5 Miami Dolphins offensive lineman hoping for a practice squad spot

The Miami Dolphins will have a revamped offensive line in 2020 but five players will hope for a practice squad spot.

When the Miami Dolphins take to the field, rookies report on Thursday, it will be the next step in the team’s rebuild that started in 2019.

For the offensive line, every rep is going to count. Every padded practice with contact will be important. The NFL has not yet officially released the practice rules for contact this year due to the current pandemic. The NFL has also not released the official changes to the roster size but there is a growing thought that the league will increase roster sizes. Including the practice squad.

For five of the Miami Dolphins offensive lineman, the practice squad is their best chance to make the team and the Dolphins could stash one or two on the PS in an effort to keep depth and consistency should they lose any of their rostered linemen to injury or COVID.

The main players on the outside looking in with little chance of making the final roster are Keaton Sutherland, Donell Stanley, Adam Pankey, Nick Kaltmayer, and Jonathan Hubbard.

Of those five, Sutherland may have a solid shot at making the practice roster. A product of Texas A&M, the former Aggie has some experience. He has been with the Bengals, as an undrafted free agent in 2019. Waived, he landed with the Bills who also waived him. The Dolphins claimed him off waivers after his release from Buffalo. He appeared in three games last season and started two of them.

The Miami Dolphins obviously won’t use them as starters but the practice squad is a good bet for one or two.

Adam Pankey is another player with experience as well. He has been in the league since 2017 when he joined the Packers. In his three NFL seasons, two with GB and one in 2019 with the Dolphins, Pankey has one start under his belt in four appearances. Given the fact Miami went with Sutherland last year, Pankey may see more competition from Sutherland than anyone else.

Our final three linemen are all entering the NFL for the first time as undrafted rookies. Hubbard is from Northwestern State, Kaltmayer is from Kansas State, and Donell Stanley is out of South Carolina. While all are longer shots than the previous two, this Dolphins regime looks for specific qualities in offensive linemen.

Each player will have opportunities but the battle is not going to be easy. One thing going for the three undrafted rookies is that they have more practice squad eligibility ahead of them.

That being said, I’m betting that Sutherland would land on the PS this year.