Miami Dolphins cornerback Byron Jones enters the field before a NFL preseason football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Saturday, Aug. 27, 2022, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee) (Wilfredo Lee, AP)
Miami Dolphins cornerback Byron Jones is still not ready to get activated off the reserve/physically-unable-to-perform list or begin practicing as the team prepares for a road game against the New York Jets on Sunday.
“We’re still going to take our time with it,” Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said Wednesday of Jones’ offseason recovery from lower left leg surgery. “It’s not progressing as fast as we obviously had hoped from the spring into the summer, but there hasn’t been a major setback or anything. I won’t put a dude on the field unless he has complete stability, and there’s too many other risks that can happen.”
Because the lengthy recovery time from Jones’ surgery in March hasn’t been the result of a setback, McDaniel remained hopeful that he can return to practice soon. Jones can remain on PUP for as many as 21 days once he begins practicing.
“That could change at anytime day by day, week by week,” McDaniel said before Wednesday’s drills.
This is the first week Jones is eligible to be activated. Once he began the season on PUP after missing training camp and the preseason, he had to be held out a minimum of four weeks.
Meanwhile, McDaniel called three-time Pro Bowl and one-time All-Pro cornerback Xavien Howard, who was not at Miami’s Wednesday practice, day-to-day as he continues to deal with his groin injury. The ailment has affected him but didn’t keep him off the field in Thursday night’s loss to the Cincinnati Bengals or the two prior wins against the Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens.
“He’s going to do everything in his power to play against the Jets on Sunday,” McDaniel said before Wednesday drills and after Howard also missed the team’s Monday practice, coming off the mini-bye of playing last Thursday.
On Miami’s Wednesday injury report, Howard was listed as dealing with injuries to “groins” — plural, meaning both groins are now problematic for the cornerback, and not just one.
The Dolphins could be in trouble regarding cornerback depth again as they visit an upstart Jets receiving corps that includes standout rookie Garrett Wilson (20 receptions, 255 yards, two touchdowns), Corey Davis (15 catches, 261 yards, two touchdowns) and second-year playmaker Elijah Moore (15 receptions, 192 yards), a St. Thomas Aquinas High alum.
In addition to the team’s top two cornerbacks, Miami had Keion Crossen receive attention from trainers at Monday drills and miss Wednesday drills with glute and shoulder injuries, according to the injury report.
“He’s got a little thing that he’s getting treatment for that, I believe, is on his upper leg, lower glute-type area,” McDaniel said Wednesday. “Nothing that will be severely serious, but something that he has to get treatment on. We’ll continue to work with him as the week goes to see if he can be ready for Sunday.”
The Dolphins will lean on Nik Needham, undrafted rookie Kader Kohou in the secondary, and third-year cornerback Noah Igbinoghene, a 2020 first-round pick, could be in line for his first defensive snaps of the season should Miami be excessively shorthanded in the secondary. The team can also play versatile defensive back Elijah Campbell or special teamer Justin Bethel at cornerback. Rotational safety Eric Rowe is a former NFL starter at cornerback.
Aside from Howard and Crossen, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (concussion), left tackle Terron Armstead (toe), wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (groin), outside linebacker Melvin Ingram (veteran rest), offensive lineman Robert Jones (back) and tight end Cethan Carter (concussion) did not participate in the Dolphins’ Wednesday practice.
Safety Brandon Jones (chest), defensive tackle Zach Sieler (hand) and linebacker Jerome Baker (vet rest) were limited.
The Jets had tackle Max Mitchell (knee) and linebacker Quincy Williams miss their Wednesday drills. Quarterback Zach Wilson (ankle), running back Breece Hall (knee) and linebacker Marcell Harris (neck) were all limited.
Fejedelem back at practice
Dolphins safety and special teamer Clayton Fejedelem was back at practice on Wednesday, meaning he has been designated to return for his undisclosed injury that landed him on injured reserve to start the season.
Fejedelem now has a three-week window where he can practice before getting officially added onto the active 53-man roster.
Fejedelem was seen participating in special teams and defensive back drills on Wednesday. The valued special teams player could provide that unit a spark after the Dolphins had a 103-yard kick return for a touchdown against them in Baltimore on Sept. 18, the “butt punt” the following Sunday against Buffalo and a missed field goal and missed extra point against the Bengals last week.
Tight end Hunter Long, who has been dealing with an ankle injury, was once again at practice on Wednesday after initially returning on Monday. He was listed as a full participant.
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Originally published at Tribune News Service