Number 98 and the Three Players Who Wore It Best for the Miami Dolphins

Former first-round pick Jared Odrick headlines a lackluster list

Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Jared Odrick (98) takes the field before the game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field in 2014. / Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports

The countdown to the start of the 2024 regular season has begun now that we’re under 100 days away, so we’ll honor every day the best players to wear the correspondent number for the Dolphins.

We continue the series with number 98.

To set the ground rules, the top three will be determined only by what the players did while wearing that uniform for the Dolphins.

Players who wore 98 for the Miami Dolphins for at least one regular season game

DT Jackie Cline (1987-89), NT Shawn Lee (1990-91), DT Norman Hand (1996), DT Antoine Simpson (1999), DT Henry Taylor (2001), DT Damian Gregory (2001), DT Bryan Robinson (2004), DE/LB Matt Roth (2005-09), DT Jared Odrick (2010-14), DE Quinton Coples (2015), DE Jason Jones (2016), DT Gabe Wright (2017), DT Sylvester Williams (2018), DE Jonathan Ledbetter (2019); DT Raekwon Davis (2020-23)

The debate on the best 98 on the Dolphins

Considering only five players played more than one season for the Dolphins with that number, it’s obviously not a star-studded group. Jackie Cline started 11 games in 1988 for a Dolphins defense that was among the worst in the NFL. Shawn Lee was was an underrated nose tackle who played a key role in the defense’s resurgence in 1990 and went on to have a good career with the San Diego Chargers. Matt Roth was taken in the second round of the 2005 draft with the idea he’d help the pass rush, but he never had more than five sacks in any of his four full seasons in Miami. Jared Odrick started 41 games in five seasons with the Dolphins after being a first-round pick in 2010 and had between 4.5 and 6 sacks three consecutive seasons and was a solid player for the defense. Davis started 48 games in his first four seasons before leaving as an unrestricted free agent this offseason, but never could be considered a high-impact player.

The top three

1. Jared Odrick

2. Raekwon Davis

3. Matt Roth

Where No. 1 ranks among the NFL’s all-time best

We don’t really need to discuss this beyond mentioning that some of the best players to wear 98 in the NFL would include Colts defensive end Robert Mathis, Steelers nose tackle Casey Hampton, Giants linebacker Jessie Armstead and the late Tony Siragusa.