An update on Tyreek Hill, other injured players. And Dolphins personnel notes
The Dolphins got good news on Thursday when star receiver Tyreek Hill returned to practice after missing Wednesday with a hip injury. [Update: Hill was limited in practice but said after practice that his hip is fine. Asked if he’s playing Sunday against New England, he said: “Yeah baby. I’m good.”].
During the 20 minutes of practice that’s open to reporters, Hill seemed to be moving very well (at full or close to full speed), cutting effectively and looked good in his regular receiving dills.
Hill did not want to discuss his injury, joking that he missed practice to spend more time with his children.
The last time he played the Patriots in Week 2, he had only 40 receiving yards (his lowest of the season) on five receptions.
“We’ve been watching a ton of film on these guys,” Hill said. “Coach Bill [Belichick] does a great job of teaching his corners to play leverage. They do a really good job of it. What I have to do better this time is see it faster, process it faster and just get to my landmark. Our quarterback has been doing a tremendous job delivering passes to me and the other guys.
“My job is to be there for him. Can’t make excuses about being doubled. My job is to get open. If I want to say I’m the best, I’ve got to get open when there are two guys on me. That’s something my dad told me: ‘You say you’re the best but you can’t get open on two guys?!’ That’s what I’ve got to do.”
Hill caught 11 passes for 88 yards and a touchdown in Philadelphia but dropped a pass that could have gone for a touchdown.
“I didn’t like my last performance,” he said. “Kind of wish I had played better. I hope I play better, which I will.”
As for other injuries...
Four others who missed Wednesday’s practice also returned Thursday: safety Jevon Holland (progressing through concussion protocol), running back Raheem Mostert (who missed Wednesday with an ankle injury), fullback Alec Ingold (foot) and guard Rob Jones (missed Wednesday due to a personal matter).
Of those five aformentioned players, Holland was the only one wearing a red non-contact jersey. He has advanced past the initial stages of concussion protocol, but his status for Sunday’s home game against New England (1 p.m., CBS) is to be determined.
Every Dolphins player on the 53-man roster practiced on Thursday except rookie cornerback Cam Smith, who injured a foot during Wednesday’s practice.
But 11 players were limited: Hill, Holland, cornerback Xavien Howard (groin), center Connor Williams (groin), cornerback Jalen Ramsey (knee), receiver Jaylen Waddle (back), Mostert (ankle), cornerback Kader Kohou (neck), fullback Alec Ingold (foot), receiver River Cracraft (shoulder) and cornerback Nik Needham (Achilles).
THIS AND THAT
Emmanuel Ogbah, who has the highest base salary on the team this season ($15 million), played only three defensive snaps against the Eagles, his fewest as a Dolphin. He had received modest playing time previously this season, logging between 16 and 22 defensive snaps in Miami’s first six games.
“When you don’t get to play the game you love, it’s tough,” he said this week. “It’s not my decision. I will keep doing what I’ve got to do.”
Has Ogbah received any explanation from defensive coordinator Vic Fangio or anyone about his diminished playing time? “No,” he said.
Will he ask for an explanation? “I mean, I don’t know. I’m just going to keep working.”
Ogbah’s playing time reduction appears mostly the byproduct of his move from defensive end to outside linebacker, where he’s stuck behind Bradley Chubb, Jaelan Phillips and Andrew Van Ginkel. And Vin Ginkel is playing more outside than inside because of David Long Jr.’s strong play at inside linebacker.
“We have a lot of confidence in him,” Fangio said of Ogbah, who has eight tackles, 2.5 sacks and an interception. “When we have the lineup we had the other night, and David is playing better inside, and Van Ginkel is playing well, it makes it hard to get a fourth guy in there” at outside linebacker.
Ogbah played 77, 67 and 56 percent of the Dolphins’ defensive snaps the past three seasons. He’s at 26 percent this season.
With more than $8 million still due him this season, that would seemingly reduce the chance of Ogbah being relocated before the NFL’s Halloween trade deadline.
“I haven’t heard any word” on that, Ogbah said.
His $14.9 million salary for next season is entirely non-guaranteed.
▪ Receiver Cedrick Wilson Jr., who had two receptions for 48 yards against Philadelphia, is playing 46 percent of the Dolphins’ offensive snaps this season, compared with 26 percent for Miami last year.
That 46 percent is exactly how much he played for Dallas in a breakout 2021 season (45 catches, 602 yards) that earned him a three-year, $22 million contract from the Dolphins, about two weeks before Miami acquired Hill. Wilson’s deal was restructured in August and is now a two-year contract that expires after this season.
One likely reason for Wilson’s increased playing time: He said he has heeded receivers coach Wes Welker’s specific advice.
“We had a talk and he pretty much wants me to go harder, every snap, go as hard as I can,” Wilson said. “He was pretty much a guy in my shoes, wasn’t a flashy, standout guy and you can see how his career turned [out].
“I’m just taking that coaching point and giving my best effort with every snap that’s given. It’s a blessing to be able to play. Don’t take any snap for granted.”
Wilson has seven catches for 116 yards this season after catching 12 for 136 last season.
“It feels good to make the plays I know I can make, based off my preparation,” he said.
▪ Liam Eichenberg, who started all 10 games he played last season (at left guard), said he has been working only at center because of the precarious status of Connor Williams, who has missed three of the past four games with a groin injury.
Eichenberg said he would “like a shot” at the now-open left guard spot, with Isaiah Wynn out for an extended period. Lester Cotton is expected to start at left guard against New England on Sunday (1 p.m., CBS), but Eichenberg and Robert Jones also are options if Cotton struggles.
“I will do whatever they need me to do,” Eichenberg said. “I obviously want to be out there.”
This story was originally published October 26, 2023 at 1:48 PM.
