MIAMI GARDENS ― It was only 16 snaps for Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Kenneth Grant in his season debut against the Cincinnati Bengals.
"Felt pretty good," Grant said a few days after Miami's Week 5 loss.
Grant missed Miami's first four games with a toe injury. Miami's defense has actually held up pretty decently against the run early this season.
With Grant, a 2025 first-rounder, back in the fold, Miami should theoretically be better."Just get better, get better from last season," Grant said of his 2026 goal. "Be dominant, be dominating in the run and pass game, and get a lot of wins for this team."
Kenneth Grant to ramp up after return from toe injury
Grant was the 13th overall pick in the 2025 draft and his rookie season did not go as well as he wanted. Grant was taken one spot ahead of standout Colts tight end Tyler Warren.
Some felt 13th was a bit of a reach by former general manager Chris Grier. But the Dolphins just need Grant to be these things: tough, physical and strong. And to not be a total bust.
Everyone involved is hoping Grant will fit in well with new coach Jeff Hafley's defensive scheme.
Grant is noticeably slimmer this season. But his mission for this season is clear: to be such a bull in the trenches that he clears the path for Jacob Rodriguez and Jordyn Brooks to tackle everything.
"What Hafley asks us as a d-lineman in the run game is to grind blocks and be gritty type of guys, take on double teams," Grant said. "So our guys, 10 (Rodriguez) and 20 (Brooks), can make plays and fly around. Just be us, mix it up and rush the passer and affect the QB."
Kenneth Grant was 13th overall pick in 2025 NFL Draft
Rodriguez seems to appreciate what Grant can bring.
"He's always got energy, working all the time in practice," Rodriguez said. "The whole time he was on IR, he was around the guys. He was a part of the team. He was in the meetings. He was getting his body right. He's a pro and he's doing everything he needs to do to be here and help this team. I'm a huge fan."
Dolphins coaches say Grant has good feet for his size. And they believe he can anchor inside.
"I thought it was solid," Hafley said of Grant's debut. "I think getting his feet wet, getting the rust off. I think he did some good things and we need to get him going a little bit this week with what we do on the field and then get him back practicing more and playing more because we're going to need him."
Grant said he feels more explosive this season. And he feels he has a solid understanding of Miami's scheme after watching his teammates for four weeks.
"Certain plays are, you know, designed for certain things, and need a specific technique for what we want to run," Grant said. "We do a lot of different things. So I want to be able to execute all those different things."
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Joe Schad is a journalist covering the Miami Dolphins and the NFL at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at jschad@pbpost.com and follow him on Threads and Instagram and X at @schadjoe. Sign up for Joe's free weekly Dolphins Pulse Newsletter. Help support our work by subscribing today
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Kenneth Grant's goal for Dolphins defense: Clear path for LBs