Jones misses practice with injury
Pro Bowl safety hurt his shoulder making TD-saving tackle against Jets.
DAVIE — The Dolphins are working without Pro Bowl safety Reshad Jones this week, but they expect to have him back before Sunday’s home game against the Raiders.
Jones appeared to hurt his shoulder making a key stop at the end of the second quarter in Sunday’s 20-12 victory over the Jets and missed the team’s first practice of the week Wednesday. Miami coach Adam Gase downplayed the injury and said he is preparing as though he’ll be in the lineup.
“We’re taking it day-to-day, but I don’t think it’s (bad),” Gase said. “We’re gonna get him back. I just don’t know what day yet.”
Jones plunged into Jets tight end Chris Herndon with his right shoulder at the end of the first half and was squeezing his arm as he walked to the sideline after the play. He and Bobby McCain helped stop Herndon at the Miami 1-yard line as time expired, protecting a 20-0 lead.
Jones, a nine-year veteran, returned for the second half and has been getting treatment since Sunday. Gase said his health has already improved.
The Dolphins lost Jones for most of the 2016 season when
he tore the rotator cuff in his left shoulder, and he made a full recovery before earning a return trip to the Pro Bowl last year.
This season, he leads the team with 10 tackles and two interceptions.
Gase was vague about an injury to starting left guard Josh Sitton early last week, then Sitton went on injured reserve with a torn rotator cuff two days before the Jets game. He seemed more optimistic about Jones’ situation.
If Jones is limited or out against the Raiders, there are at least two reasonable contingencies. The Dolphins are playing first-round pick Minkah Fitzpatrick at slot cornerback and could move him back to his natural position at safety, or they could keep Fitzpatrick in place and play backup safety Walt Aikens for Jones.
Being able to move Fitzpatrick into the slot allowed the Dolphins to solve a serious problem at cornerback. When no one stepped up to claim the outside corner spot opposite Xavien Howard, they shifted Bobby McCain there from the slot and put Fitzpatrick in his place.
“We’ve got a whole bunch of scenarios we’ve worked out and talked about,” Gase said. “It’s not really something I want to put out there right now.”
For continuity’s sake, it’d ideal for the Dolphins to get Jones back as soon as possible.
One of the more concerning issues for the secondary last year was the apparent lack of cohesion between him and fellow safety T.J. McDonald, and those two have come a long way over the past year.
“Our communication is better,” McDonald said. “We lean on each other for where our help is and we’re able to adjust faster on the run if we get guys going in motion. It’s just happening quicker. We have a better feel for each other.”
Jones was not in the locker room after practice.
Through two games, the Dolphins have been one of the best pass defenses in the league. They’ve given up a lot of yardage, a result of them playing with a lead the majority of the time thus far, but they rank No. 1 in opponent passer rating (56.6) and interceptions (five). They’re also fifth in the league in completion percentage allowed at 57 percent.