Dolphins’ McDaniel addresses Ramsey, Apple, Tagovailoa, Zach Thomas and more

The Dolphins confirmed they expect cornerback Jalen Ramsey to return this season and said Keion Crossen’s undisclosed injury isn’t serious.

For now, the Dolphins remains without three injured cornerbacks: Ramsey (expected to be out until at least December after knee surgery), Nik Needham (working his way back from last October’s Achilles’ injury) and Crossen.

But Mike McDaniel said Crossen’s injury isn’t serious and he’s a fast healer. He hasn’t practiced since the second day of camp.

How is Ramsey doing after a meniscus repair on Friday?

“He was in good spirits,” McDaniel said. “The surgery went about as well as it could have. We were elated about that. He couldn’t have a better mindset with which to attack this process. He said ‘tell me whatever timeline it is and we’ll beat it by a month.’ [But] he won’t be rushed.

“That combination of prudence [by the Dolphins training and medical staff] and the player’s aggressiveness for this stuff [is a good balance]. When Jalen is back on the field this year, he will be 100 percent Jalen Ramsey.”

The Dolphins remain hopeful that Ramsey will be back in December, though some others who have had meniscus repairs have missed longer stretches.

McDaniel said of new cornerback Eli Apple: “I was pumped to be able to add him. He was able to get involved [Sunday] even before he had a nameplate on his jersey.”

McDaniel said the “vision” for Apple and all players is “to give them as many competitive opportunities and let them tell me who they are. Otherwise, why are we having all these practices?”

Players “know if they outperform someone, they will get a job.”

McDaniel addressed other issues:

▪ Monday was set to be the first practice in pads, per NFL training camp rules. “There are certain players at certain positions where you have to see it with pads on because it does change [assessment] to a certain degree,” McDaniel said.

Offensive line is generally considered one of those positions.

▪ He offered a tribute to Dolphins legend Zach Thomas, who will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday: “It’s so cool to see guys get inducted into the Hall of Fame for me because it’s impossible not to view it and think about the lifetime achievement it is. Having Zach in the building, to be able to talk to the team [was great]. I feel honored to be part of an organization that has a player like that.”

McDaniel also said he hopes former Denver and Washington coach Mike Shanahan is voted into the Hall of Fame, calling him “one of the most influential coaches of my career, in teens, or low teens of offenses right now that are heavily influenced directly by Mike Shanahan. It blows my mind that he’s out. I hope this next year is his year.” McDaniel said at least 10 teams, including the Dolphins, use some variation of the Shanahan offense.

▪ He said he “takes seriously” what’s needed to practice safely in this intense heat.

▪ McDaniel was asked by a national reporter about the origins of Tua Tagovailoa doing mixed martial arts to help him learn how to fall, with the goal of reducing risk of concussions.

He said several people approached Tagovailoa about mixed martial arts early this offseason and Tagovailoa said “I’ll check it out” and then “got great feedback.”

McDaniel said: “I feel great about the results. There was only one time in live action, in OTAs, where he fell down backwards and [he] completed a backwards summersalt.”

But Tagovailoa and the other quarterbacks are practicing falling as part of a new team coaching point.

▪ Asked who has made the biggest jump from OTAs to training camp, McDaniel said Andrew Van Ginkel -- who has said he is working at both inside and outside linebacker -- has “utilized what he learned in OTAs and has been able to do some really cool stuff in training camp.”

McDaniel credited second-year edge player Cam Goode, “who’s trying to get on the field as best he can. Some guys who have roles they want expanded, like Elijah Campbell,” have stood out.