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Miami Dolphins left tackle Terron Armstead was upgraded to limited participation at the team’s Thursday practice after he was a non-participant on the Wednesday injury report, despite performing light drills on the side.
“We’ve just been working, trying to get back right, give myself a chance to play,” he said Thursday after practice at UCLA before the Dolphins face the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday night. “I feel better than I did last week.”
Ahead of the loss to the San Francisco 49ers, Armstead was deemed doubtful after participating in a limited Friday practice. He returned to closer to a regular routine he’s had to nurse his toe ailment with Thursday participation.
Armstead described the play where he got hurt toward the end of the first half in the Nov. 27 win over the Houston Texans.
“Fairly routine,” he said. “Guy was rushing off the edge, outside arm kind of went across his body and, going to the ground, it just felt a rip. I kind of knew immediately what I was dealing with.”
Armstead feared it was a possible tear instead of the milder strain.
“The severity was hard to tell,” he said. “I didn’t have any power in my left side. I couldn’t lift my arm. It wasn’t a situation where I could tape up and try to go back out.”
The injury to the chest muscle is vital for a blocker.
“Every movement, every block to execute, you need to have strength and power in those ranges,” he said.
Meanwhile, Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill was the only player on the active roster to miss Thursday drills. He was out with an illness.
Fellow wideout Jaylen Waddle (fibula) was upgraded to full participation after being limited on Wednesday, as was defensive tackle Raekwon Davis (knee). Wide receiver River Cracraft popped up on the injury report as limited with a calf ailment.
Five Dolphins were limited for a second consecutive practice: Quarterbacks Tua Tagovailoa (ankle) and Teddy Bridgewater (knee), safety Eric Rowe (back), tight end Durham Smythe (quadriceps/knee) and defensive tackle Justin Zimmer (back).
For the Chargers, cornerback Bryce Callahan (groin) was downgraded to non-participant after being limited Thursday. Safety Derwin James (quadriceps), defensive lineman Sebastian Joseph-Day (knee) and tackle TreyPipkins III (knee) also missed Thursday drills, while lineman Will Clapp (shoulder) was downgraded from full participation to limited.
Gesicki’s usage
Dolphins tight end Mike Gesicki’s nine snaps played at the San Francisco 49ers were a career low.
Miami tight ends coach Jon Embree said it had to do with the game plan for the 49ers.
“None of the tight ends played in some of the situations,” said Embree, alluding to the number of two-running back looks the Dolphins gave the 49ers. “That was a good personnel for us against those guys because there were some things we could dictate defensively.”
Embree believes the Dolphins could get back to getting Gesicki more involved in games to come.
“That’s just how the game plan is,” he said. “There’s going to be game plans where they’re going to both get more [opportunities] and Trent Sherfield’s not going to get as many reps, or Alec [Ingold]. We’re going to do whatever we have to do to try to win, and it just worked out this past week that that personnel group gave us some ops and some things.”
Fellow tight end Durham Smythe saw 27 snaps, which was 59 percent of the team’s offensive plays, the greatest percentage he had seen since Week 4 at Cincinnati. Gesicki’s 9 snaps accounted for 20 percent of offensive plays, which was also a career low by percentage in any game he has played.
Gesicki, nonetheless, found himself at the heart of a crucial late play at San Francisco where his fourth-down catch called on the field was overturned upon review for a turnover on downs. Embree said he “no doubt” believed it should’ve been called a catch for Gesicki.
Mum on Jones
When Dolphins cornerbacks coach Sam Madison was asked if cornerback Byron Jones has been involved in meetings with players at his position as he’s remained on the physically-unable-to-perform list since before the season, the assistant coach directed questions on Jones to either coach Mike McDaniel or defensive coordinator Josh Boyer.
“Right now, we’re just working with the guys that we have here,” Madison said. “I’ll just let Coach Mike and Coach Josh talk about him, and that’s where we are right now.”
Madison was critical of the two pass interference calls against the Dolphins at the 49ers on Xavien Howard and Kader Kohou, calling them “phantom calls.”
This and that
Former Patriots outside linebacker Willie McGinest was seen at Dolphins practice at UCLA, assisting outside linebackers coach Ty McKenzie with drills at his position group.
McGinest, a two-time Pro Bowl edge rusher and three-time Super Bowl champion is a Long Beach, California native and currently works as an analyst for NFL Network.
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