Dolphins quick hits on a Tuesday:
▪ A temporary scare at outside linebacker has been averted.
Bradley Chubb, who would have missed Monday’s practice (if the team had practiced) because of foot and shoulder injuries, said he will play Thursday against visiting Baltimore (8:20 p.m., Amazon Prime, CBS 4).
“I’ll be good,” he said. “You have a short week. Things flare up in the game before. You just want to make sure you get on it and correct it.”
Chubb has four sacks, a fumble recovery and five tackles for loss after missing last season following a significant knee injury in Week 17 of the 2023 season.
▪ Receiver/returner Dee Eskridge, who left Sunday’s game in Atlanta with a shoulder injury, said he’s fine and plans to play Thursday.
Among NFL players with at least 15 kickoff returns, Eskridge is fourth in average return yardage, at 26.6.
“He goes 100 mph,” special teams coach Craig Aukerman said.
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Dee Eskridge (82) is tackled by New England Patriots safety Dell Pettus (24) in the first half of their NFL game at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Fla. Photo by Matias J. Ocner mocner@miamiherald.com
▪ Tua Tagovailoa said his swollen left eye has improved the past two days. He woke up with the eye issue before throwing four touchdown passes against Atlanta.
“It’s good; I can see a lot better than I could in terms of how open my eyelid is,” he said, adding that he’s still not sure what caused the swelling.
He said he will wear a visor again against Baltimore and might continue doing it all season. “Guys liked the visor,” Tagovailoa said.
▪ After alternating Ethan Bonner with Jack Jones for two weeks, defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver used Storm Duck in a rotation with Jones against Atlanta, opposite Rasul Douglas. With Duck now out for the year with a knee injury, will Weaver return to a Jones/Bonner rotation?
Miami Dolphins cornerback Ethan Bonner (27) and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick (29) on the practice field at Miami Dolphins Training Camp in Miami Gardens, Florida, on Wednesday, July 23, 2025. PHOTO BY AL DIAZ adiaz@miamiherald.com
“I expect to see both,” he said. “Jack has done a lot of good things. So has Ethan.”
The Dolphins placed Duck on injured reserve late Tuesday but did not immediately fill his spot on the 53-man roster. Jason Marshall Jr., healthy after missing a month with a hamstring injury, is a logical option to fill that slot.
Meanwhile, Kendall Sheffield was placed on practice squad/injured reserve. Ethan Robinson, who has had two stints with the Dolphins this season, re-joined the team’s practice squad.
▪ Weaver hopes the defense builds on its exceptional play in the 34-10 win against Atlanta.
“I hope the success they had breeds success,” he said. “I told them we had to have a pack mentality. I’m happy for our guys the way they continued to fight. You hope and pray it will carry over to this week, and I think it will.”
▪ Weaver indicated he isn’t worried — or more so, doesn’t have time — to worry about the situation at safety, where Ashtyn Davis is likely out with a quad injury and Ifeatu Melifonwu and Minkah Fitzpatrick are dealing with finger injuries. (Fitzpatrick is expected to play, and Melifonwu appears on track to play barring a setback).
Weaver wasn’t surprised by rookie Dante Trader Jr. coming back strong from his costly missed tackle late in the Chargers game: “I expect that from him,” Weaver said of Trader’s good play against Atlanta. (Pro Football Focus rated him Miami’s top defender on Sunday.)
▪ Weaver said Zach Sieler, Bradley Chubb and Jordyn Brooks “are the heart and soul of our defense.” And he said of rookies Kenneth Grant and Jordan Phillips: “These guys are football guys. Whatever God intended them to be they will reach that ceiling because they work that hard.”
▪ Douglas continues to play very well.
“You talk to a lot of coaches, and I didn’t talk to one who had a negative thing to say about Rasul [on his previous teams],” Weaver said. “Consummate professional, knows how to play within the scheme. I love the guy. He’s a leader by his sheer professionalism. He is showing guys the pathway.”
▪ Offensive coordinator Frank Smith said being on the field Sunday, instead of the press box, was “fun. I haven’t been on the field in a couple of years. I’m helping them with some operational stuff — moving fast, thinking fast. If I’m able to help them get that done, so be it. Players want clear, concise communication.”
This role on the sidelines “is larger. I can go between position groups… and connect everyone together. I was running around like the madman,” talking to Mike Daniel, Tua Tagovailoa, De’Von Achane and other players and even “to the defense.”
▪ Receiver Cedrick Wilson Jr. played significant offensive snaps (22) against Atlanta in part because the team likes his “intensity” and “toughness,” Smith said…
The team was pleased with guard Jonah Savaiinaea’s performance against Atlanta: “Jonah is slowly building,” Smith said. Sometimes with rookies it takes a little longer than you want. You see positive things.”
Of Daniel Brunskill’s 22 snaps against Atlanta, 15 came as a sixth lineman.
▪ Aukerman said losing safety Davis (at least for now) is hurtful on special teams, but getting Elijah Campbell back will be “great if he’s able to play. He’s been a really good special teams player for a long time in the NFL.”
Campbell missed two games with a quadriceps injury and was inactive Sunday after practicing fully on Friday. He likely will be needed this week, if the team deems him ready to contribute.
It’s uncertain how long Davis will be out.
Here’s my Tuesday piece on guard Jonah Savaiinaea, ticket prices and the 2026 home schedule.
Here’s my Tuesday piece with news from Mike McDaniel’s Tuesday news conference, including resolution on the backup quarterback situation.
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This story was originally published October 28, 2025 at 4:42 PM.
Barry Jackson
Miami Herald
Barry Jackson has written for the Miami Herald since 1986 and has written the Florida Sports Buzz column since 2002.
