Parker going on injured reserve: the fallout. And Tua, Baker questionable for Sunday
Dolphins wide receiver DeVante Parker, who already has missed three games with a hamstring injury this season, will miss at least three more.
The Dolphins placed Parker on injured reserve on Friday after he re-aggravated his hamstring injury in practice this week.
The Dolphins filled Parker’s roster spot by claiming outside linebacker/defensive end Darius Hodge off waivers from Cincinnati.
The 6-1, 248-pound Hodge, an undrafted rookie free agent from Marshall, played six defensive snaps and 13 special teams snaps for the Bengals this season. He had 15.5 sacks in 31 games at Marshall.
Parker returned against Buffalo -- after missing three games -- and caught eight passes for 85 yards. He has played in five games this season and will now miss at least six of the team’s first 11 games.
Parker missed just two games combined over the past two seasons but has battled hamstring injuries since training camp.
Parker’s hamstring injury is a “combination of soreness from the [Buffalo] game and he re-aggravated it in practice,” Flores said.
With Parker sidelined, the Dolphins’ receivers on Sunday will be Jaylen Waddle, Preston Williams, Mack Hollins, Isaiah Ford and Albert Wilson. The Dolphins might add a receiver from the practice squad, possibly Kirk Merritt.
Williams was left home last Sunday for disciplinary reasons but is getting a fresh start.
“Players make mistakes, coaches make mistakes,” Flores said. “I’m not one to hold grudges. You have to move past things. Preston has done a good job this week, practiced well. It’s an opportunity. Hopefully, he’ll take advantage of it.”
Williams declined to say what team rule he violated (which led to him not playing last Sunday) but figures to play against Houston with Parker out.
“I’ve been waiting on the opportunity,” he said.
Williams, the only Dolphin player who has worn a mask in interviews in recent weeks, said Friday that he’s unvaccinated because “I want to wait it out.”
The Dolphins don’t have the cap space to put in a waiver claim on receiver Odell Beckham Jr., who is being released by the Browns. Beckham’s restructured contract calls for a $7.25 million salary this season, which Miami cannot accommodate because the Dolphins have just $1.4 million in cap space.
The Dolphins enter the weekend second in waiver claim order behind Detroit, but the waiver order could change after this weekend’s games -- before Beckham is subjected to waivers on Monday or Tuesday.
THIS AND THAT
▪ The final injury report listed quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (finger on throwing hand) and linebacker Jerome Baker (knee) as questionable, but Flores said he’s optimistic that Tagovailoa will play. Flores was non-committal about Baker.
Flores addressed that and several other issues - including Odell Beckham Jr. - here, in this Friday morning piece.
Safety Brandon Jones (ankle) was limited in practice all week but is expected to play Sunday.
▪ Tagovailoa’s handling of Deshaun Watson rumors earned him respect from teammates.
“Tua has the ability to put blinders on - I’ve gained respect for him how he’s handled the situation,” tight end Durham Smythe said. “He’s the same guy, day in and day out.”
▪ Route-running apparently remains an issue in some instances.
On Tagovailoa’s interception on Sunday, Parker and Waddle were in the same area. Was that by design?
“We don’t ever want to design players where they’re standing in the same spot; you know better than that,” offensive coordinator George Godsey told reporters.
“I think we’re in a situation there where we’re down multiple scores, where we’ve got to chuck the ball downfield. I think it was more situation than interception. We’re going to have to get a lot of yards somewhat quickly based on what the score was.
“So, [Tua] tried to thread it in there. Ideally, we get Jaylen a little bit further from where he’s at. Didn’t start the drive the way we wanted to with the drop. At some point, we’re going to have to get the ball downfield and get some more points on the board to maybe give our special teams a chance for an onside kick.”
This story was originally published November 5, 2021 at 4:03 PM.
