The Miami Dolphins and cornerback Jalen Ramsey signed a three-year contract extension worth $72.3 million, making him the highest-paid CB in the NFL, but he will miss Sunday’s home opener at Hard Rock Stadium (1 p.m., TV: CBS) against the Jaguars with a hamstring injury.
Ramsey practiced on a limited basis on Friday, and the Dolphins listed him as questionable.
“It’s tough. It’s the first time I’ve had a hamstring. Even when I felt like I was fine, I had to trust the training staff to know that even if you feel like that, we can’t have you going crazy,” Ramsey said.
His coach Mike McDaniel on Friday neither ruled him out nor included him among those who were going to play.
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“He had a good practice today. I think we’re going to be smart, but we’re anxious to get him out there and play. So hopefully, in some way, he’ll practice,” McDaniel said. “I don’t know the level still, that’s how these things work, you just go with the method. Honestly, I don’t know and if I did, I wouldn’t tell you, but I really don’t know.”
The Miami team only has one player out, wide receiver Malik Washington, due to a quadriceps injury.
On the other hand, there has been good news because some players who did not train due to various discomforts will be available. Such is the case of center Aaron Brewer, who will be a starter, while Liam Eichenberg will be the right guard.
Linebacker Emmanuel Ogbah is a lucky man, because not only did the Dolphins bring him back, but he’ll be one of the starters in the opener in place of star LB Bradley Chubb, who is on the PUP list and will miss the first four games.
Defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver will make his season debut with the Dolphins, where he hopes to build an elite defense.
Sunday, we will see a quarterback duel between Tua Tagovailoa of the Dolphins and Trevor Lawrence of the Jaguars, a reprise of the 2019 college championship game.
“Those narratives are real, but if you want your team to be good, you better focus on doing things for your teammates and welcoming the accomplishments of team performance,” McDaniel said. “Like Tua, the team’s leaders have shown how to properly focus on what really matters.”
Tua also said he feels they have really evolved as a team and are ready to take the next step since Week 1.
“Yeah, I feel it. I’m just saying that because of the practices we’ve had, the intensity with which we practice against our opponents and against ourselves,” the QB said. “There’s been a lot of things that have filtered into the locker room that haven’t happened in years past, so I would say it’s just the feeling of, ‘Dang, this feels different. ’”
The Miami team has many facets that must work as a whole, but without a doubt, the show will be put on by wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. Hill already praised Waddle by calling him a Pro Bowl this year and now it’s Wayle’s turn.
“I expect a lot from [Hill]. I expect him to be himself and lead us. He’s got a lot of character and that shows on Sundays,” Waddle said. “Coming out and playing with a lot of energy is making us better. I’m just worried about the task at hand and playing consistently throughout the year.”
