Breaking Down the Dolphins Week 8 Inactives
As it turned out, the Miami Dolphins' roster moves Saturday did provide a good indication as who would and wouldn't be able to play against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium in Week 8.
DeVante Parker is active and will make his return to the lineup after missing three games with a hamstring injury, something we kind of foresaw after it was revealed that Preston Williams didn't make the trip to Buffalo and the Dolphins didn't elevate a wide receiver from the practice squad.
So now Parker will be one of five wide receivers active against Buffalo, along with rookie Jaylen Waddle, Mack Hollins, Albert Wilson and Isaiah Ford.
Likewise, linebacker Vince Biegel being elevated from the practice squad Saturday was a good indicator that Jerome Baker wouldn't be able to play against Buffalo, and Baker indeed is inactive.
This will be the first time Baker has missed a game because of an injury since high school after his time at Ohio State and playing 55 consecutive games for the Dolphins after arriving as a third-round draft pick in 2018.
As noted Saturday, Williams and safety Sheldrick Redwine were ruled out for the Buffalo game and didn't accompany the team on the trip, and the rest of the inactive list featured familiar names.
Yet again, rookie third-round pick Hunter Long will be inactive, marking the fifth time in eight games the tight end from Boston College hasn't even suited up.
The Dolphins will have four tight ends active: Mike Gesicki, Durham Smythe, Adam Shaheen and Cethan Carter.
Worse, tackle Greg Little will keep intact his streak of being inactive every single game so far this season, which probably wasn't what he had in mind when the Dolphins acquired him in a trade with the Carolina Panthers in August.
The other Dolphins inactive players are rookie cornerback Trill Williams and veteran defensive tackle John Jenkins.
As a reminder, along with elevating Biegel from the practice squad Saturday, the Dolphins also elevated defensive back Jamal Perry (likely to help out on special teams) and signed practice squad running back Patrick Laird to the 53-man roster.
The list of Buffalo inactives includes the three players who had a game status designation on the final injury report of the week, along with running back Matt Breida, who spent the 2020 season with the Dolphins.
The three injured players who are out are tight end Dawson Knox (hand), tackle Spencer Brown (back) and defensive tackle Justin Zimmer (foot).
With Knox out, expect Tommy Sweeney to start at tight end for Buffalo and veteran Daryl Williams is expected to move back from right guard to right tackle to replace Brown, with Cody Ford possibly sliding back into the starting lineup at right guard.
The other Buffalo inactives are DE Efe Obada and rookie DE Boogie Basham.
