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Injury Rounds

Dalvin Cook | Left shoulder dislocation | Week-to-Week | Questionable Week 4

Cook suffered his third shoulder dislocation in four seasons. For years, he has played with an unrepaired labral tear in his left shoulder. He missed two games after dislocating the shoulder in 2019 and another game last season after a Week 12 dislocation.

Kevin O'Connell said after the game Cook told him he would play next week, and multiple national reports are tweeting Cook may be able to return with a harness to improve the stability of his shoulder.

It's too soon to know Cook's status for certain. The Vikings may choose to re-evaluate with an MRI, but the amount of pain and stiffness that develop overnight will be more important to Cook's Week 4 availability.

Last season, Cook missed one week before returning the following Thursday night and rushing for over 200 yards and two touchdowns. Expect limited practice time and a game-time decision designation, but there's a reasonable chance Cook can return productively this week.

Monday update: Kevin O'Connell told reporters Cook was "pretty sore" but the shoulder subluxation injury was "something that [Cook] was familiar with." Cook is considered day-to-day and will have a chance to play this week.

Tua Tagovailoa | Back condition | Day-to-Day | Probable Week 4

Tagovailoa's injury prompted the most recent concussion-related controversy in the NFL. After falling backward and hitting his helmet on the turf just before halftime, Tagovailoa got up and stumbled back to the huddle.

He was taken to the locker room, and the Dolphins' medical and media relations teams reported he was being evaluated for a head injury. Surprisingly to most observers, Tagovailoa returned after the half and finished the game.

During the second half, Ian Rapoport tweeted that Tagovailoa's primary condition was muscle spasms after hyperextending his back on the previous play. Mike McDaniel and Tagovailoa asserted the same after the game. The NFL has an increasingly well-defined concussion evaluation, combining cognitive testing and an independent neurologist evaluation with video assessment to diagnose head injuries. While it's difficult to square what appeared to be evidence of neurologic dysfunction after helmet-to-turf contact, it's possible that Tagovailoa passed a thorough head injury evaluation and was dealing only with back spasms.

The Dolphins travel to Cincinnati for a Thursday night game this week. Ongoing back spasms, imaging showing a more concerning back condition, or the development of head injury symptoms in the next 24 hours would all jeopardize his Week 4 availability.

The NFLPA has asked the league to further investigate Tagovailoa's evaluation.

Monday update: Mike McDaniel said Tagovailoa is not in concussion protocol but was sore in the locker room on Monday. McDaniel suggested Tagovailoa was undergoing further testing on his ankle and back injuries. Even with the short week, Tagovailoa is likely to be cleared to play on Thursday.