Miami Dolphins Darren Rizzi is the man players need to impress
By Brian Miller
The Miami Dolphins will play their final pre-season game on Thursday but it’s Darren Rizzi who some players need to impress.
For the Miami Dolphins and Darren Rizzi, life after Thursday will be like every other team in the NFL. Comb the waiver and release wire. Search for that one player that will replace someone at the bottom of the current roster. Final cuts are this weekend but there is one more game left to be played.
On Thursday most starters will not dress. This game isn’t about getting timing down or inputting schemes into action. It’s about competition. It’s about the bottom five to ten players that are fighting for a roster spot.
Training camp has been over for a while now but pre-season continues for one more game. Some players already know their chances are slim at best while others know they have no chance at all. It’s those that fall between slim and possible that this game matters the most to.
This is where Darren Rizzi comes into play. He is the most important person on the sideline this Thursday night. Impress him enough and you might go from slim to the final 53. Fail to impress him and you may be returning to the Dolphins training facility with your playbook.
Special teams play will be a big part of the bottom of the Dolphins roster. If bubble players can’t make it or even play on special teams their value is almost nothing to the team. On Saturday, September 1st all NFL teams must be at the mandated 53. On Friday, coaches will sit in a meeting room and make their bids for players.
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Some coaches will lose and some will win but in the end, it’s Darren Rizzi who will play a big factor in those who will be cut and those who will not. The position coaches will make their case for two maybe three bubble players on their unit. That will get reduced to one maybe two max.
When coaches begin discussing those that remain, head coach Adam Gase is likely to turn to Rizzi. “What has he done on special teams?” That is the question that will likely be asked and if Rizzi says, “this kid plays hard and is really helping the special teams” that player is going to get a nod over someone who Rizzi has no use for.
Obviously there are exceptions. Quarterbacks do not participate in special teams so don’t look at Brock Osweiler or David Fales getting a nod over one another because they can potentially hold a snap for a kick. Offensive lineman are not likely to make a big impression on Rizzi either simply because most of them are only on the line. No, we are talking about running backs, wide-receivers, and linebackers and safeties.
Linebackers deep on the depth chart are expected to contribute on special teams as are corners and safeties. This is where Rizzi will have a lot of input into the final spots on the roster. Impress him and maybe there is a chance.
37 players will be released between Friday and Saturday afternoon. Over the last three seasons most of the cuts have come late on Saturday so expectations for big Friday announcements are a bit slim.
Regardless, on Thursday night those players who have questions surrounding them will need to play better than they have all pre-season but they also need to fight to get on the field for every available special teams snap. It could very well be the difference betwen making the roster and not making it.