Dolphins place Earl Mitchell on IR

Earlier this morning, Craniator87 wrote that the Miami Dolphin had signed free agent linebacker Donald Butler. The other half of that roster move was the team placing defensive tackle Earl Mitchell on Injured Reserve. The move with Mitchell seemingly ends the veteran's season with a calf injury, though Miami could choose to pull him off the IR list later this year if he is healthy and the team needs the help at the defensive tackle position. Each team is allowed to reinstate one player a season from the IR list, as long as they have spent at least eight weeks on the list.

Mitchell missed most of the summer's training camp and preseason with a calf injury, but was playing in last Sunday's game against the Seattle Seahawks and was re-injured. In his second season with the Dolphins, Mitchell was expected to serve as the starter next to Ndamukong Suh for the season.

Without Mitchell, the Dolphins will be looking to Jordan Phillips and Julius Warmsley to fill the starter and primary reserve roles. The team could also look to use defensive end Jason Jones inside at defensive tackle, though a concussion suffered by Mario Williams during the Seahawks game could force the Dolphins to keep Jones at defensive end. The Dolphins could also look to sign a reserve defensive tackle this week.