Dolphins’ Mike McDaniel addresses Ogbah, Flowers, Sanders, Jeff Wilson Jr., more
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel confirmed the loss of Emmanuel Ogbah, said defensive lineman Trey Flowers isn’t on the verge of a return and said the team has no plans to replace struggling kicker Jason Sanders.
Ogbah is out for the season with a torn triceps.
“Very unfortunate for him,” McDaniel said. “For the individual, he’s one of the type of veteran players that didn’t take his investment by the organization lightly. He had hiccup after hiccup” with multiple injuries.
“It’s just unfortunate luck this season with regard to health. His injury occurred on a play that really fired me up. He set the edge on the right tackle. Stayed in for a play. Feel terrible for him. You have to have guys step up and account for his production and missing voice in the locker room.”
The Dolphins’ options to replace him on the roster include practice squad player Ben Stille, who can be elevated twice more from the practice squad.
But the list of immediate options doesn’t include veteran Trey Flowers, who has spent the past month on injured reserve with a foot injury.
McDaniel suggested he’s not on the verge of a return but wouldn’t rule out Flowers playing again this season.
As for Sanders, he missed two extra points Sunday after missing a 29-yard field-goal attempt against Chicago. For the season, he has missed three extra points and four field goals (the 29-yarder and three others topping 50 yards).
“Unless he proves me otherwise, we are feeling good about where we are at with him,” McDaniel said of Sanders. “He has given me no reason to believe he won’t get the things corrected.”
Asked if the Dolphins will bring in kickers to audition, McDaniel said the Dolphins do that at all positions but indicated no plans to sign another kicker.
McDaniel had no update on the status of cornerback Keion Crossen, who left Sunday’s game late in the second quarter with a shoulder injury.
McDaniel addressed other issues during his Monday media briefing:
▪ Offensive lineman Austin Jackson was active but didn’t play Sunday, and McDaniel said “we were hoping not to play him because we felt if we could get through this game, we just loved his progress and we could not have a setback and we would be out of the woods as best as could be controlled.”
Jackson was active for the first time since sustaining an ankle injury in the opener against the Patriots.
Jackson could play right tackle, but Brandon Shell continues to play well there.
And though Jackson has left guard experience, Robert Jones has played well there during the past two games, since Liam Eichenberg sustained a knee injury that will sideline him indefinitely.
▪ McDaniel said “I don’t think it’s a coincidence” that the Dolphins’ best rushing game of the year Sunday happened on a day that fullback Alec Ingold played a season high in snaps.
“He provides a very physical presence. He’s adjusting to [playing] not as much closed-quarter stuff. He did a tremendous job, is starting to come into his own. He’s a tone-setter for a football team. We count on him week in and week out to help [us] establish a physical style of play.”
▪ On the physicality of Jeff Wilson’s running style: “It’s something that benefits the offense. It definitely adds another dimension. We weren’t necessarily lacking it. With a guy like him that brings energy every time he touches the ball, that is infectious. It does help the team. He electrifies the defense too because where you’re on the sideline and see someone punishing defenders,.... it makes [everyone] better.”
Here’s my Monday piece with historical perspective on what Tua Tagovailoa is accomplishing and other notes.
