The Dolphins-Cardinals Week 9 Inactives and What It Means

The Miami Dolphins, thanks to the new COVID-related practice squad rules, will have only three players inactive against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.

And three rookies will be in line to make their NFL debut: defensive lineman Jason Strowbridge, running back Salvon Ahmed and wide receiver Kirk Merritt.

The Dolphins also announced that five assistant coaches will miss the game against Arizona because of COVID-19 protocols, including quarterbacks coach Robby Brown. The others are defensive line coach Marion Hobby, secondary coach Gerald Alexander, outside linebackers coach Austin Clark, and quality control coach Kolby Smith.

This obviously will present a challenge for the Dolphins, even though head coach Brian Flores said this week the team has prepared all season for all contingencies.

Strowbridge, the fifth-round selection from the University of North Carolina, will become the last member of the 2020 draft class — other than the since-departed Curtis Weaver — to play his first NFL game.

Merritt is a rookie free agent who was elevated from the practice squad Saturday and will be one of six wide receivers on the game-day roster, so it remains to be seen if he'll have a role on offense or be limited to special teams.

Ahmed will be one of three running backs in uniform against Arizona, who Myles Gaskin on IR, Matt Breida out with a hamstring injury, and newcomer DeAndre Washington still one day away from being able to show up at the team facility after being acquired in a trade with the Kansas City Chiefs on Tuesday.

Along with Breida, the other inactives for the Dolphins are cornerback Jamal Perry and tackle Adam Pankey.

Perry will miss a second consecutive game with a foot injury. His role as a gunner was filled last week by rookie first-round pick Noah Igbinoghene.

Pankey has been inactive for most of the season, and the Dolphins also active tackle Austin Jackson on injured reserve on Saturday.

We will find out around game time who will start along the offensive line.

For the Cardinals, former Dolphins defensive tackle Jordan Phillips will be active after being listed as questionable on the final injury report of the week.

The Arizona inactives are QB Brett Hundley, WR KeeSean Jackson, CB Dre Kirkpatrick, RB Eno Benjamin, OL Josh Miles and former Dolphins running back Kenyan Drake, who was ruled out Friday with an ankle injury.

Add us as a preferred source on Google