What the Running Back Room Might Look Like Early in the Season

Second-year running back Jaylen Wright isn't expected to miss a significant amount of time but likely will be out at the start of the season

Miami Dolphins running back Jaylen Wright (25) runs with the football against New York Jets linebacker Jamien Sherwood (44) during the second quarter at Hard Rock Stadium last season. | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

The Miami Dolphins appear to have avoided the worst with second-year player Jaylen Wright's leg injury, but the running back still likely will miss the team's season opener. And that is going to require some roster maneuvering before that game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium arrives September 7.

Head coach Mike McDaniel revealed the news Monday that Wright was likely to miss the Week 1 matchup, though he's not expected to be out for an extended period of time, regardless of whether he winds up having to have surgery to deal with his injury.

"It looks like it's probably not reasonable to expect Week 1, but it's not too far off in the foreseeable future," McDaniel said. "After that, that's a vague timeline I have on him."

McDaniel said whether Wright does have to have surgery will be determined in the coming days.

SHORT ON BACKS

With Wright nursing his injury, rookie Ollie Gordon II currently is the only healthy running back on the roster based on the multiple reports that both Aaron Shampklin and Mike Boone were released Monday.

Starter De'Von Achane has been dealing with a calf injury for the past 10 days, but McDaniel already has said he's expecting him to be ready for Week 1.

Even then, the Dolphins can't go into their season opener with only two running backs available, which means that one or more will be added before September 7.

The question is whether the additions will be made to the active roster or the practice squad, or both. The Dolphins will have plenty of options once every team around the league makes their final cuts because running back is about as easy a position to find talent as there is.

We also wouldn't dismiss the possibility of either Boone or Shampklin, or even both, being brought back once the 53-man roster is set.

Another consequence of Wright's injury is that Gordon now is looking at a bigger role at the start of the season than probably originally anticipated, particularly if Achane is now at 100 percent once the Indy game arrives.

Gordon acquitted himself very well during the preseason, but the regular season obviously is quite a different challenge.