As the Dolphins try to avoid an 0-2 start with a trip to a place where they haven’t won since 2008, Miami won’t have center Mike Pouncey. He’s out again, with a hip injury.
Eight other Dolphins are questionable: running back Arian Foster (hamstring); defensive end Mario Williams (concussion); receiver DeVante Parker (hamstring); tight end Jordan Cameron (thigh); cornerback Xavien Howard (knee); linebacker Jelani Jenkins (knee); linebacker Spencer Paysinger (elbow); and defensive tackle Jordan Phillips (ankle).
That said, questionable doesn’t mean what it used to. Instead of a straight 50-50 proposition, the “Q” word now puts players in the gulf between 99.5 percent and 50.
The better indicator of actual availability possibly comes from the level of participation in practice. Foster fully participated on Thursday and Friday after missing practice on Wednesday. Cameron fully participated all week. Of the eight questionable Dolphins, Howard, Jenkins, and Parker were the only ones limited in practice on Friday.
“After practice today, we have to see where he’s at,” coach Adam Gase told reporters regarding Parker, a first-round pick in 2015. “And then tomorrow we’ll see where he is at in the morning, and then we’ll go through our walkthrough and we’ll see where he is at. When he gets off the plane, we have to see where he is at. It just changes so much when you have any kind of soft-tissue deal to where you almost have to wait until game day to make that decision.”
This implies Parker will make the trip to New England. If he or any of the other injured players don’t, they’ll be downgraded to out at some point on Saturday.
