Tag: Darius Hodge

Dolphins release LB Darius Hodge from injured reserve

He would’ve missed the entire 2022 season if he had stayed on.

The Miami Dolphins originally waived/injured linebacker Darius Hodge during their roster cutdown to 53 players, and he had reverted back to their injured reserve after he went unclaimed.

Now, the Dolphins and Hodge have reached an injury settlement which means the linebacker is a free agent once again and can sign with any other team. Because he was placed on injured reserve before the start of the regular season, he would’ve had to miss the entire year if he remained on injured reserve.

Hodge came to Miami in 2021 when he was claimed off of waivers following his release from the Cincinnati Bengals. He never played a regular season game for the Dolphins. In fact, the only time he really made any news last year was when he was suspended two games for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbwhebtqp7ahdjt player_id=none image=https://dolphinswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

[listicle id=452787]

Report: Dolphins to release LB Darius Hodge with injury designation

Miami has cut another linebacker.

The Miami Dolphins are continuing to trim down their roster in an effort to have 53 players by the NFL’s deadline at 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday.

According to the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson, the Dolphins are releasing linebacker Darius Hodge. Hodge was claimed off of waivers by Miami in 2021 after being released by the Cincinnati Bengals, but he never played in a regular season game for the team.

EDIT: The team announced that Hodge’s release is with an injury designation, meaning if he passes through waivers, he’d revert back to Miami’s injured reserve.

Hodge becomes the second linebacker released by the Dolphins to start the roster cuts, as they’ve also moved on from Calvin Munson.

Keep up with all of Miami’s roster moves with our cutdown tracker.

[listicle id=452505]

Here are ratings for Dolphins EDGE and LBs in Madden 23

The highest-ranked Dolphin at these positions might be a bit surprising.

With the end of another NFL offseason insight, football fans are eagerly awaiting the release of the newest installment of the Madden video game series, Madden 23.

After the release of wide receiver and tight end ratings on Monday, EA Sports, the publishers of the game, released EDGE defender and linebacker ratings on Tuesday. The Dolphins have a top 10 linebacker and a top 10 defensive end, according to Madden.

Here’s a look at most of Miami’s EDGE defenders and linebacker ratings for launch and how they compare to other players at the same position

  • Melvin Ingram – 84 overall (No. 9 LOLB)
  • Emmanuel Ogbah – 83 overall (No. 7 LE)
  • Jerome Baker – 79 overall (No. 18 MLB)
  • Andrew Van Ginkel – 77 overall (t-No. 15 LOLB)
  • Jaelan Phillips – 76 overall (t-No. 20 ROLB)
  • Brennan Scarlett – 71 overall (t-No. 26 LOLB)
  • Elandon Roberts – 70 overall (t-No. 53 MLB)
  • Sam Eguavoen – 70 overall (t-No. 39 ROLB)
  • Adam Butler – 69 overall (t-No. 33 RE)
  • Channing Tindall – 68 overall (t-No. 67 MLB)
  • Duke Riley – 66 overall (t-No. 84 MLB)
  • Porter Gustin – 65 overall (t-No. 58 ROLB)
  • Cameron Goode – 63 overall (t-No. 71 LOLB)
  • Darius Hodge – 61 overall (t-No. 83 ROLB)
  • Calvin Munson – 59 overall (t-No. 130 MLB)

There will be more ratings coming out before the game’s release on August 19.

[listicle id=451221]

2022 Dolphins position preview: Breaking down LBs ahead of camp

Let’s talk the second-level, from Jerome Baker to Cameron Goode.

The Miami Dolphins rookies are set to return to the facility on Tuesday, July 19, with the rest of the team reporting Tuesday, July 26. From that point, Miami will begin their first training camp sessions under head coach Mike McDaniel before his first season with the organization.

This time is important to discuss the state of the Dolphins’ roster and assess each position before they get a chance to hold true competitions.

We’ve talked about quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, tight ends and offensive linemen and defensive linemen, but now it’s time to slide back in the defense to break down the linebackers on the roster.

Dolphins linebacker suspended two games for violating league’s PED policy

He’ll be ever to return after the Week 16 matchup with the Saints.

The Dolphins have lost a depth player on their defense for the near future. Linebacker Darius Hodge has been suspended by the league for violating their performance-enhancing drug policy.

Hodge was claimed off of waivers early in November to take the open roster spot when DeVante Parker was placed on injured reserve. Since then, Hodge has not been able to get on the field. He, actually, hasn’t even been active on game day.

Luckily for the Dolphins, they’ve been pretty healthy at linebacker recently, so they haven’t had a reason to play him.

Hodge will be eligible to return after Miami’s Monday night matchup with the New Orleans Saints in Week 16.

[vertical-gallery id=442360]

S Brandon Jones leads Dolphins inactives vs. Giants in Week 13

Miami will be without their starting safety for the second game in a row.

The Miami Dolphins are set to take on the New York Giants on Sunday afternoon with a chance to win their sixth game of the season.

Brian Flores’ team will be without safety Brandon Jones for the second week in a row, as he’s been dealing with ankle and elbow injuries. Eric Rowe really stepped up against Carolina, so it could be assumed that the same will happen this week.

Miami also announced that running back Phillip Lindsay, tight end Adam Shaheen, cornerback Trill Williams, defensive tackle John Jenkins, and linebacker Darius Hodge will be inactive for the Week 13 matchup.

Lindsay was limited in two practices this week with an ankle injury, so Miami was preparing for this outcome. It’s likely that Salvon Ahmed and Patrick Laird get some extra run, as Duke Johnson was not brought up from the practice squad this weekend.

Hunter Long will likely get more opportunities again as the third tight end with Shaheen out. Hopefully, we can see him used in the passing game at some point, and he can bring in his first reception.

The remaining guys have been inactive for most of the season, so even if Williams was healthy, he probably wouldn’t have been out there.

Miami kicks off against New York on Sunday at 1 p.m.

[vertical-gallery id=441985]

Bengals lose Darius Hodge to waiver wire claim by Dolphins

The Bengals lost a key developmental player.

[mm-video type=video id=01fk180eypeyq2fw7jbg playlist_id=01eqbw0bft20de1r4d player_id=none image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01fk180eypeyq2fw7jbg/01fk180eypeyq2fw7jbg-42336ce12defd7b7ebc558b112017718.jpg]

The Cincinnati Bengals made a few roster moves after claiming Vernon Hargreaves on the waiver wire. One of those was waiving edge rusher Darius Hodge.

Now he’s a member of the Miami Dolphins.

The Bengals had clearly hoped Hodge would pass through waivers, enabling them to slip him onto the practice squad. He had a monster summer and preseason, even repping with the first team in exhibitions and looking like he belonged before playing a smaller role during the regular season.

But the Dolphins had seen enough of Hodge to put in a claim on the waiver wire. No word on if other teams did, but they were the earliest in the official order to do so.

That’s the risk of trying to pass a high-upside guy through waivers though and the Bengals will need to look elsewhere to fill that potentially long-term role Hodge had appeared to be working toward with the team.

[listicle id=48695]

Dolphins claimed DE Darius Hodge after he was waived by the Bengals

The Dolphins filled that 53-man spot quick.

After placing wide receiver DeVante Parker on injured reserve with a hamstring injury, the Dolphins were left with an open spot on their 53-man roster.

Miami filled that Friday afternoon by claiming former Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Darius Hodge off of waivers, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Hodge was signed as an undrafted free agent this year after spending his collegiate career at Marshall. He’s played just six defensive snaps this season and 13 on special teams, but he hasn’t appeared in a game since Week 4.

In his three years at Marshall, Hodge recorded 15.5 sacks and 20.5 tackles for a loss.

With Miami, the 23-year-old will likely serve as a depth piece on special teams and defense.

[vertical-gallery id=441047]

Evan McPherson, Darius Hodge continue to stand out for Bengals

The Bengals have a pair of rookie breakouts on their hands.

[mm-video type=video id=01fcrqz97qs2e97rsb4j playlist_id=none player_id=none image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01fcrqz97qs2e97rsb4j/01fcrqz97qs2e97rsb4j-02536dcd65bf7b62bd75fd3615e9cbb0.jpg]z

The Cincinnati Bengals have plenty of breakout names to keep tabs on this preseason, including the likes of Jalen Davis and Joseph Ossai.

But it is two rookies who again turned heads the most during the team’s second preseason game — Darius Hodge and Evan McPherson.

McPherson, the fifth-round pick who has been nearly perfect in training camp, didn’t look much bothered by anything during the loss to WFT, hitting both of his field-goal attempts, including one from 50 yards out.

And Hodge, the undrafted edge rusher who looked like a first-stringer in the team’s first preseason game, got in on 32 snaps and recorded a quarterback hit and some pressures while looking like he belonged.

It might seem odd to highlight these two together, but it presents two key areas of the final 53-man roster projection: McPherson has comfortably moved past Austin Seibert for the final roster and there’s no chance the Bengals let Hodge get away.

When the Bengals have a fifth-rounder and undrafted player breaking out and likely making the final roster like this, it suggests good scouting/draft and an increase in the quality of depth compared to recent years.

[listicle id=44551]

An UDFA was Bengals’ top-graded defender from preseason win

There’s a new name to get to know on the Bengals — quickly.

[mm-video type=video id=01fcrqz97qs2e97rsb4j playlist_id=none player_id=none image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01fcrqz97qs2e97rsb4j/01fcrqz97qs2e97rsb4j-02536dcd65bf7b62bd75fd3615e9cbb0.jpg]

It might be best for onlookers and fans of the Cincinnati Bengals to get to know the name Darius Hodge.

Hodge had himself a strong, albeit quiet stretch of training camp with the Bengals after going undrafted. Given the newfound depth along the defensive line, his quiet performance wasn’t getting a ton of attention.

But he used Saturday night’s preseason win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to break all the way out, recording 1.5 sacks and five quarterback hits.

As Andrew Russell pointed out, Hodge ended up leading the list of highest-graded defenders at Pro Football Focus, besting even third-round rookie breakout Joseph Ossai:

Hodge still has a ways to go before making the final roster, meaning more performances like this and looking good in camp. But here’s on a hot, fast start that could see him making an impact in the regular season soon enough.

[listicle id=44399]