Dolphins’ starting center likely done for season
Daniel Kilgore suffered a torn triceps during Sunday’s loss to Patriots.
Starting Dolphins center Daniel Kilgore has suffered a torn triceps and is expected to miss the rest of the season, according to a league source.
Kilgore, who started the first four games, suffered the injury during Sunday’s 38-7 loss to the Patriots. He would be Miami’s second starting offensive lineman to be lost for the season, joining left guard Josh Sitton, who’s on Injured Reserve with a torn rotator cuff suffered in the season-opening win against Tennessee.
Meanwhile, starting Dolphins cornerback Bobby McCain is expected to miss several weeks with a knee injury, according to a league source.
Kilgore, an eight-year veteran, was acquired from the San Francisco 49ers after signing a contract extension in March in a swap of seventh-round picks.
The Dolphins had released veteran center Mike Pouncey, due to Pouncey’s salary and concerns about his long-term health.
Travis Swanson replaced Kilgore in the second quarter against the Patriots. One of Swanson’s shotgun snaps sailed past quarterback Ryan Tannehill and led to a fumble recovery by New England.
Tannehill, however, took responsibility.
Before the season, the Dolphins traded for Kilgore and signed Sitton, in an attempt to bolster their offensive line.
When the line was healthy, Tannehill said he felt better about it than he ever had before. And the line did in fact play really well before Sitton and Kilgore went down as Miami jumped to a 3-0 start.
On Sunday, Dolphins coach Adam Gase indicated surprise that Miami’s offensive line had been pushed around physically by the Patriots.
As for going forward, Ted Larsen has filled in for Sitton. It is possible Larsen could play center. Or the Dolphins could promote guard Isaac Asiata from the practice squad.
On Monday, Gase said right tackle Ja’Wuan James was removed from the Patriots game for injury reasons.
“I think he got pretty banged up in the game and we got to the point where we put Sam (Young) in there,” Gase said.
Without McCain, the Dolphins can use Minkah Fitzpatrick at slot corner and then decide whether to use Tory McTyer or Cordrea Tankersley at outside corner.
This is if Jones is able to return from a shoulder injury that has kept him out the past two weeks. If Jones is unable to return, Miami could use Fitzpatrick or Maurice Smith at safety.
The Dolphins roster has been decimated since the start of the season, with key injuries to Sitton, Kilgore, McCain, Jones, DeVante Parker, MarQueis Gray, A.J. Derby, William Hayes, Andre Branch, Chase Allen and Mike Hull.
Besides Sitton, Gray (torn Achilles tendon), Hayes (knee) and Hull (knee) are on Injured Reserve.
Parker, who sat out the first two games with a broken finger on his right hand, missed the Patriots game because of a quadriceps injury he apparently suffered in practice late last week.
With Gray on I.R. and Derby sitting out Sunday’s game with a foot injury, the Dolphins used rookie tight ends Mike Gesicki and Durham Smythe, and had Young lined up as a tight end on occasion early in the game.