The Miami Dolphins will take the field tomorrow to face off against the New England Patriots and open their 2021 regular season. And with a new opportunity to open the season fast and secure a win, the Miami Dolphins are going to need all hands on deck to realize their potential.
Here’s the good news: of the Dolphins players currently eligible to play in Week 1, there will only be one whose status is in question.
The Miami Dolphins released their final injury report for Week 1 against New England and only wide receiver Preston Williams was listed as ‘questionable’. The other player who entered this week of practice with limitations, OL Liam Eichenberg, was a full participant on Friday.
The Dolphins still need clarity on offensive tackle Austin Jackson (COVID-19); they’ll have until this afternoon for Jackson to clear protocols and be activated back onto the active roster. And Will Fuller is still very much suspended for Week 1.
But those known restrictions aside, Miami appears to have made it through the preseason and this week of practice with minimal injuries and ready to roll against the Patriots.
For Williams specifically, the ongoing saga to return from a 2020 foot injury and subsequent surgery continues. Williams started training camp on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list and has been slowly weaned into action; getting only marginal action in the preseason in the team’s third and final contest against the Cincinnati Bengals. And with a logjam at receiver looming as the Dolphins look to accommodate five tight ends and seven wide receivers next week once Fuller returns from suspension, Williams should feel a sense of urgency about his availability and, more importantly, sustained health in 2021.
His “Questionable” status for Week 1 isn’t great — but Williams should have the chance to prove to the Dolphins that he’s back and ready to contribute at a high level in 2021.