The Miami Dolphins' recent run of poor injury luck is popping up on the offensive side once more, as running back Alexander Mattison had to leave their preseason game against the Chicago Bears due to what has been deemed a head and neck injury. This comes after Mattison seemingly established himself as the backup running back behind De'Von Achane.
The Dolphins are now perusing the veteran free agent market for short-term depth additions that could help keep this backfield relatively stable. The market is quite thin, but there is someone with over 4,100 career rushing yards who could be a short-term Band-Aid for Mike McDaniel.
The Dolphins have worked out running back Jamaal Williams, who spent the last two seasons as a seldom-used backup with the New Orleans Saints. Even though he has some faults, replacing Mattison with Williams would be a major downgrade. Fans need to hope that the backfield isn't so injured that Williams gets a good chunk of snaps.
Dolphins work out RB Jamaal Williams after Alexander Mattison injury
Update: Alexander Mattison has undergone season-ending neck surgery, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. It turns out Mattison's injury was worse than initially feared. This would explain why Miami has interest in signing Williams.
Williams is on track to become one of the biggest one-hit wonders in NFL history. Williams has run for 32 touchdowns during eight seasons with the Saints, Detroit Lions, and Green Bay Packers, but 17 of them came during the 2021 season alone. Since then, Williams has fallen off a cliff.
Williams ran for just 470 yards in two seasons with the Saints, putting up a pitiful 3.1 yards per carry. If Mattison is going to miss time with this injury, expect Williams to provide nothing more than a veteran backup who may occasionally get on the field in short-yardage situations.
Behind Achane, young speedster Jaylen Wright should see an uptick in carries without Mattison. Rookie Ollie Gordon fell all the way to the sixth round after a disappointing 2024 season, but he has put together some very strong days in practice over the last few weeks.
Mattison is a very limited player, but his veteran savvy and stylistic contrast when compared to Achane could make him a quality fit in this Dolphins offense. If Williams ends up signing and playing meaningful snaps for Miami, something has gone horribly wrong.