Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Safety Abdul-Quddus put on IR.
DAVIE — The Dolphins placed Isa Abdul-Quddus on injured reserve Wednesday, meaning the team has lost both of its starting safeties this year to season-ending injuries.
Miami has played most of the season without Pro Bowl safety Reshad Jones, who suffered a shoulder injury in October, and the Dolphins lost Abdul-Quddus to a neck injury during last Saturday’s 34-31 overtime win over the Buffalo Bills.
Abdul-Quddus had a careerhigh 78 tackles, two interceptions and one sack in his first season with Miami.
The Dolphins have promoted rookie safety A.J. Hendy from the practice squad to take Abdul-Quddus’ spot on the 53-man roster for Sunday’s regular-season finale against the New England Patriots. Hendy, an undrafted player from the University of Maryland, has spent all season developing on the practice squad.
The Dolphins will likely pair Michael Thomas with Bacarri Rambo as the starting safety duo. Thomas made a career-high 11 tackles against Buffalo as AbdulQuddus’ replacement Saturday. He’d be returning to the position he started 13 games at last season. In 2013, Thomas’ lone career interception sealed a victory over the Patriots.
“The challenge for everybody is communication, making sure you understand your assignments and get everybody lined up [properly]” Thomas said. “Whoever is in there, that has to be the focus, making sure you communicate at a high level.”
Young’s deal extended
The Dolphins extended the contract of one of the team’s top backup offensive linemen, locking up Sam Young for the 2017 season.
According to a league source, Young signed a one-year extension that will pay him $1.15 million next season, and guarantees him $325,000. Young received a $200,000 signing bonus and will get a $50,000 workout bonus for this upcoming offseason.
Young signed with Miami last offseason, but was waived at the conclusion of training camp because the team opted to retain its young draftees on the offensive line. But once the Dolphins cut
Dallas Thomas, Billy Turner and Jamil Douglas following Miami’s 1-4 start, re-signing Young was the first thing the organization did to fortify the struggling offensive line.
Young, a former St. Thomas Aquinas High standout who is concluding his seventh NFL season, played in seven games for the Dolphins this season, and started one game at left tackle when Branden Albert was sidelined by his wrist injury.
Last week against Buffalo, Young played 15 snaps in Miami’s unbalanced offensive line and played 14 snaps in that same role against the New York Jets the previous week.
Extending Young’s deal ensures that both of Miami’s top reserves on the offensive line will be on the training camp roster in 2017. Kraig
Urbik, who has started five games for the Dolphins at center and guard, is also signed for 2017, and slated to earn $1.25 million in base salary and bonuses.
The Dolphins have the cap space to get deals like this done since Miami is roughly $8 million under the 2016 salary cap. The Dolphins will likely be $30-40 million under the projected salary cap for 2017 based on the 37 players under contract.
Injury update
Dolphins tailback Jay Ajayi, who suffered a shoulder injury against the Bills, practiced on a limited basis . ...
Linebackers Jelani Jenkins (knee) and Spencer Paysinger (knee), and cornerback Byron
Maxwell (ankle) were each held out of practice. If Jenkins and Paysinger are sidelined by their knee injuries Neville Hewitt will get a larger role in Miami’s nickel package . ...
Defensive end Mario Williams (ankle) practiced without limitations . ... Patriots quarterback Tom
Brady didn’t practice Wednesday because of a thigh injury.