Dolphins face these injury, roster decisions. And updates on Waddle, safety, Tindall
The Dolphins have decisions to make in the next 48 hours, both on the injury front and the roster front.
On the injury front, Miami looks like it might play Sunday at Buffalo (1 p.m., CBS) without linebacker Jaelan Phillips (oblique), receiver Erik Ezukanma (neck) and receiver River Cracraft (shoulder). All missed practice for a second day in a row; Cracraft is out indefinitely.
But decisions loom on five players who were limited Thursday: left tackle Terron Armstead (back/ankle/knee), center Connor Williams (groin), running back Salvon Ahmed (groin), safety DeShon Elliott (ankle/groin) and tight end Tyler Kroft (back).
Armstead was ambulatory in the locker room, but his status remains a week-to-week question. Williams’ status for Sunday appears a toss-up, depending on how quickly his groin heals. The fact he was able to participate in parts of practice was somewhat encouraging. Liam Eichenberg would start at center if Williams cannot play.
On the roster front, the Dolphins face a decision on practice squad edge player Cameron Goode, who has used his three available elevations this season. Goode generally has played well on special teams but was among those who missed tackles on Marvin Mims Jr.’s kickoff return for a touchdown against Denver.
“He’s playing well,” special teams coordinator Danny Crossman said. “He wasn’t the breakdown of that play. We are happy where Cam is.”
Will he be signed to the active roster this week? “Management of the roster is constantly changing,” Crossman said. “He’s a guy we feel good about.”
If the Dolphins add Goode to the 53-man roster, they could put Cracraft on injured reserve. Eight times in a season, NFL teams can take players off injured reserve after four games.
With Waddle back but Cracraft out, the Dolphins could elevate Robbie Chosen for the second of three permitted times or simply add him to the 53-man roster.
On another injury matter, tight end Durham Smythe said he went into the medical tent during the Denver game because “I had a little tweak, soft tissue thing. Luckily as that happened, the game got out of hand, and I was able to stay on the sidelines and make sure I was OK.”
Smythe practiced fully Thursday but is getting treatment for a hamstring injury.
WADDLE BACK
Jaylen Waddle said he never experienced concussion symptoms during the 11 days he was in concussion protocol. He came out of protocol on Thursday and will play Sunday at Buffalo.
Did he think he would be able to play against Denver last weekend?
“They said I had a shot to play [against the Broncos],” he said. “That was always in consideration. But I trust the training staff and coaches to protect me from myself at times.”
He enjoyed watching the historic 70-20 thumping of Denver: “I was enjoying the game, enjoying my brothers making plays left and right.”
Waddle was the person who told teammates that they had a chance to break the all-time NFL scoring record in a game (72 points).
Waddle said he knew because fans were chanting for three points, and “I didn’t know what they were screaming. I was asked one and they said 72 or 73 was the record.”
SAFETY TALK
▪ With Brandon Jones back to full speed after last October’s knee injury, a decision looms on how to allocate snaps between Elliott and Jones. Another factor are Elliott’s ankle and groin injuries that have limited him in practice.
“It was good to finally give [Jones] some action,” defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said. “He was very limited in training camp [after last October’s ACL injury]. We’ve been getting him more reps in practice. Hopefully we are seeing that progress that allows him to play.”
Safeties coach Joe Kasper said of Elliott and Jones: “Their skill sets are different. That’s an advantage for us because it gives us multiplicity. We can surprise opponents whether one of them is on the field or one of them is not. We will continue to develop those things as Brandon is more comfortable in the scheme. I’ve been encouraged by DeShon and Brandon.”
▪ Dolphins second-year linebacker Channing Tindall played his first nine snaps on defense late in the blowout of Denver. Tindall, who has played 51 snaps on special teams this season, logged nine defensive snaps all of last season.
“He has good athletic ability, has been contributing on special teams and has been improving on defense,” Fangio said.
▪ Dolphins edge player Bradley Chubb, who’s very good at forcing fumbles, said tackling becomes the priority against Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen if he must quickly decide whether to tackle him or chop at the ball.
“You’ve got to get the guy on the ground,” Chubb said. “The ball comes secondary. We want to get him on the ground and have the second guy knock it out.”
▪ Fangio, always candid, said of linebacker Jerome Baker: “Yeah, Bake’s been, you know, he takes the signals for us. He kind of quarterbacks the defense. And he’s been playing pretty damn good. You know, I’d like to see more out of him. I think there’s more there than we’ve been getting. And hopefully we’ll get that.”
Baker didn’t quibble with that assessment: “I’ve got more to my game, more to learn on the defense. I want to make sure I’m doing my part. I’m always going to be hard on myself and feel I can always be better. I definitely could do more.”
