Offensive line remains in flux after injury
Right tackle James likely out; guard Larsen may play Monday night.
DAVIE — The Miami Dolphins’ offensive line play has been hitor-miss this season. So it was fitting that Thursday, the team revealed starting right tackle Ja’Wuan James’ hamstring injury might jeopardize his season, and guard Ted Larsen might be able to return to the starting lineup for Monday night’s game against the Carolina Panthers
The team is continuing to assess what was initially listed as a hamstring injury in James’ left leg, and coach Adam Gase said they are looking for a secondary medical opinion. He added it’s unclear whether the issue is in his hamstring, as opposed to another nearby body part. Trainers appeared to be checking his knee on the field when James went down in Sunday’s loss to Oakland.
James was unable to practice Thursday, and it remains “a possibility” he will be out well beyond Monday’s game at Carolina.
“I just don’t know,” Gase said.
“I don’t have all the information. ... He’s getting some second opinions and things like that to make sure whatever we decide to do this year, whether it’s long term or short term — we just need to figure all that out.”
If James is out, the Dolphins will consider several options to replace him. Veteran tackle Sam Young filled in for James against Oakland, but with Larsen’s expected return at left guard, it’s possible Jesse Davis could move from there to right tackle.
James, now in his fourth season, has been hit-or-miss, according to Gase. However, Pro Football Focus ranks him the 10th-best tackle (right or left) in the NFL this season.
“I think Ja’Wuan’s had some really good games, then he’s had some games where I’m sure he would say he wished he played a little better,” Gase said. “I think that’s been the story of the first half of our season: inconsistent across the board with everybody on offense. (Mike) Pouncey’s the only one I can say every game I’m seeing the same things that are good.”
When pressed as to whether James is at least playing better than last season, Gase said, “I think he’s had some games that were head and shoulders better than any games he had last year. There was probably about three games that were really, really outstanding.”
James is playing the fourth season of his rookie contract after Miami drafted him No. 19 overall in 2014. The team exercised his option for next year in May, and he is set to make $9.3 million next season.
Regarding Larsen, Gase cautioned that it is still wait-and-see.
“I mean, yeah, he played left guard in training camp,” Gase said. “(Thursday) is going to be a big day to figure out who are the best five guys to play together. Everybody is assuming that it’s just automatic, that he just jumps back in there. But you know this is his first day in pads against defensive players. We’ll see how quickly he adjusts to the speed of the game, when he gets going.”
The Dolphins need Larsen to be an above-average guard, because their production at guard has been below average. Guard Anthony Steen is out for the season and starting right guard Jermon Bushrod has not stood out.
Larsen played in 16 games for the Chicago Bears last season, starting eight. He missed the first eight games this season with a biceps injury.
“One of the things we wanted to make sure we did is we wanted to add some veteran presence on the offensive side,” Gase said. “Because we knew we weren’t going to be able tomake too many moves. Because we have a lot of young guys. And we felt like at that position and kind of where he’s been in his career and some of the coaches that he’s been with, we feel like we have a really good connection. We were trying to bring in some guys that had an idea of how we would run our system. And how he fit in. I felt like he was doing a good job. But he had a setback.”
Also on the injury front, defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh did not practice Thursday. Suh left a loss to the Oakland Raiders briefly Sunday with a knee injury before returning to the game.
Af ter th e ga m e, Suh said: “Unfortunately, it’s football. I got tangled up and lucky enough I had the opportunity to come back . ... You’re going to have to talk to coach Gase.”
Other Dolphins who did not practice Thursday were defensive back Michael Thomas (undisclosed) and running back Damien Williams and wide receiver Jakeem Grant (both because of illness).