It's becoming a little more clear why the Miami Dolphins abruptly re-signed RB Larry Johnson this week.
The team is still a little desperate but not for the reason initially thought.
The Miami Herald reported that Thomas injured his hamstring on Wednesday. He did not practice with the team on Thursday.
Citing unnamed sources, the Herald said Thomas' injury is of the day-to-day variety, meaning he could be healed enough in time to play on Monday night as the Dolphins take on the New England Patriots.
However, with Thomas' situation up in the air ahead of the season opener, the team clearly felt the need to bring back Johnson, who rushed for 39 yards on 10 carries in the final preseason game against Dallas.
Johnson was cut last weekend as the team settled on a running back rotation of Reggie Bush, Thomas and Lex Hilliard. But considering Thomas' struggles in the preseason, the team could conceivably keep Johnson around no matter the status of Thomas' hamstring.
"You know it could be short term," Johnson told the Herald Thursday, "but you also realize it doesn't have to be."
Regardless, Miami's thin running back situation just became even more tenuous. Besides counting on a feature back who has averaged 8.7 carries per game in his career and an injured rookie, the Dolphins now can hand the ball off to a guy who had all of 5 carries in 2010.
Now would be a great time for Chad Henne to morph into the second coming of Dan Marino (or at least the second coming of Jay Fiedler).
