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The Miami Dolphins are 1-1 in the preseason and have already begun the slow process of cutting their roster down to 53. The starters have not played much going into the final preseason game but some players have already been put on notice.
Rookie quarterback Skylar Thompson has outplayed backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. Wide receiver Preston Williams is getting passed over for Trent Sherfield and River Cracraft. Cornerback Noah Igbinoghene is being pushed onto the roster bubble by Keion Crossen, Kader Kohou, and Mackensie Alexander.
Even former starting running back Myles Gaskin is in danger of being a victim of roster cuts.
Going into a pivotal 2022 season, the Dolphins have shown fans the good, bad, and ugly thus far. There have been a few surprises and some of those surprises could end up stealing someone's job.
Dolphins backups who can steal a first-string job in 2022
Durham Smythe
The Dolphins franchise-tagged tight end Mike Gesicki in the early days of free agency. The move was a no-brainer considering Gesicki is one of the best receiving tight ends in the NFL. Last season, Gesicki had arguably his best year. He had a career-high 73 receptions for 780 yards. He also came down with two touchdowns.
While Gesicki would be a shoo-in to start on most teams, the Dolphins might not be one of them. New head coach Mike McDaniel has placed an emphasis on the running game. In his offense, tight ends need to be able to block effectively. Gesicki's biggest weakness is that he is not a strong blocker. He is essentially an oversized slot receiver.
Gesicki opened training camp as the starting tight end but Durham Smythe has a stronger case to be named the starter instead.
During the preseason teams usually rest their starters, but through two preseason games, Gesicki has played more snaps than almost all of the projected starters. He has not impressed either. He has been targeted seven times and has four catches for 40 yards.
Smythe is the ideal tight end for the system McDaniel wants to run because he is a solid blocker. While not the receiver Gesicki is, Smythe did have a career-high 34 catches for 357 yards.
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The Dolphins will not have to take Smythe out on run plays due to his blocking prowess. This makes the offense less predictable. Even on passing downs, he can be an additional blocker while the Dolphins sub in a speedier receiver.
Gesicki has been on the chopping block for quite some time now. The Dolphins drafted tight end Hunter Long in the 2021 NFL Draft before giving Gesicki the franchise tag.
Now with McDaniel in tow and his limited opportunities through training camp, Gesicki might be playing his last season in Miami.
Erik Ezukanma
The Dolphins signed wide receiver Cedrick Wilson Jr. to a three-year $22.8 million deal in free agency to be the team's primary slot receiver. He has been solid through training camp but rookie Erik Ezukanma is definitely someone to watch for.
Ezukanma is coming off a big performance against the Las Vegas Raiders where he had six catches for 114 yards. He is currently listed as the fifth-string wide receiver on the depth chart but he is rapidly ascending.
Miami drafted Ezukanma in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He is big, fast, and has great hands. The only thing keeping him from leapfrogging Wilson Jr. entirely is the investment the Dolphins have put into Wilson Jr.
Both have shown promise but Ezukanma has outperformed Wilson Jr. thus far.
