Dolphins end Mike Pouncey's season placing him on IR
The Miami Dolphins will not have quarterback Ryan Tannehill for the immediate future and the will no longer have Mike Pouncey either.
Pouncey has battled a hip injury over the last two and half seasons. Earlier this year he had surgery which kept him out of training camp and the first few weeks of the season. Upon his return, the Dolphins offensive line became much better but his hip flared up again three weeks ago.
Pouncey was confident that he would be able to play again this year but the Dolphins have opted to not risk further injury. The team announced this morning that they were putting him on IR.
The move now frees up a roster spot which Miami will likely be used on a quarterback to back-up Matt Moore. The Dolphins may opt to sign Brandon Doughty from the practice squad or sign a street free agent.
Bigger questions do exist with Pouncey however. He has missed games in each of the last four seasons since 2012, the last time he finished a full season. This year he has appeared in only five games.
The Dolphins need better consistency on the health front from Pouncey and while it’s very unlikely that the team would release him, they may look to renegotiate his salary or potentially move him to guard. Pouncey is scheduled to count $8.975 million against next years cap. Releasing or trading him would save the Dolphins $3.9 million while carrying $5 million in dead space. It’s not likely that the Dolphins move on from him.
For now the Dolphins will go with Anthony Steen who needs to be more aggressive at the line and more consistent in his blocking but overall Steen has done a decent job in place of Pouncey. It’s still another blow for a team that is hoping to get into the post-season.
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