Thursday Dolphins Notebook: Injury Update, Practice Squad Moves, and More

Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater returned to practice on a limited basis

The Miami Dolphins had three players return to practice Thursday, including quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.

Bridgewater (concussion protocol/pectoral), running back Raheem Mostert (knee) and tight end Durham Smythe (hamstring) all were limited in practice after not participating Wednesday.

Those were among the five changes on the injury report Thursday, excluding players who get veteran rest.

The other two changes involved downturns, DB Elijah Campbell (foot) not practicing after being limited Wednesday and WR Erik Ezukanma (eye) showed up on the injury report as a limited participant Thursday.

Cornerback Xavien Howard (groins) was limited for a second consecutive day, while tackle Terron Armstead (toe) continues to sit out practice.

PRACTICE SQUAD MOVES

One day after they released him, the Dolphins brought back defensive tackle Big Kat Bryant to the practice squad when they placed linebacker Porter Gustin on the practice squad injured list.

Bryant is a rookie out of Central Florida who went undrafted before spending time with the Dallas Cowboys.

TAKING STOCK OF TERRON

We mentioned Armstead earlier having not practiced since the first week of the regular season, a situation that conceivably could remain the same for a while, if not the rest of the way.

While it's clearly not the ideal scenario, it's not unprecedented when dealing with a veteran like Armstead.

Offensive coordinator Frank Smith was an assistant offensive line coach with the New Orleans Saints when Armstead began his NFL career in 2013, so he's very familiar with the veteran tackle's ability to handle this situation.

"Granted, practice is where you want to refine and work on the things that you’re trying to get ready for Sunday," Smith said. "Terron, and like many elite tackles in this league, though, have such a wealth of experience to draw upon. And I mean, it’s a credit to him in the last couple of years in New Orleans — I know it was very similar, as far as making sure any little things are being maintenanced and also his mental focus and his stamina is elite. Like he’s able to stay on-task through everything else. So we haven’t had any concerns with that.

"Just knowing the guy since he was a rookie, he’s one of those guys that when you draft him, he acts like he’s 31. I mean, he acts older, he’s more mature, he’s always been that way. So I don’t think we’ve particularly had any concerns, and we won’t probably going forward. I mean, you’d love to have practice time, but it’s the NFL and sometimes it’s not available. But especially for younger players, you’d like to be able to practice more.”

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TINDALL TIME?

Rookie third-round selection Channing Tindall, the team's top picks in the 2022 NFL draft, got his first action on defense in the game against the New York Jets.

It was limited action, with Tindall playing only two snaps, but the significance was that the rookie is progressing and gaining the confidence and trust of his coaches.

“Channing has been making great progress in practice and obviously physically, there’s a lot of things that we like that he does, and I thought he did well with the snaps that he was in there," defensive coordinator Josh Boyer said. "And obviously, you’re always trying to work ways to get guys involved, especially if you think they can excel or succeed at those. And it’s like all of our guys, I was excited for his opportunity. Just like Noah (Igbinoghene), I was excited for him to get an opportunity. And when guys go out and they execute, you try to create more opportunities for them just knowing and understanding that you always want to put them in a position that they’re comfortable with, that they can handle and that gives them the best opportunity to succeed.”

ON THIS DATE IN DOLPHINS HISTORY

Oct. 13, 2002 — The Dolphins score a dramatic 24-22 Sunday night victory at Denver when Olindo Mare answers Jason Elam's 55-yard field goal with 45 seconds left with a 53-yard kick with 6 seconds remaining — the first time in NFL history each team got a 50-yard field goal in the final minute.

Oct. 13, 2009  — The NFL approves Stacy Ann Ferguson as a proposed limited partner of the Dolphins. Oh, you might know her better as Fergie, female vocalist for the musical group the Black Eyed Peas.

Oct. 13, 2015 — We only mark this date because of what's happened since, but this was the day the Dolphins waived a running back who would go through several teams before establishing himself and eventually coming back to Miami. Yes, that running back was Raheem Mostert.