DAVIE, Fla. — Ryan Tannehill gave a verbal thumbs-up Wednesday regarding the health of his shoulder, as he has done daily since rejoining the Miami Dolphins’ lineup last week.

He made that gesture to the bench a couple times during Sunday’s loss at Indianapolis, his first game in seven weeks. He was responding to inquiries via headset from Coach Adam Gase.

“Sometimes Gase will pop in my helmet and just make sure everything is all right,” Tannehill said with a smile. “He’s like my mom, like, ‘Are you OK?”‘

Returning from an injury to the capsule in his throwing shoulder, Tannehill said the pain is manageable and not as bad as last week. He’s wearing a shoulder harness on the field but said his play isn’t affected by the injury. He participated fully in practice Wednesday, which is more than he did last week.

But aside from his health, things are very much in doubt. Tannehill’s streak of never taking a snap in the postseason will likely continue, with the Dolphins (5-6) trying to brake a downward spiral when they face Buffalo (4-7) on Sunday.

Beyond this year, the 30-year-old Tannehill’s future is very much in doubt. His contract balloons to $18.7 million in base salary in 2019, when he would count $26.6 million against the salary cap, which could compel the Dolphins to seek a cheaper, younger alternative at quarterback.

Now 40-43 as a starter, Tannehill said he hasn’t been given any assurances beyond this season. He might need to play well in the final five weeks to keep his job.

“I don’t know what the agenda is, but that’s my goal – to go play well and lead this team to wins,” he said. “I don’t try to think about things I can’t control; just go out and control what I can control and play as best I can.”

WASHINGTON: After deciding to give Reuben Foster an immediate second chance following his domestic violence arrest, the team says it’ll continue to investigate the 24-year-old’s legal problems and is making no assurances he’ll ever play for Washington given the obstacles he must clear to return.

Foster is on the NFL’s Commissioner exempt list and cannot play in games or practice following his arrest Saturday night at the San Francisco 49ers’ team hotel in Tampa, Florida. He has been charged with one count of first-degree misdemeanor domestic violence.

Washington was the only team to put in a claim for Foster after the 49ers released him Monday.

Coach Jay Gruden on Wednesday acknowledged the team must deal with the public criticism of adding Foster so soon after his arrest.

“We accept, obviously, the questions, but we want to let the process play out and see what happens and get to the bottom of it,” Gruden said. “There’s no guarantee he’s ever going to play here, to be honest with you. He’s got a lot of work to do – personally, with the team, with the NFL, with himself – before he even thinks about playing football again.”

JETS: Quarterback Sam Darnold was a limited participant at practice, a positive sign after he had sat out team drills and games since injuring his right foot more than three weeks ago.

Josh McCown has started the last two games but was also limited as he deals with a sore back and right hand, which he cut during New York’s loss to New England on Sunday.

• The Jets placed left guard James Carpenter on the injured reserve list because of a shoulder injury.

Carpenter had started 58 straight games since signing with the Jets as a free agent in 2015 until he missed Sunday’s game against the Patriots.

JAGUARS: Jacksonville could be without cornerback Jalen Ramsey against division rival Indianapolis on Sunday.

Ramsey missed practice Wednesday because of a knee injury and might not do any on-field work all week.

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