Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Running back Jay Ajayi is placed in the concussion protocol and the timing of his return is uncertain.
DAVIE — Miami Dolphins running back Jay Ajayi is in the NFL concussion protocol due to a hit he sustained in Monday’s practice, most likely from safety T.J. McDonald during a twominute drill. When Ajayi will return to practice is uncertain and will be determined by team trainers, not coaches or Ajayi.
“Especially with the concussions, they go through the protocol,” coach Adam Gase said Wednesday, “and whatever the timetable is, it is what it is. I think by now in our league we all know that.”
Running backs Kenyan Drake and Damien Williams will share the load in Ajayi’s absence, which they did in Wednesday’s practice.
Gase didn’t sound as though Ajayi’s injury is a major training camp setback.
“We had a certain plan for him anyways for the preseason of what he’s going to do, when he was going to do it, so I don’t really see this as taking away from a lot of the things we were going to do with him.”
Gase said the power running game probably won’t be curtailed much with Ajayi sidelined.
“It’s funny,” he said. “Jay likes the outside zone stuff. The other guys, smaller guys actually like the inside zone stuff, they like mixing it up pretty good. Jay really likes getting a feel for it, working those angles. The body type is really irrelevant.
“The scheme, some guys like it when we get everybody moving lateral. When you’re Jay’s size, when he squares up and starts going downhill, those guys are all running so he runs through those arm tackles and it’s hard to get him down.”
Although Ajayi was the workhorse of the running backs last season, rushing for 1,272 yards and earning a Pro Bowl berth, Gase said he’d like to get all three running backs more work, saying the Dolphins “probably didn’t use them as much” as they could have last season.
Gase, when asked, didn’t comment on exactly how Ajayi was injured, but he did volunteer it was not in a “live” period, meaning a period when they tackle to the ground. McDonald told reporters he hit Ajayi during such a period of Monday’s practice.
“He didn’t get a concussion in the live period,” Gase said. “That wasn’t live. He just kind of didn’t see him. That was in the two-minute drill.”
Jones activated
Safety Reshad Jones, who was on the non-football injury list to start training camp due to a calf injury, was activated Wednesday and went through practice, most of the time with the first team.
“It was straight go,” Jones said, meaning he had no limitations. “It felt good for me. It’s been seven, eight months since I had pads on. It’s a fun experience. I feel good.”
Gase said Jones, the 2015 Pro Bowl selection, “crushed” his conditioning test. Still, Gase wanted to know if Jones, one of the key players on the defense, was totally healthy because calf injuries have a way of recurring if not totally healed.
“He legitimately felt really good and probably did a little more than I expected,” Gase said. “I think it’s just hard with him because there’s no middle ground with him. It’s like, ‘Hey, either I’m going or I’m not.’ But he looked good, he was moving good. I was giving him a hard time saying, ‘We’re going to move you to linebacker.’ He looks good though.”
Family Time
It’s become a common sight after practice the last few months to see quarterback Ryan Tannehill playing with his son, Steel, after practice. The 1-year-old was on the field with Tannehill’s wife, Lauren , on Wednesday.
“It’s cool,” Ryan said of visiting with Steel and Lauren after practices.
“They don’t make it out every day, but on the days they do make it out here, it’s cool. I’ve seen it for years. Older guys have their kids out here and I always thought it was so cool to be able to play catch with your kid.
“Especially this time of year, it’s the only time of year they’re out here ...” Rookie wide receiver Isaiah Ford, the seventh-round pick from Virginia Tech, had a procedure on his injured knee Wednesday and his return date is uncertain. The Dolphins said on Monday that they were seeking a second opinion on the left knee injury that Ford suffered during the few days of training camp. Offensive tackle Terry
Poole (back) remains sidelined along with Ford and center Mike Pouncey (hip), who is on the active roster but mostly works with trainers on the side of the field.