The Miami Dolphins head into a critical Week 18 game with an injury-depleted roster.
The Miami Dolphins need a Week 18 win to have any chance at making the playoffs as the 2022 NFL regular season comes to an end. They are facing the New York Jets on Sunday in an AFC East showdown, with the Jets having already beaten Miami once this year. The Dolphins are on a five-game losing streak and have struggled to find any sense of a rhythm over the past month. Now add in a roster full of injuries, and this weekend could be tough for the hometeam.
Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa continues to be in the NFL concussion protocol following a head injury against the Green Bay Packers in Week 16. Head coach Mike McDaniel spoke about Tagovailoa’s situation prior to Wednesday’s practice, saying, “Today, he will not be on the field. And as we know, today’s the only day that I know. So, forecasting anything outside of that would be irresponsible to what has been communicated to me by medical professionals.”
When Miami released their Wednesday injury report, Tagovailoa headlined a group of eight players who did not participate in the day’s practice, six of them due to injury. Tackle Terron Armstead continues to be hampered by multiple injuries this season, sitting out Wednesday due to his toe, pectoral, knee, and hip issues. Linebacker Bradley Chubb was out with an ankle and hand injury, cornerback Xavien Howard has a knee issue, and tackle Kendall Lamm did not practice as he deals with an ankle injury that forced him out of the team’s Week 17 game early. Wide receiver and primary return man Cedrick Wilson, Jr., did not practice due to a hip injury.
Linebacker Melvin Ingram and running back Raheem Mostert were both non-participants on Wednesday, but they were held out for a rest day rather than for injury reasons.
The news did not get better with the limited participants on Wednesday. Backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, who dislocated a finger on his throwing hand in Week 17, was limited in the practice, with the team planning for third-string passer Skylar Thompson planning to start in Sunday’s game, and the team signed Mike Glennon to the practice squad to serve as an emergency quarterback. “I can’t really forecast Teddy’s availability (for Sunday), so as a result, (General Manager) Chris (Grier) and I thought that this was the best course,” McDaniel said of signing Glennon. “What I do know is Teddy is – nothing is more important to him right now than making himself available for the team. Right now, he will be doing some ball-handling things, but he can’t throw a football yet. So it’s tough to know anything until he can throw football. I know he’s going to do everything in his power.”
Tackle Eric Fisher (calf), fullback Alec Ingold (thumb), safety Eric Rowe (quadriceps), and wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (shoulder) were all also limited on Wednesday.
Miami’s injury report included safety Jevon Holland (shoulder), cornerback Kader Kohou (thumb), and linebacker Jaelan Phillips (toe), all of whom were full participants on Wednesday.
The Jets’ injury report was an estimate of what would have happened in a full practice after the team conducted a walkthrough on Wednesday. Tackle Duane Brown was a non-participant with a shoulder injury, guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif was out with a knee injury, cornerback Brandon Echols missed the practice with a quadriceps problem, tackle George Fant was out with a knee issue, and safety Lamarcus Joyner missed the day with a hip injury.
New York’s limited participants included guard Nate Herbig with a calf injury and safety Jordan Whitehead with a hamstring issue.
The Jets listed defensive end Vinny Curry (biceps), linebacker C.J. Mosley (shoulder), and quarterback Mike White (rib) on the report as full participants.
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