The Miami Dolphins’ initial 53-man roster is complete, but we have a feeling that these Dolphins aren’t quite done tinkering with their final roster just yet — and that there’s going to be some attempts to redistribute talent more evenly across the roster. Miami, for example, has kept a total of 12 pass catchers: 7 wide receivers and 5 tight ends. That distribution is, well, untraditional.
So, too, is the decision to keep just three running backs. And while the Dolphins are a team that should be expected to pass in order to set up the run in 2021, having just three backs; including one in Malcolm Brown who is likely a short-yardage niche player, is still a surprising one. 7th-round rookie Gerrid Doaks ran well in the preseason. 2019 UDFA addition Patrick Laird has two years of experience with the team.
Neither made the roster upon initial cuts.
And so now the question beg to be asked if this is really the final form of Miami’s preferred roster? It’s important to contextualize Miami’s distribution of talent. Of all 32 NFL franchises, the Miami Dolphins are one of only two that is currently carrying 12 combined wide receivers and tight ends.
The Titans kept 8 wide receivers and four tight ends to also log 12 combined pass catchers.
The Chicago Bears also kept five tight ends but failed to keep the needed receivers to match Miami. And only two other teams are within one of Miami’s combined total of 12: both the Washington Football Team and Carolina Panthers have a combined 11 receivers and tight ends combined.
Granted, Miami will be without Will Fuller for Week 1, so Miami technically is carrying 11 for game day against New England. But that only further amplifies that when Fuller comes back, Miami must ask themselves if they want to continue to carry such a dramatic figure beyond Fuller’s suspension. The versatility and positional flexibility of much of the rest of their roster allows this if the team so desires — but it is never the less an eye opener to see so much of Miami’s numbers committed to keeping as good of a group around Tua Tagovailoa as possible.
That may not necessarily be a bad thing after how the season ended at receiver for the Dolphins in 2020.