Dolphins CB Cam Smith re-aggravates troublesome hamstring injury

Cam Smith closed out an impressive preseason debut by straining the hamstring that has kept him out of more than half the Miami Dolphins’ training camp practices.

Smith, who began practicing this week with the goal of proving the 2023 second-round pick has improved from his disappointing rookie season, strained the hamstring on his right leg while working on a special teams coverage unit.

Before the injury Smith played admirably in Saturday night’s 13-6 win over the Washington Commanders, contributing four tackles and a pass breakup of a deep throw that could have potentially put the Commanders in scoring territory if it had been caught, or if Smith had been flagged for pass interference.

“He’s been doing a diligent job working his way back,” Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said about Smith, who sustained a hamstring injury the first week of training camp. “Hopefully he didn’t injury it too drastically because he’s done a good job getting himself back on the field, and I know he has the mental fortitude to do it again.”

Smith, who sparingly played last season because he fell into former defensive coordinator Vic Fangio’s doghouse late in training camp, might be shut down until the regular season, which begins on Sept. 8 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

But taking that route could impact the Dolphins’ secondary because Pro Bowl cornerback Jalen Ramsey has been shut down because of a minor strain he sustained last week, and Ethan Bonner has sat out a week while being monitored for concussion symptoms.

If neither returns, and Smith is shelved, the Dolphins would enter this week’s training camp practices, Wednesday’s joint practice against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Friday’s preseason finale with seven cornerbacks. Kendall Fuller, Kader Kohou, Nik Needham, Siran Neal and rookies Storm Duck, Isaiah Johnson and Jason Maitre — would be available.

The odds of Miami playing Fuller and Kohou, who are projected starters, in Friday’s preseason game is minimal because starters typically don’t play in Miami’s final preseason game, which is typically used as an audition for players vying for the final spots on the 53-man roster and the practice squad.

Tailback Chris Brooks, receiver River Cracraft, offensive linemen Sean Harlow and linebackers David Long Jr. and Ezekiel Vanderburgh also suffered injuries in Saturday night’s win over the Commanders. After the game McDaniel said it’s too early to determine how serious their injuries are.

Out of this group, Long, who seemingly sustained an arm injury, is the only starter.

Harlow and Vanderburgh were viewed as long shots to make it onto the 53-man roster….

Rookie tailback Jaylen Wright was held out of Saturday’s game because of an undisclosed injury he sustained in Thursday’s joint practice against the Commanders, but McDaniel said it was merely precautionary.