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The Miami Dolphins have officially placed tackle Jonathan Martin on their Non-Football Injury (NFI) list, effectively ending the season for the second-year player. Martin, who is alleging player misconduct, harassment, and bullying from the Dolphins over the year-and-a-half he was with the team, left the franchise on October 28.
By placing Martin on the NFI list, the team opened a spot on the 53-man roster, which they then filled by promoting safety D.J. Campbell off the practice squad. Campbell appeared in Miami's last three contests, including last week's game against the Carolina Panthers, before being waived and re-signed to the practice squad this week when the team promoted fellow safety Jordan Kovacs from the practice squad.
Having both Korvacs and Campbell on the 53-man roster could signal that Chris Clemons, who is "questionable" on the official injury report with knee and hamstring problems, will not be able to play in tomorrow's game against the New York Jets.
Martin left the team over a month ago, then levied his allegations five days later. The team suspended guard Richie Incognito after receiving the complaint, which included supporting evidence of the harassment, though the context of those documents has since been questioned. Incognito continues to say the two men were friends who would joke and communicate in crude ways. The NFL has appointed attorney Ted Wells to be an independent arbitrator as he investigates the situation.
Wells has met with both Martin and Incognito, as well as most of the other players, coaches, and executives of the Dolphins. He is expected to reach out to former Dolphins offensive tackle Jake Long, as well as conduct a second interview with Martin. The report is expected to take a few weeks before it is submitted to the NFL, as well as made public.
Incognito's suspension was expected to end this week, but the Dolphins and the Pro Bowl guard have agreed to a maximum six game suspension, with four weeks paid, in an effort to allow the investigation to be completed prior to any further action. That will mean the Dolphins have until December 15 to decide to reactivate Incognito or to release him.
The Dolphins will likely continue to pay Martin, despite his landing on the NFI list. The team could have withheld his salary.
