Thursday Dolphins Notebook: Injury Report, Tyreek, Wilson, and More

Most of the changes on the Dolphins injury report were favorable

There were six changes on the Miami Dolphins' injury report Thursday, and five of them were positive.

All of them featured players listed as limited participants after not practicing Wednesday: RB De'Von Achane (toe), T Terron Armstead (knee/ankle/back), WR Robbie Chosen (concussion), WR Tyreek Hill (ankle) and OL Robert Hunt (hamstring).

Hunt practiced for the first time since the Week 13 victory against the Washington Commanders when he aggravated his injury.

The one downgraded involved guard Lester Cotton, who was listed as limited with a hip injury. Cotton was not on the injury report Wednesday, but had been on it last week and in Week 12 because of a hip issue, so this possibly could be another aggravation and it might be cause for concern for Cotton's availability for the game against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.

Raheem Mostert (knee/ankle) and WR Jaylen Waddle (ankle) did not practice for a second consecutive day; six others were again limited: OL Liam Eichenberg (calf/ankle), S Jevon Holland (knees), CB Xavien Howard (hip/thumb), OL Austin Jackson (oblique), QB Tua Tagovailoa (left thumb/quad) and LB Andrew Van Ginkel (wrist).

BALTIMORE INJURY REPORT

The Ravens had eight changes on their injury report after they practiced following a walk-through Wednesday, and three of those were negative.

Starting cornerback Brandon Stephens (ankle) was a new name on the injury report and did not practice, and the same goes for LB Del'Shawn Phillips (shoulder). Another cornerback, Jayln Armour-Davis (concussion) went from limited in the estimation Wednesday to not practicing.

The positive changes for Baltimore included safety Kyle Hamilton (knee) going from DNP to limited, and starting inside linebackers Patrick Queen (shoulder) and Roquan Smith (pectoral) both going from limited to full participants.

The only Ravens player listed as DNP the first two days of the injury report is rookie WR Zay Flowers, easily the team's receptions leader with 74 (29 more than anybody else on the team). He's dealing with a calf injury.

TYREEK'S WIN-WIN

When Hill missed the game against the New York Jets in Week 15, it marked the first time since the 2020 season he was forced to sit out a game, and it didn't sit well particularly well with him.

But Hill said Thursday it may have been a blessing in disguise, particularly because of the performances of Tua Tagovailoa and Jaylen Waddle in the 30-0 victory that day.

"It sucked a lot," Hill said. "I wish I could have played. But the most important thing to me is obviously health and also for us to get a win. I’m glad it happened for a lot of reasons, especially for Tua  and especially for  Waddle. I’m proud of the way that game went and that also gave me a week to recover. It was a win-win.”

THE WILSON WAY

After not being used very much in recent weeks, running back Jeff Wilson Jr. responded in a big way when he was called upon on the game-winning drive against the Dallas Cowboys.

Wilson carried the ball three straight plays and gained 6 yards on third-and-2 to put the Dolphins in position to bleed the clock before Jason Sanders hit his chip-shot game-winning field goal.

Offensive coordinator Frank Smith was asked what he liked about Wilson on that drive.

“Finding the running lane and hitting it with purpose," Smith said. "I mean at that point in the game, time isn’t on your side so it’s yards, getting north. He was very decisive with his runs of physical on contact. The greatest thing is when you see him run the ball, is you guys get to see the passion he has for what he does. He’s one of the guys you love going to work with every day because just his energy towards everything he does. Good, strong carries at the end and really helped set us in position to be where we wanted to be at the end of the game.”

THE SOUNDS FROM BALTIMORE

Selected comments from Ravens coaches and players:

Defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald on Miami's 42-38 comeback victory at Baltimore in Week 2 last season: “We haven’t talked about last year. [We’re] so far into the season, [it’s] a completely new team, but personally, of course you’re going to learn from that game last year. ... And definitely that game, you look back, and we made a lot of corrections after that game to take strides for the rest of the year. Unfortunately, those [types of games] are going to happen in the NFL. It’s about how you respond as a team and take responsibility for things you can improve on; I think as a team, and definitely individually, that was our approach then, but that’s a long time ago. But you’re obviously going to try and learn from every setback that you have.”

Offensive coordinator Todd Monken on what makes the Dolphins pass rush special: “I think their interior guys are relentless. They do a great job of pushing the pocket, which brings the outside rushers into play. When they moved the linebacker [Andrew Van Ginkel] out to ... [He] does a great job on the edge. He’s athletic. He can get edgy. They do a really good job. Like a lot of teams, when you have relentless pass rushers, and you’re up in games, those are going to come. That’s a byproduct of teams that are throwing the football. They do a great job of ... I wouldn’t consider them a pressure team by nature, but I would say that they do a good job of picking their spots. I think [David] Long is a tremendous linebacker, blitzing wise. He gets real edgy. It just compounds. I think they’re up [in the game], and they’re relentless. Those are the things that ... You’ll see a lot of sacks. The ball doesn’t come out, and they continue to fight and push the pocket.”

Safety Kyle Hamilton on going from defending the 49ers offense to the Dolphins offense: “There are some similarities there, but at the same time, personnel is completely different. [Miami] provides a bunch of problems on their side of the ball. They’ve got a capable quarterback, a bunch of receivers and some running backs who are all really fast and do their jobs well. And I think it’s up to us to execute the gameplan that we have in place, which I think is a great one and for us to go out there and get a win.”

Linebacker Roquan Smith on the challenges the Dolphins offense presents: “I think [they’re] a really talented team, starting at the quarterback position, but [also] starting with the head coaching position. I actually like his personality from afar, in a sense, and the way he carries himself. Starting with Tua [Tagovailoa], Tyreek [Hill] on the outside, the running back – [No.] 31 [Raheem] Mostert [and No.] 28 [De’Von Achane]. [They have] a lot of speed out there. [The] tight ends play good ball as well. I think they just all work well together, and it’s just definitely a track team on grass, but we wouldn’t like it any other way. We prefer to go through the best to be the best, so we’re looking forward to the matchup. I think it’s going to be a great one.”

ON THIS DATE IN DOLPHINS HISTORY

Dec. 28, 1997: The Dolphins drop a 17-3 decision against the New England Patriots in an AFC wild-card playoff game.

Dec. 28, 2008: The Dolphins defeat the New York Jets, 24-17, to clinch the AFC East title, which is their last to this day. Defensive lineman Phillip Merling keys the win with an interception return for a touchdown.

Dec. 28, 2014: Lamar Smith sets a franchise record (still standing to this day) for longest run with a 97-yard touchdown in a 37-24 season-ending loss against the New York Jets.

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