Could Sunday be Campbell’s finale? He discusses. And Miami’s new line project, injury news
A six-pack of Dolphins notes on a Thursday:
▪ The Dolphins’ injury outlook remained worrisome Thursday, with left tackle Terron Armstead again missing practice with a knee injury and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa again sitting out at least parts of practice because of a hip injury.
If Armstead misses Sunday’s game at the Jets (4:25 p.m., Fox), then Patrick Paul likely would start at left tackle and Jackson Carman would be the front-runner to start at right tackle. The Dolphins haven’t ruled out Armstead playing; he hasn’t been available to speak since leaving last Sunday’s game.
Carman -- who called himself a “strong, explosive player” on Thursday --has allowed one sack and three pressures in 50 pass blocking snaps this season.
Tagovailoa hasn’t spoken since telling reporters eight days ago that his hip was fine. During the portion of practice open to reporters on Thursday, he threw a few passes from a stationary position.
Linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. (knee) also missed practice and isn’t expected to play Sunday. Safety Jordan Poyer (knee, finger) also did not practice.
Receiver Jaylen Waddle (knee) remains limited in practice. Asked this week if he expects to play on Sunday, Waddle said: “I’m feeling better. I’m practicing, so I’m feeling better.”
Besides Waddle and Tagovailoa, safety Jevon Holland (wrist) was the other Dolphins player who was a limited participant Thursday.
▪ Dolphins defensive lineman Calais Campbell, 38, confirmed that he would not be eligible to join a playoff team next week if the Dolphins don’t make the postseason. The cut-off for that is this week.
Campbell said he will think about the fact that Sunday could be his last NFL game when he dresses before the game and removes his jersey after the game. But he said he’s had that thought in past years and doesn’t expect to make a decision on retirement until March.
“I do feel like there’s a chance I can play again,” he said Thursday. “It’s not 100 percent I’m definitely going to be done. I’ve got to treat this like my last game. It’s a strong emotional feeling, as much as I love this game, as much as I’ve given this game. The fact this could be the last one is kind of crazy. I’ll try to finish with a bang. I want to make sure if this is my last game, I make it worthwhile.”
▪ Pro Football Focus rates Julian Hill as the worst among 75 qualifying tight ends this season.
But tight ends coach Jon Embree maintained Thursday that Hill “has done well. The guy’s getting better as the season goes on.... I don’t know the last time he had a penalty, knock on wood.”
As for Jonnu Smith, even though he has set Dolphins records for yards and receptions by a tight end this season, Embree has challenged him to do even more.
“I‘m pleased how Jonnu has played this year,” Embree said. “The tape doesn’t do justice what he can as a YAC player. He will tell you we’ve had our moments; I feel there’s a lot more on the field with his YAC.
“One of my jobs is to see what he’s capable of and trying to get it out of him... If there’s [something you can do better], I’m going to ride you on it. I think he can be significantly better. He would say there are things he could be better at, too.”
Smith, rated fifth by PFF among all tight ends, ranks fourth among tight ends in YAC yardage with 488.
“One pleasant surprise [with Smith] is his eagerness to work and challenge himself,” Embree said. “.. It’s a very difficult offense for our position.”
▪ Linebacker Tyrel Dodson gave an interesting answer when asked how satisfying is it for him to be named AFC Defensive Player of the Week last week, after being cut by Seattle earlier this season.
“It’s not satisfying at all,” he said. “I’m not satisfied until I go down as the best ever to do this and that’s the goal I have in my mind. I don’t know how I’m going to get there, but I’m going to keep working to get there.”
Dodson, who was cut by Seattle earlier this season after starting nine games and leading the team is tackles, said he is “finally in a defense that everyone’s on the same page. There’s no gray area, it’s black and white. I know where people are going to fit, I know how the d-line’s going to play.
“It’s fun when you come and play in a defense like that. ‘Coach Weave’ (Anthony Weaver) has done a great job. I know this is his first year doing it, but I’ve been in the league for six years and I’ve been in a good defense in Buffalo and he’s doing a great job.”
Against Cleveland, Dodson regrets taking off his helmet on the field after his interception, which drew a 15-yard penalty. “I honestly don’t know” why he did it, he said. “It was such an emotional moment for me. I can’t do that to the offense, put them behind 15 yards. It can’t happen again.”
▪ New Dolphins offensive lineman Braeden Daniels became Miami’s new developmental project when he was poached off Dallas’ practice squad on Tuesday.
Daniels -- who hasn’t appeared in an NFL regular-season game but played left guard, right tackle and left tackle at Utah -- said he’s well suited to the Dolphins’ “style of offense. They like athletic guys that can move. That’s exactly what I can” add.
General manager Chris Grier mentioned that -- and Daniels’ experience in an NFL-style offense in Utah -- when they spoke this week.
Selected by Washington in the fourth round of the 2023 draft, Daniels missed his rookie season with a torn rotator cuff, then was cut by the Commanders this past August. This season, he spent time on the practice squads of Houston, the Chargers, Philadelphia and Dallas.
“He was a guy we liked, showed versatility in the NFL, showed range, movement skills, can play inside and outside,” Smith said. “Those are guys we really value.”
▪ Dodson on Dolphins linebacker Jordyn Brooks: “Watching him from afar and being in Seattle [and now] being next to him – I knew he was good; I didn’t realize he was this damn good. He’s playing at an All-Pro level. Jordyn Brooks is the definition of an All-Pro.”
“He’s just a spiritual guy and that’s where we connect on our faith. Being big Christians as we are, when I first got here, I was sitting outside eating lunch, and we talked for like, an hour.”
Here’s my Thursday piece on safety Jevon Holland and his future.
Here’s my Thursday piece with eight nuggets from assistant coaches.
This story was originally published January 2, 2025 at 4:31 PM.
