McDaniel addresses injuries, trade deadline, fumbles, Long demotion, McMorris return

The Dolphins may get one rotation cornerback and a rookie draft pick safety back this week, but the status of another key player in the secondary remains in doubt.

Coach Mike McDaniel indicated Thursday that safety Jevon Holland, who has been dealing with a third knee injury in the past year, is not yet returning to practice. He missed Sunday’s loss in Buffalo and has dealt with several injuries over the past two seasons.

But cornerback Kader Kohou, who has missed two games and two weeks of practice with a neck injury, will practice at least to an extent on Thursday, the team’s first practice of the week heading into Monday’s game at the Rams (8:15 p.m., ESPN and CBS-4).

And safety Patrick McMorris, a rookie sixth-round pick, has been designated to return from injured reserve after a preseason foot injury. Miami can bring eight players back from IR, and they have now used four slots on Tua Tagovailoa, Cam Smith, River Cracraft and McMorris, who will begin practicing on Thursday. The Dolphins have a 21-day window to activate McMorris.

McDaniel said earlier this week that he’s optimistic that defensive lineman Zach Sieler will play on Monday after missing two games with a fractured orbital bone.

On another front, McDaniel said the team is not signing a practice squad quarterback this week to replace C.J. Beathard, who was poached by the Jacksonville Jaguars on Tuesday. Tua Tagovailoa and Skylar Thompson will be the team’s only quarterbacks this week, McDaniel said.

McDaniel said the team is encouraged by the recovery of quarterback Tyler Huntley, who is on injured reserve with a shoulder injury. He must sit out two more games.

Three players on the physically unable to perform list -- linebackers Bradley Chubb and Cameron Goode and guard Isaiah Wynn - are not yet ready to practice, though McDaniel said Goode and Wynn are moving closer. Players on PUP do not count toward the eight-man-designated-to-return limit.

McDaniel addressed other issues on Thursday:

▪ Asked if general manager Chris Grier was reluctant to give up draft picks to acquire help before Tuesday’s trade deadline, McDaniel said: “No. There were a couple conversations we had, people reaching out to us and different possibilities. [But ultimately] we believe in the roster. There have been 400 touches he hasn’t fumbled on, but what only matters is the next game. He’s totally focused on making sure the ball stays with him.”

▪ McDaniel said Raheem Mostert -- who had particularly costly fumbles in two of the Dolphins’ past three games -- “knows he has to hang onto the ball. We’ve learned two hard lessons. You can’t be in the whole scope of, ‘all right, there’s another lesson that needs to be had when there are other guys who are not turning the ball over.’

“There have been 400 touches he hasn’t fumbled on, but what only matters is the next game. He’s totally focused on making sure the ball stays with him.”

Mostert fumbled eight times in his first 465 NFL carries but has six fumbles in his next 264 carries, dating to the start of the 2023 season.

▪ Fullback Alec Ingold has been dealing with a calf injury, and McDaniel said the Dolphins will be careful with him.

▪ McDaniel, on the limited production of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle this season: “Their game, from [a standpoint of] technique and fundamentals, have seen growth this year. Tyreek had his best game releasing off of press coverage [against Buffalo], and little things like that is what I prioritize.

“You haven’t seen Tyreek Hill wide open and Tua missing him or missing a throw. Their timing and fundamentals is what will produce the results when the defense is giving us the opportunity.”

▪ McDaniel conceded: “Ultimately you have to win in this league... We’ve had hard conversations that ultimately have been very necessary.”

▪ On last week’s decision to bench David Long Jr. and replace him with Anthony Walker: “That’s never easy. I have the utmost respect for David Long as a man, as a player. The important piece was it was less about David Long not doing something but more about we felt Anthony Walker needed and deserved the opportunity and has skills that were the best man for the job.”

▪ McDaniel said after the loss to Buffalo, “the first thing Tua did when he came to my office is ask what could I have done to win this game.”

PRACTICE NOTE

Right tackle Austin Jackson was not seen at practice; his injury or issue will be revealed on the injury report later on Thursday. Notably, the Dolphins signed former draft pick Ryan Hayes, a tackle/guard, to their practice squad on Wednesday.