The latest on Jaylen Waddle and Bradley Chubb

The Miami Dolphins face the Cleveland Browns next Sunday

Miami Dolphins linebacker Bradley Chubb (2) looks during training camp at Baptist Health Training Complex. / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

The Miami Dolphins are facing a Wednesday deadline to make a decision on whether to have Bradley Chubb return in 2024, but that decision hasn't been made yet.

That's what head coach Mike McDaniel told reporters Monday in the aftermath of the 29-17 victory against the San Francisco 49ers that kept the team's playoff hopes mathematically alive, though the Dolphins still will need an awful lot of help.

"What's today (Monday), I mean, that's a lifetime in the National Football League," McDaniel said. "Those conversations will be had in the immediate future. We haven't tied the bow on that yet, but Bradley is working downstairs today, and we will get to that point shortly."

Chubb exhausted his three-week practice window last Friday, but was not activated from the Reserve/PUP list like fellow linebacker Cameron Goode was.

So by Wednesday, the Dolphins have to activate Chubb (creating an opening on the 53-man roster with a corresponding move) or simply keep him on PUP for the remainder of the season.

Chubb hasn't played all year as he recovered and worked his way back from the severe knee injury he sustained against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 17 last New Year's Eve.

That the Dolphins still are in playoff contention would be incentive to bring Chubb back, but there are financial considerations as well because Chubb has a $10 million injury guarantee on his contract. With the Dolphins looking at the possibility of saving $20 million of cap space if they were to make Chubb a post-June 1 release next offseason, this is something that has to be considered.

Another factor is exactly what Chubb could contribute immediately upon returning from a one-year absence.

JAYLEN WADDLE WATCH

Two defensive starters sustained injuries in the victory against the 49ers, but McDaniel suggested the injuries to cornerback Kendall Fuller and linebacker Jordyn Brooks shouldn't be considered serious.

As for wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, who missed the 49ers game with a knee injury, McDaniel didn't provide much clarity.

"I'm expecting to get absolutely everything from Jaylen Waddle that he can do," McDaniel said. "I've learned over time to to not forecast with him, just his pain tolerance, his competitiveness. I've been talking to our head athletic trainer at length about making sure that we protect him from himself, because he's one of those guys that will try to will himself to performance. So we'll see how the week progresses.

"I don't really know exactly what it'll look like at a couple positions, but at this point in the season, that's old hat. You have a lot of people that are ready to contribute and you have to be able to adjust, and we'll take it day by day and see how it goes."

The Dolphins managed fine offensively without Waddle, and they should be expected to defeat Cleveland on Sunday with or without him, or Fuller or Brooks, to be quite honest. If they can't, then they don't deserve to even have a shot at making the playoffs.