DAVIE, Fla. -- At 4-7, the Miami Dolphins' season is essentially over. However, the final five games present an important opportunity for the team’s rookie class.
It’s time for Miami to find out what it has in first-year players DeVante Parker, Jordan Phillips and Bobby McCain. These three 2015 draft picks are expected to get significant playing time Sunday when the Dolphins host the Baltimore Ravens (4-7) at Sun Life Stadium.
Parker’s development is the most important among the team’s rookie class. The Dolphins selected him with the No. 14 overall pick with hopes that he would provide an immediate impact. But summer foot surgery and solid play from starter Rishard Matthews have kept Parker mostly off the field.
Matthews injured his ribs and chest in last week’s loss to the New York Jets, and Parker stepped in and caught four passes for 80 yards and a touchdown. Matthews missed two practices this week, which puts Parker in line for his first career start on Sunday.
“I think it’s irrelevant whether [Parker] is ready or not; he’s going to have to,” Dolphins interim head coach Dan Campbell said. “I mean it’s time for him to step up and take on a bigger role. He’s competing right now obviously to play more. He’s certainly going to play, I don’t want to say he’s going to play more than he did last week. I mean he got a lot of reps now. But he’s going to, he’ll carry a load.”
Phillips, a rookie defensive tackle, was taken in the second round and has come on strong during the second half of the season. He has eight tackles, two sacks and three passes defensed.
Injuries to starting defensive tackle Earl Mitchell (calf) and backup C.J. Mosley (calf) means more reps for Phillips.
“I told him today that I felt like he had gotten better, then he had kind of plateaued and now he’s beginning to get better again so, he’s pushing through that rookie wall so, I suspect that he’ll do a nice job for us. He’s going to get more reps and I think he’ll do a good job for us.”
Campbell added that McCain, a fifth-round pick, could start at cornerback in place of Jamar Taylor if he has a good week of practice. The Dolphins already are getting solid production from undrafted kicker Andrew Franks and undrafted punter Matt Darr.
In other practice news, center Mike Pouncey returned to practice. He suffered a right foot injury in the loss to the Jets. Pouncey moved around well and his status looks more promising for Sunday’s game against Baltimore.
