Dolphins Notebook: Injury Update, Baker's Streak, Phillips, Howard and More

First-round pick Jaelan Phillips assesses the start of his rookie season; makes progress with his injury

The Miami Dolphins again had full participation at practice Thursday, though this time they conducted a regular workout.

A total of seven players were listed as limited participants on the injury report, down from nine when the team did an estimation after their walk-through Wednesday.

Linebackers Elandon Roberts and Jaelan Phillips were the two players who were upgraded.

The seven players who remained limited were LB Jerome Baker (knee), CB Xavien Howard (groin/shoulder), CB Noah Igbinoghene (knee), S Brandon Jones (ankle), CB Byron Jones (Achilles/groin), C Greg Mancz (groin) and WR DeVante Parker (hamstring/shoulder).

BAKER'S CLOSE CALL

Baker admitted Thursday to get a major scare when he sustained a knee injury against the Atlanta Falcons last Sunday, but now his focus is trying to maintain his streak of never having missed a game because of an injury.

“Yeah, I was just joking with the guys the last time I missed a game was like high school— senior year of high school. I really pride myself on that," Baker said. "Hopefully everything goes well.”

Baker played only 10 snaps against Atlanta before leaving the game with the injury, which an MRI subsequently revealed wasn't going to be a long-term issue.

“I was scared as (expletive)," Baker said. "Like I was truly scared. I was scared because it was like ... sometimes I twist my knee and it’s just a quick little, take a few steps and it’s back to normal. But I think I went a few plays and was like, ‘All right, it’s still painful.’ But after the MRI, it was just a big sigh of relief. I’m definitely blessed and happy that it wasn’t nothing serious.”

PLAYING CATCH-UP

To say the Dolphins wide receiver corps has been disappointing this season would be putting it mildly, and it's obviously not lost on the members of that group.

DeVante Parker said Thursday the road back is pretty simple.

“I feel like we still do have a good receiving corps," Parker said. "We’re dropping balls. We’ve got to make the play when it comes to us. They give us a chance, you have to come down with it.”

PHILLIPS SELF-EVALUATION

Since he arrived as a first-round pick out of the University of Miami, Phillips has been impressive with his candor with the media.

He showed it again Thursday when he was asked to assess the first seven games of his NFL career.

“I feel like I need to do more, to be honest with you," he said. "I definitely feel like I need to continue to improve and play better. I’m not going to keep saying, ‘oh, I’m feeling comfortable.’ I feel like I’m comfortable at this point. I just need to elevate my game. That’s all that is.”

To be sure, Phillips has yet to make the kind of impact so far that had been perhaps anticipated from the 18th overall pick in the draft.

HOWARD ALL ABOUT THE DOLPHINS

With the NFL trading deadline coming Tuesday, we probably should expect to hear Xavien Howard's name mentioned  once or twice (or more) as someone who teams might target.

With that in mind, I asked him Thursday what would be going through his mind over the next four days in relation to that.

Howard quickly pointed to his shirt and made a motion across the Dolphins logo on it.

“Miami Dolphins, baby” was all he said.

LOOKING TO BEAT THE ODDS

An ominous stat when it comes to the Dolphins' chances of winning at Buffalo on Sunday as 14-point underdogs, according to the SI Sportsbook: Double-digit favorites are 12-0 straight up so far this season.

The closest call came the Minnesota Vikings squeaked by the Detroit Lions, 19-17, on a last-second field goal by former Dolphins kicker Greg Joseph.

The Dolphins have been double-digit underdogs once so far this season, against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and ended up losing 45-17.