Omar Kelly: Dolphins players on the fringe are running out of time

MIAMI — Cameron Goode is so used to being on the Miami Dolphins’ roster bubble he pays no attention to where he’s placed on the depth chart every day.

“Whenever my number is called and they put me in there I do the best that I can to make a play.” said Goode, who produced one sack in mop-up duty of Friday night’s 20-7 preseason loss to the Washington Commanders.

Goode, a 2022 seventh-round pick, has found a home on Miami’s roster the past couple of years because of his standout special teams play. Despite having a solid training camp, if he survives the Aug. 30 cut down of the roster — where every team goes from 90 to 53 players — it will be because of how he plays in the third phase of the game.

But Goode, who worked his way up from the Dolphins’ practice squad, has got work to do to impress this new coaching staff and the team’s talent evaluators, as do dozens of others.

Here’s a look at the 10 players whose future with the Dolphins — and possibly in the NFL — will come down to how they perform in the next two weeks:

— Edge rusher Cameron Goode: Goode has been one of the Dolphins’ top special teams performers for three of the past four seasons he has been in Miami, and he’s had a surprisingly impressive camp. This actually might be the best he has ever practiced in a training camp, but the former University of California standout needs to be a leader and head-knocker on special teams to extend his South Florida stay. However, if cut, Goode likely won’t be out of work for long.

— Receiver Tahj Washington: Washington’s the example of what can happen to a football talent when he doesn’t seize his opportunities. Last year Miami’s coaches were so enticed by how Washington practiced leading up to the Baltimore Ravens game they created a whole package of plays for him. But he fumbled his first reception, and Miami scrapped those plans. He squandered the moment. There’s talent there, which was showcased on Monday when Washington caught a walk-off touchdown catch from Cam Miller on the final snap of practice. With Kevin Coleman Jr. working his way back from an undisclosed injury and A.J. Henning impressing regularly, Washington’s running out of opportunities to impress these new coaches.

— Safety Lonnie Johnson Jr. Johnson’s a former second-round pick who has carved out an NFL career for himself as a special teams contributor. But this was supposed to be his opportunity to prove he has the talent to be a starter again (22 career starts). The problem is an unspecified injury, which has sidelined him for most of training camp, kept the former Kentucky standout from getting the snaps he needs to prove it.

— Safety Louis Moore: There’s likely one available backup safety spot behind Dante Trader Jr., Zayne Anderson and rookie Michael Taaffe, and Moore has just as much of a shot to land it as Johnson, or former UFL standout Major Burns. This undrafted rookie from Indiana has flashed every couple of days in training camp, and if he keeps progressing, and plays well on special teams, he could survive cut-down day. But his future likely depends on how Miami’s coaches feel about all the other safeties in camp.

— Defensive tackle Matthew Butler: I was quite surprised when Butler made it into Miami’s 53-man roster last year, and was disappointed when he was playing ahead of Zeek Biggers early in the 2025 season. This camp, the fourth-year veteran has been as reliable and consistent as it gets. So much so, it has been hard to differentiate between him and Kenneth Grant, the Dolphins’ 2025 first-round pick. Whether that’s a compliment or an insult depends on your perspective.

— Edge rusher Max Llewellyn: If every draft pick safely makes it onto the 53-man roster then this former Iowa standout, whom the Dolphins selected in the seventh round of the 2026 draft, is safe. He has been heating up lately in practice, which is a positive sign. But Llewellyn has a long way to go to prove he’s a reliable NFL player, and special teams contributor. Placing him on the waiver wire with the intention of putting him on Miami’s practice squad would be ideal.

— Tight end Cole Turner: There are moments during training camp where Turner flashes as a playmaker. Then the third-year veteran vanishes into obscurity. The Dolphins need to find a legitimate third tight end because Seydou Traore, the team’s 2026 fifth-round pick, a European talent import, looks a little green. Will it be Turner, Ben Sims or a tight end off the waiver wire?

— Linebacker Ronnie Harrison Jr.: This linebacker/safety hybrid is one of the oldest and most seasoned veterans on the team since this is his ninth NFL season. He was having a decent camp before missing Friday night’s game and Monday’s practice for unknown reasons. The numbers aren’t in his favor considering the Dolphins have three rookies in Jacob Rodriguez, Trey Moore and Kyle Louis that will likely inherit most of the snaps in the final two preseason games.

— Quarterback Cam Miller: Is there a reason to keep a third quarterback on the 53-man roster? Not based on talent. Miller’s marginal from a talent standpoint. However, can the Dolphins do better when it comes to a practice squad quarterback? Only time, the cuts, and general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and Jeff Hafley’s reputation and connections will provide that answer. Friday night proved the Dolphins clearly need a better backup to Malik Willis. We all saw what happened in 2024 when the Dolphins didn’t have a quality backup quarterback.

— Tailback Carlos Washington Jr. - He’s been impressive in his limited opportunities. But is there room for four tailbacks on the 53-man roster of this team? We also need to discover if this is training camp flashing, and the exhibition season (one carry for 2 yards on Friday) should clarify that.

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