Breaking the Dolphins Monday Roster Move and Injury Updates

The Miami Dolphins will get one important piece at practice back this week and perhaps two

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Caleb Douglas (7) walks onto the field before the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Miami Dolphins made a roster move Monday in the aftermath of their Week 4 game against the Minnesota Vikings, though it probably was more a matter of official record than anything else.

The Dolphins announced they had waived running back Carlos Washington Jr., two days after they signed him to the active roster off their practice squad. And the best guess is that Washington will be right back on the practice squad by Wednesday, assuming he doesn't get claimed off waivers.

Washington was signed to back up Jaylen Wright and Ollie Gordon II for the game against the Minnesota Vikings and the Dolphins couldn't simply elevate him from the practice squad because they needed their two moves to add defensive line depth with both edge Rodney McGraw and interior lineman Mazi Smith.

The Dolphins realistically could have done the move they made with Washington with any of the three players because any of them can be signed off the practice squad anyway if another team wants them badly enough (the only stipulation being that players signed off another team's practice squad have to be kept on the active roster for three weeks).

It just so happens the Dolphins have an opening on the practice squad, the one created when they signed Washington the active roster.

The Dolphins have another running back on the practice squad at this time, trade acquisition Jarquez Hunt, but it says here that Washington being brought back is a very solid bet.

Though he was active against the Vikings, Washington did not get into the game.

GRANT PRACTICING, DOUGLAS A MAYBE

Head coach Jeff Hafley offered some injury updates Monday, the best news being that defensive tackle Kenneth Grant will be back at practice Wednesday for the first time in the regular season.

Grant missed the first four games of the regular season after being placed on IR on August 30, but he's now eligible to return to game action.

If Grant can get through the week of practice without any issues, he should be in line to make his 2026 season debut against the Cincinnati Bengals next Sunday and his addition could prove valuable to an interior D-line group — Zach Sieler, Jordan Phillips, Zeek Biggers — coming off its best performance of the season.

The news wasn't quite as encouraging when it comes to wide receiver Caleb Douglas, who missed the past two games because of an ankle injury.

Hafley described Douglas as day-to-day and said "we'll see" in terms of whether Douglas would be able to practice Wednesday.

Keeping in mind that the Dolphins have their bye following this game against Cincinnati, don't be surprised if they err on the side of caution and keep Douglas out one more game, which would give him two more weeks to get back to 100 percent or close to it.

Hafley also put safety Dante Trader Jr. in the day-to-day category after he injured a knee against the Vikings but later returned to the game, and said special teams cornerback Reece Taylor would be week to week with his quad injury.