Dolphins' Daewood Davis in concussion protocol, ‘doing better'; Zach Sieler re-signs
Rookie receiver Daewood Davis was released from the hospital in Jacksonville, back at the Dolphins’ training facility but in concussion protocol, coach Mike McDaniel said Sunday afternoon.
Concerns that Davis’ injury may have been serious led to the cancellation of the final 8:32 of Saturday’s preseason game against the Jaguars. It left Dolphins players and coaches shaken while awaiting word that Davis had full use of his extremities. By early Sunday, the team announced Davis was on his way back to South Florida accompanied by members of the organization.
“We’ll continue to evaluate him,” McDaniel said. “He’s doing better than last night in terms of strength and stuff. As so like I said last night, there were certain things that we were worried about that were avoided.”
Concerns were obvious as players from both teams gathered on the field looking for any signs of movement by Davis. First responders worked to immobilize him and place him on a board before carting him off as a precaution. All the while, EverBank Stadium was virtually silent.
Wrenching night for Dolphins, Mike McDaniel as Daewood Davis is hospitalized | Habib
Davis was injured trying to catch a pass from James Blackman. Cornerback Kaleb Hayes broke up the pass in a routine play, but as Davis was going down, he was hit a second time, this time by linebacker Dequan Jackson, who was called for unnecessary roughness.
Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa said he was offering prayers to Davis, his family and friends “and everyone watching, thinking of him.”
Sunday afternoon brought much of the news the Dolphins had hoped for.
“I know there's certainly a lot of guys that are very, very very happy and relieved to see him,” McDaniel said.
Davis, 24, is an undrafted free agent originally from Hollywood who attended Deerfield Beach High and Western Kentucky. He was targeted once each in the Atlanta and Houston preseason games but did not have a reception. Because of the personal foul on the final play Saturday night, the official statistics do not reflect Davis as being targeted by Blackman on the play.
Dolphins lock up Zach Sieler with three-year contract
The Dolphins solved one of their lingering issues on the defensive line as Zach Sieler signed a three-year extension worth up to $38.65 million with $20 million guaranteed, according to a league source.
Sieler represents one of the Dolphins’ top success stories after he was awarded to Miami off waivers in December 2019. He had been released by Baltimore a day earlier.
Sieler has played 59 career games (six with the Ravens), starting 33. He has 192 tackles, 10 sacks, nine passes defensed, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. In 2022, he was tied for fifth among NFL defensive linemen with 70 total tackles.
"I was fired up, as were a lot of his teammates,” McDaniel said of the contract. “Zach epitomizes such an important thing within the journey of an NFL player. You're talking about a guy who has earned every cent that he's paid. He's been cut twice."
That leaves Christian Wilkins, who could become a free agent after this season. Reportedly, the two sides have a sizable gap in negotiations. McDaniel suggested Sieler’s deal won’t complicate talks with Wilkins.
“There's a good amount of players on this team we want to keep around,” McDaniel said. “They're really independent of each other."
Noteworthy: Backup QB job has been decided
* McDaniel said the backup quarterback competition between Skylar Thompson and Mike White has been decided, but he won’t announce it until speaking with the players. McDaniel said it might be a week before the decision becomes public. Thompson threw two interceptions against the Jaguars but McDaniel said the second INT was “not on him at all.” McDaniel blamed a missed assignment in protection.
* McDaniel said running back Salvon Ahmed, injured against Jacksonville, is not in concussion protocol but safety Elijah Campbell has a “substantial injury” that will carry into the regular season. McDaniel said Campbell did not injure his ACL, as originally feared.
* McDaniel was addressing reporters about 48 hours before the Dolphins must meet the NFL’s 53-man roster limit. He apologized for sounding down but said “these are my least-favorite days of the calendar year,” knowing that for some released players, it’s the end of a lifelong dream.
* McDaniel began his media session by remembering senior vice president Jason Jenkins on the one-year anniversary of Jenkins’ sudden passing.
“Our prayers are with the family as they continue to progress and while mourning,” McDaniel said. “It’s a day that’s not lost on anyone with the Miami Dolphins and all the other people he’s touched in the National Football League across the country.”
Dolphins reporter Hal Habib can be reached at hhabib@pbpost.com. Follow him on social media @gunnerhal.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Dolphins' Daewood Davis ‘doing better'; Zach Sieler re-signs
