Dolphins get two players back from COVID list. Where things stand and who’s available
Dolphins running backs Myles Gaskin and Salvon Ahmed have cleared COVID-19 protocol and will be available to practice on Friday, coach Brian Flores said Friday morning. Both were removed from the COVID-19 list and are back on the active roster.
After watching them in practice, the Dolphins then will decide whether to play them on Sunday against the Jets.
At least one, if not both, likely would play on Sunday.
“Salvon, Myles have banked reps from a full season,” Flores said. “It’s more getting into the huddle, hearing it and going through it. It’s more of a refresher. If we feel good about how the reps look today, we’ll go with one [or both] of those guys. Otherwise, we’ll go with [players] who had reps this week.”
The only Dolphins running backs who have practiced all week are Duke Johnson, new practice squad player Dexter Williams and veteran Malcolm Brown (who’s on injured reserve but is now healthy and eligible to return immediately).
As of Friday morning, four other Dolphins on the COVID list - Jaylen Waddle, Jevon Holland, Phillip Lindsay and practice squad player Gerrid Doaks - remain isolated and have not been cleared to return to practice or play in a game.
All four of those players would need to produce one negative COVID test -- and a negative rapid COVID test -- by 3:59 p.m. on Saturday in order to be permitted to play on Sunday. They must also be asymptomatic to be able to play.
Flores said all the players on the COVID-19 list “zoom into all the meetings. Everything has gone virtual. So all players are in all meetings. We’ve kept them up to speed on the game plan in all three phases, tried to make them as interactive as possible. Have guys answering questions. Those guys are part of those meetings.”
But Flores added: “It’s one thing to just meet, another to practice. Good to have [two] of those guys back in a practice setting... Our support staff has done a great job of adjusting and being flexible.”
Flores addressed other issues in his Friday Zoom session:
▪ Running back Brown, who has missed six weeks with a quadriceps injury, looks ready to return.
“He did some good things on Wednesday,” Flores said. “At least we’ve got more guys available” at running back.
Gaskin, Ahmed, Duke Johnson and Brown are all available to play Sunday. So are two practice squad running backs: Williams and Jordan Scarlett.
▪ On the decision to sign former Raiders first-round pick Damon Arnette, who has had off-field issues, to the practice squad:
General manager “Chris Grier and his staff have done a lot of background work on him. We felt good about bringing him in and taking a look.”
▪ On losing Waddle to the COVID list: “It’s next man up. The message is what the message always is: Other guys have to step up and we need contributions from everyone. That’s how you have success in this league.”
Flores said the team discovered during Thursday meetings that Waddle was going on the COVID list and they’re adjusting “on the fly.”
Flores mentioned receivers Isaiah Ford and Albert Wilson and tight end Mike Gesicki as two players who could replace Waddle in the slot.
▪ Asked about the plan at safety if Holland cannot play, Flores said: “We like the depth in the safety room. We’re dealing with a quarterback [the Jets’ Zach Wilson] who’s very talented and has gotten hot. We’ve got to do a good job communicating; that starts with the safety and linebacker positions.”
Eric Rowe, Brandon Jones, Will Parks, Sheldrick Redwine and Clayton Fejedelem would be the Dolphins’ safeties if Holland cannot play. Cornerbacks Justin Coleman and Nik Needham also could be used at safety.
This story was originally published December 17, 2021 at 11:03 AM.
