Miami Dolphins will be without two rotational linebackers vs. Buffalo Bills
The Dolphins will be without two contributing linebackers Sunday against the Bills.
Elandon Roberts, on injured reserve with a knee injury, was expected to miss the game.
Kamu Grugier-Hill, left home Saturday with a last-minute, non-COVID-19 illness, was not.
Grugier-Hill is one of the Dolphins’ top special teams contributors, logging 234 snaps in the kick game this year, but was in line for a larger role on defense with Roberts out.
Instead, the Dolphins will probably turn to Sam Eguavoen and Calvin Munson if they get in a jam Sunday.
Grugier-Hill’s regular season ends after 28 defensive tackles in 15 appearances, including one start. His illness came on late in the week; he practiced fully Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
Meanwhile, the Dolphins seem to be holding out at least a bit of hope for the four players listed as questionable on their final injury report. Wide receivers Jakeem Grant (ankle) and DeVante Parker (hamstring), guard Solomon Kindley (knee/foot) and defensive end Shaq Lawson (shoulder) all made the trip to Western New York.
Of the four, Grant seems the least likely to play Sunday against the Bills. He is dealing with a high-ankle sprain suffered last Saturday.
▪ Ryan Fitzpatrick tested positive for COVID-19 and is out this week, but it does not appear as though the team had an outbreak. Tua Tagovailoa made the trip and appears on track to start. Tagovailoa will be one of three quarterbacks available to the Dolphins Sunday.
The others: Jake Rudock, who signed to the active roster this week, and Reid Sinnett, whom the team elevated to the 53-man roster from the practice squad Saturday.
The Dolphins also called up wide receiver Marcus Kemp and safety Nate Holley from the practice squad.
They waived fullback Chandler Cox, a seventh-round pick in 2019, to make room.
This story was originally published January 2, 2021 at 1:29 PM.
