There's an old saying in most contact sports that revolves around pain scale and perceived toughness.
Are you hurt, or are you injured?
DeVante Parker seems to be struggling with this distinction, or at least that's how his coach sees it. Last week, Dolphins coach Adam Gase said he thinks eventually, Parker will "get tired of being the guy standing on the sideline."
On Tuesday, Parker was again the guy standing on the sideline, this time with a hamstring injury suffered prior to the team's final preseason contest. If his absence has started to frustrate the coaches, it's now seeped into the media room, too.
Parker had a similar injury that forced him to miss several weeks of the earlier portion of camp, and a recurring foot issue cut his senior season at Louisville short, limiting him to six games. The Dolphins have other options in their receiving corps (Jarvis Landry, Kenny Stills, Titans outcast Justin Hunter), but could really use a first-round talent to bolster a unit that could significantly aid quarterback Ryan Tannehill's development. With kickoff less than a week away, his chances of taking the field for the season opener decrease with each practice he misses. While that's never a good sign, one less weapon in a quarterback's arsenal could be even more detrimental with a contest in Seattle to start the campaign.
Other injury news we're tracking on Tuesday:
- Gase was noncommittal on the status of center Mike Pouncey (hip), saying the team is in the evaluation stage and the Pro Bowl lineman is week to week.
- Panthers safety Dean Marlowe (hamstring) was limited in practice, but defensive tackle Vernon Butler (hand) and linebacker A.J. Klein (back) were full participants, coach Ron Rivera told reporters. Rivera added that practice squad safety Marcus Ball will be the emergency safety who travels with the team in case Marlowe can't play.
- The Patriots activated wide receiver Danny Amendola (knee, ankle) Saturday after he spent the entire summer on the PUP list, and the veteran was on the practice field Tuesday.
