's Zach Thomas, well not that good, but you get the comparison. I honestly do not recall seeing him make one tackle, even special teams.

scotgif wrote:I was going to say I do not remember Polling at all in the three games. I thought he was going to be a poor man's Zach Thomas, well not that good, but you get the comparison. I honestly do not recall seeing him make one tackle, even special teams.

IKR? Tannabaum might as well have drafted one of us in that spot. He and Cornell Armstrong have literally done nothing. Just makes you realize how special Zach was, seeing as every year since team after team has kept trying to draft the "next Zach Thomas" AKA slow, unathletic white LBs who just love the game and wanna go out and hit somebody, but none of those guys over all that time have done squat.

I'm actually going to be triggered if Caroo isn't cut.

Looks like Poling actually had a few tackles last night! And Jordan Lucas and Stephone Anthony both made some big plays! And Osweiler looked really good! Gotta love the fourth preseason game...

Greg Joseph was cut, so Jason Sanders is officially the Dolphins' kicker.

Rumor: Phins looking to trade CB Tony Lippett, will cut him if they can't trade him.

It seems premature to cut a developing player at a weak position, but I guess he's not fully healed from the Achilles injury. I wasn't a big fan of his, but he was the only CB on the roster with true ball skills and INT ability (hopefully Howard can improve in that area).

WR (6)
Stills
Amendola
Wilson
Parker
Grant
Ford

I'm going to predict Owusu makes it instead of Ford.

Made some more plays last night, plus it's been reported that Rizzi LOVES him on special teams. IMO that is going to be the difference maker, and he sticks.

white1 wrote:

I'm going to predict Owusu makes it instead of Ford.

Made some more plays last night, plus it's been reported that Rizzi LOVES him on special teams.  IMO that is going to be the difference maker, and he sticks.

I really hope you're right. I would much prefer Owusu over any of the other receivers battling for #6. I really don't see anything in Ford, but Owusu has good size and most importantly seems to know how to get open. And yes, his play on special teams gives him a huge edge over a guy like Carroo, who offers nothing on STs.

At least Caroo got cut. Langford being cut, Anthony being kept, Osweiler *and* Fales both being kept, and every single one of the backup WRs also going is really lame, though

Lots of recent draftees being cut as well, showing the world what we've known for years.

It is beyond me how they can keep BOTH backup QB's. The good (The Saints tradng for Bridgewater) teams try and pick up an established backup to step in and possible become the starter when the need arises. The bad teams (us) keep backups with no chance to overtake the current starter.

Most teams are going with two QB's these days. We keep not one, but TWO underwhelming backups.

Easy to see why we are a laughing stock.

Damn, it is hard being a Dolfan these days.

Fins very quietly claimed Titans 6th round pick Luke Falk off waivers, as well as some random WR. My mind cannot make any sense of this I thought Ireland was long gone, yet the utterly pointless roster churn remains.

https://www.miamiherald.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/barry-jackson/article217738110.html

Falk kinda sucked in college and was dreadful in preseason, but he's labeled as a "timing QB" which apparently is all Gase cares about. I'm all for a developmental QB, but why add a guy that is even worse than Osweiler AND Fales???

The WR (Tanner McEvoy ) is 6'6", and he made a couple of big plays for the Seahawks the past two seasons in a VERY limited role. Supposedly good on STs. I like this pickup.

I liked Falk where he was picked in the 6th round, and he may well be here just to provide insight on our first opponent, but I'd be OK with keeping him and letting Fales go. There's a chance of some upside with Falk. Not much, but a chance.

Agree on McEvoy, we need some size at WR.

I liked Falk a bit over the summer, but I saw him a bit in the preseason and he looked like hot garbage.  But I do like the idea of a developmental QB.  Regardless of what you think of Falk, having 4 QBs on the roster is just plain stupid.  I assume that we won't keep 4 for long, but even a day is too long.  And I highly doubt that a rookie QB that was buried on the Tennessee depth chart is going to provide the Phins with top secret info to help us beat the Titans.

In any case, the more I read about McEvoy, the more I like him - so that's good.

The Phins also signed a veteran center (Travis Swanson) with a history of concussions.  At least it's good to have a veteran backup at center.

We also signed Brandon Watt, a LB that was in camp with the Phins last season before getting hurt.  Just another body for the weak LB corps.

Unfortunately, we cut safety Maurice Smith, who played well last preseason and looked even better this preseason.  With Fitzpatrick playing corner for now, we basically have zero depth at safety.

Unfortunately, we cut safety Maurice Smith, who played well last preseason and looked even better this preseason. With Fitzpatrick playing corner for now, we basically have zero depth at safety.

This is a head-scratcher for me. What looks like a young, ascending player at a position where we have two high priced vets, and one of them is getting old. Appeared to be an ideal setup for depth with the future potential to start, and get a cheaper guy on the field at Safety.

Who supplanted him? Falk, Osweiler, Fales or Young? All four have lesser value IMO.

Makes little sense.

Oh well. Like I've said before, this regime is going to ride or die on their own moves. So let's see it play out. The waiting is almost over.

Go Fins. I guess.

More roster churning:

From Armando...
The Miami Dolphins have signed RB Brandon Bolden. Cutting C Travis Swanson in corresponding move.


WTF???? So now we have 4 QBs and 5 RBs...and we cut our backup center a day after signing him???

Bolden is a very good STs player, but offers little as a RB.  I don't understand this signing at all.

JMP wrote:We also signed Brandon Watt, a LB that was in camp with the Phins last season before getting hurt.  Just another body for the weak LB corps.

where did you see this - i can't find it anywhere.

is anyone else concerned the Phins are currently carrying only 3 safeties - one of which is playing slot corner. i guess Aikens is the 4th safety??

and even more concerning, the Phins only have 5 LBers. given the nature of the NFL and injuries, that won't last long.

Yeah, if you could discern any sort of PLAN out of all these moves, it would be one thing.

But if the recent history is any indication, these sort of dumbfounding personnel moves USUALLY mean the team's personnel folks are slapping on a blindfold and throwing darts at a large board filled with names!!

In any event, if as I suspect, this team is gonna stink it up to a huge degree, then the more developmental players that are kept the better for the next regime.

mercury22nathan wrote:

JMP wrote:We also signed Brandon Watt, a LB that was in camp with the Phins last season before getting hurt.  Just another body for the weak LB corps.

where did you see this - i can't find it anywhere.

is anyone else concerned the Phins are currently carrying only 3 safeties - one of which is playing slot corner.  i guess Aikens is the 4th safety??

and even more concerning, the Phins only have 5 LBers.  given the nature of the NFL and injuries, that won't last long.

Watt apparently didn't sign...I saw it in a post on Finheaven but it seems it was a fake report. He's now playing in the CFL.

Yes, Aikens is our backup safety...scary thought for sure.

And for the life of me, I can't figure out why it's so difficult for this team to find decent LBs...

Kinda (well, not really) surprised that they traded Lucas and cut Mo Smith. I noticed both quite a bit this preseason. I thought both would be developmental DB's, core ST's guys with a shot to at least provide depth. I guess not. Good move though getting a late pick for Lucas. Maybe we can draft the next Asiata or Polling with that pick. Also, the young RB's we had this preseason were balling. I liked Buddy Howell and the other kid they released. Now, they go and sign a RB off the street.

But hey, according to Gase character trumps talent! I didn't know he'd declare war on talented players completely though

JMP wrote:WTF???? So now we have 4 QBs and 5 RBs...and we cut our backup center a day after signing him???

the supposed explanation.

For those wondering why the Dolphins would cut Sam Young one day and sign him the next - or sign Travis Swanson and cut him the next - there are valid reasons behind them.

Among them: In order to make room for the two players claimed off waivers Sunday (Luke Falk and Tanner McEvoy), the Dolphins needed to clear roster spots by 4 p.m. Sunday. Miami did that by quietly releasing John Denney and Young.

They then made room to quickly re-sign Denney by placing Mike Hull on injured reserve and created one open roster spot by placing Jake Brendel on injured reserve.

So why didn’t the Dolphins simply place Hull and Brendel on injured reserve at 3:30 p.m. Sunday to make room for Falk and McEvoy? Because players must be placed on injured reserve after 4 p.m. Sunday in order to be eligible to return after eight games this season. And the Dolphins want to keep alive that possibility for both, who should be ready physically by that eight-game mark in late October.

Young was then re-signed Monday, with the team cutting Maurice Smith to make room. Smith cleared waivers Tuesday and look for him to end up on Miami’s practice squad.

And finally, why did Miami sign Swanson only to release him a day later?

The Dolphins had prioritized signing running back/special teams ace Brandon Bolden, but the Dolphins hadn’t gotten a commitment on Monday from Bolden and wanted to fill their open roster spot. Once Bolden decided to sign with the Dolphins - instead of New England and any other suitors - the Dolphins had to create a roster spot by cutting Swanson.

As for Falk, the Dolphins like his skill set and thought favorably of him during his pre-draft visit and want to give him a look.

https://www.miamiherald.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/barry-jackson/article217703950.html

long story short - the Phins had half an hour to kill.

guys who Miami missed out on...

Three players the Dolphins wanted to acquire or keep last weekend but didn’t get: They made a waiver claim on linebacker Tanner Vallejo, a sixth-round pick who played his rookie season for Buffalo last year but was awarded to Cleveland (which had a higher waiver claim pick than Miami); offensive tackle Eric Smith (was cut by the Dolphins and he opted to join the Patriots’ practice squad instead of Miami’s) and running back Buddy Howell (Miami wanted him on its practice squad after cutting him but the Houston Texans claimed him).

https://www.miamiherald.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/barry-jackson/article217703950.html

i guess Eric Smith feels he's got a better shot with the Patriots?

Buddy Howell looked damn good in preseason. I might have kept him over Perry.

I know the Phins wanted to bring in veteran "leaders", but I think I'd rather have a young developing player like Howell than a one-year rental like Gore - but time will tell.

JMP wrote:Buddy Howell looked damn good in preseason.  I might have kept him over Perry.

I know the Phins wanted to bring in veteran "leaders", but I think I'd rather have a young developing player like Howell than a one-year rental like Gore - but time will tell.

I agree with that. Long term, Howell might have been the better option, but if Gore has ANYTHING left in the tank, the Phins will need it this season for sure. Without the threat of a rushing attack, the Gase offense becomes MICRO-Dink and Dunk. It is already basically dink and dunk to begin with, but without the threat of a run to open up the middle, the defense plays for the dump pass and packs everything down, and the deep passing attack goes bye bye IMO.

Owusu didn't make it, huh?