MIAMI GARDENS — The cuts are in. We now know the Dolphins' initial 53-man roster. You can bet plenty more tinkering will be done, likely for depth at quarterback and possibly receiver, plus a glaring hole at long snapper.

Eight rookies made the team, including six draft picks, to help account for 20 of the 53 survivors being players who were not in the organization in 2023.

Mike McDaniel's Dolphins have made the playoffs the past two years, but with this kind of turnover, have they improved over 2023? Let's take a look at each position group to compare. Rookies are denoted with an asterisk:

More: Miami Dolphins roster cuts live tracker as NFL teams trim to 53 players

Quarterbacks

2023: Tua Tagovailoa, Mike White, Skylar Thompson.

2024: Tagovailoa, Thompson.

Edge: 2024. No knock on White. It’s more of a recognition that Tagovailoa is coming off a Pro Bowl season and therefore it’s logical to expect continued improvement this year. Thompson clearly has improved, too. The Dolphins likely will add a third QB.

Running backs

2023: Raheem Mostert, De’Von Achane, Jeff Wilson Jr., FB Alec Ingold, Chris Brooks. (Salvon Ahmed on IR.)

2024: Mostert, Achane, Wilson, Ingold, Jaylen Wright*.

Edge: 2024. It’ll be a challenge for Mostert to chalk up 18 rushing TDs again, but 2024 gets the edge because of a healthy Achane (we suppose; he never was quite the same after his knee injury last year) and of course the introduction of Wright.

Receivers

2023: Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Braxton Berrios, Robbie Chosen, River Cracraft, Cedrick Wilson Jr., Chase Claypool. (Erik Ezukanma non-football injury.)

2024: Hill, Waddle, Berrios, Malik Washington*, (Odell Beckham Jr. on IR).

Edge: 2024 with Beckham, toss-up without him. That’s the burning question, isn’t it? How long will Beckham be out? He makes for a solid WR3, which this team lacked last year.

Tight ends

2023: Durham Smythe, Tyler Kroft, Julian HIll.

2024: Jonnu Smith, Smythe, Tanner Conner, Hill.

Edge: 2024 easily, because of all Smith brings and the many ways he’ll be used in McDaniel’s offense.

Offensive line

2023: Terron Armstead, Austin Jackson, Robert Hunt, Liam Eichenberg, Robert Jones, Lester Cotton,  Kendall Lamm, Keon Smith, Jonathan Harrison.

2024: Armstead, Jackson, Eichenberg, Jones, Cotton, Lamm, Patrick Paul*, Aaron Brewer, Andrew Meyer*, Jack Driscoll, (Isaiah Wynn PUP).

Edge: 2023. Hunt received a far bigger contract from Carolina than the Dolphins could afford, but his loss is big. Brewer should help at center, but he has been injured and out of the picture. There was an interesting comment this week from Tagovailoa when asked about his offensive line: “Well, brother, I get the ball out fast, so I am confident with anybody we’ve got up there.” It would be nice if Tagovailoa could take three seconds to unload if he needs it.

Defensive line

2023: Christian Wilkins, Zach Sieler, Raekwon Davis, Da’Shawn Hand. (Brandon Pili practice squad.)

2024: Sieler, Calais Campbell, Hand, Benito Jones, Pili.

Edge: 2023, easily. The loss of Wilkins hangs over not just the DL but the entire roster. Sieler is a capable leader here and Campbell and Jones are nice vets to bring in, but nobody is Wilkins.

Edge rushers

2023: Jaelan Phillips (IR), Bradley Chubb (IR), Andrew Van Ginkel, Melvin Ingram, Emmanuel Ogbah.

2024: Phillips, Chop Robinson*, Mo Kamara*, Ogbah, Quinton Bell. (Chubb to PUP.)

Edge: Have to say 2023 (prior to Chubb and Phillips getting hurt). How healthy is Phillips? How long will it take Chubb to return? Obviously, the additions of Robinson and Kamara are a plus, but the loss of Van Ginkel stings. So many moving pieces here.

Linebackers

2023: Jerome Baker (IR), David Long, Channing Tindall, Duke Riley, Bruce Irvin, Calvin Munson, Justin Houston, Zeke Vandenburgh.

2024: Long, Jordyn Brooks, Tindall, Riley, Anthony Walker Jr.

Edge: Slight edge to 2024 on the strength of the Brooks addition.

Defensive backs

2023: Jalen Ramsey, Jevon Holland, Xavien Howard, Kader Kohou, Justin Bethel, DeShon Elliott, Elijah Campbell, Cam Smith, Brandon Jones, Eli Apple, Nik Needham.

2024: Ramsey, Holland, Kohou, Jordan Poyer, Kendall Fuller, Campbell, Ethan Bonner, Patrick McMorris*, Siran Neal, Storm Duck*, Marcus Maye. (Smith to IR.)

Edge: The idea that the Dolphins (hopefully) will have a healthy Ramsey for a full season is enough to put 2024 over the top here. Poyer is living up to his billing. It’s only natural that some in the supporting cast will thrive when the lights go on and some might not. The secondary in 2023 had some liabilities. Would rather take our chances with the current group.

Specialists

2023: K Jason Sanders, P Jake Bailey, LS Blake Ferguson.

2024: Sanders, Bailey.

Edge: 2023, I guess. At least it included someone to snap.

Dolphins reporter Hal Habib can be reached at hhabib@pbpost.com. Follow him on social media @gunnerhal.

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This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Dolphins have 20 new players on 2024 roster and they're not done