The Miami Dolphins placed cornerback Mackensie Alexander on the injured list on Tuesday, just eight days after his signing.
NFL Media’s Cameron Wolfe reported that Alexander sustained a groin injury. The veteran player is ineligible to join Miami’s active roster since he was placed on the IR list before the regular season.
“That was unfortunate — really unfortunate for him, specifically, because we just got him, and he was doing some good work out there,” Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said Tuesday.
ROSTER MOVES | We have waived P Sterling Hofrichter, LB Deandre Johnson and S Sheldrick Redwine. We also placed CB Mackensie Alexander and FB John Lovett on injured reserve. pic.twitter.com/BjGKb2uSsU
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) August 23, 2022
Aside from the former Minnesota Vikings, the team also placed fullback John Lovett on the list, leaving the Dolphins’ CB department in bad shape. CB Trill Williams was put on the list before Alexander’s signing. The franchise also recently cut down its lineup to 80 players, waiving players such as safety Sheldrick Redwine, punter Sterling Hofrichter, and linebacker Deandre Johnson.
Massive roster move
This week has been a busy one for the two-time Super Bowl champ. The team kept trying to sign players ahead of deciding its fixed lineup for the regular season until tragedy struck this week. Following Williams’ entry to the IR list, the team signed Alexander and former Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle Niles Scott. Alexander’s time in Miami has ended, and Williams would likely follow suit.
McDaniel, however, said that he was not concerned about the team’s limping CB department.
“I feel pretty good about the development we’ve had at that position. This is the nature of NFL football, and I would be a lot more concerned if I didn’t really like the guys that are on our roster that really did some good stuff on Saturday,” he said.
CB Keion Crossen and Nik Needham could also be joining the list, as Dolphins Wire’s Mike Masala reported the players “were also hurt”. However, the first-year head coach said that Crossen’s injury was nothing out of the ordinary, while Needham was “good to go”.
Masala noted that the Dolphins had been very cautious with all potential injuries, adding the team had “a concerted effort” during the training camps.
Homework for Dolphins
McDaniel and his men will conclude training camp on Wednesday this week with a joint session with the regular-season opener rival Philadelphia Eagles. The head coach said he looked forward to the occasion.
“Joint practices are my favorite part of the preseason,” he said. “It’s such a great opportunity for both sides to defend against and run your offense against different techniques, coverages, alignments. Training camp does become monotonous to guys. It’s a great way to break stuff up.”
However, McDaniel has yet to decide on starters to play the Eagles.
Miami Herald veteran sports analyst Barry Jackson said that “if starters don’t play, they would go three weeks without playing in a game”. McDaniel has since responded to the comment, saying that some players were “vested veterans” and he would be more comfortable being starters-less than risking having more players on the IR list.
“Some guys that’s not as big a deal for because they’re vested veterans,” McDaniel said. “You’re also trying to weigh the risk of injury.”