The Dolphins placed LG Nate Garner (above) and DE Phillip Merling on the injured-reserve list on Tuesday, ending their 2010 season.
The Dolphins placed G Nate Garner (foot surgery) and DE Phillip Merling (torn Achillies tendon) on injured reserve on Tuesday, effectively ending their 2010 season.
Merling was officially placed on the non-football injury reserve list, meaning he’d be able to rejoin the team by midseason, but judging from the severity of his injury, it’s unlikely he’ll return before the 2011 season. The news is another tough blow for the former Clemson pass rusher, who has struggled to fit in with the Dolphins (59 tackles and 3.5 sacks in two seasons) since the team drafted him 32nd overall in 2008.
Garner broke the same foot he injured in the 2009 season during training camp and underwent surgery on Aug. 17. Since Garner was expected to miss 8 weeks, making it possible that he’d be available by Week 5, coach Tony Sparano wrestled with the idea of leaving him off the injured-reserve list. Ultimately, Sparano did not want to fill a roster spot with a player who will certainly miss a majority of the season, and possibly the entire year and opted for a safer route by putting on the list.
Garner, a third-year pro out of Arkansas, started 8 games for Miami in 2009 and was the heavy favorite for their open LG starting spot.