Lineman Eichenberg, LB Roberts sit out Friday practice
Pankey’s return should help Dolphins’ depth on offensive line
MIAMI GARDENS — The injury that caused Miami Dolphins rookie tackle Liam Eichenberg to make an early exit in Thursday drills kept him out Friday as he was not seen at the team’s indoor practice.
Eichenberg, a second-round pick, was seen getting his right leg attended to after taking on a bull rush from defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah in a 1-on-1 blocking drill Thursday. His absence Friday puts his status in doubt for Sunday’s preseason finale. He missed Miami’s exhibition opener at Chicago but played the following week against the Atlanta Falcons.
Elandon Roberts was also not seen working with Dolphins linebackers Friday. After getting activated from the physically-unable-to-perform list on Aug. 19, Roberts was getting first-team inside linebacker reps at Wednesday and Thursday practices.
Roberts appeared fine on Thursday, finishing drills and even speaking to reporters following practice. He also was involved in a big hit he delivered on Dolphins running back Salvon Ahmed on a run that came his way. The 6-foot, 238-pound Roberts was sent to run a lap by coach Brian Flores after the blow that knocked the 197-pound Ahmed back loudly.
Wide receiver Albert Wilson has still not returned to practice; he’s been out for three weeks. Fellow wideout DeVante Parker was still in a red, non-contact jersey Friday.
Although Eichenberg was held out Friday, tackle Adam Pankey returned after missing the week’s previous practices.
Pankey’s return provides possible depth for Sunday’s game at the Bengals, where right tackle Jesse Davis is expected to be among
starters that will rest and Eichenberg’s status is now in question. Greg Little and Larnel Coleman were seen getting first-team right tackle reps at Thursday’s practice.
Safety Jevon Holland is still being held out of practice after he was a surprise scratch ahead of Saturday’s exhibition against the Falcons.
Tight ends Adam Shaheen and Cethan Carter, along with outside linebacker Vince Biegel, were not spotted at Friday drills. Shaheen also missed Thursday. Carter has been injured since the preseason opener at Chicago, and Biegel initially appeared in a walking boot that week of joint practices with the Bears.
Friday’s practice was the first of the preseason where reporters were not allowed to watch in full, restricted to a 15-minute viewing period. All prior practices that were part of training camp were entirely open to media, and most had fans in attendance.
Not thinking ahead: Dolphins defensive lineman Adam Butler in one of the former Patriots on Miami’s roster who would have a reason to look ahead to the regular-season opener at New England on Sept. 12, but that’s not the case for the fifth-year player out of Vanderbilt.
“I’m not even thinking that far,” said Butler, when asked if there’s any trash talk with his former teammates, after four years in New England. “One day at a time.”
Butler has gotten to see Flores’ transformation from his time as an assistant under Bill Belichick in New England to the head coach in Miami.
“I can honestly say that I have the same respect for him now — definitely a little bit more,” Butler said. “I’ve always trusted him. He’s just always been a great guy. Playing for him, when I talk to him, it seems like he believes in me.”
Butler, a rotational defensive lineman at 6-foot-5, 295 pounds who can provide a pass rush from various spots on the line, had a solid training camp. He has won 1-on-1 reps against Dolphins blockers more often than not and pushed them back in team settings of practice.
“I would consider myself a veteran now at this point,” Butler said. “I have my little moves and little things that I’ve done throughout the league, and when I have a chance to execute them, I execute them.”
Butler, who wouldn’t go into detail on those moves, had 15 sacks in his four seasons with the Patriots.