Achilles injury may put Biegel out for season
Dolphins linebacker Vince Biegel sustained a left Achilles injury during Tuesday’s practice and based on the initial medical evaluation, the expectation is that he will miss the 2020 season.
Biegel, who was carted off the field, became emotional and teammates stood around him praying. “Vince brings energy,” safety
Eric Rowe said an hour later. “Every day, it’s consistent. Even last year when we traded for him, he can be gassed out but he’ll still go 100 percent on the field and that’s what we need. We all know how hard he works. It has a trickle down effect.”
Biegel was arguably Miami’s most effective edge rusher last season. Acquired in a Labor Day weekend trade with New Orleans for Kiko Alonso, Biegel morphed from a special teams player with the Saints to a competent starter with Miami, producing 59 tackles and 2.5 sacks and one interception in 15 games, including 10 starts.
He led Miami’s edge players with 33 quarterback pressures, which was 60th best in the league, per Pro Football Focus.
Biegel was competing with
Raekwon McMillan, Elandon Roberts, Kamu-Grugier Hill, Sam Eguavoen and Andrew Van Ginkel for linebacker snaps alongside Kyle Van Noy and
Jerome Baker, who are both expected to play most or every down.
The Dolphins and Biegel discussed a multi-year contract during the spring but never agreed to terms. Instead, he signed his restricted free agent tender, a one-year deal for $2.1 million. He’s eligible for unrestricted free agency next spring.
THIS AND THAT
The quarterback play was underwhelming on Tuesday.
During his first work in team drills on Tuesday, rookie Tua Tagovailoa threw three safe, short passes for completions and botched the first of two poor center exchanges with Michael Deiter, who is working a lot at center after starting 15 games at guard for the Dolphins last season.
Deiter is being re-acclimated to center after not playing much there in three years, or since his sophomore year at Wisconsin.
During his second time in team drills, Tagovailoa threw poorly to receiver Mack Hollins on an out route — Hollins made a one-handed catch — and connected on a slant to Chester Rogers, who fumbled on a hit by cornerback Nate Brooks.
Tagovailoa was removed after the second botched snap with Deiter. Tagovailoa and Deiter then worked on center/QB exchanges in the sidelines.
But here’s the good news: Tagovailoa, late in the day, hit Hollins on a beautiful crossing pattern for 30 yards.
Ryan Fitzpatrick threw an interception, had at least one other pass nearly intercepted and was erratic with his accuracy.
On one play, rookie cornerback Noah Igbinhoghene jumped a route on a Fitzpatrick pass but couldn’t hold onto the interception. Jakeem Grant was the intended receiver.
Safety Bobby McCain intercepted a terrible pass by Fitzpatrick on the next play. On the bright side for Fitzpatrick, he connected with Isaiah Ford for multiple completions, including one leaping catch in double coverage.
According to a team source, there’s no cause for alarm with wide receiver Preston Williams’ absence from practice on Tuesday. The Dolphins are being cautious as he makes his way back from November ACL surgery. He looked very good in Monday’s practice.
Coach Brian Flores was non-committal about whether cornerback Xavien Howard would be ready for the start of the season. Howard had knee surgery last December — more serious than simple arthroscopic surgery, according to a source — and on Tuesday entered his seventh day on the COVID-19 list.
Flores likes what he has seen in rookie seventh-rounder Malcolm Perry, who is being trained at slot receiver and also might get some work at running back. “He’s got good quickness, good hands,” Flores said. “He’s an instinctive player, got good feel for the game.”
The Dolphins hired Olivia Passy and Joyce Harrell as scouts, making them the first women to have that job for the franchise.
Passy was the director of football operations at Bowling Green last year. Harrell had been working as a graduate assistant in football operations at Boise State last year.