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Dolphins Injury Update: Bye Week Arrives at the Right Time
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- Dolphins Injury Update: Bye Week Arrives at the Right Time
The Miami Dolphins enter their Week 6 bye with several injuries requiring attention, but Monday's first update on starting guard Jonah Savaiinaea offered cautious encouragement.
Savaiinaea left Sunday's 31-24 loss to Cincinnati with an ankle injury. Coach Jeff Hafley said Monday that the guard was "doing OK," an early indication that the problem may be day to day rather than long term. Jarrett Kingston replaced him and played well, earning strong overall, pass-protection and run-blocking grades from Pro Football Focus.
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The secondary also needs the extra recovery time. Cornerback JuJu Brents exited in the fourth quarter with a stinger after producing the game's highest PFF grade. Safety Michael Taaffe was listed with a chest injury. Neither player had a definitive return timetable in the available update, so their progress should be monitored when Miami resumes practice next week.
Several Dolphins were inactive against Cincinnati and remain part of the medical picture. Cornerback Reese Taylor was sidelined by a quadriceps injury. Cornerback Storm Duck was out with a knee problem. Edge rusher Rob Beal Jr. missed the game with a hamstring injury, receiver Caleb Douglas remained out with an ankle injury and tight end Justin Joly was unavailable because of a concussion.
Those absences matter because Miami is thin at precisely the positions opponents are equipped to test. Cincinnati completed passes to nine receivers and did not allow a sack. Recovering even one corner and one edge defender would give Hafley more flexibility against the New York Jets on Oct. 25.
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Running back Jaylen Wright was active Sunday after being listed as questionable with a foot injury. He carried six times for 11 yards behind Ollie Gordon II. Linebacker Jackson Woodard also played after dealing with a concussion during the week. Their availability provided useful depth, though Wright's workload suggests Miami was careful with its backfield rotation.
Longer-term injuries remain unchanged. Running back De'Von Achane is on injured reserve because of a knee injury, while linebacker Ronnie Harrison Jr., linebacker Kyle Louis, defensive tackle Rene Konga and tight end Cole Turner also are on reserve lists. Their return rules and individual rehabilitation timelines vary.
Miami does not have a game this Sunday, so there will be no conventional Wednesday-to-Friday injury report. The meaningful checkpoints will come when the Dolphins return to practice. The first priorities are Savaiinaea's ankle, Brents' stinger and Taaffe's chest injury, followed by whether Joly clears concussion protocol and whether the sidelined cornerbacks and edge rushers can rejoin the lineup before the Jets game.
This story was originally published by Athlon on Oct 13, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
