The Miami Dolphins have been bitten by the injury bug once again, as they have so often early in this 2022 season.
After cornerback Nik Needham went down in the middle of their Week 6 matchup with the Minnesota Vikings, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that the former undrafted free agent suffered a torn Achilles. The injury will end his season.
Needham had been pivotal in filling in for cornerback Byron Jones, who had Achilles surgery this offseason, playing 86% of Miami’s defensive snaps through the first five games.
The Dolphins will have to rely on Keion Crossen and Noah Igbinoghene to step up with Needham out if they don’t make a move to address the position before Jones returns.
Needham also was playing on his restricted free agent tender this season, meaning he will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year. There’s a chance that he may have played his last snap in aqua and orange.