Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa now unlikely to play against Browns

David Furones, South Florida Sun-Sentinel on Dec 28, 2024

Published in Football

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CLEVELAND — Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is no longer expected to play Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Browns.

Tagovailoa was downgraded to doubtful Saturday as the Dolphins (7-8) traveled to Cleveland as he deals with his hip injury.

Tagovailoa was already deemed questionable for Sunday’s 4:05 p.m. kickoff on Miami’s Friday injury report, but his hip injury was not largely considered concerning after he was also on the injury report for it last week and made it through the win over the San Francisco 49ers.

He downplayed the significance of the ailing hip, which he first banged up in the Dec. 15 loss to the Texans in Houston, when he spoke to reporters Wednesday.

“It’s good,” Tagovailoa said then. “It’s just like anyone else on the team and anyone else around the league. You get banged up little bit towards the ending of the year so just got to take care of that.”

Tagovailoa also famously had his college career at Alabama cut short due to a hip injury. He recovered from it during his draft process in 2020, the Dolphins selected him with the No. 5 pick.

Without Tagovailoa, the Dolphins likely start backup quarterback Tyler “Snoop” Huntley against the Browns. Third-stringer Skylar Thompson was elevated from the practice squad to the active roster Saturday ahead of Sunday’s game.

The Dolphins, on Saturday, also placed cornerback Kendall Fuller on injured reserve. He was already ruled out for Sunday’s game with his knee injury and considered week to week with just two weeks remaining in the regular season.

With the roster spot, Miami signed wide receiver Erik Ezukanma from the practice squad to the active roster, as Tyreek Hill (wrist) and Jaylen Waddle (knee) are questionable for Sunday.

Along with Thompson, the Dolphins elevated cornerback Nik Needham from the practice squad for depth at cornerback with Fuller out and Storm Duck likely to play in nickel packages.

Tagovailoa, this season, is vying for Drew Brees’ single-season completion percentage record.

With Miami set to go with Huntley and the Browns in line to start Dorian Thompson-Robinson, the NFL is fortunate to have flexed out of airing Sunday’s Dolphins-Browns game out of prime time on the penultimate week of the regular season.

Barrett to Bucs

Unretired NFL edge rusher Shaquil Barrett is returning to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

After Barrett, whom the Dolphins waived from the reserve/retired list Thursday, cleared waivers Friday, he agreed to sign with the Buccaneers, according to multiple reports.

Barrett signed with the Dolphins as a free agent in March, retired in July before training camp and wished to come out of retirement in late November. Miami, caught off guard by the request on a short week before playing the Green Bay Packers on Thanksgiving night, did not activate him before its deadline, nor did the team immediately release him so he could join another team.

The Dolphins reversed course on that decision this past week, with coach Mike McDaniel citing the organization did not believe waiving him would create a competitive disadvantage at this point.

The Bucs (8-7) are tied with the Atlanta Falcons atop the NFC South, with the Falcons holding the tiebreaker. Tampa Bay can still win the division with two weeks remaining.

Barrett never played a down for the Dolphins. He had 45 sacks, made two Pro Bowls and won a Super Bowl in his previous five seasons with the Bucs.