MIAMI GARDENS — The Miami Dolphins, such as every other NFL team, must cut their roster to 53 players by 6 p.m. Sunday, and that means many Miami players who take the field for Friday’s preseason finale against the Atlanta Falcons could be making a last-ditch attempt to make the cut.

Among the most hotly-contested positions for general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and coach Jeff Hafley are wide receiver, offensive line, edge rusher, linebacker, cornerback and safety.

By the way, expect the Dolphins to hit the waiver wire pretty hard after leaguewide cuts are made to try to supplement this roster.

Here’s a look at a 53-man roster projection heading into the Falcons game: 

QB (2): Malik Willis, Quinn Ewers

Off: Cam Miller, Mark Gronowski

Comment: Willis is obvious. Ewers might be fortunate the Dolphins don’t have better competition on the roster. Ewers, the 2025 seventh-round pick who is battling through a right groin injury, is clearly better than Miller and Gronowksi but he hasn’t had a good training camp.

RB/FB (4): De’Von Achane, Jaylen Wright, Ollie Gordon II, D.J. Herman

Off: Carlos Washington Jr., Donovan Edwards

Comment: This is the same crew from a year ago. Ball security is a bit of a concern with the speedy Wright. Gordon (6-2, 225 pounds) has been OK but hasn’t stood out in any area, including short yardage. Herman, the fullback, gets on largely through special teams. Carlos Washington Jr. would be the No. 5 RB choice if they go that route.

TE (3): Greg Dulcich, Will Kacmarek, Ben Sims

Off: Seydou Traore, Cole Turner, Ethan Conner, Jeremiah Franklin

Comment: Dulcich is the “receiving” tight end and Kacmarek, the rookie third-round pick, is the “blocking” tight end. Sims, who was with Sullivan and Hafley in Green Bay, seems headed for the final spot at an injury-riddled position. Traore, the rookie fifth-round pick, narrowly misses the cut.

WR (6): Malik Washington, Chris Bell, Caleb Douglas, Kevin Coleman Jr., Jalen Tolbert, Theo Wease Jr.

Off: A.J. Henning, Jalen Reagor, Tutu Atwell, Terrace Marshall Jr., Donaven McCulley

Comment: The three rookies — Bell and Douglas, the third-round picks, and Coleman, the fifth-rounder — are the present and the future. Washington, the 2024 sixth-round pick who is the slot receiver, is the toughest of the bunch and also serves as kickoff and punt returner. Reagor and Henning are close decisions and might be interchangeable with Wease.

OL (8): C Aaron Brewer, LG Kadyn Proctor, LT Patrick Paul, RG Jonah Savaiinaea, RT Austin Jackson, C Andrew Meyer, C-G Josh Priebe, OT Caedan Wallace

Off: OT Charlie Heck, OT Marques Cox, OT Kevin Cline, OT Gottlieb Ayedze, G D.J. Campbell

Comment: Among backups, Wallace is in a tight battle with veteran Heck. Backup OTs are a major problem but Wallace gets the nod over Heck, Cox, and Ayedze. Priebe has also recently begun playing center, which helps his value and perhaps jeopardizes Meyer, who only plays center. Campbell, the sixth-round pick, initially figures to be a practice squad member.

DT (6): Zach Sieler, Kenneth Grant, Jordan Phillips, Zeek Biggers, Matthew Butler, Keith Cooper Jr.

Off: Alex Huntley, Cam Rice, Fatorma Mulbah

Comment: This could develop into a team strength. Sieler is a grown man. Phillips, the 2025 fifth-round pick, shows lots of promise. Biggers, who plays inside and outside, and Butler are both developing. Cooper, who plays inside and outside, is the young upstart. Huntley, who was on the practice squad last season, could be a dark horse candidate.

Dolphins Deep Dive: Perkins, Furones on Miami wrapping up camp, preseason finale | VIDEO

Edge rushers (5): Chop Robinson, Josh Uche, Clelin Ferrell, Robert Beal Jr., Cameron Goode 

Off: David Ojabo, Max Llewellyn, Rodney McGraw, Seth Coleman-Lyles

Comment: Ferrell, the No. 4 pick of the 2019 draft by Las Vegas, was a late signee and has been injured recently. His inclusion is borderline. Beal and Goode have special teams value. But this is a distressed group beyond Robinson, the 2024 first-round pick who only has 10.0 sacks in two seasons. Ojabo, the veteran, and Llewellyn, the rookie seventh-round pick, are practice squad candidates.

LB (5): Jordyn Brooks, Tyrel Dodson, Jacob Rodriguez, Jackson Woodard, Willie Gay Jr.

Off: Ronnie Harrison Jr., Stephen Dix Jr., Jaheim Thomas

Comment: This remains the team’s best/deepest unit, led by Brooks, the All Pro. But the optimism has been reduced a bit because Trey Moore, the rookie fourth-round pick, recently had ankle surgery and Kyle Louis, a fellow rookie fourth-round pick, has pretty much been shifted to safety. Those absences help Gay, the veteran, and Woodard, a special teams ace. Harrison, who has battled injuries, could slide on the roster ahead of Gay. 

CB (6): JuJu Brents, Chris Johnson, Jason Marshall Jr., Ethan Bonner, Alex Austin, Marco Wilson

Off: A.J. Green III, Miles Battle, Jai’Onte’ McMillan

Comment: The first four names on this list are easy. Brents, Johnson and Marshall are the projected starters and Bonner, a special teams standout, is a key reserve. After that it’s a bit of a tossup among Austin, Wilson, and Green. The bottom part of this group could see lots of roster turnover during the season.

Safety (5): Dante Trader Jr., Kyle Louis, Zayne Anderson, Michael Taaffe, Lonnie Johnson Jr.

Off: Louis Moore, Major Burns

Comment: This is an unspectacular group, which is one reason Louis, a bit undersized as a 6-foot, 225-pound LB, was shifted. Trader has a high ceiling and Anderson, a special teams ace, was with Sullivan and Hafley in Green Bay. Taaffe, the rookie fifth-round pick, flashes. 

Specialists (3): Riley Patterson, Bradley Pinion, Tucker Addington

Off: None

Comment: Patterson, who was a dependable 27 of 29 on FGs last season, is the standout. Pinion had a so-so preseason that included punts of 25 and 15 yards.