The Miami Dolphins have announced they are elevating two practice squad players to the active roster for Sunday’s Week 1 game against the Indianapolis Colts. The move will make both players available for the game-day roster, with the players reverting back to the practice squad following the game. Each NFL team can elevate two players per week under current NFL rules.
Individual players can be elevated up to three times during the season. If the team wants to use a practice squad player for a fourth time during the year, they have to sign him to the active, 53-man roster.
Miami heads into this weekend with roster holes at three positions: running back, tight end, and kicker. Using their two elevations, they filled two of the three holes. Running back Jeff Wilson, Jr., and kicker Riley Patterson have been elevated, leaving tight end as the one hole unfilled.
Wilson returned to the Dolphins last week after being released in the final roster cuts by the San Francisco 49ers. His career began with the 49ers in 2018, signing as an undrafted free agent out of the University of North Texas. During the 2022 season, he was traded to Miami, where he remained until this offseason, when he attempted a return to San Francisco. Now it appears he will continue playing with the Dolphins. He has 531 career rushing attempts in seven years in the league, tallying 2,370 yards with 18 touchdowns. He struggled to find playing time last year with Miami, only recording 16 carries for 57 yards. He will serve as depth behind starter De’Von Achane and rookie Ollie Gordon II. Jaylen Wright is injured and was ruled out of the game.
Patterson’s elevation was expected with Miami having no kicker on their 53-man roster. Veteran Jason Sanders was placed on injured reserve as the season began after sustaining a hip injury prior to the team’s Preseason Week 3 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Punter Jake Bailey served as the team’s emergency kicker in the game.
The Minnesota Vikings signed Patterson as an undrafted free agent in 2021. He has spent time with the Vikings, New England Patriots, Detroit Lions, Jacksonville Jaguars, Cleveland Browns, Washington Commanders, New York Jets, and Atlanta Falcons during his career, including training camp and practice squad stints. He has connected on 85.1 percent of his field goal attempts.
The Dolphins did not announce any moves to the active roster, leaving just Julian Hill and Tanner Conner as active tight ends for the game. Veteran Darren Waller was ruled out of the game on Friday with a hip injury.
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