Dolphins’ Hafley updates injuries, other issues. And Bell on where he stands

Miami Dolphins admin September 11, 2026 0 Comments

Dolphins’ Hafley updates injuries, other issues. And Bell on where he stands

The Dolphins will enter Sunday’s opener at Las Vegas (4:25 p.m., Fox-7) in very good position on the injury front.

Coach Jeff Hafley said he expects every player on the 53 to be available on Sunday — including tight end Will Kacmarek, who has been limited in practice this week because of a calf injury, and linebacker Ronnie Harrison Jr., who has been limited with a hamstring injury.

Hafley praised head trainer Kyle Johnston with regard to the lack of injuries but said “there’s a little bit of luck involved. I’m not going to sit here and tell you we have all the answers.”

Four Dolphins veterans remain unavailable because of injuries — defensive lineman Kenneth Grant and linebacker Trey Moore (both are on injured reserve) and cornerbacks Storm Duck and Darrell Baker Jr., who are both on the physically unable to perform list.

Hafley addressed other issues during his Friday morning media briefing:

▪ Asked essentially if No. 2 quarterback Kyle McCord has learned the offense well enough to be functional if needed, Hafley said: “We are confident he can go in the game and run our offense. I’m pleased where he’s at right now. We’ve done extra stuff with him, did 7 on 7 with that in mind after practice” Thursday.

▪ The team’s backup edge players, Robert Beal and Malik Herring, have a combined 2.5 career sacks. Did the Dolphins prioritize run stoppers at that position?

Hafley said not necessarily: “We took the best ends possible. Beal got here in OTAs. Herring just got here. Both are tremendous effort, physical dudes. They will play really hard.”

Herring, who is 6-3 and 280 pounds, has 1.5 sacks in 28 games (and 450 defensive snaps) over four seasons with the Chiefs. Beal, who is 6-4 and 264 pounds, has one sack in 25 games (291 defensive snaps) in three seasons with the 49ers.

▪ Will Hafley defer possession to the second half if Miami wins the coin toss, as most coaches do? He indicated that will be based on “how can we win the game. Being on defense first sometimes gets me fired up.”

▪ The No. 2 running back (Jaylen Wright or Ollie Gordon II) will be based on several factors, including “what play we’re running and who runs that play better,” Hafley said. “We will need them both.”

▪ Hafley didn’t rule out a practice squad elevation on Saturday, even with the roster healthy.

▪ On the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Hafley — who is a native of Montvale, New Jersey — said he reached out on Friday to “some friends that lost family members. To all the first responders on days like this, we really appreciate you and there needs to be more people like that… My heart goes out to all the families that lost people.”

▪ He said his pre-game comments to players will “not be rehearsed.”

Bell update

Receivers coach Tyke Tolbert said this week that the Dolphins initially expected Chris Bell would return around the mid-October bye week after a long recovery from last November’s torn ACL at Louisville.

But Bell always had other ideas. Asked Thursday when he knew he would be ready for Week 1 of his first NFL season, Bell said “I believed that when I tore my ACL. I believe I’m a dawg. I’m a hard body. I’m a different type of build, and I knew for a fact that I’d be back sooner than what people expected.”

Bell said he feels “good” physically and his game conditioning is at about 85%.

Hafley said Bell will be a starter and Bell said that “means a lot. A young kid who had dreams to play in the NFL. Dream finally came true.” He said he will be “full of joy” on Sunday.

Perk for season ticket holders

In a nice gesture from Dolphins owner Stephen Ross and Danny Sillman (CEO of Ross Sports and Entertainment), the team is giving season ticket holders a complementary Dolphins jersey; fans can choose among 11 players – the six captains and five rookies.

Season-ticket holders were informed in an e-mail on Thursday.

“This is an exciting time for our franchise, as we begin a new chapter of Dolphins football under the leadership of head coach Jeff Hafley and general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan,” Ross and Sillman said in that e-mail. “Together, they have begun the process of establishing a culture built on toughness, accountability, trust and connection. They understand what it takes to build and sustain a winner and we are excited about the future of the Miami Dolphins under their leadership.”