All Dolphins

Thursday Injury Update and Other Notes

The overall injury outlook was a lot better for the Miami Dolphins

Alain Poupart

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Malik Washington (83) works out during joint practice with the Washington Commanders at Baptist Health Training Complex.
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Malik Washington (83) works out during joint practice with the Washington Commanders at Baptist Health Training Complex. / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
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The Miami Dolphins injury outlook was a lot brighter Thursday, based on the updated injury report.

After a Wednesday practice that featured 12 players limited or not working, that number was down to only four, with only cornerback Jalen Ramsey not practicing.

The seven-time Pro Bowl selection continues to deal with a hamstring injury.

The three limited players were repeats from Wednesday, though that included center Aaron Brewer, who told reporters he was good to go for the season opener.

Also listed as questionable for a second consecutive day were DT Benito Jones (knee) and WR Malik Washington (quadriceps).

Four players actually disappeared from the injury report entirely — tackle Terron Armstead, defensive lineman Calais Campbell, linebacker David Long Jr. and cornerback Kendall Fuller. All of them were given a vet rest day Wednesday, with Armstead and Campbell not working and the other two being limited.

Safety Jordan Poyer and linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. were full participants after being limited and listed with an injury along with vet rest Wednesday. Linebacker Jaelan Phillips also was a full participant after not working and being listed with Achilles/vet rest.

Linebacker Quinton Bell went from limited to full, while safety Jevon Holland was listed as a full participant for a second consecutive day despite an ankle injury.

Jacksonville still has only one player on its injury report, that being safety Daniel Thomas, again limited because of an Achilles issue.

HOLLAND'S CAPTAIN REACTION

Holland missed most of training camp with injuries, which seemed to occur during a joint practice with the Atlanta Falcons, and he said that might have played a part in his not being named a team captain this year after getting the honor in 2023.

Holland was the only one of the seven team captains from 2023 not to repeat, the other two being Christian Wilkins now with the Las Vegas Raiders and Xavien Howard, who's still looking for a new team.

The four new team captains this year all are on defense: Zach Sieler, Campbell, Long and Ramsey.

"The team voted; I didn't practice all camp while, I was dealing with bang and bruise, whatnot," Holland said during an appearance on the Up & Adams podcast. "But it is what it is. I wasn't around enough during practice to kind of establish myself as one of those guys, which is fine, because I'm gonna just keep on being me, doing me, and that's how it's gonna be. I mean, if I don't have the C on my chest, then I don't have the C my chest, but that doesn't mean I'm not a leader. That doesn't mean I'm not still the individual that I was in previous years. So I'm gonna keep on doing what I'm doing.

"And, of course, I had a feeling. I mean, we bring in all this veteran leadership. You know, you got Pro Bowlers, All-Pros, Super Bowl champions. Obviously they know something. So, they're going to be put in a position to lead individuals who haven't been to those positions."

Holland is heading into the final year of his rookie contract and could become an unrestricted free agent next spring without a new deal. That was the same position Wilkins was in at this time last year.

SMITH COULDA BEEN A CONTENDER

Offensive coordinator Frank Smith's media session Thursday started with some levity, a reporter bringing up a tweet from Tyreek Hill laughing at the resemblance between a clean-shaven Smith and hot-dog-eating champion Joey Chestnut.

Smith was a good sport about it.

"Well, they were telling me, and I was just going, 'the one week I actually shave my beard, I get a side by side,' and I'm just like, it was hilarious," Smith said. "Maybe in my college years, I could have given him a run for his money when I was 300 pounds playing O-line. And now he's very good at what he does."

Smith was a team captain and three-year starter (2001-03) at Miami of Ohio when the starting quarterback was longtime Pittsburgh Steelers starter Ben Roethlisberger.

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Alain Poupart

ALAIN POUPART

Alain Poupart is the publisher/editor of All Dolphins and co-host of the All Dolphins Podcast. Alain has covered the Miami Dolphins on a full-time basis since 1989 for various publications and media outlets, including Dolphin Digest, The Associated Press, the Dolphins team website, and the Fan Nation Network (part of Sports Illustrated). In addition to being a credentialed member of the Miami Dolphins press corps, Alain has covered three Super Bowls (for NFL.com, Football News and the Montreal Gazette), the annual NFL draft, the Senior Bowl, and the NFL Scouting Combine. During his almost 40 years in journalism, which began at the now-defunct Miami News, Alain has covered practically every sport at one time or another, from tennis to golf, baseball, basketball and everything in between. The career also included time as a copy editor, including work on several books such as "Still Perfect," an inside look at the Miami Dolphins' 1972 perfect season. A native of Montreal, Canada, whose first language is French, Alain grew up a huge hockey fan but soon developed a love for all sports, including NFL football. He has lived in South Florida since the 1980s.

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