The Miami Dolphins lost one star on defense for the season but got slightly better news regarding a second.
Mike McDaniel gave updates on both Bradley Chubb and Xavien Howard, discussed Tua Tagovailoa’s banged-up shoulder, and went through the long list of other Dolphins injuries Monday.
Latest on Miami Dolphins’ Injuries
The worst news at the top: Chubb did indeed tear his ACL and is out for the rest of not just this season but potentially the beginning of next.
ACLs typically have a nine to 12-month recovery period, and the NFL 2024 regular season begins in eight and a half.
“Huge on the field, [and] it’s a big loss for the team in the locker room, just because of the human being that he is and then his play,” McDaniel added. “It’s one of the things that is a challenge for every single team that’s in the league at this stage of the year.”
MORE: There’s Only One Way Forward for the Miami Dolphins
While Chubb needs reconstructive surgery, cornerback Howard won’t need to go under the knife, McDaniel said. He strongly suggested that Howard will not play this week.
Tagovailoa, meanwhile, almost certainly will play despite suffering a shoulder injury late in Week 17’s loss.
“I’m not really worried about it,” McDaniel said. “Just where he’s at in the season and how crazy competitive he is. You know, it’s not something that’s a huge blip on my radar right now.”
More Fallout From Dolphins’ Injuries
Howard was the first to go down in Sunday’s crippling loss to the Baltimore Ravens, hurting his foot on the Dolphins’ fourth defensive play of the game.
Tagovailoa hurt his throwing shoulder on his 64th and final snap Sunday, a fourth-down desperation scramble with the Dolphins down 23 with eight minutes left in regulation.
Later in a lost quarter, Chubb tore his ACL on a play in which he shouldn’t have even been on the field. The Ravens were up 30 and had nothing but backups when Chubb suffered the non-contact injury.
The last two injuries were completely avoidable, and McDaniel again took responsibility for keeping his starters on the field in a lost cause.
“As a head coach, you have to make a ton of decisions,” McDaniel said. “A ton. That’s literally your job, and it’s important to know how many people are depending on you to have the right intent.
“… It was a tough moment that I wish wouldn’t have happened.”
With Chubb out for the year, McDaniel said Emmanuel Ogbah, a healthy scratch Sunday, would see “a huge role” down the stretch. Ogbah, Andrew Van Ginkel, and Melvin Ingram will be the team’s rush ends for the rest of the season.
As for replacements for Howard, think more of Nik Needham and Eli Apple, but not Cam Smith — at least not yet.
Two more bits of Dolphins injury news:
The Dolphins anticipate an “uptick” in Robert Hunt’s workload this week, McDaniel said, adding, “I think he’s really eager to take the next step. I anticipate a lot more reps coming his way and, you know, if there’s no setbacks at all, I’m fairly optimistic that we’ll see him very soon.”
Hunt has dealt with a hamstring injury for the better part of two months.
As for linebacker Jerome Baker, he’s eligible to come off of injured reserve this week, and McDaniel suggested he’ll at the very least be designated to return.
“I’m optimistic that that window will begin here soon,” McDaniel said.
Want to predict the rest of the 2023 season with our FREE NFL Playoff Predictor? Looking for the most up-to-date NFL standings? What about a breakdown of team depth charts or the NFL schedule? Pro Football Network has you covered with that and more!
