After spending the requisite four games on injured reserve, linebacker Jerome Baker has been activated off of IR by the Miami Dolphins in time for a pivotal Week 18 matchup against the division rival Buffalo Bills. With Baker’s activation, Miami has now utilized all of their eight allotted IR activations for the year. In order to make room on the active roster, outside linebacker Bradley Chubb has officially been moved to IR following last week’s unfortunate ACL tear.
A sixth-year Dolphins linebacker, Baker has been out since suffering an MCL injury in early December. The Dolphins gave Baker a three-year, $37.5M extension in 2021, a deal that runs through the 2024 season. Baker has been a starter since his rookie season, making 82 starts for the team that drafted him in the 2018 third round out of Ohio State. Duke Riley had been filling in for Baker during his four-week absence. Riley will likely come off the bench for Miami on Sunday, perhaps playing a bit more than earlier in the season if the Dolphins want to ease Baker in.
In addition to the above two roster moves, the Dolphins have announced their two standard gameday practice squad elevations for Sunday. The more noteworthy of the two elevations is veteran pass rusher Melvin Ingram. At 34 years old, Ingram has essentially been a nonfactor in his 12th NFL season, only being elevated in two games so far this year. Perhaps with the combined absences of Chubb and Jaelan Phillips, Ingram could finally see a decent chunk of playing time.
Joining Ingram off the practice squad for the week will be cornerback Ethan Bonner. Bonner, an undrafted rookie out of Stanford, will also have the opportunity to appear in his third game of the season.
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