Miami Dolphins linebacker Vince Biegel was carted off the field after suffering a right knee/leg injury during Tuesday’s practice.
Biegel was very emotional after the injury, remaining down for a couple of minutes while teammate Kyle Van Noy and coach Brian Flores spoke to him.
The severity of Biegel’s injury is unclear, but teammates prayed around him and he didn’t appear able to put much weight on his leg without assistance from trainers.
Biegel was expected to compete for a starting linebacker job and play a key defensive role this season. Biegel is known in the locker room for his infectious warm personality, his hard on-field work, and his former role as a cranberry farmer.
“He brings energy every day. He can be gassed out and he’ll still be 110 percent,” safety Eric Rowe said of Biegel. “He works hard. We all see it and it’s a trickle-down effect.”
Biegel was one of the brightest spots of the 2019 Dolphins after being acquired in a pre-cutdown day trade with the New Orleans Saints. Biegel transitioned from being primarily a special teams player with the Saints to becoming arguably Miami’s most effective pass-rusher. He led the Dolphins with 13 QB hits and finished third with 2.5 sacks in 15 games (10 starts) last season.
Flores also said before practice that they have to prepare as if cornerback Xavien Howard won’t be available to play Week 1 at New England.
Howard is on the physically unable to perform list rehabbing with a knee injury that he had surgery on in December. He’s been running over the past couple of months in rehab but wasn’t physically able to be cleared for football activities yet. To complicate matters, Howard was placed on the COVID-19/reserve list on Aug. 11 and remains there.
If Howard isn’t able to play to start the season, rookie first-round pick Noah Igbinoghene and second-year player Nik Needham would be the top options to start for him. Top free-agent signing Byron Jones is expected to lock down one cornerback spot.