Dolphins Lose Potential Ogbah Replacement
As the Miami Dolphins look to find a way to replace defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah, one potential option has disappeared.
Rookie defensive lineman Ben Stille, who was elevated when Ogbah had to sit out the Week 7 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, is being signed off the practice squad by the Cleveland Browns.
The transaction will come one day after the Dolphins placed Ogbah on injured reserve because of a triceps injury he sustained in the 39-17 victory against those same Cleveland Browns on Sunday.
Ironically, it likely was the Dolphins rushing for 195 yards at Hard Rock Stadium that might have led the Browns to looking for help on the defensive line.
STILLE HAD SOLID ROOKIE CAMP
Stille has been on the Dolphins practice squad all season after putting together a pretty solid training camp and preseason.
In that one game against the Steelers, his NFL debut, Stille played nine snaps on defense and was credited with two assists, one when he teamed with Melvin Ingram to drop Najee Harris for a 3-yard loss on a running play.
Before being poached, Stille was one of three defensive linemen on the practice squad, along with DTs Josiah Bronson and Jaylen Twyman.
At 6-4, 290, Stille was the most versatile of the three with the ability to line up inside in a 4-3 front or at end in a 3-4 look.
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THE DOLPHINS' DEFENSIVE LINE OUTLOOK
With Ogbah now on IR, the Dolphins have only four players listed as defensive linemen on their active roster — Christian Wilkins, Zach Sieler, Raekwon Davis and John Jenkins.
In another ironic twist, one veteran outside the organization the Dolphins might consider to replace Ogbah is Isaac Rochell, who played six games with one start for the Browns this season before being waived.
One in-house possibility is Porter Gustin, who currently is on the practice squad injured list with an undisclosed issue. He's got the versatility to line up as an edge defender or defensive end.
Stille becomes the second Dolphins player that another has signed off their practice squad this season, joining tackle Larnel Coleman.
The difference here is that Coleman had exhausted his three practice squad elevations for the 2022 regular season, whereas Stille had two left — if the Dolphins didn't consider signing him to the 53-man roster.
The Dolphins also have signed two players to their 53-man roster off their practice squad, wide receiver River Cracraft and safety Verone McKinley III.
THE DOLPHINS' UPDATE INJURED RESERVE LIST
Ogbah became the eighth player the Dolphins have put on IR since the start of the 2022 season, though offensive lineman Austin Jackson and safety Clayton Fejedelem now are back on the active roster.
Of the six currently on IR, four are defensive players: CB Nik Needham, S Brandon Jones, LB Trey Flowers and Ogbah. The other two are TE Cethan Carter and G Liam Eichenberg.
Head coach Mike McDaniel has confirmed that Needham, Jones and Ogbah will be out for the remainder of the 2022 season, while there is no timetable for the return of Carter, Flowers and Eichenberg.
And, of course, cornerback Byron Jones has been on the Reserve/PUP list all season after undergoing leg surgery in the offseason and there also is no timetable for his return, though McDaniel gets asked about his status at the beginning of every practice week.
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