Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (85) makes a catch for a touchdown against Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard on Sept. 30 in Cincinnati. (Jeff Dean, AP)
Cornerback Xavien Howard, who missed the fourth quarter of the game against the Cincinnati Bengals with a groin injury and left tackle Terron Armstead were among the Dolphins not seen during the portion of Monday’s practice the media is allowed to view.
During one part of the practice cornerback Keion Crossen stopped participating in a drill and was seen by a trainer. There’s no official injury report until Wednesday but any activity in the secondary is worth watching with Howard ailing and fellow starting cornerback Byron Jones (leg) still not activated from the physically-unable-to-perform list although he’s eligible to return this week.
Also not seen at Monday’s practice were quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who is in concussion protocol, defensive lineman Trey Flowers and tight end Cethan Carter, who has been in concussion protocol since the opener against New England.
The Dolphins normally don’t practice on Monday because it’s the day after a game so the absences from Monday’s shortened practice are tough to decipher.
Howard might be the most concerning because his groin injury has worsened to the point he missed playing time in Thursday’s 27-15 loss at Cincinnati.
Armstead has been battling a toe injury for much of the season.
No Jones update
With Jones now eligible to return off the reserve/PUP list after missing the Dolphins’ first four games, coach Mike McDaniel did not have an update on Monday.
“Going to find those things out, probably midweek,” McDaniel said when asked about Jones. “A little too early for me to tell with various things going on.”
Jones missed training camp after undergoing lower left leg surgery in the offseason. At the conclusion of camp, he remained on the PUP list on roster cut-down day, meaning he had to miss the Dolphins’ first four games, at a minimum.
Jones plays an important role on the defense. When he, Howard and nickel cornerback Nik Needham are all healthy and effective, the Dolphins are able to have them play man coverage, freeing up available blitzers in defensive coordinator Josh Boyer’s aggressive scheme.
Tyreek Hill still a little agitated
Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill reportedly confronted a Cincinnati coach after Thursday’s game, claiming the coach made an objectionable comment to Hill.
Hill, nicknamed “Cheetah,” was asked about the situation Monday.
“I got no comments on that,” he began. “I really don’t want to jump into anything crazy. Only thing I know is I’m going to take care of business next time, whenever I face him or whoever, dog. Cheetah don’t want no smoke, man. All I ask for is when the players are playing and talking trash that’s all fun and games. It makes the game funner. A lot of people think I got smoke with [Bengals cornerback] Eli Apple. It’s all love, man. I’m not a rapper. I don’t got beef with anyone.
“But I feel like when a coach comes at me in a certain way, and I feel like it’s something deeper, then obviously I want smoke. I’m just focused on the next game right now.”
Wilkins to appeal fine
Defensive lineman Christian Wilkins said he’ll appeal the $13,261 fine he was issued Saturday for actions regarding Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen two games ago. The play in question is the one where Allen ripped off Wilkins’ helmet after getting up from a pile. Allen claims Wilkins had a questionable action that prompted his response.
“I’m not going to necessarily get into what goes on throughout the course of the game, what goes on in piles, this, that, and the third,” Wilkins said. “I’m not going to get into that. I don’t necessarily agree with what’s being accused of me and how things went down, how things were handled even from that standpoint. So there’s obviously a process that goes there, an appeals process which I fully wish to take advantage of.”
Happy birthday, Mike Gesicki … and good luck
Tight end Mike Gesicki took fellow tight end Durham Smythe out to dinner in Tampa for Smythe’s birthday when the team was practicing against the Buccaneers in August. Monday, it was Gesicki’s 27th birthday, and when his wife, Halle, asked what he wanted to do, well, she wasn’t flattered by her husband’s response.
“Not to her liking,” Gesicki began, “my response was, ‘I want Durham to take me out to dinner so I can run the tab up on him because I paid for his dinner, so I want to make sure I’m taking money out of his bank account now.’
“Halle obviously wanted do some romantic date,” Gesicki said with a smile. “But I was like, ‘Halle there’s always next year.’ So I’m hoping she caves and I can go out to dinner with Durham. And Halle can come, too.”
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Originally published at Tribune News Service