Dolphins Brass On Hand For Herbert
- Top brass from both the Giants and Dolphins are at the Oregon-Utah game today to scout quarterback Justin Herbert, according to Albert Breer of SI.com (Twitter link). Eli Manning and Ryan Tannehill both have uncertain futures with their respective teams, so it makes sense why they’d be taking a look. Herbert is widely considered the best quarterback prospect who’s draft eligible, but is reportedly considered unlikely to enter the draft after this year.
Dolphins Promote OL Isaac Asiata
With three offensive linemen on the injury report for this weekend’s game against the Packers, the Dolphins have added some reinforcement. ESPN’s Cameron Wolfe reports (via Twitter) that Miami has promoted offensive guard Isaac Asiata from the practice squad. To make room on the roster, the Dolphins waived linebacker Martrell Spaight.
Dolphins left guard Ted Larsen is currently listed as doubtful, while fellow linemen Laremy Tunsil and Ja’Wuan James are both listed as questionable. In comes Asiata, a 2017 fifth-round pick out of Utah. The 25-year-old only appeared in a single game as a rookie, and he was waived by the organization prior to this season.
He subsequently caught on with the practice squad, where he’s spent the entire season. For the time being, Asiata will slide into the bottom of the depth chart with fellow bench linemen Zach Sterup, Jake Brendel, Sam Young, and Wesley Johnson.
Spaight, 25, had spent the first three seasons of his career with the Redskins. This included a 2017 campaign where he compiled 75 tackles and two passes defended. He was surprisingly cut by Washington at the end of the preseason, and he caught on with the Dolphins in mid-September. He proceeded to play in four games with the Dolphins, compiling a single tackle. With Spaight out of the picture, Stephone Anthony and Mike Hull are now the Dolphins’ lone backup linebackers.
Ryan Tannehill Expected To Return In Week 12
Although Ryan Tannehill won’t be available when the Dolphins face the Packers this weekend, he’s expected to return to action after Miami’s Week 11 bye, head coach Adam Gase told reporters today (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com). Tannehill hasn’t played since Week 5, as a shoulder injury has forced the Dolphins to turn to backup Brock Osweiler, who’s posted a 2-2 record with Tannehill on the shelf. Miami has been reticent to release any sort of timeline on Tannehill’s recovery to this point, so the mere fact that the club has highlighted a possible return date is seemingly good news.
NFL Workout Updates: 11/6/18
Today’s workout updates, with all links going to veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer’s Twitter account unless otherwise noted:
Arizona Cardinals
- WR Daniel Braverman; DE Tank Carradine
Cleveland Browns
- RB Ralph Webb; WR Brice Butler
Denver Broncos
- LB Christian Kuntz
Green Bay Packers
Indianapolis Colts
- RB Ralph Webb; WR Bruce Ellington; T Andrew Nelson; LBs Cayson Collins, Brady Sheldon, Azeem Victor
Miami Dolphins
New England Patriots
- RB Josh Ferguson; OL Menelik Watson
Oakland Raiders
- T Roubbens Joseph (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle)
San Francisco 49ers
Seattle Seahawks
- G David Bright; DE George Johnson; LB Ejuan Price; CB Jalen Myrick; DB Tyson Graham
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- WRs K.J. Brent, Chad Hansen, Marcus Tucker
Washington Redskins
- G Malcolm Bunche; Ts Darius James, Roubbens Joseph
Latest On Dolphins, Reshad Jones
On Sunday, Dolphins safety Reshad Jones raised eyebrows when he pulled himself out of the game after just ten plays. The decision, as Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald writes, could be extremely costly for Jones. 
The Dolphins reserve the right to fine a player for up to four paychecks for conduct detrimental to the team. If the Dolphins bring the hammer down on Jones, that would cost him upwards of $200K while voiding his future guarantees. Per the terms of his five-year, $60MM extension he inked in 2017, that would mean losing out on $35MM in guarantees over the next three years.
That’s one potential outcome. Another potential outcome is an overhaul of the coaching staff that could cost defensive coordinator Matt Burke his job. The Dolphins contained the lowly Jets on Sunday, but the defense allowed 74 points in its previous two games and signs of discord have been apparent all season.
“[Jones] came up and talked to me last night,” head coach Adam Gase said Monday. “He came up to the office and we talked. We’re still kind of going through a couple of things. I need to talk to a couple of people. Me and him are on the same page right now. … I have an idea of a lot of the things that happened.”
Jones’ outburst came after he was told that he would be splitting time at safety. Gase surely isn’t on board with Jones’ actions, but it sounds like he’s not on board with Burke’s game plan either.
Dolphins Notes: Tannehill, James, Parker
The Dolphins will have a lot of tough decisions to make this offseason, including what to do with Ryan Tannehill. Tannehill is set to have a cap hit of over $26MM in 2019, hasn’t been able to stay healthy, and hasn’t been great on the field even when he is. Deciding Tannehill’s fate “clearly tops” the list of Miami’s priorities for the offseason, according to Adam Beasley of The Miami Herald, who writes “Tannehill would need to be exceptional when he returns from his shoulder injury” for the Dolphins to bring him back at that salary next year.
Tannehill missed the end of the 2016 season with a torn ACL, then missed all of the 2017 season when he re-tore the ACL. This year, Tannehill started the first five games, then went down with a mysterious shoulder injury. He’s been sidelined for four games, and it’s not clear when he’s coming back. It’s still very early, but at this point it would be a surprise if Tannehill is brought back at his current cap number. For what it’s worth, Beasley writes that the Dolphins like Saints quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.
- Speaking of decisions the Dolphins have to make, they’ll also have to decide the fate of receiver DeVante Parker and right tackle Ja’Wuan James this offseason, according to Beasley. Parker is owed $9.4MM next year, and Beasley writes that keeping him “seems unlikely now, but if he strings together several games like the one last Thursday in Houston (six catches, 134 yards), it becomes a strong consideration.” James will be a free agent after this season, and Beasley writes that “unless he’s great the final eight games, the Dolphins again figure to explore outside options” this March.
Tannehill Out Next Two Weeks?
- Speaking of quarterbacks, Ryan Tannehill will miss his fourth straight game this weekend when the Dolphins play the Jets, and it looks like he’ll be out beyond this week. Tannehill is not expected back for the team’s Week 10 game against the Packers, according to Ian Rapoport (Twitter link). It sounds like the earliest Tannehill could return would be after Miami’s bye week, in Week 12. Coach Adam Gase revealed the nature of Tannehill’s injury for the first time today, describing it as a “shoulder capsule” injury.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/2/18
Here are today’s minor moves:
Dallas Cowboys
- Designated to return to practice from IR: TE Noah Brown
Denver Broncos
- Promoted from practice squad: WR River Cracraft
- Waived: WR Isaiah McKenzie
Miami Dolphins
- Activated off IR: C Jake Brendel
New York Jets
- Activated from PUP: S Rontez Miles
- Waived: S Ibraheim Campbell
Oakland Raiders
- Placed On IR: OT T.J. Clemmings
Dolphins’ Cordrea Tankersley Out For Year
Dolphins cornerback Cordrea Tankersley is out for the year with a torn ACL, head coach Adam Gase announced. Tankersley will be placed on injured reserve with a targeted return in 2019. 
Tankersley suffered the injury during practice on Thursday. It’s a bad blow to an already iffy secondary that has allowed opposing quarterbacks to complete 66.8% of their passes.
Tankersley, a 2017 third-round pick, started 11 games for the Dolphins as a rookie. This year, he has taken on more of a reserve role with an emphasis on special teams. The Dolphins will move forward with Xavien Howard and Bobby McCain as their starters with Torry McTyer and rookie Cornell Armstrong as the backups, but they’ll probably add another corner to the mix soon.
The Dolphins are 4-4 after dropping their last two games. They’ll look to get back in the win column when they take on the Jets in Miami on Sunday.
Dolphins’ Ryan Tannehill Ruled Out
Quarterback Ryan Tannehill is officially out again for this week’s game against the Jets, Dolphins coach Adam Gase announced on Wednesday. Gase added that Tannehill has been throwing with trainers and the option of surgery on his injured shoulder has not yet been discussed. 
The Dolphins remain hopeful that Tannehill will return at some point this season, but there’s no definitive timeline for his return either. Sunday’s absence will mark Tannehill’s fourth consecutive missed game.
Tannehill’s ongoing issue could impact his future with the Dolphins beyond 2018. His status with the team in 2019 is “not settled,” according to Armando Salguero of The Miami Herald, who hears that the QB has not lived up to the expectations set for him before the start of the season. In five games this season, Tannehill has thrown for 972 yards, eight touchdowns, and five interceptions.
Without Tannehill, the Dolphins will turn to Brock Osweiler once again. Although Osweiler showed flashes of what made him such a valued free agent a few years ago, he was unable to deliver against his old friends in Houston on Sunday. Osweiler completed just 21 of 37 passes for 241 yards with zero touchdowns and one interception as the Dolphins lost 42-23 to the Texans.