Opportunity running out for Dolphins roster hopefuls, CBS News Miami's Steve Goldstein
MIAMI GARDENS - Players have had an off-season, nearly a full training camp, and a couple of preseason games to show their ability to Miami Dolphins' coaches and the front office.
Now, the team is down to just one preseason game and precious few practices before having to make roster decisions next week. With some injuries at numerous positions, there are still battles to be settled, not only who will be on the 53-man roster but also who will be brought back for the 16-man practice squad.
Saturday night's game in Jacksonville will matter to many players.
Runners Running
The Dolphins running back room is deep and it has been impressive in training camp. Everyone knows what Raheem Mostert can do, and Jeff Wilson has his roster spot set. Rookie De'von Achane has been impressive with his speed, and in the preseason games Myles Gaskin, Savon Ahmed, and undrafted free agent Chris Brooks have all had their moments. Ahmed had a great day in Houston in the second preseason game. This is going to be an interesting situation. How many running backs does the team keep, and who do they keep? Stay tuned.
Guarding the Line
The battle to see who starts at left guard looks like it will come right down to the wire. Due to nagging injuries to some players, the rotation at that position has been deep. The lean here is to veteran Isaiah Wynn, who is signed as a free agent from New England. Wynn is getting a lot of reps, partly because in his NFL career, he has played tackle. He last played guard when he was in college at Georgia. But don't count out Liam Eichenberg, who had a nagging injury last week. Lester Cotton was also nicked up but has shown enough to be a factor for the job and roster. His hard-nosed, competitive style has opened up eyes.
Undrafted Rookies
There are a handful of college free agents that have flashed in training camp. Brandon Pili out of USC received a reported $100,000 signing bonus. He appears to be a lock for the roster as a depth defensive lineman. Running back Chris Brooks had a good game in Houston and brings size and hard running to the team. It will be tough for him to find his way onto the 53-man active roster though. At tight end, Julian Hill from Campbell made some plays last game and has at least done enough to stick around into the final week of camp.