The Dolphins announced Friday that Tannehill's lingering right shoulder injury is related to the capsule that surrounds the joint and rotator cuff tendons, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald reports.
It had previously been suspected that Tannehill was dealing with an AC joint sprain, but coach Adam Gase refuted speculation on that front when he met with the media Thursday. The Dolphins' clarification of the injury offers further optimism that Tannehill won't need surgery to address the matter, but the quarterback's timeline for a return remains murky nonetheless. While Tannehill recently started a throwing program, he hasn't progressed to the point of tossing a football at normal velocity, prompting the Dolphins to rule him out for a fourth straight game Sunday against the Jets. Brock Osweiler will receive the starting nod in his stead and could get the call again in Week 10 against the Packers if the Dolphins aren't comfortable with rushing Tannehill back before their Week 11 bye.