Dolphins’ Jones out rest of season with ACL injury

MIAMI — Dolphins safety Brandon Jones will miss the remainder of the 2022 season with a left ACL injury, coach Mike McDaniel confirmed Wednesday.

Jones was placed on injured reserve Tuesday after sustaining the injury in the Dolphins’ 16-10 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 7.

“In situations like this, I feel absolutely terrible for a guy that was playing at a high level,” McDaniel said. “The good news about him in particular is when things like this happen to people like him, they tend to come out finding a way to be better — somehow, some way.”

McDaniel said he could “feel the hurt with the team” when his highlights came on during film review of the Steelers game.

The third-year safety had recorded two sacks, three pressures and a team-high 48 tackles in 334 snaps, including a strip sack of New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones in Week 1 that teammate Melvin Ingram returned for a touchdown. Since he was drafted in 2020, Jones ranks fifth in pressures, first in pass-rushes and fourth in sacks among defensive backs.

It’s another injury to an already-depleted Dolphins secondary. Starting slot cornerback Nik Needham was ruled out for the season after tearing an Achilles in Week 6, and cornerback Byron Jones has still not returned from the physically unable to perform list after surgery on an Achilles in March.

Cornerbacks Keion Crossen and Kader Kohou both missed the game against the Steelers, but McDaniel said he is optimistic both will be available against the Detroit Lions in Week 8. ESPN’s Field Yates also reported the team worked out former Pro Bowl cornerback Malcolm Butler on Tuesday.