Dolphins Lose Needham for the Season

The Miami Dolphins' already short-handed cornerback group took another major hit during the Week 6 loss against the Minnesota Vikings at Hard Rock Stadium.

Fourth-year player Nik Needham sustained a torn Achilles tendon during the 24-16 loss, as confirmed by a league source, and will be out for the season. Needham was injured when he was covering wide receiver Adam Thielen on the first play after the Dolphins took a 3-0 lead.

Needham was carted off the field, and head coach Mike McDaniel said after the game the injury either looked like it was a high-ankle issue or an Achilles issue.

While a high ankle sprain usually will sideline a player anywhere from 4-6 weeks, an Achilles tear is a season-ending injury.

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THE MAJOR ISSUES AT CORNERBACK

The injury is problematic for the Dolphins, who have played all season without starter Byron Jones as he continues to recover from offseason Achilles surgery.

The Dolphins also lost Keion Crossen to a knee injury in the Minnesota game, though the severity of that injury wasn't known. Rookie free agent Kader Kohou was inactive because of an oblique injury that surfaced in practice during the week.

With all the injuries, special teams specialist Justin Bethel got playing time at cornerback against Minnesota and 2020 first-round Noah Igbinoghene got extensive action in the secondary.

Needham started opposite Howard on the outside against Minnesota and slid inside to the slot in nickel situations, and there's really no understating the magnitude of this loss — particularly for a defense that hasn't had an interception since Week 1.

Jones has been eligible to start practicing for the past two weeks, but has yet to do so and remains on the Reserve/PUP list.

When Needham gets puts on injured reserve, he'll become the sixth Dolphins player on IR.

The list includes TE Adam Shaheen, FB John Lovett and CB Trill Williams, who were put there in the preseason and therefore are out for the year.

Tackle Austin Jackson began practicing this past week, and the Dolphins have two more weeks to decide whether to activate him or keep him on IR the whole season. Tight end Cethan Carter was placed on IR the day before the Week 5 game against the New York Jets and therefore has to miss a minimum of two more games.