Details from Dolphins’ final injury report. And Achane on/off splits. And Ramsey weighs in
A six-pack of Dolphins notes on a Friday:
▪ The Dolphins listed guards Robert Hunt and Robert Jones and receiver Chase Claypool as out for Sunday’s game against the visiting Las Vegas Raiders (1 p.m., CBS).
Running back De’Von Achane (knee), receiver Braxton Berrios (hamstring), fullback Alec Ingold (foot) and tight end Durham Smythe (ankle) are questionable. All four of those players were limited in Friday’s practice.
Berrios said his hamstring is “good” but declined to speculate on his status for Sunday.
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said before practice that he’s very optimistic about Achane coming off IR and playing Sunday, barring a setback.
The Dolphins are averaging 9.8 yards per play with Achane on the field and 6.5 yards per play without him on the field.
In Achane (12.1 per carry) and Raheem Mostert (5.6), the Dolphins have running backs who rank first and fourth in per-carry average among all NFL running backs with at least 30 rushing attempts.
“De’Von is a hell of a player,” Mostert said. “I think the world of him. He’s grown into this offense now where he’s just electric. Early on, he had a couple slip ups and we had to get on him. It’s finally paying off for him. He’s taken coaching very well.... He’s executing at a high rate, which is awesome to see.”
Hunt is being give more time for his hamstring injury to heal. Claypool had a knee procedure during the bye week. And Jones is out with a knee injury.
Tyreek Hill was limited with a foot injury Friday but the Dolphins did not give him an injury designation, meaning he will play Sunday.
▪ Quarterbacks have only a 29.9 passer rating in Jalen Ramsey’s coverage area in his first two games back (three completions in six targets for 37 yards and an interception).
So if there’s any rust after a nearly three-month layoff following knee surgery, it isn’t evident.
But asked Friday if he feels like himself, Ramsey said: “No, not yet. This is literally only my third week of playing football this year. I do not feel like myself yet. I feel great, though. My limbs, all of that. My body feels great. But in terms of knocking the rust off, being in my rhythm, not yet. But it will get there soon.
“I’m still in training camp mode, getting myself together. I ain’t there yet. But that’s to be expected. I give credit to my teammates for holding it down, making it easier for me.”
Ramsey, Xavien Howard and safeties Jevon Holland and DeShon Elliott all played against Kansas City, and Ramsey said having all four of those members of the starting secondary together for the Chiefs game “was cool. We got a long way to go still. Getting more familiar with each other’s games, knowing where we will be at certain times. Getting more familiar with our communication.
“That takes actually playing football together to be able to do it. That’s not something you can even go through in film. You have to play football to grow in that area.”
▪ Offensive tackle Kendall Lamm said this week that he’s working on guard only in individual drills, not in team drills. With the Dolphins missing three guards due to injuries, McDaniel said the Dolphins haven’t ruled out using Lamm at guard, but that it wouldn’t happen imminently.
Lamm, who’s in his ninth NFL season, said he hasn’t played guard in a game since preseason of his second season.
“It’s been a long time,” Lamm said. “Everything moves faster in there [at guard]. I’m still very green behind the ears [at that position]. Tackle is way more enjoyable.”
▪ Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said Bradley Chubb’s strong play this season began before his ongoing streak of sacks in four consecutive games. (He has five sacks over that stretch.)
“I think Bradley’s played good the entire season,” Fangio said. “Everyone gets caught up in numbers at times; he didn’t have ‘x’ amount of sacks early on, but he’s had some here lately. But I think he’s been playing good all year. Happy for him. He had a tough stretch there in Denver the three years we were together. He was hurt a lot and never could get into a groove. Now I think everyone is seeing the player that he can be.”
▪ Dolphins defensive backs coach Renaldo Hill said the fact Jevon Holland doesn’t have an interception this season isn’t any measure of his play.
“Holland is the true quarterback,” Hill said. “He’s the maestro guy back there, makes all the checks. We know he can get the ball if needed. Maybe the numbers don’t add up to what he brings to the table. We know he can get the ball with interceptions. He’s doing everything we ask him.”
▪ Tua Tagovailoa was asked this week if he has worked with Dolphins executive Dan Marino on his quick release -- a strength both share in common.
“I never got to work with Dan out on the field, dropping back and whatnot,” Tagovailoa said. “But I’ve been able to gain some wisdom from Dan when he is in our meeting room. We ask questions, not just me. How would you read this? How would you look at this? Dan gives his insight. The cool thing with Dan, Dan is very blunt. Dan always tells me the same thing, and it’s the same thing he’s told me since I was a rookie. ‘Pick a guy and let it fly.’”
Here’s news from Mike McDaniel’s Friday news conference.
Here’s my piece on the most surprising development of this Dolphins season and some eye-opening data.