MIAMI GARDENS — Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel is optimistic center Aaron Brewer will be able to play through a new hip injury that surfaced on the team’s injury report Monday.
McDaniel deemed it a “strong chance” Brewer plays on the short week ahead of Thursday night’s game at the Buffalo Bills.
“If there’s a will, there’s a way,” McDaniel said Tuesday before his team practiced. “He’s willing to do what it takes as a captain.”
Brewer was revealed Monday to have come out of Sunday’s loss to the New England Patriots with a hip injury. He anchors Miami’s offensive line as the blocker in the middle who played every offensive snap in 2024 and has grown into a team captain in his second season with Miami.
Running back Jaylen Wright (knee) and tight end Darren Waller (hip) are trying to debut for the Dolphins after missing the first two games.
McDaniel, who spoke Tuesday for the last time before Thursday’s 8:15 p.m. kickoff said their status remains up in the air.
“We’ll see how the rest of the week goes. Their putting their best foot forward,” he said.
But the Dolphins coach is more hopeful on Wright’s availability, as he was close to playing Sunday, despite being labeled doubtful going in.
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Waller was seen participating at the team’s Tuesday evening practice for the first time during the regular season. He was with the team during stretch, but he merely worked out on the side of drills for other periods open for media viewing.
Like Brewer, wide receiver Malik Washington was revealed to be dealing with a thumb injury Monday. On Tuesday, McDaniel said he’s optimistic Washington will play.
Nose tackle Benito Jones is “doing everything he can” to play, according to McDaniel.
Ahead of the Thursday night game, the Wednesday injury report will reveal game statuses in Buffalo.
Safety Ifeatu Melifonwu is dealing with a calf injury suffered on the kickoff return touchdown allowed Sunday against the Patriots. It makes him unlikely to be available against the Bills on short rest.
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Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver will likely be allocating reps between Ashtyn Davis and rookie Dante Trader Jr. at the safety opposite Minkah Fitzpatrick and deploy fewer three-safety sets that bring Fitzpatrick into the box.
“I love both of those guys,” Weaver said of Davis and Trader. “I think you’re going to see a healthy dose of each.”
Neither Melifonwu nor cornerback Storm Duck were seen participating in practice Tuesday evening.
Savaiinaea struggles
Dolphins rookie left guard Jonah Savaiinaea was Pro Football Focus’ lowest-graded offensive lineman in the NFL in Week 2.
He said Tuesday he needs to block with greater intentionality and play more instinctively.
“When you’re thinking too much on the field, it can hold you back from playing aggressive,” Savaiinaea said Tuesday.
McDaniel didn’t feel it was all bad for Savaiinaea when he spoke Monday.
“I think he had a lot of pluses and there were some minuses that really stood out to him,” McDaniel said. “There was one in particular that was kind of at the point of attack, but the thing about Jonah is he stands out of veterans or rookies as an intentional, deliberate practicer.
“These little nuances of the game, he’s learning live-speed fortunately, and one of the reasons we put him in the position is because he learns from things and is extremely critical of himself.”
The right side of the line gave up the sack that ended it Sunday, but McDaniel was pleased with right guard Kion Smith and right tackle Larry Borom overall.
“With the right side in particular, I was happy with how they started out the game,” McDaniel said. “They allowed our offense to function just as it had before they were both starting and they were able to execute some things particularly on the back side that I thought were pretty solid.”
Back-to-back returns
Dolphins special teams coordinator Craig Aukerman said the team knew what returns the Patriots would run and simply failed to execute kick coverage when the team allowed Antonio Gibson’s back-breaking kick return touchdown.
It was surrendered after Miami had just scored a touchdown of its own on Washington’s punt return.
“It hurt us, especially after we got a big play,” Aukerman said. “We never want to kill momentum like that.”
Aukerman assessed the positive play for the Dolphins that preceded it.
“Obviously, just a great play by Malik,” he said, “but I think Malik will tell you it’s 10 other guys.
“We did a really good job on (Patriots special teams ace Brenden) Schooler on the double press, getting him (out of bounds),” added Aukerman, who also lauded rookie cornerback Jason Marshall Jr. for avoiding a block-in-the-back penalty.
