The Miami Dolphins have yet to decide whether quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s concussion suffered in Thursday night’s 31-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills will force him to go on injured reserve. However, the NFL team did add a quarterback to its roster on Monday.
The Miami Dolphins signed Snoop Huntley off the Baltimore Ravens’ practice roster. Huntley has been with the Ravens since 2020, starting nine games in the previous three seasons while Lamar Jackson was sidelined.
Miami’s backup quarterbacks, Skylar Thompson and Tim Boyle from the practice squad, were available following Tagovailoa’s injury.
“This is not in any direct reflection to Skylar as Tua’s backup,” Miami coach Mike McDaniel said of Huntley’s signing. “This is more about the depth. I believe that adding another player with starting experience to this team improves the dynamics of the room and adds a signal-caller that a team can rally around. I was pleased with what we were able to do in the quarterback room by adding Boyle, but I believe this is more directly to back up Skylar, and you always let competition play out on the field, but this was a depth move, for sure.”
It is unclear whether the Dolphins will require more depth because Tagovailoa has no timetable for his return. Miami’s next game comes on the road against the Seattle Seahawks at 3:05 p.m. CDT on Sunday.
“Not enough information quite yet,” McDaniel said when asked if Tagovailoa would be placed on injured reserve. “That will be driven by medical specialists, and once we have the necessary facts and have discussed it with Tua, Chris (Grier, Dolphins general manager) and I will be able to discuss it. I’m not quite ready to draw that distinction, so it could or could not. “We’ll see in the next few days.”
A player on injured reserve must sit out at least four games before being able to play again.
Regardless of his IR status, Tagovailoa will be unable to play until he clears the NFL’s concussion protocol, and his injury history raises concerns about his future in the game.
McDaniel stated that Tagovailoa was in the Dolphins’ training facility on Monday.
“He was downstairs today, smiling with his teammates,” McDaniel added. “He’s working hard with the trainers and medical team, and as far as I’m concerned, you’re following protocol. I believe he’s doing well today, and we’ll take it day by day.
“He was feeling well, but what does that mean in terms of a medical diagnosis?” I don’t necessarily base my assessments on my interactions with him, but rather on the outcome of the medical checkup and where he is.
“It was good to see him, and I know his teammates were pumped to see him.”
Tagovailoa missed five games in 2022 due to two concussions. But the quarterback returned to start 17 regular-season games and one postseason game for the Dolphins, leading the NFL in passing yards in 2023.
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