Practice Squad Keeps Being a Factor for Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins have elevated a wide receiver off the practice squad for their game against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, but it's not who the media would have had you believe.

After a lot of talk that the Dolphins would elevate former Cleveland Browns fourth-round pick Antonio Callaway, the team instead elevated rookie free agent Kirk Merritt.

The Dolphins are down two wide receivers this week after slot receiver Isaiah Ford was traded to the New England Patriots on Tuesday and rookie Lynn Bowden Jr. was placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list on Friday.

The addition of Merritt will give the Dolphins six wide receivers on the active roster, as he joins DeVante Parker, Preston Williams, Jakeem Grant, Mack Hollins and rookie Malcolm Perry.

Merritt joined the Dolphins as a rookie free agent in the spring as an intriguing prospect with a checkered college career.

Callaway, who had a promising rookie season with the Browns in 2018, began practicing with the Dolphins this week after his NFL suspension for violating the league's substance-abuse policy was lifted.

Callaway always has been seen as a great talent who just needs to stay out of trouble off the field, hence the speculation he would be the one added to the active roster.

But the fact that Callaway has had only one week of practice might have made the difference here.

Merritt becomes the fourth player activated from the practice squad for a game with the new practice squad rules in place in 2020.

Cornerback Tae Hayes and defensive tackle Benito Jones both have been elevated twice, which is the limit for any player. This means that Hayes and Jones cannot play another game for the Dolphins this season unless they're signed to the 53-man roster.

The other player elevated from the practice squad for a game was defensive end Tyshun Render, who played against the San Francisco 49ers.

Two players who have not been elevated for a game, though have been protected every week from being poached off the practice squad are quarterback Reid Sinnett and tight end Chris Myarick.

Long-snapper Matt Orzech also was on the protected list on a regular basis, but the Dolphins released him from the practice squad this week and he signed with the Tennessee Titans active roster.

He was the second Dolphins practice squad player who signed with another team's active roster, as he joined cornerback Ken Webster, who was signed by the San Francisco 49ers.

Along with Callaway, Merritt, Myarick, Render and Sinnett, the members of the Dolphins practice squad are DE Nick Coe, S Brian Cole, WR Matt Cole, CB Javaris Davis, CB Tino Ellis, C Tyler Gauthier, S Nate Holley, T Jonathan Hubbard and G Durval Queiroz Neto.

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