Two RBs off COVID list
For the first time in the past week, the Miami Dolphins are removing players from the reserve/COVID-19 list instead of adding them.
The Dolphins have running backs Myles Gaskin and Salvon Ahmed returning to practice on Friday, coach Brian Flores said in a web conference before the day’s drills. The team officially announced their activation shortly thereafter.
Gaskin was originally placed on the COVID list on Dec. 10 and Ahmed the following day, last Saturday while the team was on its bye week.
With Gaskin and Ahmed back available, the Dolphins are down to safety Jevon Holland, running back Phillip Lindsay and wide receiver Jaylen Waddle as players on the active roster unavailable due to COVID, along with practice squad running back Gerrid Doaks. Holland and Lindsay went on the reserve list on Monday, Waddle and Doaks on Thursday.
Asked specifically if their activation meant the two running backs would play in Sunday’s game against the New York Jets, Flores specified “available to practice [Friday],” not committing to the idea of playing them after one practice.
Veteran running back Duke Johnson, up from the practice squad this week as a COVID replacement, was the one player at the position on the active roster before Gaskin and Ahmed returned.
The Dolphins also have Malcolm Brown practicing this week as he works back from a quadriceps injury suffered against the Atlanta Falcons on Oct. 24 that has kept him on injured reserve.
“Malcolm did some good things on Wednesday,” said Flores about Brown’s first practice back before the team held a walkthrough Thursday. “We’ll see how [Friday] goes.
“We’ve got more guys available. We’ll make a decision. A lot will ride on what that looks like [Friday].”
Gaskin leads Dolphins running back with 526 rushing yards and 217 receiving yards with seven total touchdowns. Ahmed has 149 rushing yards on 54 carries, plus 12 receptions for 117 yards. Brown had 33 attempts for 125 yards and a touchdown before his injury. Johnson, the most accomplished career rusher in his six previous seasons with the Cleveland Browns and Houston Texans, was called up once before this season and had four carries for 18 yards last time Miami faced the Jets.
Replacing Waddle, Holland
With Waddle, who is on pace for a rookie receptions record already with 86 on the season, the Dolphins could use a variety of players in the slot with him unlikely to play on Sunday.
“The message is next man up,” Flores said. “We need winning contributions from everyone on the team. It’s not a one-man team. It’s not any one person.”
Flores named receivers Isaiah Ford and Albert Wilson and tight end Mike Gesicki as pass catchers the team can utilize in Waddle’s usual slot receiver position.
“We’ve got some options there,” Flores said. “We got that information [Thursday], basically right in the middle of meetings. Some adjustments on the fly, and we’ll kind of work through some of that [Friday], but we got some options there.”
DeVante Parker, after returning from a hamstring injury last game Dec. 5 against the New York Giants, could also see more work on the outside, along with running backs and tight ends in the passing game.
“I think we’ve been doing a great job, as a group, of just having the next guy up,” said Wilson after practice. “I honestly don’t think we’ve played with all the guys yet this year.”
Wilson could also be counted on to fill Waddle’s role in the return game.
If Holland can’t play at free safety, Eric Rowe could be counted on largely, along with Will Parks or Sheldrick Redwine, who was elevated from the practice squad as a COVID replacement this week.
“Really, just ready to do my part.
Whatever the team needs me to do,” said Redwine, who signed to the active roster in October, was waived, signed back to the practice squad in November and elevated two previous times. “It’s been up and down, but I’m in a blessed position. Whatever the team needs me to do, I’m prepared to go in and fulfill the role that the team needs.”
Other updates
Flores said offensive lineman Austin Jackson “was dealing with something non-COVID-related” after he popped up on the team’s Thursday injury report as limited due to illness. He added he would practice again on Friday, and the team was taking it one day at a time with the second-year left guard.
Jackson improved to a full participant on the Friday injury report, but he was officially listed as questionable heading into the game against the Jets.
Tight end Adam Shaheen (knee) and safety Clayton Fejedelem (ankle) will also enter Sunday questionable after remaining limited on Friday. Safety Brandon Jones (ankle/elbow) was a full participant on Friday after being limited and has no injury designation ahead of the Jets game.
For New York, tackle George Fant (knee) is doubtful. Offensive linemen Laurent Duvernay-Tardif (ankle) and Dan Feeney (back) and defensive lineman Sheldon Rankins (knee) are all questionable.
Arnette acquisition
Flores spoke for the first time on the Dolphins’ acquisition of former Raiders cornerback Damon Arnette, a 2020 first-round pick of Las Vegas who was released last month after a video showed him pointing a gun at a camera, threatening to kill someone.
“We’re going to take a look at him,” Flores said. “[General manager Chris Grier] and his staff did a lot of background work on him, felt good about bringing him in and taking a look.”
Arnette is a Fort Lauderdale native who played in high school at St. Thomas Aquinas before spending five seasons in college at Ohio State.