What was witnessed at Dolphins practice. McDaniel coy on Ramsey, addresses other issues
Coach Mike McDaniel on Wednesday declined to say if he expects cornerback Jalen Ramsey will play on Sunday but said there have been no setbacks with his hamstring injury.
Ramsey has not been practicing recently and was not spotted during the 20 minutes open to reporters on Wednesday.
“I’ve never been more proud of a player not practicing,” McDaniel said of Ramsey showing the discipline not to practice while dealing with an injury issue.
McDaniel declined to reveal the nature of the injury, but the first injury report of the season later in the day revealed that Ramsey is dealing with a hamstring injury.
McDaniel’s comments stood in contract to his remarks about Ramsey after the Tampa Bay preseason game, when McDaniel indicated he wasn’t concerned about his availability for the opener on Sunday against visiting Jacksonville (1 p.m., CBS).
Ramsey has not practiced since that Tampa Bay game and has practiced once in the last three weeks.
PHILLIPS UPDATE
McDaniel, asked whether edge rusher Jaelan Phillips will be on a snap count on Sunday after his return from November’s torn Achilles: “Naturally, there are a couple of components. For so long, there’s been positive check boxes. Everybody is on board; got to manage it in some regard.... We have to keep in mind this will be his first game back and we have a game four days later.”
Phillips was in uniform but didn’t have a helmet during the media viewing period on Wednesday.
▪ Defensive lineman Calais Campbell and left tackle Terron Armstead did not appear to be practicing. Neither had any known injury when the team last practiced. It’s possible both received a veteran’s rest day.
▪ Safety Marcus Maye was wearing a cast on the thumb on his left hand.
▪ McDaniel, on what he has told Tagovailoa: “The way he wants to lead, if he wants to lead, he’s fully capable of doing in a manner that nobody should tell him how. There are certain guys with the ‘it’ factor. You know when a team believes in its quarterback... He’s being him. The strongest energy wave you can give off is authenticity.”
▪ McDaniel, on the “F” position that surfaced on the depth chart, with tight ends Jonnu Smith and Tanner Conner listed as the backups behind Alec Ingold: “It can be a third down target. It can be a core blocking asset, a guy you’re trying to get the ball to in space.”
But McDaniel didn’t want to call it a fullback; that’s Ingold’s position but not Smith’s or Conner’s position.
This story was originally published September 4, 2024 at 1:38 PM.
