McDaniel addresses Wynn injury, the Dolphin who’s back today, trade deadline, more
Guard Isaiah Wynn’s chances of playing again this season appear in serious doubt, based on Mike McDaniel’s comments Wednesday.
Wynn has a “long journey ahead of him,” McDaniel said in the wake of Wynn being placed on injured reserve with a quadriceps injury sustained in Sunday’s loss at Philadelphia.
McDaniel said he’s “not going to say zero chance” of Wynn playing again this season. But the team doesn’t appear to be counting on that.
Lester Cotton, Robert Jones and Liam Eichenberg are all candidates to replace Wynn at left guard. Cotton replaced Wynn after Wynn’s injury in the first half of the Philadelphia game.
Meanwhile, receiver River Cracraft - who has missed four games with a shoulder injury - was set to practice on Wednesday, thus triggering a 21-day clock, during or after which he must be moved from injured reserve to the 53-man roster or ruled out of the season.
Receiver Erik Ezukanma -- who has a neck injury -- hasn’t been ruled out for the year, but it’s unclear if the Dolphins will bring him off the non-football injured list this season. Ezukanma being able to play is “not as far out” as Wynn is, McDaniel said.
NFL teams can designate eight players to return off IR (either the regular IR or non-football IR) during a single season. For the Dolphins, four of those eight have been used on Jalen Ramsey, Jones, Jeff Wilson Jr. and now Cracraft.
Left tackle Terron Armstead and running back De’Von Achane likely will also be designated to return from IR.
That would leave two of the eight designated-to-return slots among Wynn, Ezukanma, running back Chris Brooks (ankle/knee) or anyone else who is injured over the next six weeks.
Armstead (knee) is eligible to return before the Nov. 5 Kansas City game. Achane (knee) is eligible to return for the Nov. 19 Las Vegas game.
Cornerback/safety Nik Needham, who was activated off the physically unable to perform list on Tuesday, does not count among the eight maximum return designations because he wasn’t on IR.
Ramsey, a six-time Pro Bowl cornerback, is on day 8 of his 21-day window to practice before Miami must make a roster move with him. McDaniel hasn’t ruled out the possibility of Ramsey playing on Sunday against New England (1 p.m., CBS). He will increase his practice workload this week.
Asked if Ramsey will be on a limited snap count initially when he returns, McDaniel said: “I’m more curious to acquire more information from Jalen specifically that only comes from post exertion to see where he’s at.”
McDaniel said of Ramsey: “This guy has been amazing his teammates left and right... Who is this guy? How does he do it?”
He also called Ramsey “the most experienced player in this [defensive scheme] we have. The crossover in scheme is huge for him.”
Meanwhile, safety Jevon Holland remains in concussion protocol but is progressing and has had “positive” results in “each stage,” McDaniel said.
▪ Asked about the NFL’s looming Halloween trade deadline, McDaniel said: “I’m not looking at anything. I’m very, very comfortable with our roster.”
He said general manager Chris Grier hasn’t “knocked on my door” with any trade proposals or offers.
