MIAMI GARDENS — The Miami Dolphins were still debating whether to activate running back Jeff Wilson Jr. off injured reserve ahead of Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers when coach Mike McDaniel spoke to reporters before Friday’s practice.
Wilson was later deemed doubtful to play when the team released its injury report following drills.
The Dolphins are now without rookie sensation De’Von Achane in the backfield after he landed on IR this week due to a knee injury suffered in last Sunday’s win over the New York Giants.
In the aftermath, Wilson returned to practice from injuries to a finger and his ribs this week. His ailments stem back to the preseason and caused him to miss the first five weeks of the regular season. It now appears unlikely he would make his season debut against Carolina.
“We’re going to let Friday play out,” McDaniel said Friday afternoon before team drills. “We’ll make the call then, but he’s certainly prepared himself adequately. If we went that direction, he’d be ready to go.”
Miami offensive coordinator Frank Smith, speaking Thursday, simply replied “yes” when asked if Wilson has appeared ready to return in practice this week.
Whenever Wilson is brought back, it would mean a return for the tailback the Dolphins had slated to be their No. 2 behind Raheem Mostert before the season and Achane’s emergence beginning Week 3 against the Denver Broncos.
Miami’s available running backs behind Mostert are veteran Salvon Ahmed and undrafted rookie Chris Brooks. Jake Funk, signed to the Dolphins’ practice squad this week, can also be elevated to the game-day roster.
McDaniel may want to use the final active roster spot that’s available from Achane’s placement on IR on one of two other players seeking to return: cornerback Nik Needham or offensive lineman Robert Jones. Needham is on the physically-unable-to-perform list rehabbing his torn Achilles from last season and Jones is on injured reserve due to a knee injury suffered in the preseason.
Needham, like Wilson, is doubtful and Jones is questionable.
“It’s really more about just the whole roster and what the game-day active (roster) will look like,” said McDaniel, who added Needham and Jones “have looked outstanding.”
Friday injury report
The Dolphins, already with left tackle Terron Armstead on injured reserve, will also now be without center Connor Williams against the Panthers.
Williams was ruled out Friday after he did not practice all week following a return to the lineup last Sunday against the New York Giants.
McDaniel pointed to the lasting impact of playing through his groin injury against the Giants. The coach said it wasn’t an aggravation to the groin but simple maintenance.
“When we made the decision for him to play last week, we knew there would be residual effects from that,” McDaniel said prior to ruling him out. “We expected it to be hurting him, and it has. So, we’ve been adjusting on the fly, and he won’t practice (Friday). But he’ll be doing stuff with the trainers and our normal process with guys.”
The Dolphins were also monitoring the health of Robert Hunt. Fortunately for the team, the knee injury that popped up on the Thursday injury report for Hunt doesn’t appear serious.
“We list all ailments, and the good news is he’ll be practicing (Friday) and he’s going to be good to go (Sunday),” said McDaniel, before Hunt was indeed seen during a media viewing portion of Friday drills. “Don’t have any issues with that.”
Hunt confirmed at his locker after Friday’s practice that he’s ready for Sunday, and he indeed is clear of any injury designation.
Dolphins outside linebacker Jaelan Phillips, who has missed three of the first five weeks because of back and oblique injuries, is questionable for Sunday’s home game against Carolina because of the oblique ailment.
“He’s the most dangerous player to himself,” McDaniel said of Phillips’ willingness to play through injury. “He’s not used to being injured, so he wanted to play last week. Triple that down this week.”
Phillips got through Friday’s session well.
“I felt really good (Friday) running around in practice,” he said. “Definitely been making progress, and I’m pretty happy with where I’m at right now. … Trying to get back to my explosive self.”
Miami fullback Alec Ingold (foot) is also questionable, although he said Monday he felt he’d be ready to play.
The Panthers are hit hard with injuries. Safeties Vonn Bell (quadriceps0 and Xavier Woods (hamstring), running back Miles Sanders (shoulder), left guard Chandler Zavala (neck), backup guard Austin Corebett (knee) and tight end Gio Ricci (shoulder) are all out.
Standout edge rusher Brian Burns (ankle), an American Heritage grad, and defensive tackle Derrick Brown (knee/ankle) are questionable, along with tight ends Ian Thomas (calf) and Stephen Sullivan (hip).
Roster decision complexity
With how many players the Dolphins have already placed on IR, plus having wide receiver Erik Ezukanma on the reserve/non-football injury list, the team could be hit with tough choices through the remaining two-thirds of the season.
NFL rules allow eight players in a given season to be designated to return — the point where they begin to practice off either IR or NFI — in a season. The Dolphins have already done that with Wilson and Jones to this point. Needham, seeking a return from PUP, would not count against the eight.
Among others on the two reserve lists are cornerback Jalen Ramsey, Armstead and Achane. All are expected to make recoveries from their knee injuries during the season, and are must-haves on the roster when available. Their eventual designations to return puts the Dolphins at five. If and when River Cracraft, on IR for a shoulder injury, and Ezukanma (neck) return to practice, those would mark Miami’s sixth and seventh, putting the team near the limit.
“That’s a huge part of the decision-making process that we’re very aware of,” McDaniel said. “That factors into how many players you put on IR. You do the best thing that you can for the team, knowing all the information. On the front end of those discussions is who’s going to potentially be available from a physical standpoint, what implications does that have on the rest of the roster if we didn’t put him on IR or if we do. And then, the obvious rules and regulations of the IR system in present day. … It’s definitely on our radar.”
