Wearing brace, Dolphins' Tannehill returns to practice field

DAVIE, Fla. (AP) Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill has returned to the practice field and thrown passes on the side, but he's not taking part in team

DAVIE, Fla. (AP) Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill has returned to the practice field and thrown passes on the side, but he's not taking part in team drills yet.

Tannehill wore a cap, T-shirt and left knee brace while watching his teammates at the start of Thursday's workout for the regular-season finale Sunday against New England.

He has been sidelined since Week 14 with a strained MCL and ACL and won't play this week, but there's a chance he'll return at some point in the postseason .

Coach Adam Gase said Tannehill will rejoin the lineup ''when I feel comfortable with what the doctors are telling me - that we're not going to have any kind of injury that could prevent him from hurting his chances to play next year. We're going to be very smart.''

The Dolphins (10-5) play their first playoff game in eight years next week. They've gone 2-0 with Matt Moore filling in for Tannehill.

When Tannehill was first hurt, the Dolphins feared a torn ACL, but he avoided surgery. He has been on the sideline the past two games, and gave teammates feedback at practice.

''Any time somebody makes a mistake, he can help them,'' Gase said. ''It's basically having another coach on the field.''

Occasionally Tannehill is hands-on with the ball.

''He throws it a little bit, but he's not moving,'' Gase said. ''He's out there just keeping his arm loose.''

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