Kelly: Dolphins will burst plenty of NFL bubbles in the coming two weeks | Opinion

The key to surviving, if not thriving, in the NFL is maximizing the moments, and capitalizing on opportunity when it comes your way.

Whether that’s inheriting a starting spot (Lester Cotton) that became vacant because of someone’s injury, or benefiting from another player’s release, like Brandon Pili seems to be doing, putting himself in position to be the second-team nose tackle because of Teair Tart’s dismissal on Tuesday.

Maybe it’s being called on to lead a unit (River Cracraft) when others are being paced during training camp. Everyone typically gets a chance to solidify their footing on the team, and depth chart, and it typically comes down to how the player on the spot performs when the lights shine bright.

Here’s a look at a couple of roster bubble situations the Dolphins decision-makers will without question debate to figure out how they want to formulate the 53-man roster, which must be delivered to the NFL in two weeks.

▪ Defensive line: Tart’s release opens the door for Pili to make the team as the backup nose tackle to Benito Jones. Nose tackles are hard to find, so expect Pili to either make the 53 or be retained on the practice squad if he isn’t claimed. But Isaiah Mack, a four-year veteran who has bounced around the NFL plenty, has a knack for making plays in practice, and showcased that in the preseason when he recovered a Falcons fumble, and set up a 5-yard touchdown run.

▪ Offensive line: The Dolphins will likely keep 10 offensive linemen on the 53-man roster because that unit has been the most decimated by injuries the past few seasons, which has created the “you can never have enough” mind-set regarding O-linemen in the NFL. Patrick Paul, Kendall Lamm and Jack Driscoll are the top backups to Miami’s projected starters. The Dolphins are looking for players such as Cotton to raise their hand and prove they belong more so than a player such as Ryan Hayes, Sean Harlow or Chasen Hines, who was released last week and came back because of Kion Smith’s season-ending knee injury.

▪ Inside linebacker: How much longer are the Dolphins going to wait for Channing Tindall to figure it out? He’s on his third defense and still lacks the instincts needed to become an impactful inside linebacker. At this point Ezekiel Vandenburgh is ahead of him on the depth cart. Who sticks around as Miami’s fifth inside linebacker might come down to who contributes on special teams.

▪ Safety: Marcus Maye has a resume that trumps every safety but Jordan Poyer on the team. He has started all 77 NFL games he’s played the past seven seasons, but is struggling to get, and stay ahead of Elijah Campbell on the depth chart. Maye’s future depends on how much he can contribute on special teams and whether his value exceeds what rookie Patrick McMorris, who led the team in tackles against the Falcons, brings to the team.

▪ Cornerback: Nik Needham’s no longer the young, talented undrafted rookie who became a starting cornerback. He’s a grizzled five-year veteran who is in the middle of a position switch, going from cornerback to safety. He’s valued for his intelligence, versatility and ability to consistently be in the right spot, but where does he fall in the cornerback or safety pecking order on the depth chart? If the decision’s among Needham, Ethan Bonner, who has shined this camp, and Siran Neal, a special teams standout, then Needham’s tenure in Miami might be coming to an end.

▪ Tailback: Tailback happens to be the most crowded unit on the roster, and complicating matters is the fact everyone brings something different to the table. Raheem Mostert, De’Von Achane and Jaylen Wright are all safe. So that means Jeff Wilson Jr., a hard-nosed runner, Chris Brooks, a young power back, and Salvon Ahmed, a talented scatback, are all competing for one, maybe two available tailback spots on the 53-man roster.

▪ Receiver: Erik Ezukanma, Braylon Sanders and Anthony Schwartz are all on unstable footing because they haven’t performed well enough to crack the top five receiver spots, and rookie receiver Malik Washington has his inexperience and draft standing as a sixth-round pick on his side, possibly keeping him safe. Ezukanma, a 2022 fourth-round pick, just returned from an injury that sidelined him for two weeks. He will need to produce more than Sanders and Schwartz, who were on Miami’s practice squad last season.

▪ Tight end: Jonnu Smith, Durham Smythe and Julian Hill have locked in the top three tight end roles, but Miami needs a fourth because of how often, and how frequently the team uses a two tight end set. Tanner Conner has shined this camp, but he’s sidelined by the ribs injury he suffered last season. That opens the door for Jody Fortson Jr. to close ground on Conner, but he’s sidelined now by a stinger too. The next two weeks will likely determine if Conner or Fortson are destined to be on the practice squad or not.