Cornerback Kendall Fuller was ruled out before kickoff and fellow corner Kader Kohou exited with a back injury in the first half and hasn’t returned as of the third quarter. The slew of injuries leaves Miami drastically undermanned in the secondary for the final quarter.

The Dolphins hope to avoid the injured list but haven’t ruled it out. The second-round pick has been limited to special teams through the first seven weeks, playing four defensive snaps. Smith is likely facing a multi-week absence if he doesn’t go on IR.

Smith had a somewhat disappointing 2022 season at South Carolina after his stellar 2021 campaign, when he held opposing wideouts to just 15 catches on 32 targets. In Miami, Smith will join a secondary graded by Pro Football Focus as last season’s fifth worst pass coverage unit.