Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Roberts out for season with knee injury
The Miami Dolphins will be forced to play the rest of the season including the playoffs — if they make it that far— without one of their captains and top defenders.
Dolphins coach Brian Flores revealed Wednesday that starting inside linebacker Elandon Roberts suffered “a significant” right knee injury in last Saturday’s 26-25 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, ending the season for the five-year veteran who signed to a one-year, $2 million deal this past offseason.
Roberts had 61 tackles (eight for loss), 1 ½ sacks, one forced fumble and a fumble recovery in 13 games this season.
In games Roberts has missed because of various injuries, the Dolphins used Kyle Van Noy, Sam Eguavoen, Kamu Grugier-Hill and Calvin Munson as the inside linebacker paired with Jerome Baker in Miami’s hybrid 3-4 scheme.
The Dolphins’ substitutions are package based, and Roberts mostly handles run-specific packages while Baker, who leads the team with 108 tackles, handles the coverage duties as a linebacker.
This week could present a difficult challenge for Miami’s linebackers because someone will have to shadow Buffalo Bills star quarterback Josh Allen — if the Bills don’t decide to rest him ahead of the playoffs — who has the athleticism to carve teams up with his arms and his legs.
Allen, who is a candidate for the league’s Most Valuable Player honor, routinely scrambles for first downs and touchdowns. This season, he’s rushed for 418 yards and eight touchdowns on 100 carries, and 38 of those scrambles have produced first downs.
If Shaq Lawson, who missed last week’s game because of a shoulder injury, is cleared to play against his former team on Sunday, the Dolphins could move Van Noy inside and have Lawson paired with Andrew Van Ginkel as the edge players in the Dolphins’ 3-4 front. Miami could also elevate Jason Strowbridge, a 2020 fifth-round pick, and have him work on the edge.
Eguavoen, who started six games as Miami’s inside linebacker last season, started the last time Roberts was sidelined. But the Kansas City Chiefs’ wide-open, spread offense didn’t lead to Eguavoen, who has nine tackles in his 75 snaps on defense, handling many snaps. Munson has also filled Roberts’ run-specific role at times, but that was only for one game.
Grugier-Hill, who has played 207
defensive snaps this season, has generally been used as a coverage specialist, mainly defending tailbacks and tight ends in certain packages.
Jason Sanders honored
Dolphins kicker Jason Sanders was named the AFC’s Special Teams Player of the Week for his stellar performance against the Raiders. He made four field goals and was responsible for 14 points in Saturday night’s thrilling win.
This is the second AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honor for Sanders this year. He also won the award after kicking five field goals in a win at San Francisco. ...
Defensive end Shaw Lawson (shoulder), offensive guard Solomon Kindley (knee/foot), safety Bobby McCain (ankle) and receiver DeVante Parker (hamstring) all practiced on a limited basis despite their injuries.
Jakeem Grant, who suffered an ankle injury in last week’s win over the Raiders, sat out practice because of his ankle injury. ...
Bills receiver Cole Beasley sat out Wednesday’s practiced because of a knee injury he suffered in Monday night’s win over the New England Patriots.
Buffalo reportedly brought former Dolphins receiver Kenny Stills in for a visit and will explore the possibility of signing him to compensate for Beasey’s absence.