An update on Tagovailoa’s hip injury. And Dolphins coordinators offer personnel updates
The Dolphins said Thursday that they’re not concerned about a hip injury that limited quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s participation in Wednesday’s practice. He remains on track to play Sunday against visiting San Francisco (4:25 p.m., CBS).
“No concern with us,” offensive coordinator Frank Smith said, suggesting that’s one of the many bumps and bruises that players deal with following games. “December football everyone is working through stuff,” he said.
Tagovailoa took a hit to the hip and torso after colliding with a Texans defender while trying to run for a first down in Sunday’s loss at Houston.
“Probably should have just thrown it out to Jonnu Smith,” Tagovailoa said, acknowledging the need to “mitigate the hits. But in the heat of the moment, just competitive greatness, trying to see if I could get it.”
Former Falcons quarterback Kurt Benkert, now a media personality, was among those who asked, on social media, why Tagovailoa did not try to make a tackle on one of his interceptions Sunday. He said he was not ordered to avoid tackling.
“No, no; there were some other factors that played in that, but no,” he said.
Meanwhile, Tagovailoa said he and Tyreek Hill discussed Tagovailoa’s three interceptions, all of which happened with Hill nearby.
“Me and Tyreek being on the same page, us not being on the same page, that’s something that we take accountability for,” Tagovailoa said. “But there’s no excuses as to why that had happened and why it kept reoccurring. No excuses for that, and that’s not the ball that we play here. And so, that’s not going to happen again.”
Three-rusher future?
After watching rookie edge rusher Chop Robinson blossom in the past six weeks, defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver is excited to see Robinson, Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips on the field at the same time next season.
Phillips is out for the season with a knee injury. Chubb hasn’t played this season because of a knee injury sustained in Week 17 last season.
“You see the smile on my face as soon as you mention all three,” Weaver said Thursday. “Having all three available and on the field at the same time, you open up a pandora’s box for me, thinking of ways you can use them and scare and intimidate offenses. It would be awesome... a lot of fun to see what we can do with all three guys.”
▪ Both Chubb and Cameron Goode must be activated by Christmas in order to be eligible to play this season. Goode was a full participant in Wednesday’s practice, but Chubb remained a limited participant.
Mike McDaniel has said the team will decide at the end of the week whether either player will play against the 49ers.
Does Chubb look ready to play?
“Both are competing,” Weaver said, lumping Goode into the answer. “The few full-speed reps they have, they look great. Chubb looks like a guy who is trying to work himself back to where he used to be. He flashes but you don’t want to touch that field until you know you’re your best self. When he plays, he will be ready to go. He’s getting to that point.”
▪ Safety Elijah Campbell has played a combined 20 defensive snaps the past three games, all alongside Jevon Holland and Jordan Poyer.
Weaver praised “Elijah’s skill set and range and physicality he shows at safety,” and said those lineups work because Holland can play nickel corner and the Dolphins can “put bigger bodies out there so when teams do want to swing [out] we have a bigger presence.”
▪ Besides collecting five sacks in the past seven games, Robinson “has been doing a great job” against the run, Weaver said.
“He’s done a good job on the edges. When he’s out there, we don’t see him as a liability in the run game. Sometimes there are new things schematically he hasn’t seen. Some things we try to protect him from. We don’t think we’re at a disadvantage when he’s out there in run situations.”
▪ Offensive coordinator Frank Smith said he’s excited about seeing rookie left tackle Patrick Paul again this week. Does he mean practice or the game? “Maybe both,” Smith said, smiling.
Terron Armstead’s status remains in question because of a knee injury that sidelined him against Houston.
“You can see with him the growth that’s coming,” Smith said of Paul.
Right tackle Kendall Lamm remains iffy for Sunday with a back injury that sidelined him against Houston. Fill-in Jackson Carman allowed a sack against Houston. “Obviously, there are plays he would want back,” Smith said.
▪ Special teams coordinator Danny Crossman said it would be “illegal” to reveal why Blake Ferguson has been ruled out for the remainder of the season or his long-term outlook. He’s on the non-football injury list.
“The best decision is to inform him he is not going to be snapping in a game for the rest of the season.” Crossman said. “Hopefully that puts at rest his mind and what he’s working on and lets everyone else know what we are doing. So there is not the constant questioning of who, what, when, where and why.”
Jake McQuaide is the team’s new long snapper.
▪ Former Bills receiver Isaiah McKenzie, who was signed to the practice squad, is an elevation option for Sunday. “He brings his experience and speed and for us it’s making sure we have guys who can run and separate,” Smith said.
This story was originally published December 19, 2024 at 11:50 AM.
