Because the Miami Dolphins flip the web page on the loss to the Minnesota Vikings and put together for the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night time, it seems the crew stays on monitor to have quarterback Tua Tagovailoa make his return.
“The plan is for him to method the sport because the starter,” coach Mike McDaniel stated of Tagovailoa on Monday. “He’ll have the ability to get these [practice] reps on Wednesday. I felt actually good about how he was in a position to get again on the sphere.”
Tagovailoa was cleared from concussion protocol on Saturday, however the Dolphins by no means deliberate to play him on Sunday in opposition to the Vikings. He progressed by means of protocol to apply all through the previous week, on a restricted foundation on Wednesday and Thursday earlier than going by means of a full apply workload on Friday.
McDaniel famous that it was vital for Tagovailoa to get by means of protocol, see specialists and apply all final week earlier than one other full week of drills, particularly since he final had a full week of apply forward of the Sept. 25 sport in opposition to the Buffalo Payments.
“He responded actual properly in his exuberant self, and we’ll be excited to see him apply on Wednesday,” McDaniel stated. “And I do know the crew shall be, as properly.”
Added proper guard Robert Hunt: “Tua’s Tua. Tua’s our chief. We’ll be excited to get him again.”
Tagovailoa’s return comes simply in time to offer the Dolphins a jump-start again in the proper route. Since his concussion suffered within the second quarter of the Sept. 29 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, the Dolphins are on a three-game dropping streak that adopted their 3-0 begin.
“He’s a captain for a purpose,” McDaniel stated. “I believe he’s a really, excellent participant at that place. Superb gamers, they undoubtedly give individuals a lift — not due to what different individuals aren’t, however simply because he's who he's. Robust material of this crew. That’s thrilling once you get to go play with one among your brothers, which is why the crew shall be excited.”
McDaniel stated he doesn’t anticipate any rust in Tagovailoa’s mechanics.
“He was actually the identical man,” McDaniel stated upon watching his return to apply. “He didn’t begin throwing right-handed, in order that was a great factor.”
There’s speak internally of getting Tagovailoa to a degree the place he higher protects himself on the sphere after his back-to-back video games in opposition to the Bengals and Payments the place he took a blow to the pinnacle, plus different accidents sustained earlier in his profession.
“You're keen on his aggressive nature, however there's a time in a play the place it's a must to concede,” McDaniel stated. “That’s the place he’s type of specializing in as a result of it’s not pure to him. He desires to interrupt each deal with, and he doesn’t like when performs don’t work. Properly, generally they gained’t.”
Different accidents
After the information of cornerback Nik Needham’s torn Achilles on Sunday that can finish his season, McDaniel stated Needham is certainly happening injured reserve Monday.
“He’s in good spirits,” security Brandon Jones stated. “He was so locked in going into the sport. I knew, with out the harm, he was going to have an enormous sport.”
The lack of Needham, who was carted off the sphere on Sunday, provides to the Dolphins’ harm woes at cornerback.
They haven’t had Byron Jones even come again to apply whereas on the physically-unable-to-perform checklist for offseason decrease left leg surgical procedure. Kader Kohou missed the loss to the Vikings. The crew received All-Professional Xavien Howard again from lacking the earlier week’s loss to the New York Jets, however Keion Crossen additionally went down Sunday with a knee harm.
McDaniel is cautious to not put an harm timeline on Crossen as a result of he has seen him get well shortly.
“He’s one of many quickest healers that I’ve ever been round,” McDaniel stated. “He’s proven that within the couple of alternatives he’s had since he’s been right here. We’ll reassess midweek, solely as a result of it’s arduous to nail that down.”
McDaniel stated he doesn’t suppose the Dolphins will ship Jones out to start practising this week.
“It's a large deal to place somebody on the market on the sphere, a cornerback that’s attempting to carry out at a excessive degree, with a lower-body extremity harm,” he stated. “We’ve been considered with it. … We’re actually simply attempting to do it the proper approach, and it’s arduous to know absolutely when that’s going to occur.”
McDaniel famous the Dolphins will proceed to take Jones’ rehab “week by week.”
Brandon Jones stated of Byron: “Byron’s been round. He’s like a trainer today. He’s in there after we’re watching movie, after we meet as a protection and as DBs and placing his enter in, asking questions. Simply being very concerned with what he can. … He’s undoubtedly making strides to have the ability to come again each time he’s prepared.”
With the Dolphins attempting to get their beginning tackles again to alleviate struggling backups Greg Little and Brandon Shell, McDaniel stated it’s doable to get one or two again between left deal with Terron Armstead and proper deal with Austin Jackson.
McDaniel stated he feels good in regards to the level Armstead reached by Sunday, regardless of not enjoying within the sport. He’s each day, in accordance with McDaniel.
On Jackson, who has been on injured reserve for 5 weeks with an ankle harm, McDaniel highlighted how ankles are robust for heavy offensive linemen. Jackson hasn’t had setbacks, and the crew is monitoring him this week.
Quarterback Skylar Thompson, who left Sunday’s loss to the Vikings with a thumb harm on his throwing hand, shall be each day, per McDaniel. …
— The Dolphins, on Monday, launched operating again ZaQuandre White from the apply squad.
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