The Facts: Stills had his practice participation limited Sunday because of a left calf injury he’s been nursing since June. HC Joe Philbin stressed that the training staff is simply being smart about how much veteran players work, and Philbin has encouraged his players listen to their bodies. “The players know their body the best. They are the guys out there, so we’re utilizing him as often as possible,” Philbin said when asked about Stills. “If something is not right, we’ll cut it back a little bit.”
Diehards Line:
Stills, whom the Dolphins traded a third-round pick to acquire from New Orleans this offseason, is viewed as one of the team’s top four receivers. He has caught 95 passes for 1,572 yards and eight touchdowns through his first two NFL seasons. He’s being groomed to play flanker, where he’ll possibly serve as Mike Wallace's replacement, and as the Dolphins’ second slot receiver. Rishard Matthews replaced Stills on the first team during Sunday morning’s session, and had an impressive showing. The Dolphins are also without rookie wide receiver DeVante Parker. The first-round pick out of Louisville hasn't practiced since June because of a left foot injury. Parker had the foot, which needed to have a screw replaced, taken out of a boot last week, but he's not practicing with the team yet. We'll follow up as needed.