The Miami Dolphins change course on their final roster spot at the eleventh hour—and call a position battle in the process
The Miami Dolphins have called a depth chart battle and filled their final 53-man roster spot all at once.
Life comes at you fast. Just yesterday afternoon, I wrote about how the Miami Dolphins had yet to fill their final active roster spot ahead of the team’s Week 4 contest against the Minnesota Vikings. The Dolphins spent all week without committing to a player — and it seemed perhaps they would be willing to go with week with just 52.
They’re not. Miami has, after a full week, made a determination about their final roster spot. And in the process, they’re calling a battle among depth running backs to help fill the void left by injured star De’Von Achane. Welcome to the 53, Carlos Washington Jr!
The Miami Dolphins finally fill their 53rd spot on the active roster with RB Carlos Washington Jr.
According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, Carlos Washington Jr. is getting the call. It’s a sensible signing, given that he was on Miami’s practice squad and traveling with the team to Minnesota. Talk about a nice surprise for a road trip, eh?
Washington Jr. was a pleasant surprise throughout the preseason and training camp. He’s a 27-year old veteran who started his career with the Atlanta Falcons before finding his way to Miami this offseason. He played his college ball at New Hampshire and SE Louisiana from 2017 through 2022. And now? The potential opportunity of a lifetime.
I do still consider this move a bit of a surprise, as Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley said on Friday that the team would be implementing practice squad elevations to help juggle the rest of the running back room.
“We’ll use the elevations. Carlos and (Jarquez) Hunter, they’ve had good weeks, and you can see it even when they’re carrying the ball on the look team. I think they feel an opportunity is close and they’re doing everything in their power to seize that,” said Hafley on Friday afternoon.
“I know the competition has brought out the best in them, and at some point, we’ll need them both. So we’ll go with one of those guys, we’ll determine who that is after practice and then we’ll go from there.”
It seems Henderson is indeed the winner this week.. And his prize is a 53-man roster spot. His job now is to make it impossible for the Dolphins to axe him and hand it back to someone else. That starts tomorrow against the Vikings.
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