Flores on injuries to Tua, Gaskin and Ahmed plus more on the NFL’s COVID-19 crisis

News and notes from Brian Flores’ day-after news conference:

▪ Flores on Monday expressed no more conviction that Tua Tagovailoa will play next week (against visiting Cincinnati) than he did when he met with reporters after Sunday’s win against the Jets.

“We’ll see how it goes,” Flores said. “Obviously, he was limited on Friday and he’s [getting treatment], he’s rehabbing. He’ll take it one day at a time. I don’t even want to get ahead to Wednesday’s practice.”

Tagovailoa missed Sunday’s game with a thumb injury on his (left) throwing hand. NFL Network reported the thumb was swollen and weak and he could miss multiple games. But CBS reported that he threw in the tunnel before Sunday’s game.

Flores had similar answers to questions about the health of Myles Gaskin and Salvon Ahmed, both of whom were inactive Sunday because of knee and shoulder injuries, respectively.

On Gaskin, who remains on injured reserve despite practicing last week: “Myles is a productive player for us, running the ball, [in] protection and the kicking game as well. He’s productive, he helps us. He’s doing everything he can to get back as soon as he can ... We’ll just take it one day at a time and see how he feels throughout the course of the week.”

On Ahmed: “He’s making progress. Another young player who’s doing everything he can to get out there. ... Hopefully we’ll get him at practice this week and see how it goes throughout the week.”

There was no update on receiver Malcolm Perry, the one Dolphin who left Sunday’s game with an injury and did not return. Perry has a chest injury.

▪ On behalf of the Dolphins, veteran quarterback Jake Rudock on Friday began the NFL-required process of taking five COVID-19 tests over five days. When those tests are completed, the Dolphins then will decide whether to sign him to their practice squad or less likely, the active roster.

Asked if the team is considering signing Rudock and having him or Sinnett spend the rest of the season in quarantine to use in case of a COVID emergency, Flores said: “I don’t foresee something like that but we’ll always try to stay one step ahead.”

Flores said he and general manager Chris Grier “would like to distance quarterbacks as much as possible. [Being] in intensive protocol helps that a great deal.”

Rudock began the season on Miami’s practice squad — where he spent all of last season — and was later cut but has visited the Dolphins three times since. Flores said “visits” really mean the start of five days of COVID testing.

▪ The Dolphins are probably three, if not two, wins away from clinching a playoff berth, but don’t expect any postseason talk from Flores . He’s the ultimate, one-day-at-a-time coach, and bristled when the subject came up multiple times Monday.

“You can’t get to where you want to get without handling what’s in front of you,” Flores said. “Maybe some other people can. That hasn’t been the case for me in my life. you don’t just jump to graduation. It doesn’t just happen. You have to deal with what’s in front of you. ...

“My dealings with coaches and players around this league is they try to deal with what’s in front of him. That’s my experience. That’s just me. ... We’re just going to focus on this next week. Got a big game against the Cincinnati Bengals. It’s a one game season. That’s the approach we’re going to take.”

▪ On the Ravens potentially having to play the Steelers Tuesday despite not practicing all week due to COVID-19:

“I think these are very different times than any of us have been through. The league’s doing a good job working with the teams, getting games played. We all have to be flexible. We all have to adjust. At the same time, we want to keep the players safe, keep the coaches safe, everyone in the building safe.

“Playing without practice, I would say that would be tough. No doubt about that. Every team’s got core concepts, core things that they do that they’d be able to execute. I’d like to think that our team would be able to. If those were the circumstances, we’d have to deal with them. We can only control the things we have control over. If put in that situation, we’d do our best. That’s all you can do.”