Miami Dolphins: First depth chart breakdown

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Miami Dolphins /

Offense

Quarterbacks: Ryan Tannehill, David Fales or Brock Osweiler, Bryce Petty

This isn’t much of a surprise. We already knew Tannehill was locked in as the team’s starter and nothing aside from a major injury is going to change that. The team clearly intentionally placed an “or” between Fales and Osweiler to express that there is no current distinction between the two.

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They are leaving this an open competition between the mediocre backups. The fact that they went out of their way to point out that those two are battling for the backup job is a pretty clear indication that Bryce Petty is well behind them and is a long shot to make the 53-man roster.

Running Backs: Kenyan Drake or Frank Gore, Sinorise Perry, Kalen Ballage, Brandon Radcliff, Gregory Howell

There’s that “or” again. Gore has shined at training camp as most people that have followed him throughout his career assumed he would. Still, Drake will ultimately win this job, but this is the coaching staff showing respect to a well deserving veteran. The fact still remains that the 13-year vet is now 35 years old and not going to handle close to the workload Drake will.

I fully expect Ballage to win the third spot at running back but they’re going to make the rookie work for it in a symbolic sense. Perry does have a shot to make the team on special teams as I mentioned earlier but the other guys are just camp bodies.

Wide Receivers

WR: DeVante Parker, Jakeem Grant, Leonte Carroo, Francis Owusu

Slot: Danny Amendola, Isaiah Ford, Drew Morgan

WR: Kenny Stills, Albert Wilson, Rashawn Scott, Malcolm Lewis

No real surprises here if you’ve been following training camp. The biggest question with this group is where does Wilson fit in after getting a significant contract in free agency this offseason.

He’s kind of a slot guy that they want to use outside. Nonetheless, they are going to get him in games and he’s going to make plays. Hopefully, Parker can stay healthy, but if history is an indicator, his health may help clear up this question sooner rather than later.

The bright red flag should be flying for Carroo. Isaiah Ford and Rashawn Scott have been great in camp, and Carroo has continued his trend of disappointment. The once promising prospect that the Dolphins traded up to get in the third round likely won’t the 53-man roster. While the team lacks a true stud top receiver, they have a ton of talent and depth at wideout.

Tight Ends: MarQueis Gray, A.J. Derby, Gavin Escobar, Thomas Duarte, Mike Gesicki, Durham Smythe

You can just throw this who section out. We all know Gesicki and Smythe aren’t the fifth and sixth string. So if you remove those two and assume they’ll be making the roster then you can look at the rest of the chart.

Duarte won’t be making the 53-man roster so you have Gray, Derby and Escobar battling for roster spots, maybe even just one. Gray and Derby seem to be fairly even at camp thus far so this a position worth watching this preseason.

Offensive Line

LT: Laremy Tunsil, Zach Sterup, Eric Smith, Roubbens Joseph

LG Josh Sitton, Ted Larsen, Connor Hilland

C Daniel Kilgore, Jake Bendel, Mike Matthews

RG Jesse Davis, Issac Asiata

RT Ju’Wuan James, Sam Young, Davis Steinmetz

This is a position you can read into. No position relies more on continuity more than the offensive line, not even quarterbacks, and receivers.

Coaches like to keep these guys working together as a unit so what you see here is more than likely legitimate. What can confirm this is who they have blocking for Tannehill on Thursday when he is expected to take the field.

There are no surprises with the starters or most of the backups here. The only thing that really stands out to me is Sterup as the primary backup to Tunsil.

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