Dolphins might be forced to limit Durham Smythe's involvement

The Miami Dolphins could be forced to limit the practice, and possible game participation of an important offensive starter.

Tight end Durham Smythe is sporting a walking boot on his left foot as of Monday, and has a noticeable limp to his gait.

It's unclear at this point if Smythe's injury is ankle, foot, or toe, and if this has been something that has lingered for weeks, like fullback Alex Ingold's foot injury. But the injury did limited the veteran tight end's participation in Miami's 31-17 win over the New England Patriots last Sunday.

Smythe praised for his toughness

"That’s kind of his swag. Medical boots," Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel joked when asked about the injury. "He’s a guy that’s as tough as they come. It’s hard during a game to assess the severity of anything because he’s so tough, and is willing to play through whatever.

"He’ll battle through that," McDaniel continued. "I definitely wouldn’t bet against Durham Smythe playing in any game.”

Ingold has played with a foot injury for the past three weeks. He's held out of Wednesday's practice so he can make it to Sunday's game, and his role on special teams was scaled back in recent weeks.

It's likely that Smythe will be put on the same kind of maintenance program. Both players are critical to Miami's offensive success because the physicality they bring to the game helps clean up the offensive line's pass protection leaks, and they create creases in the run game for the NFL's top rushing attack, which averages 151.8 rushing yards per game.

Dolphins have TE options

McDaniel has typically taken a cautious approach to playing injured players.

If Smythe, who has contributed 14 receptions for 151 yards, needs to sit out Sunday's game against the Kansas City Chiefs because of his injury the Dolphins would be forced to lean on Julian Hill to fill a void.

Hill, an undrafted rookie from Campbell University, has already carved out a role for himself in McDaniel's offense, playing 160 snaps in six games. He handled 34 offensive snaps on against the Patriots, and caught the first pass of his NFL career, gaining 4-yards.

The Dolphins could also begin to use tight end Tyler Kroft, a ninth-year veteran, who has been inactive for four of Miami's eight games this season. There's also two practice squad tight ends - Tanner Conner and Nick Bowers - who could have their roles, and contribution level on offense and special teams elevated.

Conner, a former Idaho receiver who made it onto the Dolphins' 53-man roster as an undrafted rookie last year, has been called up from the practice squad, added to the game day roster for two games this season. He's eligible to be called up from the practice squad one more time before the Dolphins must add him to the 53-man roster to play him.

Bowers, a former Penn State product who is playing for his third NFL team since 2020, has five games of NFL experience, going back to his stint with the Las Vegas Raiders in the 2021 season.

NFL teams can only call up two practice squad players per week to the game-day roster.

Dolphins re-sign cornerback

The Dolphins re-signed veteran cornerback Parry Nickerson on Monday, adding the nickel cornerback who was waived over the weekend to make room on the roster for Jalen Ramsey to the practice squad.

Miami waived cornerback Mark Milton from the team's practice squad to make room for Nickerson on the 16-player developmental unit.