MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The Miami Dolphins have the fewest picks in the 2022 NFL Draft, so they'll need to make the most of their opportunities when they're on the clock.
Here are five positions of need for the Dolphins that could be addressed this weekend, in order of greatest need.
Center
Current Roster Count: 1
Returning: Michael Deiter
New: None
Presumed Starter: Deiter
Michael Deiter is the starter by default, considering he's the only center on the roster. But the Dolphins will be looking for some competition at that position in the locker room.
Deiter started eight games at center last season, but an injury kept him off the field for the other nine. The 2019 third-round draft pick made the switch to center after spending the first two seasons at left guard.
Expect the Dolphins to make center a priority in the draft.
Defensive End
Current Roster Count: 2
Returning: Emmanuel Ogbah
New: Daeshon Hall
Presumed Starter: Ogbah
The Dolphins are in desperate need of another pass rusher. Emmanuel Ogbah is a lock on one end, but the Dolphins need a reliable edge rusher to put opposite him.
Daeshon Hall spent the 2020 season on San Francisco's practice squad and sat out last season before signing with Miami in February.
Running Back
Current Roster Count: 5
Returning: Salvon Ahmed, Gerrid Doaks, Myles Gaskin
New: Chase Edmonds, Raheem Mostert
Presumed Starter: Mostert
The Dolphins acquired Raheem Mostert in free agency from the San Francisco 49ers, but the rest of the depth chart leaves plenty to be desired. Ahmed and Gaskins, the lone holdovers from last season, combined for just 761 yards and three scores, so Miami could use a young back it can groom to complement Mostert.
Mostert, who played for the Dolphins as an undrafted rookie in 2015, is not only back in his home state, but he's also reunited with new Miami head coach Mike McDaniel, who was his offensive coordinator in San Francisco.
Edmonds, who came to Miami from Arizona in free agency, has started 15 games in four seasons with the Cardinals.
Linebacker
Current Roster Count: 9
Returning: Jerome Baker, Sam Eguavoen, Darius Hodge, Calvin Munson, Jaelan Phillips, Duke Riley, Elandon Roberts, Brennan Scarlett, Andrew Van Ginkel
New: None
Presumed Starter: Baker, Phillips, Van Ginkel
The linebacker corps is good. It's just not great.
Miami hasn't had a Pro Bowl linebacker on its roster since Joey Porter in 2008. That could change with the emergence of converted defensive end Jaelan Phillips, whose 8.5 sacks last season set a rookie record for the Dolphins.
The Dolphins have a history of drafting linebackers in later rounds, including Jerome Baker (third-round pick in 2018) and Andrew Van Ginkel (fifth-round pick in 2019), who contributed a combined 9.5 sacks last season.
Punter
Current Roster Count: 1
Returning: None
New: Thomas Morstead
Presumed Starter: Morstead
The team has signed veteran Thomas Morstead from the Atlanta Falcons, but he's not likely to be a long-term solution for Miami.
Morstead has only played in seven games each of the past two seasons, so he could be on his last leg, so to speak.
If Miami targets youth over experience for this position, why not get the nation's best? Matt Araiza was last year's Ray Guy Award winner as college football's top punter.
