Baker Landing on Injured Reserve

The six-year veteran linebacker sustained a knee injury in the Week 13 victory against Washington

Linebacker Jerome Baker wound up going on injured reserve after all, but it probably had more to do with circumstances beyond his control than his knee injury itself.

The Dolphins not only put Baker on injured reserve Saturday, but they signed Calvin Munson off the New England Patriots practice squad and also placed Alexander Johnson on the practice squad/injured list. All of them are inside linebackers.

And if you do the math and check out head coach Mike McDaniel's explanation before practice Saturday to connect the dots.

"This is more about the the team need, really the collective accumulation of the roster and multiple positions," McDaniel said. "It was right on the fringe of yes or no with it. And our starting point at that point in time was we didn't need to do it. And things change every day, which is why I don't stamp anything that's not known. So we'll be going that direction now."

In a nutshell, Johnson likely was going to be elevated from the practice squad Monday to provide inside linebacker depth against the Tennessee Titans with Duke Riley the new starter and Baker always expected to miss about four weeks.

But Johnson's injury caused a problem and a pressing need for inside linebacker help and the Dolphins could only sign Munson to their active roster to be able to poach him off the Patriots practice squad.

Along with backing up Duke Riley and David Long Jr., Munson also figures to take some of Riley's special teams snaps.

BAKER'S OUTLOOK

By being placed on IR, Baker now is ineligible to return until the regular season finale against the Buffalo Bills.

The Dolphins also have only one spot left to designate a player to return from injured reserve, after rookie running back Chris Brooks was designated and began practicing last week. The limit is eight, and it does not change for the postseason.

The Dolphins have seven players on IR or NFI at the moment, including Jaelan Phillips and Salvon Ahmed, whose injuries will keep him sidelined.

Another is rookie Zeke Vanderburgh, who was placed on IR before the 53 was assembled and therefore can't come back, leaving Baker, guard Isaiah Wynn and wide receiver Erik Ezukanma as the three who realistically could get that final designation.

McDaniel said it would "not be irresponsible" to assume that Baker will get that designation.

"Yeah, see, it's hard," McDaniel said. "That'd be like me saying, that'd be me accessing the crystal ball. I think that that very well could be the outcome, but you're hesitant with the way that the season goes, the roster needs and him and his recovery. You just want to temper that a little bit. To assume that is not irresponsible, but I wouldn't put money on it, because we can't. It's not known if that makes sense."

Dolphins Bring Back Familiar Face at LB