Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said he’s in a “waiting game” with his team’s offensive line injuries ahead of Sunday’s 1 p.m. kickoff against the Bills in a wild-card playoff game at Buffalo.
The Dolphins did get good news on that front Friday, however, as they had Pro Bowl left tackle Terron Armstead return to practice. He was seen participating in drills after missing Wednesday and Thursday sessions, nursing toe, pectoral, knee and hip injuries.
With a limited workload, according to the team’s injury report, he is officially listed as questionable to play in Orchard Park, New York, for the franchise’s first playoff game in six years.
“It’s kind of in a tough spot to say. I don’t overpromise, under-promise, anything like that,” Armstead said at his locker after the day’s work. “My goal is to be out there lined up at left tackle on Sunday.”
Running back Raheem Mostert, who has a broken thumb on his right hand, was ruled out upon the team’s release of the injury report after McDaniel left the door slightly ajar for him when he spoke before drills. The coach wanted to see how the rest of the afternoon would go with his leading rusher before making the ultimate decision, and Mostert later did not end up participating Friday.
“I’d give him as much time as possible just because of my history with him,” said McDaniel, who coached Mostert as an assistant with the San Francisco 49ers before their first year together in Miami.
With Mostert unavailable, Jeff Wilson Jr. is slotted to start at running back while Salvon Ahmed will spell him. Miami can also dip into its practice squad and elevate former Florida Gators running back La’Mical Perine. Myles Gaskin is on injured reserve due to a shoulder procedure.
Miami didn’t have left guard Liam Eichenberg (hand) nor right tackle Brandon Shell (knee/ankle) practice. Both missed the week’s three practices leading up to Sunday in Buffalo. Eichenberg is a longshot to play, with a “doubtful” designation, but Shell will nonetheless be questionable against the Bills.
Returning to practice along with Armstead was backup tackle Kendall Lamm, who is working back from an ankle ailment suffered on Jan. 1 at the New England Patriots. He is deemed questionable.
If Armstead can play at left tackle but Shell can’t go on the right side, the Dolphins may once again employ the alignment of kicking right guard Robert Hunt out to tackle while starting Robert Jones at his vacated guard post.
If Eichenberg can’t play, Lamm’s availability factors in, where Miami could possibly play him at right tackle with Jones in for Eichenberg. But if Lamm is also unavailable, the Dolphins may rely on Michael Deiter, who hasn’t played an offensive snap but played on special teams, or a practice squad lineman at left guard. The Dolphins have Lester Cotton and James Empey as available interior offensive line options on the practice squad.
“It’s next man up. Who’s able and capable? And let’s put our best foot forward within our scheme,” McDaniel said.
Meanwhile, McDaniel confirmed Friday rookie third-string rookie quarterback Skylar Thompson will indeed start after leaning that way earlier in the week.
Starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa remains in concussion protocol and was ruled out Wednesday. Backup Teddy Bridgewater’s dislocated pinky finger has not progressed to the point where the Dolphins feel they can start him.
Bridgewater, like in the regular-season finale against the New York Jets, is expected to be available to back up Thompson in an emergency scenario but officially goes into Sunday questionable. Miami can also elevate Mike Glennon from the practice squad.
“He’s been doing extensive rehab,” McDaniel said of Bridgewater. “He’s been working relentlessly, and what he’ll be able to do with extra time, even more rehab and then game-day adrenaline, we’re hoping it’s good enough for him to be able to fully execute everything in the offense. If there’s certain things he’s unable to do, we’ll just adjust.”
Tagovailoa has not yet advanced to the stage of concussion protocol where he can return to the field as of Friday.
“The current stage is the same as he was last,” said McDaniel of Tagovailoa’s standing in the five-step protocol, which still involved cardiovascular and aerobic exercise without football specificities at his previous update.
Other Dolphins that go into the wild-card game questionable are outside linebacker Bradley Chubb (ankle/hand), fullback Alec Ingold (thumb) and wide receiver and punt returner Cedrick Wilson Jr. (hip/groin).
The Bills are much healthier entering Sunday. The only players with game status designations are wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie (hamstring) and defensive tackle Jordan Phillips (shoulder), a former Dolphin. Both are questionable.