MIAMI GARDENS — Miami Dolphins reserve offensive lineman Robert Jones has a lengthy recovery ahead of him, but it at least won’t require surgery after suffering a left knee injury in Sunday’s loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Germany.

“It will take a little bit of time, but it’s more of a week-to-week deal with him,” coach Mike McDaniel said Tuesday, as the team is on its bye week. “It’s not a surgery situation.”

Jones, who was starting at left guard against the Chiefs because Robert Hunt was out with a hamstring injury and Lester Cotton shifted to right guard, left Sunday’s loss to the Chiefs in the second half. He was assisted by trainers to walk to the sideline and then was carted away to the locker room.

The team has dipped into its depth at the position after Isaiah Wynn injured his quadriceps in Philadelphia two weeks earlier. Wynn is on injured reserve and his return isn’t imminent.

“Nothing’s changed with Isaiah, in terms of not going to tell someone that he can or can’t, but it’s a long journey,” McDaniel said. “We’re just kind of taking it step by step with that.”

McDaniel doesn’t expect much, or any, dropoff as the team stacks injuries at guard. He noted the preseason competition at left guard that saw Wynn, Liam Eichenberg, Jones and Lester Cotton all vie for reps before Wynn won out in training camp.

“We have a lot of NFL players at the offensive line position, really,” McDaniel said. “Allowing those guys to compete and not putting kind of an absolute at that position, I think, benefits us because we have several capable players.”

Eichenberg, who has also been Miami’s backup center starting the four games Connor Williams has missed with a groin injury, filled in for Jones late in Sunday’s game.

McDaniel added tackle Kendall Lamm is versatile enough to play at guard. With Pro Bowler Terron Armstead returning Sunday for his first game back after missing four with a knee injury, Lamm is relieved for the moment of filling in at left tackle.

Jones was seen Tuesday on crutches and with a compression sleeve on his left knee.

Waddle recovering

Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle made it through Sunday’s game, but he left momentarily early in the action, with a hurt knee two offensive plays in.

“He definitely was sore,” McDaniel said of Waddle’s return after fighting through the injury scare. “We’re definitely going to be measured with our approach with him. He did a great job really battling for his teammates. There was adrenaline and competitiveness that really drove him.

“It is definitely not ideal to get injured on the second play of the game.”

Shortly after sustaining the injury, Waddle was in on the Dolphins’ second play of the second series, taking a reverse run for 12 yards a few plays later.

“That was something that he was making it very clear to me on the sideline to still call, that he wanted the ball,” McDaniel said.

Waddle has had a rough first half of the season on his body, also dealing with oblique, back and head injuries.

Bye-week walkthrough

The Dolphins held a very light walkthrough Tuesday on their bye week. Several players were dressed in shorts and visors. Position groups came out onto the practice field sluggishly and with considerably less energy than normal after Miami’s long travel back from Germany.

Among Dolphins players not seen in a very brief media viewing portion of the session: Wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Waddle, cornerback Xavien Howard, Armstead, running back Raheem Mostert, Hunt, linebacker David Long Jr., tight end Durham Smythe, fullback Alec Ingold and wide receivers Chase Claypool, Braxton Berrios and Jones.

Safety Brandon Jones, after missing the travel to Germany in concussion protocol, was at the Tuesday walkthrough in a red, non-contact jersey.

Many of those absent should be considered maintenance and not serious ailments that could keep them from missing the Nov. 19 game against the Las Vegas Raiders after the bye.

Along with running back De’Von Achane, whom McDaniel said Monday shouldn’t be out much longer on injured reserve with his knee injury, Dolphins wide receiver River Cracraft could be back from IR after the idle week, too.

“He’s had a couple of good weeks of practice,” McDaniel said. “He hasn’t had any setbacks whatsoever, and so he’s chomping at the bit now. That will probably show its face here sooner than later.”