What the Monday Roster Moves Mean

The Miami Dolphins were busy making roster moves Monday when the team reconvened following its bye.

For the most part, the moves came out of necessity as the Dolphins suddenly are dealing with a COVID issue.

After Myles Gaskin and Salvon Ahmed were placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list over the weekend, Phillip Lindsay became the third running back on the team to land on the list and rookie safety Jevon Holland also had to be placed on the list.

The Dolphins elevated running back Duke Johnson from the practice squad as a COVID-19 replacement, putting the veteran in line to play a second game since joining Miami's practice squad Oct. 26.

Additionally, the Dolphins made some moves on their practice squad, signing veteran wide receiver Tommylee Lewis and running back Dexter Williams and releasing wide receiver Travis Fulgham.

THE HOLLAND ISSUE

The most significant of the issues the Dolphins currently are facing just might involve Holland, and on two fronts.

First there's on defense, where the 2021 second-round pick from Oregon is having an All-Rookie-caliber type of season.

Beyond that, the Dolphins already are dealing with the injury to fellow starter Brandon Jones, who has missed the past two games with ankle/elbow injuries. Now, the bye and extra time off might be enough to allow Jones to return to action against the New York Jets on Sunday, but clearly we'll know more Wednesday.

Veteran Eric Rowe started alongside Holland against both Carolina and the New York Giants, and the other safeties on the roster are Clayton Fejedelem and newcomer Will Parks, with Sheldrick Redwine on the practice squad.

Then there's Holland's contributions as a punt returner. He's been splitting duties in that department with rookie first-round pick Jaylen Waddle, but this is where we'd advise to keep an eye on the signing of Lewis to the practice squad.

Make no mistake, Lewis might be a wide receiver by position title, but he's really a kick returner and it would not be a surprise if he ended playing in regular season games as a return specialist, something the Dolphins haven't had since they traded Jakeem Grant to the Chicago Bears in October.

Lewis was among a group of wide receivers who worked out for the Dolphins last week, and maybe the team was encouraged to sign Lewis after seeing what Grant did for the Chicago Bears on Sunday night when he had scoring plays of 97 and 46 yards on a punt return and shovel pass, respectively.

RUNNING BACKS REVISITED

While we addressed the running back ramifications of the COVID-19 moves earlier Monday, we can add that the signing of Williams provided additional help and insurance as he joins Johnson and rookie seventh-round pick Gerrid Doaks on the practice squad.

W was a sixth-round pick of the Green Bay Packers out of Notre Dame in 2019 and he played seven games for the Packers the past two seasons, rushing for 19 yards on seven carries.

He spent time this season on the New York Giants and Cleveland Browns practice squad.