MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The Miami Dolphins returned to practice Monday ahead of their Week 1 showdown against the Los Angeles Chargers, and they got some excellent news on offense:
Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, who both missed practices the last two weeks, were in uniform and looked fast during the portion of practice open to reporters.
More on that, plus an update on the team’s Week 1 offensive line in our Monday Miami Dolphins practice report.
Miami Dolphins Practice Report: Sept. 4
Hill had been an excused absence twice last week and barely played in the team’s preseason finale. But the sense always was he would be available for the opener, and nothing we saw on Monday changed that.
It’s the same with Waddle, who has been dealing with a midsection injury. He returned to practice late last week and looked fast during drills Monday.
De’Von Achane likewise was at practice Monday and seems on track to be available for the Chargers game. He’s been dealing with a shoulder injury.
And after head coach Mike McDaniel named Mike White the team’s QB2 — White beat out Skylar Thompson in a training camp battle — the only remaining question about Miami’s offense was who will start on the left side of the offensive line.
The assumption has been Isaiah Wynn will be Miami’s LG1, but McDaniel would not commit to that Monday.
Training camp is over, but we're just getting started 😈 #FinsUp pic.twitter.com/1ob9DzTigL
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) September 1, 2023
There’s also uncertainty about left tackle. Terron Armstead remains out of practice with a lower leg injury suffered three weeks ago, although McDaniel did say Monday that Armstead is “progressing.”
If he cannot play, Kendall Lamm would likely get the start at that spot, although Kion Smith is another possibility.
On defense, the only unknown is how much Brandon Jones can play — if at all. He missed the entire preseason as he rehabbed from ACL surgery. Jones practiced on Monday.
“You really have to go day-by-day with guys coming back from injuries, [so] you don’t get ahead of yourself and start pushing them, adhering to like a schedule that you made last week,” McDaniel said. “It’s that much more important you assess each and every day.
“I think the reps in practice that Brandon really had the opportunity to take in those situations, he’s gotten better, and at some point, he’s gonna have to play in the game, and we have no preseason games left. So at some point, he will be playing fresh off of practicing, and we’ll assess that — how much that is — later in the week.”
Two Dolphins defensive backs were not at practice Monday: Justin Bethel and Elijah Campbell.