Injuries a big impact on Miami Dolphins with season half over

A remarkable number of injuries in the first half of the season have severely impacted the Miami Dolphins. The phrase “next man up” has never meant more.

Every team suffers injuries during the course of a season. But when the Miami Dolphins lose key players like Daniel Kilgore, Josh Sitton, Albert Wilson and Ryan Tannehill, the ramifications may be hard to overcome.

The writing was on the wall when starting TE Marqueis Gray was placed on injured reserve, just days before the season opener, with a torn Achilles tendon. Since then, the IR list has increased by nine more players. Adding salt to the wound, seven other essential players have missed two or more games due to injuries.

There’s no doubt the offense has been hit the hardest with season ending injuries. The offensive line, that looked so promising at season’s start, lost highly touted G Josh Sitton after tearing his rotator cuff in game one. Two games later, the line took another huge hit when C Daniel Kilgore went own with a torn his triceps.

Everyone was high on the potential of the offensive line during preseason. Veterans Kilgore and Sitton were brought in to shore up the line and also serve as mentors to the promising younger linemen. The group practiced and played together throughout preseason and developed a good cohesiveness. Now that close teamwork has to be rebuilt with the shakeup in personnel.

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A.J. Derby, who was the next man on the depth chart behind Gray, left game three with a foot injury and hasn’t played since. Further depleting the receiving squad, the very versatile Albert Wilson is lost for the season and Kenny Stills is out with a groin injury with no return date. DeVante Parker has returned after missing five games, but how long that lasts is anyone’s guess.

The receiving corps, with its speed and depth, was looking to be one of the stronger attributes of the team. With Wilson out, Stills hobbled and Parker’s durability at question, the depth of the squad has diminished considerably. The TE group now consists of rookies and players cut from other teams

Quarterback Ryan Tannehill injured his throwing shoulder in the game against the Bengals and has missed the last three games. He has just now begun to start throwing again and there is no timetable for his return. How his shoulder reacts will be the big test and Adam Gase wants to take no chances of a setback.

This was looking to be Tannehill’s comeback year. A good chemistry was developing with his receivers and a promising o-line was giving him more time in the pocket. With Ryan’s injury and the deterioration of the line, that hope is quickly fading. Brock Osweiler is playing in his absence, but it’s difficult to hone the timing with his targets as they come and go with injuries.

The defense hasn’t been immune to the injury bug either. The defensive end position seems to be a revolving door. Veteran William Hayes went on the IR after week three with a torn ACL. Andre Branch missed the next two games and Cameron Wake and Charles Harris each missed three games soon after.

Three linebackers are currently on IR depleting the depth of that unit. Chase Allen went on the list in week three with a foot injury, as did Vincent Taylor just yesterday. Mike Hull is also listed but has recently joined the team in practice. He officially hasn’t been added to the roster.

The secondary have had their own issues, to a lesser extent. Reshad Jones and Bobby McCain both sat out two games. With a lack of consistently playing together, it appears the teamwork and communication has dropped off and the suffering results have shown.

If OLB Hull and C Jake Brendel, who has also joined the team practices, are officially released from injured reserve and added to the roster, that will end the season for all others on the IR list. Per NFL rules a team is only allowed to bring back two players form IR in a year.

New players have been brought in and some called up from the practice squad to fill in the gaps. Only time will tell if it will be enough for the Miami Dolphins to survive the second half of the season and possibly salvage their playoff hopes.