2 starters could miss practice
DAVIE — Miami Dolphins coach Adam Gase was optimistic about running back Kenyan Drake’s shoulder injury on Monday, but did not share that same sentiment for two other injured offensive starters.
Gase does not expect leading receiver Danny Amendola (knee) and starting center Travis Swanson (ankle) to practice most of this week, leading up to this Sunday’s home game against the Buffalo Bills (4-7).
Amendola and Swanson suffered their injuries early in Sunday’s 27-24 loss to the Indianapolis Colts, while Drake reaggravated his injury in the fourth quarter.
“They probably won’t practice most of the week,” Gase said of Amendola and Swanson. “We’ll try to give them a shot on Friday and see what they can do and how they feel. That’s really as far as I know. I won’t really know until we get to the weekend.”
“Neither one of them are in great shape right now,” Gase added.
Gase said Drake, who scored two touchdowns against the Colts, should be healthy enough to practice.
Drake and wide receiver DeVante Parker, who also played despite a shoulder injury, will again practice this week wearing red, non-contact jerseys to avoid taking unnecessary hits.
“This is football. Everybody is hurt. I’m going to be out there,” Drake said on Monday.
Drake was down on the field after hurting his shoulder on a run play during a third-and-10 sequence midway through the fourth quarter. He later returned to finish the game.
Amendola, who has 48 catches for 469 yards, injured his knee during the first quarter. He returned in the second quarter and had a fair catch on a punt return in the second half. But Amendola was ultimately kept out of the game as a precaution.
Swanson, who became Miami’s starting center after Daniel Kilgore was lost for the season due to an arm injury, tried to play through his ankle injury, but was replaced by Jake Brendel.
Brendel started the Colts game at left guard, but was replaced by Ted Larsen, who started eight games at the position and was recovering from a neck injury in recent weeks.