With Alexander Mattison done for the season, the Dolphins are adding some running back depth. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported earlier today that the team was adding Aaron Shampklin, while ESPN’s Adam Schefter adds that veteran Mike Boone is also joining the team. To make room on the roster, the team has officially placed Mattison on injured reserve and waived Monaray Baldwin (via Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston).
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Boone brings the most experience among the two additions, as the veteran has appeared in 72 games over the past seven years. Boone often found himself as a third-string RB in a Dalvin Cook-led depth chart in Minnesota, although he did finished the 2019 campaign with a career-high 290 yards from scrimmage. He’s bounced around the NFL a bit since leaving the Vikings, spending time with the Broncos, Texans, and Panthers. Over that four-year span, the veteran has added another 367 yards from scrimmage to his resume.
Boone has limited experience as a return man, tallying five kickoff returns. The 30-year-old has also garnered 738 special teams snaps during his career, so perhaps he could carve out a useful role in Miami.
Shampklin went undrafted out of Harvard in 2021 and has had stints with the Cowboys, Colts, Chargers, and Steelers. He made his NFL debut last season, collecting 17 rushing yards in three games with Pittsburgh. He was a relatively popular name in free agency in recent weeks, as the RB also auditioned for the Bears and Jets.
It’s uncertain if these two additions will represent Miami’s only solutions to replacing Mattison; the team notably worked out Jamaal Williams earlier today. Either way, the Dolphins still have plenty of depth at the position. De’Von Achane will still lead the grouping, with 2024 fourth-round pick Jaylen Wright serving as a primary backup. The team also used a draft pick on sixth-round RB Ollie Gordon II.