On Wednesday, the Miami Dolphins opened Kenneth Grant's 21-day window to return. The 2025 first-round draft pick began practicing with the team.
Getting Grant back will help improve the defensive tackle room, but will he play in Week 5? That is a question that head coach Jeff Hafley hinted at, but he needs more time to figure it out.
Speaking with the media on Wednesday, Hafley said that everything depends on where Grant is in his recovery. Miami doesn't have to decide his roster status until he is activated. Miami currently has one open spot on the 53-man roster.
Kenneth Grant is inching closer to activation giving the Miami Dolphins more options
The Dolphins' defensive tackle unit has looked good so far this year. Jordan Phillips, Zeek Biggers, and veteran Zach Sieler have all played well throughout the game. Hafley said that getting Grant back will open opportunities for the defensive scheme.
While he wouldn't say exactly what the plan would be, he said that Grant would allow them to move some players around once he is back on the field. Most likely, we would see Biggers sliding outside, where he has taken reps. Hafley likes the versatility that Biggers has shown.
Grant isn't going to be an immediate plug-and-play guy. The Dolphins will use him situationally until he is 100%.
Hafley has, on several occasions, spoken highly about Grant's offseason work, but Dolphins fans were not impressed by his first season. There were clear signs of potential, but overall, the performance wasn't what was expected from a first-round draft pick.
The Dolphins' defense continues to improve, if only in small increments. Getting Grant back on the field would be a plus, but again, he has to take a forward step and become far more consistent with his play on the field.
Hafley would not say whether or not Grant was going to play this week, and if we are being honest, he shouldn't. His first few days back will not get him into football shape. With the team's bye week coming in Week 6, the Dolphins have options and may want to consider keeping him inactive until after the break.
Hafley did not give any indication of the return of Kyle Louis, who should be eligible to come off IR next week. Trey Moore remains out for at least a few weeks before he can return. The Dolphins are not dealing with many serious injuries, knock-on-wood, but they are far from full strength.
Storm Duck Update
The Dolphins got good news about cornerback Storm Duck. Currently on the PUP list, Duck was a full participant in practice on Wednesday. It will be interesting to see his progression and how Hafley uses him, and when.
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