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The Miami Dolphins are heading to their first preseason game of the season, a Friday night contest against the New York Giants. The team will be looking to measure themselves against an offense and a defense that is not made of their own teammates, a big step in trying to prepare for the 2016 season. While the starters will likely not play more than one series, there is one key member of the offense who will not play at all.
Running back Arian Foster was ruled out of the game on Wednesday by head coach Adam Gase.
“He’s one guy on offense I’m not going to play in this game. That’s strictly my decision,” Gase told the media after Wednesday’s training camp practice. “I have a certain way I treat running backs that haven’t played for a while. I don’t like them taking any unnecessary hits in games where it might only be a couple of snaps for him.”
Foster joined the Dolphins in mid-July after being released by the Houston Texans earlier in the offseason. He is coming off a season ending Achilles tendon tear from last year, an injury he sustained against the Dolphins in October.
“He is almost to the point where we can play a full practice without any restrictions,” Gase added about Foster’s rehab.
Gase has also hinted that defensive end Cameron Wake might not play in the game, though he admitted he has not yet spoken to Wake about that plan. Wake is also coming off an Achilles tendon tear that ended his 2015 season prematurely.
The Dolphins will kickoff against the Giants at 7pm ET on Friday. This is the first preseason game for both teams.