Breaking Down the Dolphins-Titans Week 17 Inactives

The Miami Dolphins' inactive list returned to a more normal size for their game against the Tennessee Titans.

The Dolphins made six players inactive against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, three more than they had against the New Orleans Saints when they had more players on the Reserve/COVID-19 list.

The two most interesting names on the inactive list for the Tennessee game — albeit not overly surprising — were linebacker Vince Biegel and rookie tight end Hunter Long.

Biegel being inactive is mostly a result of fellow linebacker Brennan Scarlett being activated from injured reserve Saturday because Scarlett will take Biegel's spot on special teams and also can contribute on defense as well.

As for Long, his return to the inactive list should have been expected once Cethan Carter came off the Reserve/COVID-19 list because the Dolphins aren't going to have five tight ends active barring unforeseen circumstances.

And the four tight ends against Tennessee will be Mike Gesicki, Durham Smythe, Adam Shaheen and Carter, who gets a lot of snaps on special teams.

The other four inactive players for the Dolphins will CB Trill Williams, RB Salvon Ahmed, LB Darius Hodge and C Cameron Tom.

At this point, it's pretty clear that Ahmed is at best the fourth running back on the depth chart and the Dolphins again will go with Myles Gaskin, Duke Johnson and Phillip Lindsay.

Hodge was back on the roster this week after serving a two-game NFL suspension, but he's back on the inactive list where he's been ever since the Dolphins claimed him off waivers from the Cincinnati Bengals.

Tom, meanwhile, was elevated from the practice squad as a COVID-19 replacement Saturday, but the Dolphins obviously felt they could do without him against the Titans.

The Dolphins will have three backups along the offensive line Sunday: Greg Mancz, Robert Jones and Solomon Kindley, who came off the COVID-19 list Friday.

As reported earlier Sunday, the Dolphins will have both safety Brandon Jones and defensive lineman Adam Butler in the lineup after being activated off the COVID-19 list Saturday.

TENNESSEE INACTIVE REPORT

There's nothing that really stands out about the Titans' inactive list, which features four players.

The list consists of CB Chris Jones, CB Greg Mabin, OLB Derick Roberson and DL Larrell Murchison, who was downgraded from questionable to out Saturday.

The three players Tennessee activated off its Reserve/COVID-19 list Saturday will be in uniform: OLB Bud Dupree, DL Denico Autry and CB Buster Skrine.