Ogbah, Ingram back in prominent roles for season’s biggest game. And Dolphins injury news

This season hasn’t gone precisely how Emmanuel Ogbah and Melvin Ingram might have envisioned, with Ogbah limited to a modest role on this Dolphins defense and Ingram out of the league entirely until mid-December.

But at the season’s most important moment, Ogbah and Ingram once again will be cast in significant roles in Sunday’s Bills-at-Dolphins game (8:20 p.m., NBC).

Coach Mike McDaniel said both players will fill the void left by Bradley Chubb’s season-ending torn ACL.

“I’m happy and blessed to be back,” Ingram said.

And Ogbah? “I’m ready to step up and do what I need to do to help this team win.”

Ogbah was so surprised to be a healthy scratch against Baltimore that he said “Wow. LOL” on the social media platform X.

Ogbah confirmed that was a reference to him not playing against the Ravens, a decision that he said was never explained to him. “That was just my feelings at the moment,” he said of the post.

“Finding out I was inactive was tough for me because you want to play a game so bad and it’s not up to you.”

McDaniel explained that because Ogbah had missed the Dallas game with a hamstring injury, “we felt with the practice reps during the week, it was best served for the whole team to have him down.” But McDaniel said he will have a “huge role” in Chubb’s absence.

Ogbah has played only 200 defensive snaps this season - down from 793 and 755 for Miami in 2020 and 2021 - but has 5.5 sacks.

This season has been “definitely tough, going from being out there to not seeing the field maybe as much,” said Ogbah, who has 42.5 career sacks. “I’m confident. I’ve been playing in this league for a long time and I’m confident in my abilities and I’m ready to step up whenever I’m needed.”

Ingram, who had six sacks for the Dolphins last season, didn’t sign with a team during the offseason and spent the first 13 weeks of the season in Charlotte, coaching his 4- and 8-year old children in football, basketball and soccer.

“I was coaching my kids, working out, chilling, enjoying life,” he said Wednesday.

He was diligent about keeping in shape and was hoping the Dolphins would call. He said other teams inquired about him during the season, but he bypassed those opportunities because “I wanted to be here.”

Why so? “Because I had started something here. I have a house here. It’s something special I wanted to be a part of.”

He said general manager Chris Grier never conveyed a specific message over the past nine months but both sides agreed that “if things presented themselves, we would make it happen.”

Ingram, who joined Miami’s practice squad Dec. 14, is eligible to play in every remaining Dolphins game this season (including the playoffs) even if he stays on the practice squad. Ingram played 21 and 16 defensive snaps the past two games and has two tackles.

Does he have all of his skills back after sitting out the first few months of the season?

“It never left,” he said.

How tough is it to step into important games after not playing for nearly a year?

“I know it ain’t tough for me,” he said.

Ingram, who has 57 career sacks, said it hasn’t been difficult to pick up coordinator Vic Fangio’s system: “I feel like I’m a very smart guy. I pick up a lot of things pretty easily.”

With starting edge players Jaelan Phillips (torn Achilles) and Chubb out for the season, Ingram said it’s “a blessing for a team to have a lot of guys here that can play football. We don’t plan on skipping any beats.”

Andrew Van Ginkel continues to play in Phillips’ spot, and now Ingram and Ogbah replace Chubb.

“Going into our outside linebacker room, seeing the empty seats makes you think ‘Damn, we lost another brother,” Ogbah said.

INJURY UPDATE

The Dolphins on Wednesday practiced without running back Raheem Mostert (knee/ankle), left tackle Terron Armstead (knee/ankle/back), cornerback Xavien Howard (foot), receiver Jaylen Waddle (ankle) and defensive tackle Zach Sieler (illness).

McDaniel has said that Howard is unlikely to play this week. Mostert’s availability for Sunday will be based on how well he’s able to move and cut in practice.

Waddle missed the Baltimore game with a high ankle sprain. NFL Network has said he is expected to be back for the playoffs, if not sooner. Could Waddle possibly play Sunday? McDaniel said Waddle did a walk through on Wednesday and if he’s ready physically, “we will give some practice reps a try and see how he responds to that.”

Several Dolphins were limited on Wednesday: running back De’Von Achane (who is now dealing with injuries to multiple ribs besides his toe injury), linebacker Jerome Baker (knee); offensive linemen Lester Cotton (hip), Liam Eichenberg (calf and ankle), Austin Jackson (oblique) and Robert Hunt (hamstring); linebackers David Long Jr. (knee) and Duke Riley (ankle) and safety Jevon Holland (knees).

Tyreek Hill was limited because of his Dec. 11 ankle injuries, then left practice when he learned of a fire at his home; nobody was injured.

Baker practiced for the first time since going on injured reserve with a sprained MCL that sidelined him the past four games. He’s eligible to play Sunday, but McDaniel said it’s too soon to know if he will be able to play.

Baker became the eighth and final Dolphins player to be designated to return from IR; teams are permitted up to eight per season. That means that guard Isaiah Wynn, receiver Erik Ezukanma and running back Salvon Ahmed will not play again this season (including the playoffs).

▪ Bills coach Sean McDermott said quarterback Josh Allen’s “neck is still sore” but Allen and McDermott said he will play Sunday.

Allen has completed only 57 percent of his passes in Buffalo’s past seven games, which is second-worst in the league over that span, ahead of only Carolina’s Bryce Young. But Buffalo has won four in a row.