MIAMI GARDENS — Another Miami Dolphins cornerback has landed on injured reserve.
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said Wednesday nickel cornerback Cornell Armstrong is going on IR with his hamstring injury.
With the team depleted at the position, the team will be signing a cornerback to be named later, according to McDaniel, specifically one who can line up as a nickel.
“Among several things, we will be adjusting our roster,” McDaniel said. “We will be adding a nickel. … We’ll be adding a player, and then there will be some subsequent moves that we’ll do throughout the week.”
Armstrong was already substituting for rookie nickel cornerback Jason Marshall Jr., who himself is on IR recovering from his own hamstring ailment.
Storm Duck, a starter to begin the season, is still not ready to return to practice from his ankle injury suffered a month ago, McDaniel said Wednesday.
The Dolphins previously lost Kader Kohou, who would’ve handled nickel duties this year, to a season-ending knee injury in the preseason, along with fellow cornerbacks Artie Burns and Jason Maitre.
Outside of starting boundary cornerbacks Rasul Douglas and Jack Jones, Miami has healthy cornerbacks in Ethan Bonner and JuJu Brents, but the two have combined for one defensive snap for the team this season.
The Dolphins, though, have several safeties who can play the nickel role: Minkah Fitzpatrick, Ifeatu Melifonwu, rookie Dante Trader and veteran special teamer Elijah Campbell.
With Dodson in protocol
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The Dolphins have to allocate linebacker snaps between backups at the position in case starting middle linebacker Tyrel Dodson is unable to clear concussion protocol this week in time for Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers.
“Guys in the protocol, I always prepare for them to not play,” McDaniel said.
After Dodson exited in last Sunday’s loss to the Carolina Panthers, K.J. Britt handled the job as Dodson’s primary backup.
Another option is versatile linebacker Willie Gay Jr., who got his first start against Carolina alongside Dodson and fellow starter Jordyn Brooks but only got three defensive snaps in Charlotte.
One thing to keep in mind is Dodson is the defense’s green-dot player, who receives radio communication from defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver and relays it to other defenders. Britt does this if he’s out, but Gay appears bound to try it out in practice.
“You have people make up for it, sometimes it’s one person, sometimes it’s two,” McDaniel said. “KJ versus Willie, how that will play out, will be on the practice week and how we execute it. … Their ability to execute will dictate the ratio of plays they get on Sunday.”
Other injuries
Dolphins kicker Jason Sanders is not yet ready to return to practice this week from his hip injury.
Wide receiver Cedrick Wilson Jr., whom the team brought back off the New Orleans Saints practice squad in light of Tyreek Hill’s season-ending injury, will begin practicing with the team this week, according to McDaniel. He had been recovering from a minor knee procedure.
— Panthers running back Rico Dowdle, after rushing for 206 yards and a touchdown against the Dolphins last Sunday, was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week on Wednesday.
