Dolphins evaluate De’Von Achane’s knee injury; Jalen Ramsey progressing
MIAMI GARDENS — The Miami Dolphins didn’t come out of Sunday’s 31-16 win over the New York Giants scot-free from injury.
Although rookie running back De’Von Achane had another stellar outing with 151 rushing yards and a touchdown on eight carries, he came away with a knee injury that the Dolphins are monitoring.
“What he’s kind of dealing with, it’s more of his knee, and we’re evaluating it. More information as it goes,” coach Mike McDaniel said Monday as the Dolphins transition to preparation for the Carolina Panthers (0-5).
“It was just something that we’re treating that we’ll get more information on. He was in and out of the game, standard rotation like normal. Then, he thought that he might have something, but he’s such a tough kid. It was kind of tough to read, so we need to evaluate more, and that’s what we’re doing [Tuesday].”
Achane appeared slightly gimpy on his last carry early in the fourth quarter. He spoke to reporters at his locker after the game and seemed fine.
McDaniel would not commit to any availability for Achane on Sunday.
“I’m not really thinking anything so much right now,” he said. “Still in the process of being evaluated. It’s to be determined.”
Asked for the possibility of the extreme — that it’s something that could keep the phenom out for the rest of his rookie campaign, McDaniel said: “When I don’t know, I literally don’t spend any time forecasting either way. That’s all. It’s just because we’ll get more information. I find it trivial to even forecast until you get all the information.”
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McDaniel was asked if the running back’s evaluation would require an MRI, and he declined to answer, while playful with his response.
“There’s various things that he’s undergoing,” McDaniel said as he turned sarcastic. “Handshakes, as well, high-fives. I think, from all accounts, he had a good breakfast and lunch.”
He returned to a serious tone: “But no, we’re just evaluating it. That is part of the process.”
The Dolphins running back room could also have veteran tailback Jeff Wilson Jr. return to practice this week after starting the season on injured reserve for midsection and finger injuries.
“It’s something that we were planning on visiting once we got the entirety of kind of the medical evaluations that come through in the latter half of (Monday) and some of (Tuesday),” McDaniel said. “Our plan is to revisit that regardless. We’ll talk about it probably (Tuesday).”
McDaniel reported that the two injured players that returned to practice last week, cornerback Nik Needham and offensive lineman Robert Jones, are progressing well with no setbacks off their first week of practice. They have two more weeks available to them before the team must make a decision on activating them off their respective injured lists — physically unable to perform for Needham and injured reserve for Jones.
McDaniel also didn’t seem too worried about left guard Isaiah Wynn’s neck injury. Wynn returned to Sunday’s game after missing one snap.
Ramsey progress
Dolphins star cornerback and marquee offseason acquisition Jalen Ramsey is progressing well, according to McDaniel, after his meniscus tear suffered early in training camp.
“He’s doing a great job,” McDaniel said. “He’s a special breed, and he is on the positive side of return, for sure.”
Ramsey initially injured the knee in late July in the Dolphins’ second practice of training camp. He’s now roughly two and a half months from that point. The original reported prognosis had him returning in early December, but McDaniel has said Ramsey is working to beat that timeline.
The elite cornerback has been on the sideline with the team for the first five regular-season games. After Sunday’s win, reporters noticed him run past a group in the tunnel on the way to the locker room.
“He hasn’t sprinted yet, except past you guys,” McDaniel quipped. “I got intel that you guys noticed that.”
