Miami Dolphins Injury Updates:

[DKphin]

Free safety Louis Delmas and left tackle Branden Albert were two of Dolphins GM Dennis Hickey's free agency signings in the 2014 offseason, and both men played well before suffering season-ending ACL injuries. Despite their injury histories, both players are projected starters for the Dolphins' upcoming make-or-break 2015 season, and the Dolphins organization has expressed high confidence throughout the offseason that the two veterans will be ready to play by game 1 of the regular season. Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald has just recently provided the most recent injury recovery update regarding those players (at the end of his article discussing DeflateGate, of course), and it's all good news.

According to Beasley, Louis Delmas is not only on track to be ready to start in game 1, but he also hopes to participate in Dolphins minicamp starting in June. In other words, despite suffering his torn ACL in early December, he hopes to be on the field barely over 6 months later. Normally, the recovery timeline you hear associated with recovery from a torn ACL is closer to 10 to 12 months, but Delmas' injury notably did not involve any damage to other structures in his knee. In cases involving only a torn ACL with no surrounding damage, the timetable you'll hear is a slightly less daunting 6 to 9 months.

Meanwhile, Branden Albert wasn't quite as lucky as Delmas (with "lucky" being a relative term) when it came to his own ACL injury. In addition to tearing the ACL, Albert also suffered a torn MCL in November. In cases such as Albert's, it's more common for people to require the 10 to 12 months to recover, and that's the timetable Albert is currently following. According to Beasley, Albert remains on track to be available to start in week 1 of the 2015 regular season, which take place almost exactly 10 months after he suffered his injury.

http://www.thephinsider.com/2015/5/...ry-updates-delmas-ahead-of-schedule-albert-on

 

[347]

Nice to hear their on track for week 1 start of the season.

 

[Pepe305]

We have to be cautious with Albert. It might be smart to give him another month of recovery. Luckily with our relatively soft starting schedule, we might be able to survive the first 4 games without him. Hope we don't have to though and his recovery goes better than expected.

 

[ANUFan]

We have to be cautious with Albert. It might be smart to give him another month of recovery. Luckily with our relatively soft starting schedule, we might be able to survive the first 4 games without him. Hope we don't have to though and his recovery goes better than expected.

My worst fear....

 

[Carne Asada]

What are we doing with soooo many DBs if Delmas comes back? IMO Lippett at CB is a smokescreen and we are looking to trade Matthews for either OG or MLB talent.

 

[normaldude]

What are we doing with soooo many DBs if Delmas comes back?

Because players often lose a step or two, after a serious knee injury. Brian Hartline & Brandon Gibson came back in 2014, but they had both clearly lost a step.

 

[Carne Asada]

Because players often lose a step or two, after a serious knee injury. Brian Hartline & Brandon Gibson came back in 2014, but they had both clearly lost a step.

I understand but if Delmas is retained despite that, and perhaps starts, then what are we going to do with about 13 other DBs, battling out 8 spots? Things don't look too bright for Bowman, Davis, Don Jones, Kovacs, and IMO Rishard Matthews. IMO Matthews is getting dumped and Lippet was always a WR and the CB thing is just a smokescreen to try and get something in return for Matthews.

 

[normaldude]

Lippet was always a WR and the CB thing is just a smokescreen to try and get something in return for Matthews.

Lippet's greatest value is that he is both a WR & CB, so he basically frees up a roster spot. He'll be the 6th WR and the last CB on the roster, and he'll probably be inactive on gameday. He'll only see the field if we have a wave of injuries.

 

[Carne Asada]

Lippet's greatest value is that he is both a WR & CB, so he basically frees up a roster spot. He'll be the 6th WR and the last CB on the roster, and he'll probably be inactive on gameday. He'll only see the field if we have a wave of injuries.

I could agree with that. How many DBs in general, and which ones would you carry? Do you think Matthews is staying?

 

[normaldude]

I could agree with that. How many DBs in general, and which ones would you carry? Do you think Matthews is staying?

I really have no idea. I think if another team offers a draft pick, we'll trade Rishard Matthews. Otherwise, there's a good chance he'll be our 5th WR. Outside our top 4 WRs, Rishard Matthews is the only one with proven production in the NFL. And he has the position flexibility to play both outside WR and slot, which is useful as a backup.


As I stated on another thread, I think Matt Hazel might be a bust.

http://www.finheaven.com/showthread.php?p=1065433120#post1065433120


And I also stated that I hope LaRon Byrd can step up, and somehow make the roster (like if Rishard Matthews were traded).

http://www.finheaven.com/showthread.php?p=1065432802#post1065432802

 

[gregorygrant83]

I'm not sure Hazel, or any other 6th or 7th round pick can be a bust. I think they're long shots from the start and the odds are against them making an impact on the roster. To me a bust would be someone you had high hopes for and they failed badly to live up to expectations.

And I still think Hazel is going to be better than some people think. I think he needed a year to make the move from small college football to the NFL, but will be in the mis for the fifth receiver spot. I also would not be shocked if the fifth receiver job goes to some one who is released from another team at the end of training camp.

 

[Carne Asada]

It's all still so blurry. Specially cause we have a bunch of fringe starters in several positions rather than clear cut ones. This should be an interesting camp and preseason to go along with the off season we just witnessed.

 

[Mogwai]

What are we doing with soooo many DBs if Delmas comes back? IMO Lippett at CB is a smokescreen and we are looking to trade Matthews for either OG or MLB talent.

We have very few proven longterm solutions at DB. Just like at LB we're creating competition at unresolved positions. In the absence of spending a high pick or big FA money at these positions this is the best possible solution. I'm a fan of having these young kids fight it out in camp. And Rishard has marginal value.