Dolphins Begin Panthers Week Without Two Offensive Starters

Dolphins begin practice week without center Connor Williams and fullback Alec Ingold

Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel joked last week that he felt he needed a bodyguard to protect him from Connor Williams, whose groin injury got the starting center shelved for the loss against the Buffalo Bills.

While McDaniel cleared Williams to play in Sunday's 31-16 win over the New York Giants, it seems as if the groin injury isn't behind him.

Whether Williams' absence from Wednesday's practice was injury-related, a veteran rest day, which is occasionally given to players with five or more years of experience, or a setback won't be clarified until the injury report comes out later today.

Also missing from Wednesday's practice was fullback Alec Ingold, who sported a boot on his left foot Monday but claimed the issue was minor.

"It’s just little nick-nacks, week-to-week (stuff). You kind of just deal with it," Ingold said. "I’m excited to practice this week with the boys and get back up for the Panthers.”

Dolphins have replacement options

If Ingold can't play this week, tight ends Julian Hill, Tyler Kroft and tailback Chris Brooks would likely fill his role as Miami's H-back. Hill and Brooks, two undrafted rookies who made it to Miami's 53-man roster, have handled more snaps playing alongside tight end Durham Smythe and Ingold in Miami's base offensive package the past two weeks.

If Williams isn't cleared to play in Sunday's 1 p.m. game against the Panthers (0-5), the Dolphins could be forced to use Liam Eichenberg as the starting center for the second time this season.

Eichenberg replaced Williams as Miami's starting center in the Dolphins' 48-20 loss to the Buffalo Bills and struggled mightily in that game, allowing two sacks and committing two penalties.

The only other options Miami has at center outside of Eichenberg would be to use Lester Cotton at center, a position he's been cross-trained to play, or elevate rookie Alama Uluave or Chasen Hines from the practice squad. Uluave played center at San Diego State, and Hines, an LSU product, was drafted in the sixth round of the 2022 draft by the New England Patriots to play center.

Jeff Wilson Jr. returns to practice

Wilson, who finished last season as Miami's second-leading rusher, participated in his first practice since training camp on Wednesday, which begins his three-week window to come off injured reserve.

Wilson is the third Dolphins player practicing with the team despite being on injured reserve, being tested if they are ready to return from an injury list.

Cornerback Nik Needham, who suffered a season-ending Achilles tendon injury last October, and Robert Jones, began their three-week window last week from PUP and IR, respectively, last week and must either be activated before the Oct. 29 game home game against the New England Patriots or they'll have to stay sidelined for the rest of the season.

Wilson's three-week window designates the Nov. 5 game against Kansas City as his cut-off point, but players coming off injured reserve can be activated at any point during their three-week window.

Dolphins runner out of designated to return spots

The Dolphins, and any other NFL team, can have a maximum of eight players designated to return from injured reserve a season, and Miami' likely has used up five of those move if Jones and Wilson return to the 53-man roster because there's expectations that cornerback Jalen Ramsey will return from his knee injury in late November, or December.

Left tackle Terron Armstead, who suffered a left knee injury against the Bills, must sit out three more games before he can return from injured reserve, and rookie tailback De'Von Achane was placed on injured reserve Wednesday because of a knee injury he suffered against the Giants.

And that doesn't even account for River Cracraft, who was placed on injured reserve two weeks ago because of shoulder injury he suffered against the Bills, or Erik Ezukanma, who was placed on the reserve/non-football injury list with a neck injury that dates back to his college days at Texas Tech.