How Many WRs Do The Miami Dolphins Keep On The 53?

There’s only one preseason game left, and the Miami Dolphins still have major questions on the roster.

Will they trade for or sign another veteran CB? With Germain Ifedi and Yodny Cajuste on IR, will they go to the free agency well one more time for a backup Tackle? Who wins the QB2 job when it’s all said and done?

These are all great questions… but I cannot help but think about the WR room. Or, more specifically, how many WRs will the Dolphins keep on the 53-man roster?

I ask this because, other than the defensive line and LB (which are both absolutely LOADED), I’m not sure there’s a more fleshed-out position group on this roster than the current WR room.

You have the bona fide stars with Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, even if the former is wearing thin with some in the fanbase. Newcomer Nick Westbrook-Ikhine gives the room physicality in the run game and a bigger target for Tua. Then, you have one of the few bright spots on the 2024 Dolphins roster with Malik Washington. The former Virginia wideout earned his spot last season with his crisp routes, tenacious effort, and stepping up when other WRs ahead of him either couldn’t go due to injury or they caught a case of “quit on your team-itis.”

Throughout the McDaniel/Grier regime, we’ve seen the team keep between 4 to 6 WRs on the active roster post-cutdowns. In 2024, Miami kept just 4 WRs (Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Braxton Berrios, and Malik Washington). Odell Beckham Jr. and River Cracraft started the season on the PUP list and IR, respectively.

In 2025, this room is drastically different. Hell, this team is drastically different. They’ve gone from one of the oldest rosters to one of the youngest, and you clearly see that reflected in the WR room.

Sure, you have some vets like Hill, Waddle, Westbrook-Ikhine, and Dee Eskridge. But, like many other positions on this roster, there is a sense of youthful competitiveness in the WR room. It’s filled with unproven (but intriguing) players like Tahj Washington, AJ Henning, and Theo Wease. Even Malik Washington, who has already earned a meaningful role in the offense, continues to flash when given an opportunity.

Despite the dumb joke earlier, this isn’t a “Get Tyreek Hill out of Miami” type of article. But, logistically, it’s highly unlikely he’ll be on this team when the 2026 off-season comes to an end. And when you look at the current WR room, it’s easy to be optimistic about the future depth at the position.

Meet The Miami Dolphins WR Room

So, who should Miami keep on its 53-man roster? Which WRs make the cut?

To get the obvious out of the way, the top 4 WRs are locks for the 53 (Hill, Waddle, Westbrook-Ikhine, and Malik Washington). Beyond those guys? Well, that’s where it gets interesting.

Dee Eskridge and AJ Henning have been solid in the return game. Henning is the moldable undrafted rookie with some upside as a return option, despite his fumble against the Lions last week. As for Eskridge, the former 2nd-rounder has shown he still has some juice on offense as well with an impressive performance in Detroit (3 receptions on 53 yards and a TD).

Deeeeeeee‼️ pic.twitter.com/zYkpvNGItF

— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) August 16, 2025

The Miami Dolphins drafted Tahj Washington in the 7th round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Unfortunately, his rookie season was cut short due to a leg injury that took him out for the whole year. I say all of that to suggest this is our first real look at Tahj Washington in the NFL, and I can’t speak for anyone else, but he’s been exceeding my expectations so far.

To get the negatives out of the way, his greatest strengths are also working against him. He’s small, quick, and shifty. A lot of players in this room have similar traits. But I will say this. Out of all the depth WRs, I would argue Tahj Washington has easily been the most electric of the bunch.

Theo Wease Jr, Andrew Armstrong, Tarik Black, and Erik Ezukanma are larger targets who could bring more of a physical game to the room. Key word there being “could.”

Wease and fellow rookie Quinn Ewers showed remarkable chemistry against the Lions as they connected on 2 TDs. As for Armstrong, Black, and Ezukanma? Well, there’s one more pre-season game left, so we’ll see if they can make something of it.

Make that ✌️ TDs for @QuinnEwers & @_TheoWeaseJr today 😁 pic.twitter.com/uaanajSLfH

— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) August 16, 2025

More WRs, Less RBs?

Getting back to the question. Who makes the cut?

Again, we have our top 4 guaranteed. Out of the WRs who remain, Dee Eskridge seems like the most likely and most deserving candidate to make the 53 due to his work on Special Teams and the aforementioned renewed spark in his game.

Now, the question becomes, do they stop there? I’d say yes… if Alexander Mattison didn’t get injured.

Prior to Mattison going down, it seemed like Miami would be guaranteed to keep 4 RBs on the roster with De’Von Achane, Jaylen Wright, Mattison, and Ollie Gordon. Achane would be the playmaking superstar who gets a ton of touches. Wright would be his backup and take up more of a “traditional” RB role. Mattison would be the short-yardage back. And Ollie Gordon could have essentially taken a semi-redshirt season as a depth option.

With Mattison on IR due to a neck injury, which thankfully doesn’t seem to be career-ending, Gordon appears to be earning reps in Mattison’s old role. On top of that, the team has signed Mike Boone and Aaron Shampkin for pre-season depth.

Considering all of that, including the depth RBs possibly going on the Practice Squad, Miami could very well only keep 3 RBs and 6 WRs instead of 4 RBs and 5 WRs. And if that is the case, as crazy as it may sound, I think Theo Wease barely has the advantage over Tahj Washington. Simply put, Wease gives this offense something different. A more physical option that can win in the red zone and in contested situations.

Maybe Tahj Washington shows out again next week against Jacksonville, or Theo Wease can’t keep the momentum going. The battle for this potential roster spot is so close that I could change my mind, depending on the day you ask me.

Either way, the Miami Dolphins have made a point this past offseason to shift the culture in the facility. Less “Ferraris in a snowstorm” (as some people would say) and more focus on players who can win games that turn into fights.

The WR room is a good, while imperfect, reflection of that new mindset.

How many WRs do you think the Miami Dolphins will keep on the 53-man roster? Who makes the cut? Let us know in the comments!