Dolphins cornerback Kendall Fuller sustains second concussion

Miami Dolphins cornerback Kendall Fuller sustained his second concussion of the season in the third quarter of Monday night’s game against the Los Angeles Rams.

Fuller had previously sustained a concussion in Week 3, during Miami’s 24-3 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, and sat out the following game because he didn’t clear the NFL’s concussion protocol.

“That’s obviously not ideal in any way, shape or form. We need to get all the feedback from experts to make sure that his healthy is okay,” Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said.

The Dolphins replaced Fuller with Cam Smith, putting the second-year cornerback on the boundary opposite Jalen Ramsey the rest of the way during Monday night’s nationally televised game.

Smith held a prominent role in Miami’s defense the previous two weeks, coming onto the field as the third cornerback, replacing Kader Kohou, who was sidelined by a neck injury.

Rookie receiver gets involved

Malik Washington happened to score his first touchdown in the game he made his first NFL start.

Washington, a former Virginia standout the Dolphins selected in the sixth round of the 2024 Draft, scored his first touchdown on a 18-yard end around run, which capped Miami’s first offensive possession.

The rookie, who is being groomed to be the future slot receiver, seemingly had his workload increased because of the wrist injury that made Tyreek Hill questionable for Monday night’s game.

According to ESPN, Hill has a torn ligament in his left wrist, and it’s an issue he has been battling since training camp.

Hill played a significant amount of snaps against the Rams, and even scored a 1-yard touchdown, his second of the season.

The 30-year-old receiver has also been nursing a foot injury that flared up the past few weeks.

The Dolphins added River Cracraft to the 53-man roster and activated him for the game to cushion receiver depth. Cracraft began the 2024 season on injured reserve because of a shoulder injury but has practiced with the team for the past two weeks.

Cracraft, a six-year veteran who has been with Miami since 2022, has the ability to play all three receiver spots, and is known as one of the unit’s most ferocious blockers.

WALKER STARTS AGAIN

Anthony Walker Jr. started his second straight game as the inside linebacker paired with Jordyn Brooks.

It is Walker’s second game was the replacement for David Long Jr., whose struggles in pass coverage convinced Miami’s coaches to make a switch from the team’s 2023 leading tackler, to the eight-year veteran who has started 78 NFL games.

Walker contributed six tackles at the half and pulled down his first interception of the season, and fourth of his career.

O-LINE PLAYS TWO BACKUPS

Robert Jones, who had started the previous eight games at left guard, sustained a knee injury in the second half of the Rams game and had to be replaced by Lester Cotton.

Cotton became the second backup offensive linemen in the game because Miami placed Austin Jackson on injured reserve on Monday because of the knee injury that prevented him from practicing all week, and started Kendall Lamm in his place at right tackle.

Miami waived defensive tackle Brandon Pili last week with the intention of placing him on the practice squad, but the former USC standout, whom Miami has invested two seasons into, was claimed by the Seattle Seahawks.

Three starters return to Dolphins defense

The Dolphins defense benefited from the return of defensive lineman Zach Sieler, safety Jevon Holland and nickel cornerback Kader Kohou.

Sieler missed the past two games because of an eye injury he sustained in practice, and will be wearing a facemask the rest of the season, if not longer to protect his fractured orbital bone.

Holland has missed two of the last three games because of a knee injury he suffered in Miami’s 28-27 loss to the Arizona Cardinals, and a broken hand he suffered against the Patriots.

Kohou missed the past two games because of a neck injury he suffered against the Colts, which forced Ramsey to man the nickel spot the past three games.

Fullback Alec Ingold, who has been nursing a calf injury, was inactive for the Rams game. Tight end Julian Hill, who has been nursing a shoulder injury, returned to the game day roster after sitting out the Bills loss.