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Dolphins DC Josh Boyer On Hot Seat?

January 3rd, 2023 at 9:45pm CST by Ben Levine

The Dolphins have dropped five straight and find themselves out of the postseason picture, a major disappointment for an organization that was looking to take a step forward this season. Heads will surely roll if Miami fails to qualify for the playoffs, and a source told Armando Salguero of Outkick.com that defensive coordinator Josh Boyer could be a casualty.

Boyer’s job status could somewhat be connected to that of Mike McDaniel, with Salguero noting that if the head coach survives the offseason, then there’s no guarantee Boyer sticks in his position. Boyer was a holdover from Brian Flores’ staff, so it wouldn’t be surprising if McDaniel looks to shake things up with his own defensive coordinator. Even then, if McDaniel is canned following the season, there’s little chance Boyer would manage to stick around with a third head coach.

Boyer joined the NFL coaching ranks with the Patriots, where he worked his way up from defensive assistant to cornerbacks coach. He joined Flores in Miami in 2019 and earned the title of defensive pass game coordinator, and he was promoted to defensive coordinator in 2020. After ranking top-1o in points allowed during his first season at the helm, the Dolphins dropped to 16th in 2021 and 27th this season. The defense has been especially bad during the team’s current streak; after allowing around 23 points per game during their 8-3 start, opponents have averaged more than 30 points per game during the active five-game losing streak.

The defensive coordinator’s fate will be one of many decisions for Dolphins executives to make in anticipation of the offseason. Salguero explored the job security of McDaniel in particular, with the writer wondering if the coach has done enough to prevent the organization from pursuing someone like Sean Payton. The Dolphins will also have to make a decision on Tua Tagovailoa, with Salguero noting that owner Stephen Ross would be interested in Aaron Rodgers if the veteran QB was willing to play in Miami.

Dolphins Preparing To Use Teddy Bridgewater, Skylar Thompson In Week 18

January 2nd, 2023 at 6:26pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Dolphins have plummeted from 8-3 to 8-8 and are again navigating a Tua Tagovailoa concussion. The team still has a manageable path to the playoffs — a win over the Jets and a Patriots loss to the Bills — but it will probably have to complete part one of that scenario without its starting quarterback.

Mike McDaniel said Monday he is not thinking about Tagovailoa, who remains in concussion protocol, suiting up for Week 18 at this point. The concussion Tua suffered against the Packers was either his second or third of the season, and the first-year HC said he is preparing for either Teddy Bridgewater or Skylar Thompson to start against the Jets.

“I feel compelled every conversation to reiterate, ‘There is no such thing as a timeline. It’s about today.’ … If he’s thinking about going there, I snuff that out,” McDaniel said of Tagovailoa’s timetable (via the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson). “I have no idea about any sort of when, if, why or how.”

[RELATED: Dolphins Cleared In Concussion Protocol Review]

A report Sunday indicated Tagovailoa is targeting a potential Dolphins wild-card game for a return. Tua missed two full games because of his Week 4 concussion, and while a first-round return would mirror that timeline, McDaniel reiterated he has not discussed a return window with his starter because he believes such conversations make “his recovery worse as a human being.” The rookie Dolphins HC did say Tagoavailoa told him he felt good Monday.

For the second time this season, Bridgewater left a start due to injury. Bridgewater started against the Jets but left with concussion-like symptoms. Against the Patriots on Sunday, the ninth-year quarterback exited because of a dislocated pinkie finger on his throwing hand. The Dolphins need both Bridgewater and Thompson to be available against the Jets, McDaniel said, adding the team will explore adding another quarterback this week. Miami does not have a QB on its practice squad.

Miami used the Bridgewater-Thompson setup in Week 5 — a 40-17 Jets romp — and considering Tagovailoa’s status, it sounds like it will be necessary for this matchup. The QBs combined to go 24-for-40 for 265 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions in Foxborough. McDaniel said he would like to have his starter known Wednesday. Adding to the Dolphins’ QB predicament: neither Bridgewater nor Thompson has finished a start this season. Bridgewater, who suffered two concussions last season, has not made it through a start since Week 14 of last season. FiveThirtyEight gives the Dolphins a 42% chance to make the playoffs.

Dolphins QB Teddy Bridgewater Suffers Finger Injury; Latest On Tua Tagovailoa

January 1st, 2023 at 7:55pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Dolphins’ late-season collapse continued today, and the team is now facing even more uncertainty at the quarterback position. Veteran backup Teddy Bridgewater exited Miami’s loss to New England and was unable to return.

The 30-year-old is believed to have suffered a broken finger in his throwing hand, as reported by Pro Football Talk’s Josh Alper. The injury likely occurred on a throw in which Bridgewater’s hand hit a helmet while tossing an interception. His attempted tackle during the return from Patriots safety Kyle Dugger is suspected to be the cause, as head coach Mike McDaniel said after the game.

This marks the second straight time in which Bridgewater suffered an injury while starting for Miami this season. He played just one snap in Week 5 after being held out due to the NFL’s revised concussion protocols. His only other action in 2022 has come in relief appearances, and he has attempted only 79 passes this year. As was the case in October, seventh-round rookie Skylar Thompson finished the game under center for the Dolphins.

Of course, Bridgewater was in action because starter Tua Tagovailoa was sidelined with at least his second concussion of the season. The latter’s issues with head injuries has been a central storyline throughout the campaign, and played a significant role in the Dolphins’ ongoing struggles. Miami now sits at 8-8 with one week remaining and a Wild Card spot not the near-certainty it seemed to be until recently.

Tagovailoa’s status remains very much in question entering the final contest of the season. Jay Glazer of Fox Sports reported before today’s game that the 24-year-old is not expected to suit up for Week 18, with any hypothetical playoff contest targeted as a return date. Alper’s colleague Mike Florio corroborates that timeline, with NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport adding that Tagovailoa is currently considered day-to-day (video link).

With Bridgewater unlikely to be available, attention will increasingly turn to whether or not Tagovailoa is cleared to return – and, given his injury issues this year, whether the Dolphins show the same urgency in bringing him back that they did in the fall. If he remains sidelined, Thompson will likely get the nod for Sunday’s crucial game against the Jets.

Dolphins Cleared In Concussion Protocol Review

December 31st, 2022 at 10:57pm CST by Adam La Rose

For the second time this season, the Dolphins were the subject of a joint NFL-NFLPA investigation into their handling of the league’s updated concussion protocols. As was the case the first time, the team has been cleared of any wrongdoing.

The review came in the wake of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa reporting concussion symptoms one day after the Dolphins’ loss to the Packers in Week 16. The third-year passer was never evaluated for a head injury during the course of the game, one in which he threw three late interceptions en route to a loss which hurt Miami’s playoff chances.

Tagovailoa’s concussion history dating back to earlier in the campaign – which prompted the league’s new protocols being enacted and resulted in the first investigation into the Dolphins – has forced Miami to turn to veteran Teddy Bridgewater as its starter for tomorrow’s contest against the Patriots. This latest issue has also invited increased speculation regarding Tagovailoa’s short- and long-term future in the NFL, as the former top-five pick has suffered two (or, potentially, three) concussions in a matter of months in addition to his availability concerns entering the league.

“The NFL and NFLPA concluded their joint review of the application of concussion protocol involving [Tagovailoa] in Sunday’s game against the Green Bay Packers,” a statement from the league and union reads. “The joint review determined the protocol was not triggered… The review established that symptoms of a concussion were neither exhibited nor reported until the following day at which time the team medical personnel appropriately evaluated and placed Mr. Tagovailoa in the concussion protocol.”

The Dolphins enter Week 17 with an 8-7 record, due in no small part to the significant improvement the Alabama product has shown this season alongside new head coach Mike McDaniel and an offense which added wideout Tyreek Hill, among others, in the offseason. They will now look to snap their four-game losing streak with Bridgewater under center as he makes his first start since Week 5, where he suffered a concussion of his own on Miami’s opening offensive snap.

Dolphins To Start Teddy Bridgewater In Week 17; NFL, NFLPA Launch Investigation

December 28th, 2022 at 10:40am CST by Sam Robinson

Teddy Bridgewater will return to action for the Dolphins. After indicating Tua Tagovailoa‘s latest stay in concussion protocol was indeed induced by a concussion, Mike McDaniel said Bridgewater is in line to start against the Patriots in Week 17.

This will be Bridgewater’s second start this season. The journeyman passer left his first outing after landing in concussion protocol. This is Tagovailoa’s second confirmed concussion this season, though concussion-like symptoms in Week 3 ignited a controversy and led to the NFL firing an unaffiliated neurotrauma consultant and changing its protocols.

Although Tagovailoa head injuries have been one of this season’s defining storylines, the Dolphins are not yet planning to shut down their starter. McDaniel said this will be a day-by-day process. That makes sense when considering the disparity between the team’s record in games Tagovailoa finishes (8-4) and in games featuring Bridgewater or Skylar Thompson (0-3). The Dolphins have lost four straight and have plummeted to the AFC’s No. 7 seed. Tagovailoa being ready to go in Week 18 could determine Miami’s playoff fate, but the team will also need to factor in the former No. 5 overall pick’s long-term health ahead of that decision.

Tagovailoa missed two games because of the concussion he suffered in Week 4. That scary scene in Cincinnati came four days after the seminal sequence against Buffalo, when Tua returned to play shortly after showing concussion-like symptoms. The NFL has since revised its concussion protocol, leading to more attention given to players who show symptoms of head injuries. That said, spotters did not notice Tagovailoa displaying any concussion signs during Miami’s loss to Green Bay on Christmas Day. Tagovailoa also did not report any symptoms; he was placed in the protocol Monday.

The NFL and NFLPA are also moving forward with a joint review into the circumstances behind Tua’s most recent concussion, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports (on Twitter). This will be the second NFLPA probe into a Tagovailoa injury this year. A video that circulated on Twitter showed a possible concussion-inducing hit taking place in the first half. Tua did not leave Sunday’s game, and this inquiry will once again scrutinize the Dolphins and independent spotters’ handling of a head injury. The last inquiry did not find any violations, but changes nevertheless occurred.

Tagovailoa’s three-interception half in Week 16 did not knock him off his perch as the NFL’s leader in passer rating. The third-year QB still sits fourth in QBR as well. Miami’s Tyreek Hill–Jaylen Waddle pairing has helped Tagovailoa to an 8.9 yards-per-attempt figure. That also leads the league. Going from Tagovailoa to Bridgewater will be a step back for the Dolphins — in a crucial spot.

Bridgewater, who suffered two concussions during his 2021 season in Denver, displayed signs of ataxia when taken out of his Week 5 start against the Jets. The 30-year-old QB navigated concussion protocol ahead of Week 6, when he replaced Thompson against the Vikings. Both Bridgewater and Tagovailoa cleared concussion protocol that week, but the Dolphins made Bridgewater their emergency backup over Tua. This season, Bridgewater has completed 37 of 60 passes for 522 yards to go along with three touchdown passes and three interceptions. He led the Broncos to a 7-7 mark last season, without the benefit of the defense this year’s Denver iteration has deployed, before a Week 14 concussion ended his time with the team. Sunday will be Bridgewater’s first start against the Patriots.

FiveThirtyEight gives the Dolphins a 62% chance to make the playoffs, but Tagovailoa missing both games would stand to reduce the team’s chances of booking a postseason spot for the first time in six years. Tagovailoa also becomes extension-eligible next month, and the head injuries he has suffered this season cloud the progress he has made.

Tua Tagovailoa Back In Concussion Protocol

December 26th, 2022 at 5:38pm CST by Sam Robinson

On the heels of their fourth straight loss, the Dolphins received troubling news. Tua Tagovailoa is back in the team’s concussion protocol, inviting questions about his return to action and when his latest injury happened.

Mike McDaniel said it was too early to tell if this will sideline Tagovailoa for the Dolphins’ Week 17 matchup with the Patriots, but Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald notes Teddy Bridgewater will be the team’s first-stringer for much of this week in practice. Availability concerns aside, this particular player suffering another head injury will bring considerable scrutiny given the events from earlier this season.

McDaniel did not know if Tua suffered a concussion against the Packers or what play exactly landed him in the protocol again, saying no one recognized what hit could have triggered this. A Twitter user’s video is making the rounds, however, as to when this latest Tagovailoa setback occurred. If this is the play in which Tagovailoa suffered the injury, the third-year quarterback played the entire second half with concussion symptoms that were not noticed by independent spotters. Tagovailoa did not report any symptoms Sunday.

“This is something that just came across my plate a couple hours ago,” McDaniel said Monday. “As far as the game was concerned, no one recognized anything with regard to any sort of hit. I can’t really tell you exactly what it was. I’m not totally positive on that, but it was something that he met with the doctors today and discussed some symptoms and then from that, as you guys know, from there on, that’s between Tua and the doctors and we’ll move forward as information is projected towards us.”

This is Tagovailoa’s third bout run-in with concussion-like symptoms this season. The Dolphins’ handling of their quarterback produced a controversy in Week 3, when he showed concussion-like symptoms but was allowed to stay in the game — a Miami win over Buffalo. That initiated an NFLPA inquiry and led to the NFL revising its concussion protocol. Tagovailoa, whom the team said navigated concussion protocol during the Week 3 game, played four days later. The talented passer was then transported off the field during a game against the Bengals with a confirmed concussion. He missed the next three games. Based on this history, it is unlikely Tua will play against the Patriots.

The Dolphins are 8-4 in games Tagovailoa finishes and 0-3 in other contests, leading them toward the playoff bubble after they had bounced back upon their starter’s return. Tagovailoa threw interceptions on the Dolphins’ final three drives, dropping them to 8-7. Its playoff chances notwithstanding, the team will be under a microscope for how it handles what is either Tagovailoa’s second or third concussion this season.

Notable 2023 Pro Bowl Incentives

December 21st, 2022 at 9:22pm CST by Ben Levine

The NFL announced their 2023 Pro Bowl rosters this evening. Besides the ability to list the accolade on their career resume (plus the monetary bonus that comes from participating in and winning the game), many players had a financial incentive for wanting a Pro Bowl nod. We’ve collected some of the notable Pro Bowl contract incentives below, most via ESPN’s Field Yates on Twitter (unless noted).

Geno Smith‘s contract bonus came via a specific incentive that required not only Pro Bowl recognition but 20 touchdown passes, according to Yates (on Twitter). Smith hit that TD mark back in Week 13. The impending free agent is set to cash in following a breakout campaign during his age-32 season.

Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard has a more complex bonus worked into his contract. According to CBS Sports’ Joel Corry (on Twitter), Howard is one step closer to earning a $1MM bonus thanks to his Pro Bowl nod, but he’ll also need Miami to improve in either wins, points allowed, TDs allowed, total defense, interceptions, average net yards allowed per rushing play, or turnover margin.

Speaking of the Dolphins, the organization saved a chunk of future money since one of their players didn’t make the Pro Bowl roster. As Daniel Oyefusi of the Miami Herald tweets, Tua Tagovailoa‘s fifth-year option would have increased from $22MM to $28MM if he earned a Pro Bowl nod.

Injury Rumors: Ingram, Tagovailoa, Sutton, Joseph-Day

December 7th, 2022 at 10:00pm CST by Ely Allen

Saints running back Mark Ingram has likely seen his 2022 season come to an end, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The soon-to-be 33-year-old is set to tie a ribbon on his lowest single season of production in 12 seasons of NFL play.

Ingram suffered a slight MCL tear in the team’s Monday night loss to the Buccaneers. The injury usually requires a recovery period of around four to six weeks. With five weeks remaining in the season, it’s extremely unlikely that Ingram will find his way back to the field in the regular season. Despite the Saints currently sitting at last place in the NFC South at 4-9, they are only 2.5 games behind the first-place Buccaneers (6-6). If they can win some games and catch some good luck in the form of losses by their division rivals, New Orleans could still find itself in the playoffs as the NFC South champion. Otherwise, Ingram’s 2022 season is likely concluded.

Ingram returned to his longtime home of New Orleans after two years in Baltimore and half a season in Houston, accepting his No. 2 role in the lineup behind star running back Alvin Kamara. Ingram has served as a reliable second option in the backfield for the Saints, who will now have to turn to Dwayne Washington to fill that role.

Here are a few other injury rumors from around the league, starting with an MVP candidate looking to keep a strong season going:

  • Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa exited the team’s loss to the 49ers last week late in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury. Already down 33-17 at the time of the injury, there was no use in forcing the young quarterback back into play, although, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, he could’ve returned to the game, if necessary. The news is a good sign for the Dolphins and Tagovailoa as the injury is likely not significant. As of today, all signs are pointing to Tagovailoa being able to start Sunday night against the quarterback who was drafted one pick after him in the 2020 NFL Draft, Justin Herbert, and the Chargers.
  • The Broncos can’t seem to catch a break at the wide receiver position. Shortly after seeing starting wideout Jerry Jeudy return to the field against the Ravens last week, Denver saw its other starting wide receiver, Courtland Sutton, leave the game late in the second quarter with a hamstring injury, according to Parker Gabriel of The Denver Post. Sutton would sit out the rest of game with a noticeable limp. He’s also expected to be unavailable for the team’s matchup with the Chiefs this weekend, according to Mike Klis of 9NEWS. With Sutton and KJ Hamler out this week, the Broncos will continue to field a receiving corps that, after Jeudy, boasts the likes of Kendall Hinton, Brandon Johnson, Montrell Washington, and Jalen Virgil.
  • Chargers defensive lineman Sebastian Joseph-Day suffered a knee injury in this weekend’s loss to the division rival Raiders. Luckily, head coach Brandon Staley told the media that Joseph-Day likely avoided major injury and has been diagnosed with an MCL sprain, according to ESPN’s Lindsey Thiry. The team will continue to monitor the situation and will know more about his status in the next few days.

Dolphins Planning To Start Tua Tagovailoa In Week 7

October 17th, 2022 at 4:26pm CST by Sam Robinson

Injury-induced quarterback shuffling has defined the Dolphins’ season thus far, with Teddy Bridgewater replacing Skylar Thompson against the Vikings. But the team hopes that chapter is over.

The Dolphins are planning to reinstall Tua Tagovailoa as their starter in Week 7, Mike McDaniel said Monday. Tagovailoa will practice as Miami’s starter this week. The third-year passer has missed two full games and parts of two more this season.

Tagovailoa cleared concussion protocol — one his early-season injury saga helped reshape — Saturday morning, but the Dolphins held him out of their Week 6 loss to the Vikings. Miami has seen each of its three quarterbacks leave games with injuries this season, and while Tagovailoa’s situation proved far more severe than Bridgewater’s or Thompson’s, the team will greenlight his return.

Tua returning from what the team called a back injury in Week 3 set off a firestorm of concussion-related drama, with many believing the Alabama product sustained a head injury and was nevertheless sent onto the field soon after. The Dolphins consistently denied this, but the sequence produced an NFLPA investigation and led to changes to the league’s concussion protocol. A more stringent setup now exists regarding head injuries, and Tagovailoa — who was carted off the field in Cincinnati after a concussion — will play under the new guidelines.

As Tagovailoa recovered from the scary Week 4 injury, the Dolphins and Tua’s team of independent doctors “followed a thorough process that far exceeded the NFL’s concussion protocol,” leading to unanimous clearance, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter. This brought more health-related trouble for the former No. 5 overall pick, who saw a severe hip injury during his junior season at Alabama alter his draft status. The Dolphins still took him with their top 2019 choice, though injuries have followed. None were like this, though, and the NFL is operating differently as a result.

His return will undoubtedly be a major talking point as Week 7 approaches. The Dolphins being set for a nationally televised matchup against the Steelers will compound that. From a football standpoint, however, this is obviously big news for the team. Miami is 3-0 in games Tagovailoa finishes and 0-3 with another signal-caller doing so. Albeit on a limited sample size compared to most starting quarterbacks this season, Tua’s 80.0 QBR number still leads the league.

Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa, Teddy Bridgewater Clear Concussion Protocol

October 15th, 2022 at 9:29am CST by Ben Levine

Skylar Thompson is expected to start for the Dolphins tomorrow, but the team’s other quarterbacks got some good news today regarding their health. ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets that Tua Tagovailoa cleared concussion protocol this morning. The starting QB will still be sidelined for tomorrow’s game against the Vikings, but he should be good to go for Week 7 against the Steelers.

Schefter adds (on Twitter) that Teddy Bridgewater also cleared concussion protocol today. Bridgewater is expected to be in uniform for Sunday’s contest, but he’ll serve as the backup to Thompson.

Tua’s late-September concussion kicked off an NFL investigation regarding the team’s handling of the head injury. However, sources made it clear to Schefter that the organization went above and beyond to assure he was healthy enough to clear protocol. Specifically, the Dolphins, the QB, and “his team of independent doctors followed a thorough process that far exceeded the NFL’s concussion protocol,” per Schefter’s source. In addition to advice from team doctors, Tua also referred to four outside opinions “who unanimously cleared him from protocol and all agreed that his scans showed no signs of long-term impact on the brain.” Per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter), Tua traveled to Detroit and Pittsburgh to meet with doctors, and the QB suffered no setbacks during the process.

Bridgewater was never diagnosed with a concussion but was still required to go through the NFL’s protocol. Both Bridgewater and Tagovailoa were spotted at practice this week, and indication that their return was imminent.

While the Dolphins will soon get reinforcement at the position, they’ll be rolling with a rookie seventh-round pick this weekend. Thompson entered last weekend’s loss to the Jets and completed 19 of his 33 pass attempts for 166 yards and one interception. He also lost one fumble. With Thompson eyeing his first NFL start, he received a ringing endorsement from head coach Mike McDaniel.

“We were really excited to draft him,” McDaniel said (via NFL.com’s Grant Gordon). “That was a target of ours that we had on our mind. We didn’t have a plethora of draft selections, so it was easy to hone in on people and we were targeting him for a long time. And that being said, he’s exceeded expectations.”

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