Dolphins Elevate Two O-Linemen From Practice Squad
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The regular Saturday practice squad elevations weren't particularly surprising for the Miami Dolphins ahead of their game against the San Francisco 49ers, but they weren't necessarily encouraging either.
With tackles Austin Jackson already ruled out for the game and Terron Armstead listed as doubtful, the Dolphins figured to elevate at least one offensive lineman to give them eight for the game at Levi's Stadium, but they ended up elevating both tackle Kendall Lamm and guard James Empey.
Had the Dolphins elevated only one, it clearly would have been a signal that Armstead definitely was going to play; instead, it's looking shaky.
With Lamm and Empey, the Dolphins now will have nine offensive linemen against the 49ers, the others being Armstead, Greg Little, Robert Jones, Connor Williams, Robert Hunt, Brandon Shell and Michael Deiter.
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QUICK MOVE UP FOR LAMM
Even though the Dolphins' injury issues up front are at tackle, the only practice squad player at that position is Kion Smith, but the Dolphins have used their three elevations for him this year and the only way he can dress for another regular season would be to sign him to the active roster — a move Miami clearly isn't ready to make at this time.
It will be the first practice squad elevation for Empey, a rookie who went undrafted out of Brigham Young and attended camp with the Dallas Cowboys.
If Armstead can't play, logic dictates the starting offensive line would be the same as the one that finished the game against Houston last Sunday — from left to right, Little, Jones, Williams, Hunt and Shell — with Deiter, Lamm and Empey serving as the backups.
THE DOLPHINS' 2022 PRACTICE SQUAD ELEVATIONS
The Dolphins didn't make any practice squad elevations for the first time all season in their previous game against Houston, coming off their bye with minimal injury issues.
Here's their season-long practice squad elevation rundown:
Week 1 vs. New England — WR River Cracraft (1st), S Verone McKinley III (1st)
Week 2 at Baltimore — WR River Cracraft (2nd), T Larnel Coleman (1st)
Week 3 vs. Buffalo — WR River Cracraft (3rd, later signed to active roster), T Larnel Coleman (2nd)
Week 4 at Cincinnati — T Larnel Coleman (3rd, later signed with Carolina Panthers)
Week 5 at N.Y. Jets — T Brandon Shell (1st)
Week 6 vs. Minnesota — T Brandon Shell (2nd, later signed to active roster), T Kion Smith (1st)
Week 7 vs. Pittsburgh — DL Ben Stille (later signed with Cleveland Browns), S Verone McKinley III (2nd)
Week 8 at Detroit — S Verone McKinley III (3rd, later signed to active roster), WR Braylon Sanders (1st)
Week 9 at Chicago — T Kion Smith (2nd)
Week 10 vs. Cleveland — T Kion Smith (3rd)
Week 11 vs. Houston — None
Week 13 at San Francisco — T Kendall Lamm (1st), G James Empey (1st)
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