Updating the Dolphins Injury Situation
The day after the Miami Dolphins' preseason finale, the outlook regarding some of the team's notable injuries looked significantly better.
Head coach Mike McDaniel provided a rundown during a day-after-the-game media session via Zoom, starting with the news that wide receiver Daewood Davis had arrived at the team facility in the middle of the afternoon.
Additionally, McDaniel indicated that the knee injury sustained by defensive back Elijah Campbell on a kickoff return did not involve an ACL, which would have been a season-ending event, and that Salvon Ahmed did not have to go into the concussion protocol and he is day-to-day.
It should be noted that Ahmed was on the sideline with his teammates at the end of the game and even joined teammate Myles Gaskin and others in prayer after Davis sustained his scary-looking injury.
Finally, McDaniel said both offensive lineman Liam Eichenberg and running back Jeff Wilson Jr. could have played, but the head coach chose to hold them out. Eichenberg actually dressed for the game against Jacksonville, a 31-18 loss at TIAA Bank Field in case he was needed in an emergency.
GOOD NEWS WITH DAVIS
With Davis, McDaniel indicated that the rookie free agent is in the concussion protocol, which still is a positive outcome when compared to the other possibilities when he was driven off the field on a cart after being placed on a backboard.
"We'll continue to evaluate him," McDaniel said. "He's doing better than last night in terms of strength and stuff. Llike I said last night, there are certain things that we were worried about that were avoided but we'll continue monitoring him extensively as he's in the protocol. I know there's certainly a lot of guys that are very, very, very happy and relieved to see him."
THE CONCERN WITH CAMPBELL
With Campbell avoided an ACL injury, McDaniel made it clear his injury still was not minor.
"After we had talked at the press conference (Saturday night), there was a little apprehension amongst the medical staff that it could be his ACL; fortunately, it is not," McDaniel said. "We're kind of assessing the extent and all I can really tell you is there's a season chance for him. He avoided one thing, but there was a substantial injury that will take him into the season."
The Dolphins, of course, will have a decision to make with Campbell in light of his injury. One of the team's best special teams players and a candidate for significant playing time in the secondary, if not a starting job at safety, the Dolphins figure to want to be able to bring him back in 2023.
That would leave them with two options: Carry him on the 53-man roster until he gets healthy enough to play; carry him on the initial 53-man roster and then place him on injured reserve, which would sideline him for a minimum of four games. Had the injury involved an ACL, he would have been placed on IR among the cuts to 53, thereby ending his season.
WHITE AND THE NO. 2 QB SITUATION
Quarterback Mike White didn't play against Jacksonville after sustaining a concussion in the preseason game against the Houston Texans the previous week, but McDaniel said he cleared the protocol Friday.
The question now is whether it will be White or Skylar Thompson who serves as the No. 2 quarterback heading into the regular season.
McDaniel was asked point blank Sunday whether he was ready to make that announcement.
"With regard to an announcement of the number 2," McDaniel said, I think it would behoove the players involved to tell them first and you'll probably be getting some buzzworthy notification of that in a press conference maybe next Monday."
Next Monday is Sept. 4, Labor Day and the day the Dolphins will release their depth chart for their regular season opener against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium.
