Dolphins Make Moves, New Falcons Injury

The Miami Dolphins' weekly practice squad elevations Saturday included a repeat appearance and reinforcement at tight end.

Cornerback Kendall Sheffield was elevated for a second consecutive week, while Hayden Rucci was elevated for the first time this season.

Rucci's presence in the game-day lineup was necessitated by blocking tight end Julian Hill being ruled out because of an ankle injury.

Rucci, who joined the Dolphins as an undrafted free agent last year, will be in line to make his NFL debut against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.

Sheffield's elevation came on the same day the Dolphins downgraded fellow cornerback Jason Marshall Jr. to OUT because of the hamstring injury that landed him on IR. Marshall was designated to return from IR this week, but was limited in practice Wednesday and Thursday, so the Dolphins waiting another week to bring him back wasn't a surprise in the least.

It's unclear, though, what Sheffield being elevated means when it comes to cornerback Storm Duck.

After starting and being injured in the opener against the Indianapolis Colts, Duck missed the next six games but he practiced fully last week and didn't have a game status designation on the final injury report, yet he was inactive against the Cleveland Browns.

With Sheffield elevated from the practice squad, the Dolphins now have six cornerbacks available for the game against Atlanta, the others being Rasul Douglas, Jack Jones, Ethan Bonner and JuJu Brents.

Sheffield played six snaps on defense in garbage time during the 31-6 loss at Cleveland last Sunday.

NEW ATLANTA INJURY

On the same day an ESPN report indicated that quarterback Michael Penix Jr. likely wouldn't start for the Falcons on Sunday, the team announced that wide receiver Drake London had been added to the injury report as questionable for the game.

London showed up on the injury report Friday with a hip issue that had him limited in practice. London leads the Falcons in catches (38) and receiving yards (469).

Also Saturday, the Falcons placed LB Divine Deablo on IR, activated safety Jordan Fuller from injured reserve, signed inside linebacker Ronnie Harrison to the active roster, and elevated wide receiver Dylan Drummond and quarterback Easton Stick from the practice squad.

RAEKWON RAMPING UP FOR RETURN

Former Dolphins defensive tackle Raekwon Davis has been out of the NFL since the Colts released him in the offseason with a non-football illness designation, but it appears he could be ready to play again.

Davis was among seven players who tried out for the Los Angeles Chargers on Friday.

A second-round pick of the Dolphins in the 2020 NFL draft, Davis played for Miami four seasons before leaving for the Colts as an unrestricted free agent last year. His start to the season was disrupted by a blood clot issue that sidelined him for most of training camp.

Davis played all 17 games for Indianapolis last season, but logged a career-low 30 percent of the defensive snaps after never playing less than 45 percent of the snaps for the Dolphins.

ON THIS DAY IN DOLPHINS HISTORY

It was 10 years ago on this day, October, 25, 2015, that the Dolphins put together perhaps the most dominant first half in franchise history, and it happened in Dan Campbell's home debut as interim head coach.

One week after the Dolphins routed the Tennessee Titans, 38-10, in Campbell's first game after replacing Joe Philbin as head coach, Miami rolled to a 41-0 halftime lead on its way to a 44-26 victory.

That wild first half featured four touchdowns of 50 yards or longer, the last one an 85-yard run by Lamar Miller. The Dolphins had an amazing 392 total yards at the half, with Miller accounting for 175 on the ground and Ryan Tannehill a perfect 12-for-12 for 231 yards and four touchdowns.

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