Miami Dolphins expected to be required to cut players before camp. Here are the candidates

A six-pack of Miami Dolphins notes on a Friday:

▪ The Dolphins have been standing pat with a roster of 87 players, four below the number they would be permitted to take to 2020 training camp in a pre-pandemic world.

As it turns out, Miami might need to cut as many as a dozen players before camp begins later this month.

In an effort to control the spread of COVID-19, the NFL has spoken to the players union about having teams bring 75 to 80 players to camp instead of the usual 90, multiple league sources told the Miami Herald this week. Miami ordinarily would have a roster ceiling of 91 this year because guard Durval Queiroz Neto has a roster exemption for the second year in a row as part of the NFL’s international program.

In exchange for the union accepting that concession, the NFL likely would agree to a larger practice squad, according to two longtime agents. The practice squad could increase from 10 to 16 to 20.

Why cut the amount of players brought to training camp?

The thinking is that a socially distanced locker room would be unrealistic with 90 players, and the virus would be less likely to spread with 75 to 80 socially distanced players in a locker room.

ESPN reported that the league and union also have discussed splitting each team’s roster into two groups and having each practice at a different time.

So who on the Dolphins could be at risk of being cut before training camp?

On offense, those in jeopardy could include six undrafted rookies — offensive linemen Jonathan Hubbard, Nick Kaltamayer and Donell Stanley, receivers Kirk Merritt and Matt Cole and tight end Bryce Sterk — and a few veterans, including offensive linemen Adam Pankey and Keaton Sutherland, quarterback Jake Rudock, fullback Chandler Cox, receivers Ricardo Louis and Mack Hollins and tight end Chris Myarick.

I would be surprised if the Dolphins simply released all their undrafted rookies, especially one of the receivers, Stanley (a backup center contender) and possibly Hubbard, an under-the-radar prospect who was given $35,000 guaranteed.

Rudock could be worth keeping in camp if COVID sidelines one or two of the team’s other quarterbacks. Cox would be at risk regardless because linebacker Elandon Roberts can play fullback. Myarick, who showed flashes last preseason, deserves a shot to stick. Louis, who has not played in an NFL game since 2017 because of knee injuries, faces an uphill climb in a crowded receiver room.

▪ On defense, those in jeopardy potentially would include four undrafted rookies - defensive linemen Tyshun Render, Benito Jones and Ray Lima and linebacker Kylan Johnson — plus veteran linebackers Calvin Munson and James Crawford, perhaps defensive end Avery Moss and perhaps a veteran defensive back such as Nate Brooks or even Cordrea Tankersley, who hasn’t played in a game in 21 months.

I would be surprised if the Dolphins release Render, who was given a $65,000 guarantee, or Jones.

▪ NFL player representatives voted this week to play no preseason games, but it’s unclear if the NFL will be OK with that, ESPN reported. The league already was planning to cut the preseason from four games to two.

Meanwhile, NFL players had a conference call on Friday and NFL Network reported that the union has discussed a schedule that would open camps with three days of medical testing, 21 days of strength and conditioning, 10 days of unpadded practice and 14 days with a maximum of 10 practices, including eight padded.

That would take teams directly into Week 1 of the season on Sept. 10-14, without time for preseason games.

Whether the NFL would approve this is very much in question.

The Dolphins and other teams are scheduled to open camp July 28 — with rookies reporting July 21 — but those dates conceivably could change. Dozens of issues still must be negotiated between the league and union.

The NFLPA’s proposal would have players in small groups initially, including fewer than 15 players together for strength and conditioning and no more than 40 players for unpadded practices.

▪ New Dolphins running back Matt Breida, acquired from San Francisco on the third day of the NFL Draft, told NFL Network that the Dolphins “plan on using me a bunch of different ways just like the Niners did. And I just can’t wait to get down there and get started.

“With my experience being in a Super Bowl, I feel like I know what a team takes to get to that point, what the culture has got to be like, how we’ve got to compete every day. Just the way these guys worked last year. I’ve seen how the Dolphins finished off the last couple of stretches of the games they played, and coach Flo [Brian Flores] has got them going in the right direction and I’ve seen that through the virtual meetings. So I’m excited to get down there and start working with these guys.”

▪ One thing I’ve been told is not to overlook Kamu Grugier-Hill in the battle with Raekwon McMillan for a starting inside linebacker job. Grugier-Hill, who started a combined 16 games for Philadelphia during the past two seasons, might be the fastest and best coverage linebacker on the team.

At this point, I would expect Jerome Baker at inside linebacker and Kyle Van Noy at outside linebacker a good deal of the time.

▪ Found it interesting that Preston Williams was targeted second most in the red zone last season among NFL receivers in comparison to the number of routes run in the red zone, per Pro Football Focus.

Williams ran 28 routes in the red zone and was targeted 10 times, a percentage ranking behind only Green Bay’s DeVante Adams. Williams scored three touchdowns in eight games before a knee injury prematurely ended his rookie season. Williams has said he will be ready for the Sept. 13 regular-season opener.

Here’s my Friday piece with a recruiting guru analyzing UM’s 2021 class.

Here’s my Friday Heat piece on Kelly Olynyk and draft preparations.