Time Running Out on Dolphins Rookie Draft Pick

The Miami Dolphins have a pending decision to make on their safety

Miami Dolphins safety Patrick McMorris (32) celebrates with teammates after recovering a fumble against the Washington Commanders during the fourth quarter of a preseason game at Hard Rock Stadium. / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

The Miami Dolphins have a small group of players eligible to return from injured reserve or PUP, but time is running out on one of them.

Head coach Mike McDaniel said Friday he did not anticipate either safety Patrick McMorris or guard Isaiah Wynn being activated for the game against the New England Patriots after both completed another week of practice.

For McMorris, this was his last week of practice, and the Dolphins will need to make a call next week whether they move him to the 53-man roster or keep him on injured reserve for the remainder of the 2024 season.

The rookie sixth-round pick was placed on injured reserve a few days after the roster cuts to 53 because of a calf injury and began practicing the week of the Monday night game against the Los Angeles Rams.

Wynn, meanwhile, has one more week of practice left before the Dolphins have to activate him and put him on the 53 or keep him on Reserve/PUP.

In either case, the Dolphins also could waive the players, though that doesn't appear likely.

It's also not impossible that McDaniel could decide to activate either or both for the game against the New England Patriots on Sunday, but this is what he said Friday: “More likely next week. I don’t have the crystal ball, so I can’t say with 100% certainty since we still have this practice. But I would anticipate it’s more likely next week or a time after this week.”

Complicating matters here is the fact the Dolphins have a short week between their next two games because of the Thanksgiving night game agains the Green Bay Packers.

OTHER DOLPHINS PLAYERS ELIGIBLE

Along with Wynn and McMorris, the Dolphins have four other players sidelined who now are eligible to return, but have yet to begin practicing.

The list included PUP players Bradley Chubb and Cameron Goode, QB Tyler "Snoop" Huntley from IR, and long-snapper Blake Ferguson from the Reserve/Non-Football Illness list.

McDaniel said Friday he anticipated Ferguson playing again this season, and the Dolphins will need to make a move after the New England game because Tucker Addington will have used up his three practice squad elevations. That means either the Dolphins have to sign Addington to the 53, activate Ferguson, or sign a third different long snapper to the practice squad to later elevate him to the game-day roster.

Stay tuned.