The Miami Dolphins have witnessed a handful of injuries pop up early in the team’s education camp this period, with some noteworthy gamers becoming placed on the Physically Not able to Carry out (PUP) list at the start of camp. That features WR DeVante Parker — even though fellow receiver Will Fuller skipped Thursday’s exercise with an injury himself. But the personal injury news with OL DJ Fluker is of a unique variety all jointly the Dolphins skipped the PUP listing for Fluker and placed him on Wounded Reserve yesterday soon after he been given a minimal course of action to thoroughly clean up a knee challenge — a move that will sideline him for the time staying.
And with the opposition in the Miami Dolphins’ offensive line space, Fluker’s position long-phrase with Miami in 2021 could be up in the air. Because when it unquestionably hurts to get the news that a really experienced offensive lineman will be out of the blend for the team, Fluker is a participant who ideally would have been veteran depth in 2021 anyway.
Miami boasts 3 2nd-calendar year players, Austin Jackson, Robert Hunt and Solomon Kindley. They’re all strongly favored or locked into starting up roles. The staff drafted Liam Eichenberg in the 2nd-spherical of the 2021 NFL Draft after a trade up he’d preferably win a further spot. And at middle, it appears to be as though 2019 3rd-spherical decide Michael Deiter is becoming given a strong search together with free of charge agent additions Matt Skura and Cameron Tom. If you do the math, the starting off 5 appear to be accounted for except if a single of Miami’s significant-expense gamers completely flops.
And then insert in OL Jesse Davis, who is a utility offensive lineman who can enjoy 4 places together the line (everything but middle, but we would not even place that previous him). The prime six places on the offensive line depth chart show up to be accounted for — seven if you include whichever centre-unique participant misses the beginning gig. And so Fluker’s injury is unlucky but he’s probably competing for the 8th place on Miami’s offensive line unless he was heading to conquer out Eichenberg for a part on the proper side of the line.
Jermaine Eluemunor is now his prime competitors for a roster location in 2021 — and Eluemunor is younger, with arguably a bigger ceiling even if it comes at the expenditure of a decreased flooring. And there are individuals who feel to feel undrafted free of charge agent Robert Jones of Center Tennessee Point out can adhere on a roster, much too.
Miami’s offensive line landscape continues to be unchanged with the information of Fluker’s harm — but his very own outlook may possibly suddenly be in the palms of those people other depth solutions and how nicely they do or never execute in instruction camp.