Washington next in line to replace Berrios. And personnel news from defensive coordinator

There’s no shortage of options to replace Dolphins return man Braxton Berrios, who’s out for the remainder of the season with a torn ACL.

But indications are that rookie Malik Washington will have first shot at the job. Washington is now listed as the first-team punt and kickoff returner on the team’s official depth chart; there’s no backup punt returner identified, but running back De’Von Achane is listed as the backup kickoff returner.

Washington never returned a punt or kickoff in college but returned 10 punts for 84 yards (8.4 average) and four kickoffs for 111 yards (27.8 average) in preseason for the Dolphins.

“I enjoy it,” he said of the return game. “I would be ready to do the job” if asked to do it, adding he will bring a “dawg” mentality to the role that he hopes “translates to the NFL.”

Special teams coordinator Danny Crossman said Washington “did a good job” on returns in the preseason. “Happy where he was coming out of training camp,” Crossman said. “With Braxton getting injured, with Malik and other guys, we have quality players on the roster.”

Receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle are both skilled returners, but neither has done much of that the past three years.

Hill was an elite returner early in his career, averaging 11.4 yards with four touchdowns on 89 career punt returns, mostly with Kansas City.

But he has only three punt returns for 7 yards in his two-plus seasons with Miami. And he hasn’t returned a kickoff since 2016, his rookie year in Kansas City. Have the Dolphins talked to him about returning punts?

“I’m washed up in that department, bro,” Hill cracked. “For real, I’m done.”

Then he turned serious: “Nah, if the team needs me to return punts, obviously I’ll go back there. In critical situations, I’m always trying to get the ball in my hands. I’m always trying to be that playmaker. For the past few weeks, I’ve been [practicing] returning punts anyway.”

Waddle hasn’t returned a punt or kickoff for the Dolphins since his rookie season in 2021, when he returned five punts for 35 yards and nine kickoffs for 158 yards (a 17.6 average).

At Alabama, he averaged a sterling 19.3 yards on 38 punt returns, including two touchdowns. But he has had some injury issues as a professional (including a new quadriceps injury that has him limited in practice this week), and the Dolphins seem reluctant to expose him to injury.

He returned nine kickoffs at Alabama, averaging 23.8 yards with one touchdown.

Practice squad receivers Dee Eskridge, Tarik Black and Erik Ezukanma haven’t returned punts in the NFL or college; Eskridge, who can be elevated from the practice squad one more time this season, has 18 career kickoff returns and averaged 25.3 yards on those returns.

Achane has returned one NFL kickoff (for 32 yards) and returned 20 kickoffs (with two touchdowns) at Texas A&M, but he hasn’t returned a punt since leaving high school. Neither has Dolphins rookie running back Jaylen Wright.

If Washington doesn’t excel in the punt return role, another eventual option for punt returns would be receiver River Cracraft, but he remains on injured reserve with a shoulder injury and hasn’t yet been cleared for practice. He has 17 career NFL punt returns for 80 yards (a 4.7 average), though none since 2020.

COORDINATOR NOTES

▪ Crossman said there’s no timetable for when long snapper Blake Ferguson will return from a personal issue that has landed him on the non football injury list.

He’s required to miss at least four games. Crossman was noncommittal when asked if Ferguson would play again this season. The Dolphins likely will elevate long snapper Matt Overton for Sunday’s game; he has two elevations remaining.

▪ With Kader Kohou’s status for Sunday in question because of a neck injury, defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver cited four options under consideration for slot cornerback if Kohou cannot play: 1). playing Jalen Ramsey more there; 2). using Siran Neal in the slot; 3). using three safeties, with Jevon Holland in the slot; 4). Weaver said “potentially Cam Smith can play” in the slot.

Smith came off injured reserve this week after an August hamstring injury.

“I’m excited about Cam,” Weaver said. “He had his adversity in Year 1. When that happens to a player, it’s easy to tuck your tail. Since he’s been back, he’s been back with a different attitude, different energy. He’s a young player. I don’t expect him to be perfect. He’s blessed with some special gifts.”

▪ Rookie outside linebacker Mo Kamara, in his regular-season debut, had two quarterback pressures in seven pass-rushing snaps and Weaver said he has earned more reps.

“He’s a physical presence,” Weaver said. “He’s going to play more. We see his talent, know he has playmaking potential. We are going to live through some of those rookie mistakes.”

▪ Did linebacker Anthony Walker take 20 of David Long Jr.’s snaps against Indianapolis because Long has been bothered by a knee injury, or because Walker has earned regular playing time?

“Combo of both,” Weaver said. “We see the linebacker room as a potential of strength. I would love to have Duke Riley play more snaps. There are only so many snaps. Dave has been battling knee injuries. Walk is an outstanding player. We are trying to rotate them a little bit.”

▪ Besides permitting only 8 yards in receptions (on two completions and three targets), Ramsey had four pressures and two quarterback hits on six pass rushing chances against the Colts.

“I’m trying to bring Jalen as much as I can,” Weaver said. “I blitzed him three straight times. You don’t want a tell or a tendency. We get to halftime and our corners coach, Mathieu Araujo, said Jalen has been at nickel five times and you only blitzed him once. Next drive, he went three straight times [with Ramsey blitzing]. He’s a weapon. As much as we can get him around the ball to make an impact, we will do that.”

▪ How long will it take Tua Tagovailoa to shed any rust after missing four games on injured reserve? “I don’t know if there’s any rust factor,” offensive coordinator Frank Smith said.

▪ Even with Tagovailoa back, Smith said the Dolphins won’t move away from a running game that has been very productive the past two weeks. “Our ability to have balance in the run game allows you to attack the defense,” he said.

▪ Have Smith and head coach Mike McDaniel spoken specifically about needing to get the ball more to Hill after he was thrown just two passes against the Colts?

“It’s always on our mind, trying to make sure we get our guys involved,” Smith said. “Tyreek is the ultimate competitor; he says winning is the most important thing. We are disappointed we didn’t get him the ball more, but it’s not just one guy.”