Dolphins’ McDaniel addresses several injuries, looming roster move, other issues
The Dolphins on Monday indicated that receiver Tyreek Hill (ankle) and cornerback Xavien Howard (hip) are close to returning after missing Sunday’s game against the Jets.
And while right tackle Austin Jackson’s oblique injury forced him to leave Sunday’s game in the second half, coach Mike McDaniel said his injury is not as serious as the oblique injury that forced Jaelan Phillips to miss three games in a four-game stretch earlier this season.
McDaniel said he feels some optimism about Jackson’s status but there’s also “a lot of unknown” about whether he will be ready for Sunday’s home game against Dallas (4:25 p.m., Fox). Kendall Lamm likely would play if Jackson cannot.
Starting right guard Robert Hunt, who has missed four games with a hamstring injury (including two in a row), remains a question for this week. McDaniel said he’s not ready to rule him out for the Dallas game.
“I’m optimistic that he’s going to turn the corner and feel good,” McDaniel said.
McDaniel said anyone who works out before the game is close to returning; Hill and Howard worked out before the Jets game and that’s why their returns are considered close.
The Dolphins, against the Jets, remained without starting safeties Jevon Holland (sprained MCL with both knees) and DeShon Elliott (concussion protocol).
McDaniel said Holland remains “day to day” and “his body will tell us when it’s ready to go” after missing three games in a row.
Elliott is progressing through concussion protocol and “we’re anticipating those final stages,” McDaniel said.
McDaniel said the team will activate rookie running back Chris Brooks off injured reserve this week. He must be activated by Tuesday or he would be out for the season.
Teams can bring no more than eight players back from injured reserve during a season and Brooks will be the seventh. Linebacker Jerome Baker appears likely to be the eighth, though McDaniel declined to rule out guard Isaiah Wynn returning amid his longterm quadriceps injury.
“He has been doing well; I don’t have a timeline for him,” McDaniel said of Wynn, adding it’s “not really on my radar.”
Meanwhile, McDaniel said he’s optimistic about the status of outside linebacker Emmanuel Ogbah and cornerback Cam Smith, who left Sunday’s game with hamstring injuries.
McDaniel addressed other issues:
▪ On linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel playing through a broken nose on Sunday: “I never knew until saw it in face.”
Van Ginkel said he didn’t know it was broken until a CT-scan on Monday.
Van Ginkel said it happened on a pass rush, when he took what he believes was an unintentional “fist to the face. [It] went through my face mask. Blood started gushing everywhere. I got back to the sideline and blood was pouring out of both nostrils.”
▪ McDaniel, on his thoughts about the narrative about the Dolphins struggling against winning teams, McDaniel said, good-naturedly:
“Not much. I instructed the players anything other than concerning yourself with the next opponent, which for us is the Dallas Cowboys, any other narrative that has to do with good teams or playoff seeds or the next three games, or all that stuff, I gave them clearance to tell all members of the media to [take a hike].”
▪ McDaniel, on tight end Durham Smythe’s play: “In a year and a half, you would be hard pressed to garner any more respect from me as a coach. He goes above and beyond for the team.”
This story was originally published December 18, 2023 at 3:13 PM.
