Salvon Ahmed is not a lock to make the Miami Dolphins roster in 2021
By Brian Miller
The Miami Dolphins got solid production from Salvon Ahmed in 2020 but his job is not a guarantee when the Dolphins cut to 53.
Ahmed was originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the 49ers but was released during their training camp. Miami needed some depth at the position and seeing that Jordan Howard wasn’t working out all that well, the Dolphins added Ahmed to their practice squad. He would join fellow Washington Huskie RB Myles Gaskin on the active roster in October.
The Dolphins were familiar with Ahmed from the film they studied on Gaskin. The two played two seasons in Washington together. This year, while Gaskin will enter training camp as the starter, it will be Ahmed battling for a roster spot.
Ahmed has a lot of quickness and good speed to go with it but he faces a challenge with the other running backs on the unit and only four are likely to make the roster. In 2020, Ahmed started four of the six games he played in. He rushed 75 times for 319 yards and three scores. He also added 61 yards receiving on 11 catches.
Miami has some good running backs this year but they all need to develop and that is where the Dolphins coaching staff will need to make their decisions. With Gaskin and Malcolm Brown pretty close to locks for the roster, Gaskin will make it barring injury, Ahmed seems like the odds are in his favor.
His competition will be with Jordan Scarlett and Gerrid Doaks but the Dolphins haven’t made their minds up yet on the future of Patrick Laird and we can’t summarily wave off utility RB/WR Malcolm Perry either.
If Brown, Gaskin, and Ahmed get the not as many expect, the last spot or maybe two will be interesting and the Dolphins could still make a deal for a running back or sign one should a runner become available on the market. The RB unit is fluid and changing but to what degree we won’t know until late August.
Ahmed still needs to have a good camp and while I would believe he stands a great chance of making the roster, I’m not sure he is a lock to do it just yet.