News from Dolphins injury report. Waddle ready for returns and the book on new center
Dolphins cornerbacks Xavien Howard and Byron Jones — who were dealing with injuries earlier in the week — practiced fully on Friday and will play on Sunday against Tampa Bay.
Aside from players who are on injured reserve (such as Tua Tagovailoa), the Dolphins say only one player’s status is in question for Sunday: receiver DeVante Parker, who was limited Friday with shoulder and hamstring injuries. He’s listed as questionable. Parker appeared to be moving around well during the part of practice open to reporters on Friday.
The Dolphins have 51 players on their 53 man roster. Defensive tackle Raekwon Davis, who is back from a knee injury but still on injured reserve, is likely to fill one of the two open spots.
WADDLE READY
Dolphins rookie receiver Jaylen Waddle was among the elite returners in college football during the past decade, generating the type of lofty punt return numbers that would make someone initially do a double-take.
Waddle — who averaged an incredible 19.3 yards and two touchdowns on 38 punt returns at Alabama — is expected to become the Dolphins’ primary punt returner Sunday at Tampa Bay, in the wake of Jakeem Grant being traded to Chicago.
It’s an assignment Waddle relishes.
“I enjoy it,” he said. “It’s something I can help the team out with for real. Any way I can help the team is a good opportunity.”
Beyond elite speed, what other skill does he bring to the return game?
“It’s important just to make good decisions in the return game,” he said, attributing his success as a college returner in large part to Alabama’s punt return unit and blockers.
What returners did he watch growing up and try to emulate?
“Of course, Devin Hester,” he said. “So many good returners. I know Tyreek Hill returned. [Cordarrelle] Patterson returned.”
Waddle fumbled his only previous return as a Dolphin, when Grant was briefly injured against Buffalo, and the Bills recovered. How often was ball security mentioned by coaches this week?
“We emphasize that a lot, not just on returns, but in general,” Waddle said. “Just make good decisions.”
Brian Flores said he’s “comfortable with Jaylen going back there to return punts. He has speed, good at making guys miss.”
Waddle has played 78 percent of Miami’s snaps on offense, catching 25 passes (on 30 targets) for 200 yards and a touchdown.
But he said he believes he has enough stamina to handle an expanded role on returns, as well.
“I should be good,” he said. “I got some training camp in me and a few games. I think it would be good.”
Flores mentioned rookie safety Holland as another option on punt returns; he returned 17 punts for 244 yards — a 14.4 average — at Oregon.
Dolphins receiver Preston Williams returned 10 punts for 115 yards, an 11.5 average, as a rookie in 2019.
As a kickoff returner, Waddle averaged 23.8 yards with one touchdown on nine kickoff returns in college.
The Dolphins have other kickoff return options, including cornerback Noah Igbinoghene, who did not return a punt at Auburn but averaged an impressive 27.3 yards on 44 college kickoff returns with two touchdowns.
Holland never returned a kickoff at Oregon. Dolphins receiver Albert Wilson has returned three kickoffs for 52 yards in his career, all with Kansas City.
REITER REPORT
With starting center Greg Mancz dealing with a neck injury, veteran center Austin Reiter — plucked off New Orleans’ practice squad on Monday — could be needed Sunday.
Mancz practiced fully on Friday and will play Sunday. But Reiter confirmed he was “mixed in” with the first team at times this week in practice.
Reiter has started 33 NFL games, including 32 for the Kansas City Chiefs and was the starting center on their 2019 Super Bowl team and the 2020 team that lost the Super Bowl.
How did he go from Super Bowl starting center to being on a practice squad?
“That’s the NFL,” Reiter said. “Lots of factors there: the COVID issues with the salary cap, the draft class with the offensive linemen. It’s the NFL and it’s a humbling, humbling game. That makes me hungry as a player.”
During this past offseason, Miami “was kind of in the mix among teams [my agent] was talking to,” Reiter said.
But he wasn’t with a team during the entire offseason; the Saints signed him to their practice squad on Sept. 15.
How has learning the Dolphins’ offensive line calls and playbook gone?
“I joke around it’s like you guys are speaking Spanish when I speak French,” he said. “It’s like speaking another language.”
Washington selected Reiter in the seventh round of the 2015 NFL Draft out of the University of South Florida but he never appeared in a game for Washington.
On Sunday, he will be playing on the Raymond James Stadium field where he played college ball.
According to a source, the Dolphins expect starting center Michael Deiter to miss one to two months with an injury sustained in last Wednesday’s practice.
BUCS INJURIES
As expected, Pro Bowl tight Rob Gronkowski will miss Sunday’s Dolphins game, Tampa Bay coach Bruce Arians said. Impressive young safety Antoine Winfield also is out.
Linebacker Jason Pierre Paul and starting cornerback Jamel Dean will play but were listed as questionable, Arians said.
This story was originally published October 8, 2021 at 3:19 PM.
