Kenneth Grant is back on the practice field, but that doesn’t mean the Miami Dolphins are ready to rush him into action.
On Wednesday, the Dolphins opened the 21-day window for the 2025 first-round draft pick to return from injured reserve, and Grant took part in practice with the team. That moves him closer to activation, but his status for Week 5 is still up in the air.
Head coach Jeff Hafley made clear that Grant’s availability will come down to where he is in his recovery. Miami does not have to make a final roster decision until he is activated, and the team currently has one open spot on the 53-man roster.
Grant’s return would give the Dolphins another piece in a defensive tackle group that has held up well so far this season. Jordan Phillips, Zeek Biggers and veteran Zach Sieler have all played well throughout the game, and Hafley said Grant’s presence would create more options for the defense.
He did not lay out the full plan, but Hafley indicated Grant could allow the Dolphins to move players around once he’s back on the field. Biggers is the most likely candidate to slide outside, a spot he has already taken reps at, and Hafley has liked the versatility he has shown.
Still, Grant is not expected to jump straight into a full workload. The Dolphins plan to use him situationally until he is fully back to 100%.
Hafley has repeatedly praised Grant’s offseason work, even though Dolphins fans were underwhelmed by his first season. There were flashes, but the overall production did not match what the team expected from a first-round pick.
Miami’s defense has been improving in small steps, and Grant’s return would add another boost. But the bigger question is consistency, and Hafley made it clear the team will need more from Grant once he’s back on the field.
For now, the coach would not say whether Grant will play this week. That hesitation makes sense.
He has only just resumed practice, and the first few days back are not enough to get him into football shape. With the bye week coming in Week 6, the Dolphins have some flexibility and could decide to keep him inactive until after the break.
Hafley also did not offer an update on Kyle Louis, who should be eligible to come off IR next week. Trey Moore remains out for at least a few more weeks before he can return. Miami is not dealing with a long list of major injuries, knock-on-wood, but the roster is still not at full strength.
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