Miami Dolphins Players That Could be on the Bubble

As much as I’d like to say that every signing and draft pick works out and the new player provides value to their team, that’s simply not the case in the NFL. Oftentimes, some players have shown flashes of greatness in previous seasons or contributed in substantial ways in the past, but find themselves cut before the beginning of the season. As I look at the Miami Dolphins roster heading into training camp, a couple of names stick out as players who are likely to be cut before week 1. 

Alexander Mattison

Mattison’s signing was an exciting moment for those of us who wanted the Miami Dolphins to focus their offense less on motions and speed and more on hard-nosed downhill running. The former Raider and Viking provides decent size at 5’11 220 pounds and projects to be a nice change of pace from De’Von Achane and Jaylen Wright. Though he has lasted 6 years in the league, which is no easy feat, he has mostly been relegated to the role of backup. His career high rushing yards was 700 in 2023, which earned him a contract with the Raiders last season, where he backed up Josh Jacobs and put up 420 yards and four touchdowns, but only managed 3.2 yards per carry. 

What makes me unsure of his place on the roster is the selection of Ollie Gordon II in the 6th round of April’s draft. Gordon is taller than Mattison at 6’1 and out weighs him by six pounds. While he’s coming off a down season at Oklahoma State, his 2023 season is the stuff of legends. Gordon had 1,732 yards and 21 touchdowns on the ground on his way to winning the Doak Walker Award, which honors the top running back in college football. While neither player is set to make a lot of money next season, Gordon will be under contract for the next 4 years, providing Miami with extra incentive to invest in the rookie over the veteran.

Should Mattison be released, he would only count against Miami’s cap for $1,197,500. With Achane and Wright, it feels like there are already too many mouths to feed at the position. We watched as Wright struggled to find the field behind Achane and Mostert last season, so it is easy to imagine that a 4th running back would find himself riding the bench even more frequently. Something that is more appealing to a rookie than it would be to a 6-year vet. 

Erik Ezukanma 

I admit that during Ezukanma’s rookie season, when he showed flashes during the preseason, I was fully bought in on the hype. I thought the Dolphins had struck gold with their 4th round pick, and he would be a huge part of the team’s success moving forward. This made things extra disappointing when he wouldn’t even find the field until Week 18 of that season, posting only one reception for 3 yards.

In 2023, it seemed like the team was set to use him in a Deebo Samuel role, where he would line up at receiver and running back, but that ended after only two games when he was placed on the reserve/non-football injury list. Last season, he played two more games but didn’t record a stat in either of them. 

Malik Washington began to emerge as the third option for the Dolphins at the end of last season. He had 26 receptions for 223 yards and looks primed to continue to grow in 2025. Tahj Washington, out of USC, had a lot of hype coming into last season, but unfortunately, he sustained an injury in camp and was placed on injured reserve in July. The team also added former Titans receiver Malik Washington in free agency, not to mention several undrafted rookies. It is easy to imagine a world where the Dolphins and Ezukanma part ways. 

Jake Bailey 

Bailey has been a solid, if boring, punter the past few seasons. His 47.1 average per punt was 18th in the league, and he was 21st in punts inside the opposing team’s 20-yard line. He is a completely inoffensive player who you don’t really think too much about. His undoing may come in the form of nepotism, or perhaps put less negatively, competition with another punter who may have a leg up due to prior connections. 

The Dolphins signed former Titans punter Ryan Stonehouse in the offseason, setting up a competition between the two punters. Stonehouse has a bit of a leg up because Miami also hired former Titans special teams coordinator Craig Akerman. The pair overlapped in Tennessee, which would give Stonehouse the edge. Not to mention that Stonehouse was a more productive punter last season, averaging 50.6 yards per punt, which was good for 4th in the league. The two punters were tied when it came to punts inside the 20. We see this happen in the NFL when a new coach comes in, they bring in their guys, and the incumbent players are cast to the wayside. 

So, what are your thoughts on these three players being on the bubble? Are there any other players you believe won’t be on the Dolphins’ roster for much longer? Let me know in the comments. 

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