Jared Odrick is unsure how he broke his leg, and he's unsure when he'll be back in the lineup.
The Miami Dolphins' rookie defensive end wore a cast Wednesday from just below his right knee to his toes. He was hurt during the season opener Sunday at Buffalo.
"It was not clear-cut what happened," Odrick said. "There were a bunch of guys in one area. I think somebody fell on it."
On Tuesday, a league source told NFL Network insider Jason La Canfora that Odrick's could be a six-week injury if it is determined that he fractured his fibula. But a source close to the player said that after consulting with another doctor, the Dolphins are optimistic Odrick's injury is less severe and he could be back in two weeks.
"We're just taking it week to week," said Odrick, a first-round draft pick. "I'm not going to rush it, but at the same time, I'm not going to milk it because I want to get back. ... It's a matter of me dealing with the pain."
Odrick said he suffered only a slight fracture, although the cast made the injury look worse.
"Don't let it fool you," he said. "It's there for protection more than anything."
Odrick has a metal plate in his leg because he broke it in October 2007 while playing for Penn State. That injury forced him to miss the rest of the season.
Also missing practice Wednesday were linebackers Channing Crowder (groin) and Ikaika Alama-Francis (illness). Crowder has been sidelined since Aug. 17.
Odrick's most likely replacement for Sunday's game at Minnesota is veteran Tony McDaniel.
"The next guy has to step up," Dolphins coach Tony Sparano said. "These are the things our team is educated on. We call them body blows. Something like that happens, and it's a little bit of a punch in the stomach, but you've got to keep going. We're becoming a little bit bulletproof to those."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
