Dolphins’ McDaniel updates injuries, other issues. Waller ready for his debut
The Dolphins still have several key players on injured reserve, including right guard James Daniels, right tackle Austin Jackson and kicker Jason Sanders.
But only two players on the 53-man roster will miss Monday’s game against the visiting Jets: cornerbacks Storm Duck (ankle) and Jason Marshall Jr. (hamstring). Everyone else is available to play, coach Mike McDaniel said Saturday.
Tight end Darren Waller will make his Dolphins debut on Monday.
Waller “looks firmly ready to contribute, which is why he will play in the game,” McDaniel said.
At 6-6, Waller is “the opposite of the eligibles that we have outside of Nick (Westbrook-Ikhine),” McDaniel said. “He has gigantic range and catch radius, and he’s a very big human being that moves really fast.”
Receiver Jaylen Waddle said “Waller is special. He goes out there and I’m just amazed at how big he is and can move like that, gets out of his routes real smooth like a big receiver out there. Go out there and jump and grabbing balls out of the air. He’s a tremendous talent and I can’t wait for him to go out there and watch him perform.”
Waller last played for the Giants in 2023, catching 52 passes for 552 yards in 12 games. He began training camp on the physically unable to perform list, then sustained a hip injury, then re-aggravated it five days before the regular-season opener.
This and that
▪ Jets quarterback Justin Fields, who had been in concussion protocol, has been cleared and will start Monday against the Dolphins, coach Aaron Glenn said.
▪ Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill missed Saturday’s practice for personal reasons but is expected to play Monday.
▪ McDaniel said there has been competition at right guard but declined to name a starter. It wouldn’t be surprising if Daniel Brunskill starts, but Kion Smith also has been in the mix. Brunskill replaced Smith during the Bills game and played well until being beaten on the play in which Tua Tagovailoa threw the costly late-game interception.
Daniels, who sustained a pectoral injury in the opener against the Colts, remains out indefinitely but will play again this season, McDaniel has said.
Cole Strange, a former starter with the Patriots, said he also has received some first team practice reps at guard.
Strange has “really attacked techniques and fundamentals,” McDaniel said. “He’s had a good week.”
Strange said he has a full grasp of the playbook and has received reps at left guard and right guard in practice.
▪ Defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver gave an impassioned speech to reporters on Friday, calling for his players to display “violence” in their game.
McDaniel supported that message.
At the beginning of the week, McDaniel said he and Weaver “talked about how we can coach [while] adjusting our play energy and our passion. Working together through that fires me up. That’s a good representation of one of the reasons Anthony Weaver is here.”
▪ CBS 4 won local rights to simulcast ESPN’s cablecast of Monday’s Dolphins-Jets game at 7:15 p.m.
This story was originally published September 27, 2025 at 11:51 AM.
