MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- Miami Dolphins kicker Jason Sanders is expected to miss at least a month with a hip injury, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Monday.
Sanders picked up the injury last week and did not play in the Dolphins' preseason finale Saturday against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said after the game that he wasn't concerned about Sanders' availability for their 2025 opener against the Indianapolis Colts but confirmed Monday that the kicker won't be available for the start of the season.
"I don't anticipate him being available at the beginning of the season," McDaniel said Monday. "To our knowledge, surgery is not necessary, but time is."
McDaniel said that the injury is not season-ending and that the team will be looking to add a kicker prior to its game against the Colts.
Dolphins running back Jaylen Wright is also expected to miss the start of the regular season with a leg injury that he suffered during a joint practice with the Jaguars last week. McDaniel described the second-year back as "week-to-week" but said he expects him to return in the "foreseeable future."
Wright's injury left the Dolphins' running backs room even thinner. Starter De'Von Achane suffered a calf injury two weeks ago and has not practiced since. McDaniel said Achane is expected to be ready for Week 1, but the team is being cautious considering his explosive athleticism and the risk of rushing back from calf injuries.
McDaniel and the Dolphins will continue to trim their roster prior to Tuesday's 4 p.m. ET deadline. They started with a couple of notable veteran cuts -- cornerback Mike Hilton and tight end Pharaoh Brown.
Hilton's release comes as rookie cornerback Jason Marshall Jr. has emerged as a potential starting nickelback, while Brown was one of the odd men out from a crowded tight ends room.
