The pressure is ramped up several notches and so is the uncertainty. It's not only that the regular season opener against Baltimore is now less than two weeks away, it's that this Saturday by 4 p.m. the roster must be trimmed by 37 players, from 90 to 53.

As I look at this roster, as I break it down position by position, I can't think of the last time there were so many unknowns heading into Decision Week, the last time the depth chart was this fluid or the last time so many young players had a chance to dramatically alter the complexion of this team.

I called this Team Opportunity when training camp began about a month ago and nothing that has transpired since has changed that mindset. Yes, there are always a group of players in the "sure thing" category. But that group just isn't as large as it has been in the past, certainly not in a long while.

Instead this roster is filled with young, hungry players, many of them undrafted rookies, each stating their case for further employment, most giving this new coaching staff plenty to think about. I know there will be some brutally difficult decisions this week. I also know that past seasons mean little, that this coaching staff began the summer with a clean slate on each player, that it didn't matter how you got here, what mattered was what you did with this opportunity. Because of that, I envision some major surprises on cut down day and perhaps more undrafted rookies making this 53-man roster than ever before.

This week represents a final chance to sway the minds of this coaching staff. Don't expect much joking around in the locker room, not when livelihoods are at stake. But even when the 53-man roster comes into focus, it would be foolish to think that more changes won't occur. I expect, for instance, the Dolphins to be an active participant on the waiver wire.

After all, 1,184 players will be released or moved to an injured reserve category on Saturday and you know General Manager Chris Grier and his staff will be dissecting every name, trying to determine which players are upgrades over what is currently on the roster. The practice squad, I believe, will be equally fluid with so many of the current group of players being eligible.