Miami Dolphins will have star receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle for Wednesday’s joint practice against the Detroit Lions, according to coach Mike McDaniel.
Edge rusher Jaelan Phillips, however, won’t suit up with an undisclosed injury.
This comes just days after a rather physical joint practice against the Chicago that saw both Phillips and Waddle participate while Hill sat out with an oblique injury. Although Waddle took a hard hit against the Bears, the five-year veteran later returned.
With this being Hill’s first joint practice, McDaniel prioritized caution.
“We’re monitoring him to protect him from himself,” McDaniel said.
The intesity of Wednesday’s practice will be one to monitor after Lions linebacker Grant Stuard essentially called out the Dolphins.
“I don’t know if they’re ready, I’m going to keep it a stack,” Stuard said to Detroit Lions on SI. The 26-year-old played for the Tampa Buccaneers and Indianapolis Colts before landing with the Lions. “I’ve played at other places and played against that team last year, and joint practiced against that team twice when I was in Tampa. I don’t know if they practice how we practice. I’m excited to see our guys for sure, and I’m excited to get out there and do something against somebody else, who doesn’t know every in and out of what we’re doing.”
McDaniel, however, downplayed Stuard’s statement.
“It literally doesn’t affect me whatsoever,” McDaniel said, explaining that it was “very intentional to bring this organization to Detroit based on the football that they like to play.”
How the Dolphins offense responds after essentially being manhandled against the Bears will be key. The return of Hill, one of the most dynamic receivers in the league, will certainly help but the Dolphins will have to play tougher to avoid embarrasment against the Lions.
That, however, appears to be what McDaniel stressed in his message to players.
“We have an opportunity to go compete against another opponent,” McDaniel said. “It’s a mistake to overfocus on anybody but the Miami Dolphins.”