Gesicki Tagged, But Expect a Very Different 2022 Roster

Miami will have a big roster churning this offseason

Despite TE Mike Gesicki getting the franchise tag, the Miami Dolphins roster we knew in 2021 will most certainly be a very different than the roster come Opening Day of 2022. Personnel turnover is par usual in the NFL, but this Miami Dolphins roster will see more than most teams. With only 50 players currently signed and many of them just placeholders, this roster could see as much as a 50% turnover from 2021! Will it be a better or worse roster when all is said and done? There is so much between here and there, so all we can really do is dial in on the expected huge turnover and start an early evaluation on where the deepest needs are.

As it stands now, the Dolphins have $53 million to spend on filling the roster. Minus $6-8 million needed to sign rookies, have around $45 million to work with in Free Agency. That’s a ton of money, but there are a ton of holes, so Miami can’t spend like drunken sailors.

New Phins Head Coach, new Phins regime, new Phins roster

Below are the notable names that are current UFA or RFAs:

• TE Durham Smythe UFA: Will likely find another team with Mike Gesicki, Cethan Carter, Adam Shaheen, and Hunter Long on the roster.
• LB Elandon Roberts UFA / Brennan Scarlett UFA / Duke Riley UFA: Will move on and Miami will likely upgrade the position in the draft. Also, Roberts was a Flores stalwart.
• CB Nik Needham UFA: After being brought back on the cheap in 2021, Needham might have played himself into a larger contract and Miami has Noah on the roster and Howard will command more this season. Feels like this Flores guy might be moving on.
• WR Mack Hollins UFA / Preston Williams RFA / Isaiah Ford UFA: I can see Hollins coming back or moving on. With Parker, Waddle, Bowden, and Hurns the only locked WRs on the roster, he might at least to battle for a Week 1 roster spot. With so much inconsistency due to injury, the intrigue of William’s talent and potential might have run its course in Miami. McDaniel might want to take one more shot at his vast talent… for the right price. The one thing that could grease his return is his excellent run blocking skills. Ford is a quality back end player who could reappear and disappear at any point. He is extremely smart and that could play a role in his return if the Dolphins don’t want to invest in the position this offseason.
• DE Emmanuel Ogbah UFA: A key piece to the Dolphins 2020 and 2021 Season, the chance Ogbah returns appears to be low. He’ll have plenty of suitors and Ogbah said Flores was a major reason why he came to Miami. Both these factors and the fact that Miami spent a 1st on Phillips, Van Ginkel will be a UFA in 2023, and Wilken might get a contract extension or a 5th year option, the Dolphins might have missed their chance to sign Ogbah last year. I expect him to be wearing another uniform in 2022.
• The Rest: Salvon Ahmed, Will Fuller, Sam Eguavoen, Duke Johnson, and Albert Wilson. Only Duke Johnson I could see being brought back… at the right price.

The contracted ‘core’ of 2022 Miami Dolphins

So, let’s carve off a load of the ‘fat’ of the existing 50 on the roster to really get a gist of what Miami has locked into the 2022 Season. T Kion Smith, WR Deandre Dedmon, DB Trill Williams, LB Darius Hodge, DE Deshaun Hall, WR Cody Core, CB Quincy Williams, and WR River Carcraft are low odds to make the WK 1 roster. So, the 50 under contract is really more like 42 actual players who have real potential to impact the 2022 Season. Add in these players: G Solomon Kindley, QB Chris Streveler, WR Allen Hurns, DB Clayton Fejedelem, TE Cethan Carter, OT Greg Little, LB Calvin Munson, OL Adam Pankey, T Larnel Coleman, T Robert Jones, and DB Javaris Davis and that’s 11 more players who are borderlines to make the roster for this reason or that.

That brings us to 31 players currently signed with a legit shot to make the roster… but, even some of them are question marks.

These are the actual core players on the roster:

• On offense: QB Tua Tagovailoa, WRs DeVante Parker, Jaylen Waddle, and Lynn Bowden, TEs Mike Gesicki, Adam Shaheen and Hunter Long, RB Myles Gaskin, FB John Lovett, and OLs Robert Hunt and Liam Eichenburg.
• On defense: CB Byron Jones and Xavien Howard, S Javon Holland and Brandon Jones, DB Eric Rowe DT Christian Wilkens, Raekwon Davis, Zach Seiler, and Adam Butler, Edges Jaelan Phillips and Andrew Van Ginkel, and LB Jerome Baker .
• On Special Teams: Blake Ferguson and Jason Sanders.

That’s 25 players certain to be on the 2022 roster with nearly all being players who’ll bring at least average production or greater. I do have concerns over Hunter Long, DeVante Parker’s injury issues, and Liam Eichenburg’s development. But, they’ll be counted on in 2022 no matter what.

And finally, these are the curious ones who might not make it or might be player who can help the Dolphins in 2022:

• T Austin Jackson has been terrible at both tackle and guard. He’ll be on the roster barring a complete collapse, but will he actually play well enough to make it or will his pedigree force him to stick?
• CB Noah Igbinoghene couldn’t even play well on special teams, but it will cost big to cut him and again, he has a high pedigree.
• OL Jesse Davis should have been playing guard his entire career here, but he was missed assigned to tackle and is just serviceable on the edge. At 31 years old and a cap savings of $3.6 million if cut, chances he might be cut or moved inside as a backup.
• C Michael Dieter has been injured, inconsistent, and a poor run blocker and entering his final year of his contract and would save Miami $2.6 million if cut.
• RB Gerald Doaks can he get his receiving game up to snuff to do more than be a practice player in 2022?
• CB D’Angelo Ross had some success for the Patriots in a very minor role and might be the guy the Phins are targeting to replace Needham.

So, in the end, I view Miami as having only 22 truly bankable players on the roster. But, the swing to the positive side could be pretty strong IF things break right for the Phins. That evaluation though won’t be really known until the first quarter of the 2022 Season has closed.

Gesicki is back and has a chance to stick long term

The Dolphins have the potential to upgrade the 2022 roster over the 2021 roster… but, it won’t be a cake walk. You can make a sure bet with the best pay per head that they must hit big a few times and ALSO hit smart and cost conscious at a very high degree through most of this Free Agency and draft to take this roster to the next level. Above all else, they must fix the offensive line because nothing is even close to as crucial as getting this O-line right.

This offseason might end up being a franchise defining moment for the Miami Dolphins… one way or the other! Let’s hope like heck they stick the landing! Go Phins!!!