The Miami Dolphins have formally made the most of their pre-roster cut tryouts from earlier this weekend. Before the Dolphins lopped off more than twenty players off of their roster yesterday, the team hosted a slew of free agents. And now, with the roster formally trimmed, the Dolphins have started to work on their initial 2020 practice squad.
First up? Former Cleveland Browns wide receiver Antonio Callaway. Callaway is a former 4th-round draft selection who enjoyed a fairly productive rookie season in 2018 with Cleveland as a speedy pass catcher before parting ways with the team in November of 2019.
Former #Browns WR Antonio Callaway is signing with the #Dolphins practice squad, per source. A possible high-reward signing.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 6, 2020
Callaway is currently scheduled to serve a suspension to start the season, but he will still be permitted to participate in team meetings and practices with the Dolphins throughout the course of the first month of the season. The suspension is centered around a tainted CBD-product from 2019. Callaway’s failed drug tests are only the tip of the iceberg with his off-field issues — including a credit-fraud scheme during his college days with the Florida Gators and a failed drug test at the NFL Combine ahead of the 2018 NFL Draft.
If Callaway is going to make it work in the NFL, he’s running out of opportunities to stay out of trouble and stick. Callaway will have to walk a fine line with the Dolphins. His status as a practice squad player will give Miami a low-risk, potential high reward addition. The Dolphins would be wise not to count on anything from Callaway, but this isn’t an empty move that couldn’t yield production for the team if things go right.