The days of sweating through the heat of training camp are over.

So too are the three preseason games.

All attention for the Miami Dolphins will soon turn toward the Sept. 8 season-opener against visiting Jacksonville.

But first, some unpleasant business that is NFL reality must take place. The Dolphins have until 4 p.m. Tuesday to meet the 53-man roster limit. And so here's a projection of who's in, who's out, and what the 53 will look like:

Quarterbacks (3)

On the roster: Tua Tagovailoa, Mike White, Skylar Thompson.

The Dolphins have leaned toward keeping three over the years and given how close the competition is between Thompson and White, I don’t see that changing. But what's the pecking order? Thompson has outperformed White by a considerable margin (76.3 passer rating in preseason to 58.2). White’s edge is experience and possibly command of the huddle, but the offense has moved better with Thompson. Mike McDaniel might lean toward White based on experience, but Thompson ought to be the choice.

In: All three.

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Running backs (5)

On the roster: Anthony McFarland Jr., Jeff Wilson Jr., Jaylen Wright, Zander Horvath, De’Von Achane, FB Alec Ingold, Raheem Mostert, Chris Brooks.

The locks are Mostert, Achane, Wright and Ingold at fullback. At 226, Brooks is the heaviest of the running backs, offers the most promise in short-yardage situations where power is required and can help on special teams. That, unfortunately, leaves the Dolphins in a spot they’d rather not be: having to part with Wilson, who has come through when needed. It could come down to whether Miami can get something for Wilson via trade, or if teams will sit back expecting him to be released.

In: Wright, Achane, Ingold, Mostert, Brooks.

Receivers (5)

On the roster: Braxton Berrios, Mike Harley Jr., Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Erik Ezukanma, Je’Quan Burton, Jadon Janke, Malik Washington, Anthony Schwartz, River Cracraft, Braylon Sanders, Kyric McGowan.

Berrios, Hill and Waddle aren’t going anywhere. Neither is Cracraft, although the Dolphins will have to determine if his injury might keep him out long enough to make him a candidate for the physically unable to perform list. We’re thinking not, but speaking of PUP, we certainly can’t forget that Odell Beckham Jr. currently is on that list and hasn’t practiced all training camp. Beckham will be WR3 when healthy, but only the Dolphins have a solid idea when that will be. Ezukanma may have entered training camp down to his last strike but he has had a strong showing this summer and stays above the cut line. Sixth-round pick Malik Washington made no doubt he belongs with three big plays vs. Tampa Bay, including two on special teams.

In: Berrios, Hill, Waddle, Ezukanma, Washington. Cracraft to PUP.

Tight ends (3)

On the roster: Jonnu Smith, Hayden Rucci, Tanner Conner, Durham Smythe, Jody Fortson Jr., Julian Hill.

Smith has delivered in a big way this summer, in a variety of ways. He’ll be an important cog in the attack. Smythe will continue to do all the little things that are easily overlooked.

In: Smith, Smythe, Hill.

Offensive line (9)

On the roster: Patrick Paul, Aaron Brewer, Andrew Meyer, Matthew Jones, Chasen Hines, Robert Jones, Lester Cotton, Kendall Lamm, Terron Armstead, Austin Jackson, Liam Eichenberg, Jack Driscoll, Ryan Hayes, Bayron Matos (international pathway player). Also note that Isaiah Wynn is on PUP.

Armstead is the leader of the group but obviously has had bad luck with injuries, which is why the Dolphins drafted the huge Paul (6-feet-7, 332) with the 55th overall pick. Paul is still green but has shown enough to convince you he’ll be a worthy successor someday at left tackle to Armstead. Brewer has been out with an injury this training camp, forcing Eichenberg to shift over from guard. Jackson at RT joins Armstead, Brewer and Eichenberg as the nucleus of the men up front.

In: Paul, Brewer, Jones, Cotton, Lamm, Armstead, Jackson, Eichenberg, Driscoll.

Defensive line (5)

On the roster: Leonard Payne, Neville Gallimore, Da’Shawn Hand, Zach Sieler, Calais Campbell, Robert Cooper, Benito Jones, Brandon Pili, Isaiah Mack, Jonathan Harris.

With Christian Wilkins gone, Sieler becomes the anchor of this unit. Campbell was an interesting pickup well known to DC Anthony Weaver. Campbell has shown he has plenty left in the tank even at age 37. Jones returns to Miami after growth with the Lions. Speaking of growth, there’s Pili, who earned a roster spot last summer and seized his opportunity.

In: Sieler, Jones, Campbell, Pili, Hand.

Edge rushers (5)

On the roster: Jaelan Phillips, Chop Robinson, Mo Kamara, Emmanuel Ogbah, Quinton Bell, Wyatt Ray, David Anenih. Bradley Chubb and Cameron Goode are on PUP.

The real decision here won’t come until Chubb comes off PUP. Ogbah was a surprise of camp — surprise that he was re-signed, bigger surprise at how fresh he looks. He’ll be a factor in 2024. So will rookies Kamara and Robinson. It wouldn’t be fair to expect Phillips to be 100 percent from the start. Then again, the Dolphins wish they could instill his drive in everyone on the roster.

In: Phillips, Robinson, Kamara, Ogbah, Bell.

Linebackers (4)

On the roster: Anthony Walker Jr., David Long, Jordyn Brooks, Channing Tindall, Duke Riley, Dequan Jackson, Curtis Bolton.

Tindall was a third-rounder in 2023 who has been invisible. That is, until now. He's making plays and even led the team with 12 tackles vs. Tampa Bay. There's also that smile that crossed Weaver’s face this week when he discussed Tindall’s improvement. Long and Brooks should be leaders of this unit. Riley is a major special teams contributor.

In: Long, Brooks, Tindall, Riley.

Defensive backs (11)

On the roster: Kader Kohou, Jalen Ramsey, Jevon Holland, Jordan Poyer, Elijah Campbell, Cam Smith, Ethan Bonner, Kendall Fuller, Patrick McMorris, Siran Neal, Jordan Colbert, Storm Duck, Isaiah Johnson, Mark Perry, Nik Needham, Jason Maitre, Marcus Maye.

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Five easy picks here are Kohou, Ramsey, Holland, Poyer and Fuller. Neal has been a standout on special teams. Smith’s injury makes him a PUP candidatel. McMorris has had his moments and was a sixth-round pick. Coaches can talk all they want about how they don’t care how players arrived at the facility, but since 2020, only four draftees failed to make the team.

In: Kohou, Ramsey, Holland, Poyer, Campbell, Bonner, Fuller, McMorris, Neal, Needham, Maye. Smith to PUP.

Specialists (3)

On the roster: K Jason Sanders, P Jake Bailey, LS Blake Ferguson.

Even without competition, Sanders has had a strong camp.

In: Sanders, Bailey, Ferguson.

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

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Miami Dolphins' 53-man roster projection: Which 5 RBs make the cut?