One Dolphins defensive tackle goes on COVID-19 list. Another dishes on where he stands.
In less than two weeks, we’ve learned that two Miami Dolphins players have tested positive for COVID-19 at some point recently, two more have opted out of the season because they don’t want to get it, and a bunch more have either contracted the virus or come in close contact with someone who has.
Defensive tackle Davon Godchaux falls under the third category. The Dolphins placed the fourth-year defensive tackle on the reserve/COVID-19 list Wednesday. The team is barred from announcing whether he is sick or simply been in close proximity with someone who has.
He’s the second starter this week ruled out, at least for now, because of the league’s COVID-19 protocol, joining guard Ereck Flowers on the NFL’s temporary illness list.
Other Dolphins players currently unavailable include running back Malcolm Perry and defensive tackle Zach Sieler.
Linebacker Jerome Baker, long snapper Blake Ferguson and defensive tackle Benito Jones were on reserve/COVID-19 earlier in training camp, but have since come off it. Cornerback Cordrea Tankersley spent time on IR/COVID-19, but was later cleared and then released by the team.
Perry - who asked been asked to learn the slot receiver position, according to a team source - and linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel announced last week that they had recovered from COVID-19 and were donating their plasma to help those still sick. However, just days later, Perry was placed on the reserve list. It’s uncertain if he actually tested positive again or was near someone who has.
Godchaux’s news comes on the second straight day the Dolphins announced that a rotational wide receiver will not play this year. Allen Hurns and Albert Wilson both elected to opt out over COVID-19 concerns.
WILKINS READY FOR NEXT STEP
Meanwhile, Christian Wilkins, the Dolphins’ other returning starting defensive tackle with Godchaux, spoke with local reporters on a Zoom call on Wednesday, and he made clear that he wants to be more impactful in year two of his career.
In Wilkins, the Dolphins know they’ve found a potential longterm NFL starter, an athletic tackle/end who led all rookie defensive linemen in tackles with 55 while missing only three, which ranked among the best in the league for interior linemen.
What they don’t yet know is whether they have a Pro Bowl caliber player. And that would be the hope, considering he was selected 13th overall in the 2019 NFL Draft.
The Dolphins believed Wilkins played very well in the second half of last season. But Wilkins isn’t remotely content. He said he spent the offseason looking for ways to improve, including studying his own tape.
“I’m never a complete player; I’m never done working on my game,” Wilkins said Wednesday. “So there are always things you can improve on. The biggest thing for me is just working on hands, pad leverage and having good technique.”
One priority: Increasing his number of big plays. He had just three tackles for loss, with two sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
The game’s best defensive linemen generate more than that, though as CBS’ Phil Simms noted, it’s difficult for even the most talented interior defensive linemen to immediately become game-changing disrupters as rookies.
And the lack of big plays — combined with his below average ranking in a complicated run stop percentage metric, explain why Pro Football Focus rated him 74th among 117 qualifying interior defenders last season.
“If you play with good technique, you’ll make a lot of plays and you’ll make those big plays and get those tackles for loss too,” he said. “That’s really my big focus going into the season. From what I’ve noticed from college to the NFL, it’s a lot harder to make those big plays.
“I definitely watched a good amount of tape on my game last year and just try to be able to critique yourself and find areas to improve.”
One thing that should help both Wilkins and Godchaux: They’re going to be playing alongside appreciably better defensive ends, with the offseason addition of Shaq Lawson and Emmanuel Ogbah.
“I think we brought in some good guys,” Wilkins said. “I think we’ve got a chance to be pretty good.”
There’s already one area where Wilkins believes he sets the standard defensively.
“I don’t think anyone can match my energy,” he said, laughing. “I’m always happy, always ready to work. It’s crazy. I feel like the connection we’ve already built and are going to continue to build is just so natural.
“Those new guys that came in – from the rookies to the free agents, to the guys we picked up, and the guys that have been here – I feel like it’s so natural. It feels like we’ve already been around each other for a while. That stems from good leadership on the defensive side, too. We’ve got good guys.”
Here’s another Jackson/Beasley piece from Wednesday, on Wilson opting out, available receivers, two outside-the-box internal options and something creative Miami is working on.
This story was originally published August 5, 2020 at 4:43 PM.
