Miami Dolphins nose tackle Raekwon Davis and outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel were available for the team’s regular-season opener against the New England Patriots at Hard Rock Stadium.
Neither was on the Dolphins’ pregame list of inactives, announced 90 minutes before the 1 p.m. kickoff. Davis started in his regular post in the heart of Miami’s defensive line.
Davis entered Sunday questionable after popping up on the Dolphins’ injury report on Thursday with a knee issue. He said this past week that the knee “got rolled up on” in the Thursday practice, and he was limited again at Friday drills, seen wearing a compression sleeve on his right leg.
Davis, at 6-foot-7, 335 pounds, is a key cog in Miami’s run defense as it faces a New England team that ran for 125 or more yards in each of its two meetings with the Dolphins in 2021. Last season, Davis exited the Dolphins’ opener at the Patriots on the first defensive series and missed the following three weeks on injured reserve with a knee injury.
Van Ginkel, who also was questionable entering Sunday, is ready to play after being listed as limited with an illness during the week of practice. He had his appendix removed nearly three weeks ago.
Safety Eric Rowe (pectoral), running back Salvon Ahmed (heel) and tight end Tanner Conner (knee) were officially out after being questionable going into Sunday.
The Dolphins also had edge defender Trey Flowers, cornerback Noah Igbinoghene, wide receiver Erik Ezukanma and quarterback Skylar Thompson as pregame inactives. None of them had pregame injury designations.
In addition to the inactives, the Dolphins are without starting cornerback Byron Jones for at least the first four games of the season on the reserve/physically-unable-to-perform list, recovering from offseason lower left leg surgery.
Igbinoghene, the 2020 first-round pick, won’t play despite Miami being thin at cornerback. Nik Needham took on the responsibility on the boundary, in addition to his usual nickel role, while Keion Crossen saw extended action. Miami also has undrafted rookie Kader Kohou, Elijah Campbell and recent signing Justin Bethel, the last two of which are primarily special teamers.
Ezukanma being held out of Sunday’s opener is intriguing, but the Dolphins elevated practice squad wideout River Cracraft on Saturday. They did the same with undrafted rookie safety Verone McKinley.
Flowers, listed as an outside linebacker but practicing with the defensive line this past week, was inactive after signing with Miami following the preseason.
Jackson, Carter exit
Dolphins right tackle Austin Jackson exited the game with an ankle injury in the second quarter on Sunday.
Greg Little replaced Jackson in the lineup, and Jackson is questionable to return.
Jackson slowly walked off the field during a second-quarter drive. He initially went into the team’s blue medical tent before being escorted into the locker room by trainers.
Jackson returned to the sideline later, without re-entering the game. Little also left momentarily, causing Robert Jones to come in at right guard and Robert Hunt to kick out to the tackle until Little returned.
Tight end Cethan Carter left Sunday’s game with a head injury on kick return coverage. Carter was initially motionless on the field before he walked to the sideline and was then carted into the locker room. He was ruled out for the remainder of the game moments later.
First returns
The questions about who the Dolphins and coach Mike McDaniel will use in the return game began to be answered on Sunday.
Safety Jevon Holland fielded the first two punt return opportunities of the season, fair-catching a second-quarter Patriots punt at Miami’s 5-yard line and then letting another one go to be down by perennial New England Pro Bowl gunner Matthew Slater. Miami’s kickoff returns, beginning with the start of the second half, were handled by running back Raheem Mostert.
Kick and punt returns were a hot topic throughout the preseason with Miami listing star wide receiver Tyreek Hill as the starting punt returner, Mostert as the top kick returner and wideout Jaylen Waddle as the backup in both spots.
Jenkins remembered
The Dolphins, on Sunday, further honored Jason Jenkins, the team’s senior vice president of communications and community affairs who died on Aug. 27 at the age of 47.
A moment of silence was held before kickoff between the Dolphins and Patriots at Hard Rock Stadium. Jenkins’ wife, Elizabeth, and three children, Liya, Aiden and Sloane, accompanied Dolphins captains Tua Tagovailoa and Elandon Roberts on the field for the coin toss. A picture of Jenkins with flowers and a football that read “Jason Jenkins 1974-2022″ was set up at the press box entrance.
The Dolphins held a celebration of life event at the stadium on Monday to remember Jenkins. They also established two memorial funds in his name: the Jenkins Children’s Fund, which supports Jenkins’ three children, and the Jason Jenkins Humanity Impact Fund, which will be directed toward helping people through the various organizations Jenkins loved and served.
Across the NFL this past week, team PR departments wore their best outfits, or dressed “to the nines” to work in remembrance of Jenkins, who was always known to dress sharp. They posted images under the hashtag #2the9s4Jason.
This story will be updated.
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