Three Miami Dolphins veterans who need to kick their training camps into high gear for the final two weeks
These three Miami Dolphins players need to find another gear as the team turns towards the second week of the preseason.
Don’t look now, but the dog days of summer are flying by. And for the Miami Dolphins, roster spots are still up for grabs.
We’re nearing separation season, though. The portion of the preseason where players start to divide themselves from the pack and seize spots on the depth chart. Or, more dramatically, a 53-man roster spot all together. Here are three Miami Dolphins veterans who, for one reason or another, need to kick their summers into high gear. Starting now.
Three Miami Dolphins players who need to kick things into high gear for the last two weeks of training camp
Wide receiver Tutu Atwell
The landscape of the Miami Dolphins’ wide receiver room just got turned on it’s side with the news that rookie wide receiver Chris Bell is off of the Non-Football Injury (NFI) list. That whittles the path for Miami’s veteran wide receivers to make the 53-man roster at the end of the month. Atwell has special teams experience — but he’s not alone there. Malik Washington and rookie receiver Kevin Coleman Jr. both have return experience.
Atwell and Bell project as different roles within the offense, but Atwell is going to have to find some more plays to help force his way into the positive side of the numbers game in the skill room. The Dolphins may end up keeping four tight ends, which makes the crunch at wide receiver that much harder to sort out, too.
Atwell’s camp has been inconsistent. He needs to put the gas pedal down, starting now.
EDGE defender Robert Beal Jr.
I thought that David Ojabo outplayed Beal Jr. on an equal number of reps against the Commanders in the Miami Dolphins’ preseason opener. Both played approximately two dozen snaps and Ojabo had a much more consistent presence on the edge.
With the SAM linebacker hybrid role, plus EDGEs like Chop Robinson, Josh Uche, and Clelin Ferrell, I’m not certain that there’s a whole lot more 53-man roster spots to go around. I’d be stunned if both guys made the roster. So this battle feels to be heating up.
RB Ollie Gordon II
I don’t believe Gordon II’s roster spot is in jeopardy. But Gordon’s been battling with Jaylen Wright for the RB2 role in this offense and have several unforced errors. That includes some ball security lapses early in camp and, now, a personal foul penalty that saw him sat for a portion of the preseason opener.
Gordon II feels like he’s at risk of falling firmly into the third slot on the depth chart unless he flips the switch. It’s now or never for the start of the season.
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