MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Representatives for any able-bodied pass rusher looking for work should keep their ringers on. Miami Dolphins general manager Chris Grier will likely be calling.
The Dolphins are out of edge defenders.
There’s a very real chance that the Dolphins will try to stop Patrick Mahomes next week with a guy who was out of the league a month ago (Melvin Ingram), a guy who was a healthy scratch last week (Emmanuel Ogbah), and two players who are out of the league right now.
That’s the reality after Andrew Van Ginkel left Sunday’s loss to the Bills with a foot injury, and then the guy Vic Fangio asked to replace him, Cameron Goode, suffered what the Dolphins fear is a major knee injury.
And those injuries are on top of the season-enders suffered by Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb since Thanksgiving.
Where Do Injury-Ravaged Miami Dolphins Turn Next?
Here’s what we know about Van Ginkel:
His agent, Drew Rosenhaus, told the local Fox affiliate that the X-rays were negative, and that he’ll have an MRI on Monday.
“I think the guys did a very good job during the game handling all that,” head coach Mike McDaniel said. “Guys stepped up. I thought limiting that team to 14 points from a defensive perspective and the stuff that was done in the red zone and the turnovers, I think that speaks to how it’s a whole unit.
“There’s definitely nobody in the locker room or on the other side of the ball that’s blinking. That’s kind of been what we’ve hung our hat on the whole season. There are different sorts of injuries, but I don’t think people use that as an excuse towards their confidence. There are just different things you can feature. So it’ll be a challenge, but that is what the National Football League is. It’s a challenge.”
Some challenges are stiffer than others.
Unless Van Ginkel makes an unexpectedly quick recovery, the Dolphins will stagger into the playoffs without three players responsible for 23.5 of their 56 sacks this year.
Expect a call-up this week for practice squader Quinton Bell, who is the only other outside linebacker the Dolphins have in the building.
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They could also look into veterans Frank Clark and Justin Houston, veterans who are past their prime.
“We’ve got no choice,” said Ingram, who had a sack and a half Sunday night. “Next man up. Everybody, we practice, we all do the same (expletive). We’re going to be alright.”
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