Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Byron Maxwell responds to being on the hot seat for his starting corner job.
DAVIE — Miami Dolphins veteran cornerback Byron Maxwell, who seems to be fighting for his starting job with Alterraun Verner, said he thinks things are pretty much out of his hands.
“It is what it is,” Maxwell said after Monday’s practice. “It’s nothing that I can control, I feel like. So, it is what it is — another day.”
Maxwell, benched last season after a shaky start to the year, got his starting job back after rookie cornerback Xavien Howard re-aggravated a knee injury. Maxwell performed well for the rest of the season and might have been the team’s best cornerback late in the year.
“I think we’ve had spurts where he’s played well,” coach Adam Gase said. “We just need him to just keep the consistency that we got last year, especially towards the end.
“He really did a good job of getting hands on the receivers and making it very difficult for them to release, and he challenged a lot of balls. He’s just got to keep getting those opportunities, keep practicing hard, keep doing it right, keep doing what’s being asked.
“We’re trying to play physical and really challenge the receivers and let our defensive line get there. Just keep that consistency going. You practice hard and do it right, I think good things usually happen.”
Maxwell doesn’t seem overly concerned, considering he went through a similar situation last season.
“I know what I can do in this league so it’s like I said, it is what it is,” he said. “I know the type of player I am.”
Although Maxwell could seemingly solidify his standing with good practice performances, he said he’s not sure if things are solely in the coaches’ hands on who wins the starting job.
“I have no idea,” he said. “I’m not in control, though.”
Tannehill rehabbing
Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who sustained a season-ending left knee injury Aug. 3, is recovering from surgery to repair the knee, according to Gase, and will probably be seen back around the facility in the coming days.
“He’s still kind of in those early stages of rehabbing,” Gase said. “I think he’ll be back at some point. I’m sure you guys will see him around. It’s probably still going to be a little time before he gets around the building and stuff.
“My conversations with him are mostly through text just checking on him. I don’t want to bug him too much. I know he gets tired of talking about it. He’s grinding already. It’s amazing how fast guys start rehabbing after having surgery.”
It’s unclear when Tannehill had the surgery and exactly what was done.
Tannehill was injured while scrambling to evade the pass rush during training camp. He was wearing a knee brace to help stabilize the knee that he initially injured late last season against the Arizona Cardinals.
It’s been estimated Tannehill’s rehabilitation could take between 8-12 months.
The Dolphins signed quarterback Jay Cutler on Aug. 7 to replace Tannehill.
Gase said he’s not yet sure how the surgery went.
“Every time somebody has surgery,” Gase said, “the first thing everybody says is it went well.”
Injury update
Gase said linebacker
Neville Hewitt, who has been sidelined with a shoulder injury, still has no return date.
“We’re still kind of working through some things,” Gase said, adding Hewitt has had a couple of setbacks.
Hewitt, who started five games last season and ended with 64 tackles, is a key reserve as well as a core special teams player . ...
Gase said there’s a chance wide receiver
Rashawn Scott, who has a foot injury, could start the season on the physically unable to perform list . ...
Gase also said that the plan for center Mike
Pouncey (hip), who practices or plays and then has an off day, seems to be working well . ... Left tackle Laremy Tunsil and tight end Anthony
Fasano, who had excused absences Sunday, returned to practice Monday. Linebacker Brandon Watts (back), running back
Senorice Perry (knee) and
tight end Thomas Duarte (concussion) didn’t practice.